Years ago, I remember floating down the Susquehanna river during an insufferable day of extreme heat in August of 1980. I was 20 years old then. In my wondering mind that day, and in the calm and tranquil quiet of floating by the shores of Lock Haven; it was an impressionable afternoon, a gratifying prospective! My pensive, sappy thoughts were of the scenic beauty, my friends and family, and the whole surrounding community of my upbringing.

In the years that followed, I moved out of the Lock Haven community to seek my own heart, but I was drawn back to Lock Haven in the most recent years to take care of my parents as their health was failing. It was not the easiest transition, but what I experienced will always stay with me.

My father and mother moved to Lock Haven in the early 1960’s, not knowing that they would make Lock Haven their permanent home then, but they embraced Lock Haven, and in return, Lock Haven was their constant, and always provided outlets for them to be “in their best happy life.”

From concerts, to the annual fly-by, to the many veterans organizations, picnics, art gallery exhibitions, festivals, antique fairs, wineries, service organizations, including Kiwanis, herb, and flowers, from prospects for acting, singing, and painting, a playhouse, to the memberships for dancing, and socializing at social clubs, and from the beautifully amazing hospice group of which was most specially heartfelt in my parent’s lives, and so much more of the local happenings were my parent’s day to day significant involvement in Lock Haven.

While taking care of my parents, it was decided that we were not going to waste a moment of life without the experience of attending the many Lock Haven events, and no matter what event we attended, my father and mother were always greeted by someone that they knew, and that I was introduced to. The aftermath of running into someone that they knew were the stories that followed. I understood then, that the really special bond of Lock Haven was that it was not just the idea of being at the events as much as it was the passion of bumping into community friends. Emotionally genuine, it was!

Collectively, Lock Haven takes pride in their citizens! Over the years, my parents were listed in the newspaper many times for volunteering for the betterment of the community. They were involved in many fundraisers to help support essential causes and to help provide monetary donations to many of the Lock Haven establishments. They were proud of their commitment, and could have not been an integral part of their commitment without the support of other community members unabashedly.

People come together in Lock Haven to live, love, and laugh. It is a tightly knit community and my parents enjoyed it so much! They are gone now, but they would want to tell the community how much it meant to them.

I personally thank Lock Haven for the unending community support and compassion for all of my family members while I was caregiving in Lock Haven. I will never forget rekindling with my parents, my siblings, my old classmates, and meeting new people in my life.

As I return to my own home, new things will always float-by in my mind about Lock Haven, but I will never forget my time spent with my parents in their home in their community that they loved.

The memories are poignant! Every moment was precious!

Karen Bingaman is a former Lock Haven resident and the daughter of Philip and Dorothy Taormina.