July 1, 2026
Over the past several months, we’ve been quietly building something that we hope will become a valuable resource for everyone who calls Happy Valley home.
If you’ve been following our morning YouTube livestreams, you’ve watched us work through ideas, experiment with the format and talk about everything from local events and entrepreneurship to Penn State, nonprofits and the people who make this region such a special place. We’ve been learning as we go because we want these conversations to feel genuine, informative and worth your time.
Beginning on Monday, we’ll welcome our first community guests to the show.
We’ll be sitting down with local business owners, nonprofit leaders, artists, educators, volunteers, entrepreneurs, Penn State voices and others whose work is helping shape the future of Happy Valley. Every community has remarkable people doing meaningful work. Too often, their stories never reach beyond the people who already know them. We’d like to change that.
When each conversation ends, the work is really just beginning. We’ll share those stories through our website, newsletter and social media so they continue reaching new audiences long after the interview is over. We also want every guest to have content they can use to tell their own story and introduce more people to their organization, business or cause.
At the same time, we’re putting the finishing touches on the new Connect Happy Valley website. The Community Calendar continues to grow as we bring together events from across the region in one easy-to-use place. We’re also building Community Guides that help people discover local businesses, nonprofits, parks, trails, restaurants, attractions and experiences that make Happy Valley unlike anywhere else.
Our hope is that Connect Happy Valley becomes the place you visit when you’re wondering what to do this weekend, looking for a nonprofit to support, searching for a local business, welcoming a new employee to town or simply hoping to discover something you’ve never experienced before.
For nearly thirty years, I’ve believed that one of the greatest strengths of Happy Valley has never been the buildings or even Penn State itself. It’s always been the people. The more we introduce people to one another, the stronger this community becomes.
That belief is the reason Connect Happy Valley exists.
As we are preparing for launch, I’d like to invite a few more people to help us build what comes next.
We’re looking for our first Founding Community Connectors.
These are people who naturally introduce friends to great restaurants, recommend local events, support nonprofits, welcome newcomers, celebrate the success of others and simply enjoy making connections.
This isn’t another committee or another organization asking for your time. It’s an opportunity to become part of a growing network of people who believe that communities become stronger one introduction, one recommendation and one relationship at a time.
If you know someone whose story deserves to be shared, tell us. If you’ve found a place that every newcomer should experience, we’d like to hear about it. If there’s an event, organization or hidden gem that more people should discover, send it our way. The best ideas for Connect Happy Valley will always come from the people who know and love this community.
Thank you for following along and encouraging us as we’ve built this one step at a time. Your ideas, your feedback and your enthusiasm have already made Connect Happy Valley better, and I believe the best is still ahead.
If becoming one of our Founding Community Connectors sounds interesting, I’d enjoy hearing from you. Send me a note at Greg@affinityconnection.com and let’s continue building a more connected Happy Valley together.
One Response
Hi, Greg,
If you are looking for someone who is a community leader, a visionary, and a guy who gets things done, please consider Gordon Kauffman. He’s been active in the community for years, he developed the Boal City Brewing Company, and he was one of the leaders of the new High Point Skatepark.
Hugh