🌲 In the Heart of the Forest: Tracey Fox – Community as the Living Forest

By Holly F. Komonczi, Executive Director, Lumber Heritage Region

When I think of Tracey Fox, I can’t help but smile—just as everyone does when they see the beam she always wears. Tracey has embraced the concept of community more than anyone I know, and it shows. Her warmth, optimism, and drive have become part of what makes Wellsboro such a special place in the heart of the Lumber Heritage Region.

A transplant from southern New Jersey, Tracey and her husband, Josh, moved to Wellsboro nearly seven years ago when he accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum. What began as a career move quickly turned into a personal transformation. “I didn’t know how much I would love it here,” she says. “Getting involved changed everything.”

And “getting involved” might be an understatement. Tracey serves as a board member for the Wellsboro Glass Historical Association, coordinates events for the Glass Museum, helps lead Christmas on Main Street, and manages the ever-growing Wellsboro Comic-Con. She also helped launch and lead the Geminer Arts Friends, a group supporting the Geminer Arts and Cultural Center. Each of these projects—unique as they are—share one thing in common: community.

Tracey sees every event as an opportunity to bring people together, to help them discover the pride and purpose that comes from belonging. “The beauty of Wellsboro is that it’s full of people who want to do good,” she explains. “Once you start looking, you realize how many ways there are to help—and how much it gives back to you.”

That sense of connection is at the very heart of the Lumber Heritage Region’s mission—because the story of the forest is also the story of the people who live within it. In Wellsboro, that story is written not just in the towering trees or historic mills, but in neighbors gathering to plan a fundraiser, families volunteering at an event, and newcomers like Tracey who choose to put down roots. Her efforts remind us that thriving communities don’t just happen, they’re built, one act of generosity at a time.

Volunteering, Tracey says, has given her far more than she’s given it. “When we moved here, I didn’t know anyone. Now I have a whole new family of friends. This community welcomed us, and I just want to keep giving back.”

Tracey Fox may not have been born among the hemlocks and hardwoods of Pennsylvania’s northern forests, but she embodies their strength and generosity—growing deep roots in the soil of community and helping everyone around her flourish.

🌿 About “In the Heart of the Forest”

In the Heart of the Forest is a storytelling series from the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania, celebrating the people whose dedication, creativity, and community spirit keep our forested towns thriving. Each story highlights individuals who embody the heritage, sustainability, and resilience that make our region unique.

If you know someone who’s making a difference in the Lumber Heritage Region—through conservation, volunteerism, heritage work, or community leadership—please reach out to share their story. Together, we can keep the heart of the forest beating strong.