Earth Day Festivities in Harmony Falls

Earth Day is coming up this Friday, so my contemporary co-writer and dear sis, Jaz Kennedy, and I decided to drop in for a visit to Harmony Falls!

With all the farms, forests, mountains and rivers that surround our fictional small town in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands, we decided it would be fun to see what some of the outdoorsy heroes and free-spirited heroines in our upcoming small town romance series have got going on for the big event!

Read on for a peek into everyday life at Harmony Falls...  

“Eat up, everyone!” Julia Fitzgerald announced, her emerald eyes twinkling as she tapped a spoon against her glass.
 
As Harmony Falls’ self-proclaimed activities director and the town’s head librarian, Jules could whip together a fundraiser for a good cause in her sleep.
 
The town’s annual Earth Day celebration wasn’t really that different, she thought, smiling at the droves of willing workers dressed in jeans and overalls showing up on this sunny Saturday morning in April.

​This time, instead of benefiting the local animal shelter or even the public library, Jules mused, the benefactor of everyone’s hard work today would be the good, green earth.

​​She tingled a little inside, hoping her efforts to get the whole town involved would prove to be successful.

​Retirees, teenagers, single dads, preschoolers, farmhands, sorority sisters, doctors, painters and firemen packed into the Knickpoint Brewing Company for a hearty breakfast before setting out.
 
“Come on in, everybody! You’re gonna need lots of energy before you get working. We’ve got a beautiful brunch spread here for all our dedicated volunteers!”

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Photo http://www.pittsburghparks.org/earth-day

The Knickpoint was an old speak-easy-turned-brewpub, owned by Jules’ good friend Jack Brand–and the giant ex-Marine was a bit of a hometown hero. After his last tour of duty, he’d bought the abandoned pub and refurbished it with his bare hands, right down to its original mahogany carved panels.
 
Now the town’s preferred watering hole would serve as Earth Day Festivity Headquarters, and it was already getting crowded. Folks lined up at the buffet table nestled by the jukebox, chatting excitedly as they loaded their plates with waffles, scrambled eggs and bacon, getting fueled up for a day of honest work.
 
Jack placed a gentle but calloused hand on Jules’ elbow. “Hey, red, make sure you let everyone know to report back here for free pints when they’re finished. We’re tapping a keg of Happy Planet Pilsner at fifteen-hundred hours.”
 
“Yes, sir!” Jules replied, pulling a pen from behind her ear. A strand of ginger hair flung down below her chin as she reviewed her list.
 
“Where are my garbage pickers?” Regina DuPont bellowed from the doorway.

“Reggie!” called Jules, waving. “You made it!”

One of Jules’ best girlfriends, Reggie was a petite yet regal blonde with ice-blue eyes. As an EMT medic, she was absolutely unflappable—with an occasionally wicked sense of humor.
 
At the moment, she had her hands full, balancing boxes of trash bags and rubber gloves, and a stack of yellow safety vests ready to distribute to the roadside cleanup crews. [CLICK READ MORE BELOW THE PICTURE TO CONTINUE!]

http://news.psu.edu/gallery/371334/2015/09/22/impact/penn-state-behrend-students-participate-international-coastal

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