Nearly a decade away was hardly enough to erase fond memories of a carefree Northeastern Pennsylvania childhood. Visit Luzerne County’s Membership and Marketing Coordinator, Megan Filak recalls nature walks with her dad and sledding down the dike on those precious snow days. Often, she’d find herself reminiscing during muggy South Carolina summers about a NEPA breeze, scuffed knees and the unbridled freedom of a simple bike ride.

Megan moved quickly through old Bishop Hoban and LCCC and off to American U in D.C. She soon tired of the hectic life of a Charleston news producer. And, at the first opportunity to return home, reconnect with her roots, and start a family, she jumped.

And she landed in Kingston. She’s happy. She’s loving her job and all of the wonderful people she meets daily. For Megan, her husband, their two darling daughters and their somewhat-famous Toy Fox Terrier, Sonny, NEPA is all about family.

How long have you lived in NEPA?

All told, I’ve lived here about 25 years. So… yeah, we spent about 8 or 9 years in Charleston, South Carolina before coming back home.

What did you miss most about NEPA?

The biggest thing I missed was family and being close to our families. But we also missed the natural beauty of the area – the mountains and the change of seasons.

What Brought you back NEPA?

My husband and I knew that we wanted to have a family of our own. We had grown up with our grandparents and cousins nearby, and we wanted the same for our kids

What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?

Hmmm… there’s a lot (laughs). So, we are fortunate here to have the change of seasons, which we didn’t really have when we lived in South Carolina. My husband and I love to go hiking at local state parks and on local trails – not just in the summer and the warm weather. Actually, a couple weekends ago, we went ice hiking at Ricketts Glen, which was a pretty awesome experience. It was really cool. There is just so much going on all the time. You know, there’s a thriving arts community. There’s a lot of local theater. And, of course, the festivals are one of a kind here.

What’s next for you?

I hope to continue to be part of all the good happening in NEPA – to continue to watch it grow and thrive in a positive way. You know, part of my job with my coworkers and wonderful community partners – we do the Rockin’ the River Concert Series that we started last summer – so, we’re gearing up for that this coming July. I hope to continue to be a part of more things like that, and to continue to bring the community together and to show everyone a good time.

Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?

I think it’s a really exciting time to be in Northeastern PA. Like I mentioned, there’s so much going on. There are so many new businesses popping up and events happening. So, I hope to continue to see that momentum grow – and not only grow, but to thrive.

Why NEPA?

There’s so much about NEPA that I love. Of course, my family’s here. That’s a big one. But, beyond family, there’s such an overwhelming sense of community here that has been amazing since we moved back. You know, not only our close family and friends that we had known from our time here before. My husband and I moved to a different section of Luzerne County from where we grew up and we found a whole other community that’s been incredible to raise our family in. NEPA, in general, is a great place to raise a young family.  And, the natural beauty of it all is just, kind of, a huge bonus – the mountains, the rivers. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, it’s just a great place to be.