A new billboard along Route 309 welcomes motorists to Tamaqua - both those who are visiting, and those who call the borough home.

Featuring the image of a steam engine outside the historic Tamaqua Train Station, the billboard directs folks to the “Choose Happiness” website at www.choosehappiness.org.

The site contains opportunities for adventure, history, enjoyment and community interaction - all “things” that are shown to promote happiness.

“We are providing information to local people and to people who aren’t from the area,” said Micah Gursky, executive director of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, the nonprofit organization responsible for the billboard. “So it’s not strictly a tourism promotion or a visitor promotion, we’re actually more interested in making sure our local people understand what we have in our local community.”

For example, click on “Choose Adventure” to find area lakes, trails, playgrounds and parks, or select “Choose Community” to see a host of organizations, churches and educational facilities.

The billboard and corresponding website, as well as rack cards placed throughout the region, were born from the “Choose Happiness” plan developed by the Partnership and adopted by borough council in 2022.

The plan centered around the work the partnership was doing - and plans to do - and how it impacts people’s lives and their happiness.

Gursky said that studies show that a number of factors lead to happiness. Among them are community engagement, sense of purpose, financial health, positive social relationships and physical and mental health.

The website, he said, is designed to help people engage in one or more of those areas.

“We are really trying to highlight the amenities and the opportunities we have in our area to develop those things,” he said. “We want people to actively participate and actively choose happiness. We can’t guarantee anybody’s happiness but we can build a community that provides the opportunity for it.”

Those traveling north on Route 309 can see the billboard near the Fegley’s in South Tamaqua. The photo was taken by Donald Serfass.