ELYSBURG - While nearby communities in the heart of the lower anthracite coal region continue to struggle with blight, crime and depleted downtowns, life in Elysburg is good.
Not that the community and surrounding Ralpho Township don't share some of the same problems that exist in boroughs only a few miles away. But Elysburg in many ways has become the "go-to" area - for those who have fled row homes in Shamokin and Mount Carmel to build anew on former farmland; for those who work at the always-growing Geisinger Medical Center just 10 miles away in Danville; for those who want to enroll their children in the smaller, more rural and, in many state testing categories, better-performing Southern Columbia Area School District.
Supporting this growth is a business community that is buoyed by Knoebels Amusement Resort and includes statewide chains such as Sheetz, nationals such as McDonald's and a mixture of locally owned operations.
Frank Berger refers to all this as Elysburg's "balance" - businesses and residential; large and small; common and unique.
"The community is laid out very well, with a good mix between residences and businesses," said Berger, owner of Berger's Trinity Peace, a religious-themed gift shop along Route 54, and also president of the Ralpho Township Business Association (RTBA). "I think a lot of the businesses complement each other."
RTBA, which has 84 members, supports the business community but also local emergency responders through fundraisers and youth through scholarships.
"The association has both big and small businesses in its membership roster and really shows the diversity of the community," said Berger, whose own business is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
17% population growth
Census figures show Ralpho Township population has grown 17 percent in the past 20 years, from 3,625 in 1990 to 4,321 in 2010.
It's more than simple numbers, said township manager Joe Springer. The climb above 4,000 was important.
"We're thankful; it made us eligible for CDBG funds," he said of the Community Development Block Grant money offered by the state.
The township will use its first allotment of $60,000 for stormwater and sewer improvements and blight reduction.
Public service has improved, too, he believes, citing the establishment of 24-hour police service over the past 10 years.
Springer said efforts to manage growth have included the establishment of a township planning commissioner versus allowing county policies to dictate local development.
"Our big push was in the late '90s for development," he said, adding, "We're ready for it when the next push comes through."
Knoebels and other fun
Knoebels Amusement Resort, which opens for its 86th season Saturday, remains a key component for life in the greater Elysburg area, particularly in business growth. Much of it is obvious - people needing gas, food and lodging while visiting the park. But there are more subtle impacts, too. Local garages, for example, see an uptick in business during Knoebels' season in serving motorists who need help.
Joe Muscato, public relations director, noted how Knoebels took root in the Elysburg area for some of the same reasons people still visit there today: its beauty. He noted the confluence of Mugser's Run and Roaring Creek in the heart of the park - "even though those creeks lose their minds once in a while and try to flood us out," he added, the memories from September still fresh.
"I really think we have a good relationship with the community and help it by being here," Muscato said. "You have such businesses as Turkey Hill, Sheetz and McDonald's, and you wonder if they would have come to Elysburg if Knoebels isn't here.
"By the same token, we were very happy with Boyer's coming in," he said of the Schuylkill County-based grocery chain taking over the former IGA along Route 487. "It's a great option for our customers to get supplies."
Garages that benefit from Knoebels include Tire Ranch, where owner Bob Leffler notes the occasional camper problem or car that won't start.
"Knoebels is a big deal," he said. "It has an impact on the area."
Vic Lisiewicz opened his transmission shop along Route 54 in Elysburg in 1999, moving the business from Mount Carmel.
"When Knoebels is open, we can count of two or three jobs a week coming from people needing help," he said.
He said location is key, too.
"Elysburg and Ralpho Township is a nice hub," he said.
It's perhaps even a hub for the amusement business, Muscato noted. Knoebels provides the actual fun, while National Ticket Co., a 100-plus-year-old company a few miles away in Paxinos, provides tickets, wristbands and other products to Knoebels and other operations worldwide, and Toy Factory, which opened a few years ago in the former Paper Magic plant just a mile or so from the busy intersection of Routes 487 and 54, creates stuffed toys and other prizes used at Knoebels and elsewhere.
In addition to Knoebels, Elysburg is also known for entertainment through the Valley Gun and Country Club, which hosts some of the world's largest shooting events each year, and the popular annual Haunted House organized by the township fire companies each Halloween. All Home Days each Labor Day Weekend also attracts thousands to the community and has existed for more than 90 years. The community is also now home to a Super Bowl champion, Henry Hynoski, for whom a local street has been named.
'Great place to raise kids'
Springer said Elysburg has always been somewhat of a relaxed community of those who work in Danville and Bloomsburg. But he, like others, notes the importance of the school district.
"I've talked to many people who said they moved to Ralpho Township because of the Southern Columbia Area School District," he said. "That's why I moved there."
Another sign of Elysburg as a go-to place for families is seen at local day care businesses. Two facilities operate within a few blocks of each other, and business for both is thriving.
Jennifer Jankowski had 27 children and a waiting list when she took over Little Britches Daycare Center in 1997. She built a new facility in 2006 and now has 79 children - and still has a waiting list.
"Geisinger has a lot to do with the growth," she said.
Jankowski, an Elysburg native, said she also hears about people who relocate to the area specifically so their children can be enrolled at Southern Columbia.
She believes the community has grown "in a positive fashion."
"It's a nice place to raise children," she said.
Lori Dobson shares those sentiments. About 50 percent of her clientele were children were from Elysburg when she bought The Learning Center day care 16 years ago; today, 80 percent are local, she said.
She said Elysburg is clean and safe, and pointed to facilities such as the large, beautiful playground near the municipal building as attractive to families.
"It's a nice community to have kids in," she said.
Springer said people will "vote with their feet" if a community is attractive.
"If they're moving into Ralpho Township, they're coming because they like it," he said.