By Jessica Kenley

GALETON, PA—In the soft, golden glow reflected off ice and pine trees, the small town of Galeton gathered for one of its most cherished annual events: Galeton Lights on the Water. As laughter drifted through the chilly air and a bonfire crackled at the heart of the festivities, it was clear the people of this community were coming together for more than just a tree lighting—they were celebrating kinship, kindness, and the warmth of being home for the holidays.

There were several small fires roaring around the pond, so that people could keep warm, and also, seemingly, so that the local children could keep up their boisterous games of “Hide n’ Seek” and “Tag, You’re It!” On the other side of one of these flames was Todd Zwagart, a grandfather and one of Galeton’s newest residents. With a gentle smile, he summed up the spirit of the evening: “We’re here for Christmas and share the Lord Jesus, yes.” Zwagart was more than a bystander—he had been entrusted with keeping the fire stoked, a simple duty emblematic of his growing role in the community.

Through conversations with this reporter, Todd shared more than his responsibilities. He opened up about life’s journey and what had brought him and his family here. “I just moved to Galeton a little over a year ago. They asked us to come and help raise the kids,” Todd explained. His weekends are a commute, “I still work in Harrisburg, so I only come home on the weekends,” but Galeton is rapidly becoming his true home.

When asked about people coming together in the community, Todd nodded knowingly. For him, the evening wasn’t just about pretty lights or holiday songs, but about belonging somewhere that felt both safe and supportive.

The crowd swelled as families, grandkids, and neighbors found places near the big Christmas tree. Children dashed around, anticipation mounting for the tree’s impending illumination. Todd noted, “I have grandkids here.” Such dialogue, echoed by the laughter of children and calls for hot cocoa, painted a scene reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting.

But, as both Jess and Todd recognized, Galeton’s kindness extended far beyond holiday gatherings. Todd recounted a poignant moment after the funeral of a fire chief, recalling, “I have an antique fire truck, actually, you might probably see it down here on the road at county line. Well, I took it down for a funeral for one of my fire chiefs that passed away, and I was coming home and I blew a tire.” Stranded, he was met with compassion: “You wouldn’t imagine the people that came and said, ‘Can I help? The one person asked, ‘Can I get you dinner?’ Because it was over dinnertime…I’m like, ‘That would not happen in Harrisburg,” prompting acknowledgment of the contrast between city life and the embrace of a small town.

The countdown to the lighting of the big tree kept spirits high. The crowd bustled, moving for better views—Moments like these were punctuated by the simple magic of children’s games going on in the background: “The kids, ready or not? Here we come,” one child exclaimed.

As the final logs on the fire sparkled and the big tree shimmered, in Galeton, such encounters turned neighbors into friends, and holiday traditions into legacies. If this year’s Galeton Lights on the Water proved anything, it’s that the season’s greatest illuminations often come from within.