I love this time of year between the first days of school and Thanksgiving.
Early November in State College, PA is the epitome of fall in the mid-Atlantic. The hills surrounding town are sometimes still spotted with colorful foliage, the cider is fresh pressed, the air is crisp and cold and the University is still educating students from all over the world and hosting football games at Beaver Stadium.
Football in Happy Valley has never died, despite the hits the program and it's people took four years ago this week. Our tailgates are still fun, the stands are still packed with devoted fans and the halftime show is still entertaining. The town rocks from Friday through Sundays on home football weekends. The lines at the restaurants still snake down the blocks and sidewalks. The locals find ways to skirt the crowds to get their groceries and drive their children to activities or enjoy the area. We can watch the game in the comfort of our own homes and yell as loud as we want at what we see on the screen; be it good or bad. Some of us can get play by plays from friends on Facebook. I especially enjoy Ajja reports (Ajja is a friend's dad who once taught at PSU and at 88 is a proud, avid, and involved fan). In State College, even if you don't have season tickets, you can still be part of the fun.
But the rest, well, the rest still hangs over head.
Even though things seem to have improved, I can tell you, this lovely town and it's people are still reminded of the scandal all the time. Every color commentator somehow interjects something about it on game days. Today it came up when a friend returned from her high school reunion where she was questioned about J. S. (I won't print his name). Last week J.S. was in court, yet again, looking to appeal. Others implicated have yet to see the inside of a courtroom, even after all this time. Many people who lost jobs because of their association to the team at the time lost their jobs and are still trying to make a life. Some fans are adamant that the Coach's statue be returned to it's spot. And the victims, well, they will never be able to move totally away from it. So it lingers. The mess, the accusations, the he said she said rumors, the movies and books, the never ending discussions, the radio hosts and the world never have let it go. Maybe they never will and maybe they never should.
In the meantime I am reminded that time moves on. The young students who have chosen this university are not even up on the facts or the players of the case, as I was reminded in a comical way as I sat waiting for a play to start 2 weeks ago. The young lady beside me was telling her friend that the statue of the coach is definitely not here on campus because her boyfriend has looked all over for it and he works in the football building (wow)! Her focus is not on scandal. Our newest President assures us that, in time, the right people will be recognized for their accomplishments. We have another coach, new players and loyal fans and players who have stuck it out amid this whirlwind. We as a community have instituted and learned more about child sexual abuse and the abusers among us than, I would argue, almost any town in the US. The millions have been paid, the regulations met. It is a good place to live and a safe place (#1 in the state according to the 2015 rankings from Niche).
It has been four long years. Nevertheless, after those four long years the only thing we really need are the answers to the questions we still have. In the meantime we will love our Happy Valley life.
Showing posts with label Happy Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Happy Valley. Show all posts
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The week that was: November 5-12, 2011 State College, PA
About ten years ago I was at a meeting at the Autoport with school administrators, teachers, psychologists and other interested parties as we mapped out the anti-bullying strategies we planned on teaching. At one point, after so many compliments about our wonderful town, our Happy Valley, I remember getting a big laugh when I reminded everyone that "we may be Happy Valley, but we are not Perfect Valley". At that very moment the sirens of a police car sounded not too far away and the point hit home.
This week it hit home again but with no laughter.
How we deal with the absolutely horrid and utterly impossible to believe facts around here we will only know in time. Our collective hearts are broken. Our pain is nothing compared to the pain of the children whose innocence was taken. Our Happy Valley is under a cloud of shame and disgrace. To understand this scandal fully is nauseating. It is tremendously sad and, as one of the local talk radio heads said on Thursday, it has robbed us of a bit of our identity.
After 34 years in this beautiful part of the world I feel that local is a good term to describe my family and me. Many PSUers come and go, pass through and love their time here, return only sometimes. Many others return to the stadium or to Arts Fest or the fireworks on the 4Th of July and relax and reminisce with a sigh of remembering the easier days of their past. Lots of people try and recapture their youth at homecoming (that usually ends badly). Many many others will return to live here. It is that kind of town. Three hours from everywhere but the hub of our lifestyle. A safe little nest in the valley.
Only now we find out that that safety did not extend to all. That is what breaks our hearts.
It is very very hard to explain to those that don't live here just how special this place is. To that end I will just say, trust me. It is not perfect by any means, and we know of it's flaws. However, my circle of connections is touched by this tragedy in what can only be described as the "trickle down" variety. By that I mean that no, I don't know the boys who were hurt irreparably by the predator whose name I wont mention, but, I do know or have met just about everyone else whose names have been in the national media. Years ago our sons sat in the local barbershop and took their turn after the legendary coach, they entered the football competition Punt, Pass and Kick held every year, I assisted the coach's wife when her daughter was being married,my husband would help her when he worked for Sears, I have seen the university president out and about and sat next to him numerous times when our kids played Little League. Our kids and their kids grew up together. One of my sons famously kicked out the lead witness during a youth baseball game a very long time ago...they have since become friendly, to a degree. At the high school football banquet years ago we sat at the table with the new coach and his wife and had a wonderful time. My street is the home of a man who works for the Second Mile and I know many kids who have benefited from that wonderful program. We have tailgated and been to games at the stadium. One of our sons has a degree from the university. I have had my pictures framed by the brother of one of the people who has ties to the case. It goes on and on and on. I am by no means bragging about the people here and me being close, we are not. I am saying that this is, after all, a small town. A close knit and small town.
But it goes deeper for me. I am around the children of these famous men all the time. The nieces and nephews, the grandchildren, the innocent ones who happen to have recognizable names. One of them is a lovely young one who I really am impressed by, I like her as a person, she is sparkly and sweet and kind and pretty feisty! Her sister and cousins are also very sweet. I worry about them and what this world wide attention will do to them. It will effect them. It is sad. Former students are now or have been on the football team, or may be sports writers or photographers at Penn State. Many many of my young friends participate in THON, the largest and most successful philanthropic event in all U.S. colleges, raising money to aide in cancer research.
Last night I drove through our main street, called College Avenue. I was passing through after running some errands. The quiet lovely avenue was filled with traffic. More than on a normal Friday before a home game. The traffic was backed up because of the news trucks from all over. I counted 12 of them and more were at the stadium and at the coaches house and the Second Mile. It was incredible. Remember, we are in the middle of the state, three hours from every major city. There was nothing new to say but there they were with wires and mics and booms across the lawn of Old Main and downtown. It felt as if they were continually ripping the scab off the fresh wound. If I felt this way as a townie, imagine how my young friends must feel.
So now what?? I can only hope that the news does not get worse. I pray that soon we can be better to each other. I will walk in the vigil tomorrow to promote awareness. I will cry many more tears for the boys. I will pray for my bad thoughts about the perpetrator to be lessened. I know that this is not over. But, it is my home, my son's love it here. We have built a life here. It is Happy Valley. I also ask all of you who don't live here to remember that lots and lots of good and decent people are proud to call State College home. We need your love and the victims need your prayers.
This week it hit home again but with no laughter.
How we deal with the absolutely horrid and utterly impossible to believe facts around here we will only know in time. Our collective hearts are broken. Our pain is nothing compared to the pain of the children whose innocence was taken. Our Happy Valley is under a cloud of shame and disgrace. To understand this scandal fully is nauseating. It is tremendously sad and, as one of the local talk radio heads said on Thursday, it has robbed us of a bit of our identity.
After 34 years in this beautiful part of the world I feel that local is a good term to describe my family and me. Many PSUers come and go, pass through and love their time here, return only sometimes. Many others return to the stadium or to Arts Fest or the fireworks on the 4Th of July and relax and reminisce with a sigh of remembering the easier days of their past. Lots of people try and recapture their youth at homecoming (that usually ends badly). Many many others will return to live here. It is that kind of town. Three hours from everywhere but the hub of our lifestyle. A safe little nest in the valley.
Only now we find out that that safety did not extend to all. That is what breaks our hearts.
It is very very hard to explain to those that don't live here just how special this place is. To that end I will just say, trust me. It is not perfect by any means, and we know of it's flaws. However, my circle of connections is touched by this tragedy in what can only be described as the "trickle down" variety. By that I mean that no, I don't know the boys who were hurt irreparably by the predator whose name I wont mention, but, I do know or have met just about everyone else whose names have been in the national media. Years ago our sons sat in the local barbershop and took their turn after the legendary coach, they entered the football competition Punt, Pass and Kick held every year, I assisted the coach's wife when her daughter was being married,my husband would help her when he worked for Sears, I have seen the university president out and about and sat next to him numerous times when our kids played Little League. Our kids and their kids grew up together. One of my sons famously kicked out the lead witness during a youth baseball game a very long time ago...they have since become friendly, to a degree. At the high school football banquet years ago we sat at the table with the new coach and his wife and had a wonderful time. My street is the home of a man who works for the Second Mile and I know many kids who have benefited from that wonderful program. We have tailgated and been to games at the stadium. One of our sons has a degree from the university. I have had my pictures framed by the brother of one of the people who has ties to the case. It goes on and on and on. I am by no means bragging about the people here and me being close, we are not. I am saying that this is, after all, a small town. A close knit and small town.
But it goes deeper for me. I am around the children of these famous men all the time. The nieces and nephews, the grandchildren, the innocent ones who happen to have recognizable names. One of them is a lovely young one who I really am impressed by, I like her as a person, she is sparkly and sweet and kind and pretty feisty! Her sister and cousins are also very sweet. I worry about them and what this world wide attention will do to them. It will effect them. It is sad. Former students are now or have been on the football team, or may be sports writers or photographers at Penn State. Many many of my young friends participate in THON, the largest and most successful philanthropic event in all U.S. colleges, raising money to aide in cancer research.
Last night I drove through our main street, called College Avenue. I was passing through after running some errands. The quiet lovely avenue was filled with traffic. More than on a normal Friday before a home game. The traffic was backed up because of the news trucks from all over. I counted 12 of them and more were at the stadium and at the coaches house and the Second Mile. It was incredible. Remember, we are in the middle of the state, three hours from every major city. There was nothing new to say but there they were with wires and mics and booms across the lawn of Old Main and downtown. It felt as if they were continually ripping the scab off the fresh wound. If I felt this way as a townie, imagine how my young friends must feel.
So now what?? I can only hope that the news does not get worse. I pray that soon we can be better to each other. I will walk in the vigil tomorrow to promote awareness. I will cry many more tears for the boys. I will pray for my bad thoughts about the perpetrator to be lessened. I know that this is not over. But, it is my home, my son's love it here. We have built a life here. It is Happy Valley. I also ask all of you who don't live here to remember that lots and lots of good and decent people are proud to call State College home. We need your love and the victims need your prayers.
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