For Ali and Dave Tlaxcala, home is more than the house they share with their sons, Barrett and Bowen. It is the familiar streets Ali has known since childhood, the family nearby, the schools and ballfields within walking distance, and the relationships that have shaped their lives since they made their home here together in 2010.

     Ali grew up in the very home where the Tlaxcalas now live, a place filled with family history and neighborhood memories. After renovating the house with local contractor and Hershey graduate Brandon Arndt, Ali and Dave created spaces that feel cozy, welcoming, and unmistakably theirs. It is the kind of home meant for friends dropping by, kids running through the yard, happy hours on the patio, and evenings around a fire while wiffle balls sail into the alley and cheers rise behind them.

     The rhythm of their days is deeply connected to place. The boys can walk to school, meet friends downtown, head to the batting cages at Memorial Field, or enjoy the Derry Township Recreation Center without ever feeling far from home. Ali’s brother Gordie and his family, her parents, the family office, favorite local spots, and a long list of neighbors-turned-friends are all close by.

     Ali and Dave’s story began at James Madison University in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Dave is originally from McGaheysville, Virginia, Ali, a 2009 JMU graduate with a degree in marketing, was drawn to the Valley’s small-town charm, close friendships, and easy sense of connection.Those early years helped shape the life they would build in Hershey. Today, Dave and Ali blend steady roots with creative vision, family values with community commitment, and a shared belief that life’s best investments are faith, family, and helping others.

     Ali and Dave are proud to be their boys’ biggest fans. Ali balances motherhood, community involvement, and her role as Creative Director of Accuwrite Print + Promo, the Peters' family business. Dave works alongside her as Business Development Manager and brings that same steady dedication to coaching. Known to many as “Coach T,” he is an assistant coach for the Milton Hershey Middle School football team and a familiar presence in Hershey Youth Flag Football. Owning a small family business gives them something they treasure deeply: the flexibility to show up. They can be present for games, practices, school moments, community events, and the everyday memories that quietly become the most meaningful ones.

     Barrett, 12, is a kind-hearted upcoming seventh grader at Hershey Middle School. He loves spending time with friends in their walkable community, whether meeting up downtown or heading to the batting cages at Memorial Field. Baseball is one of his biggest passions, and he recently earned the coveted honor of keeping his first home run ball from South Field. This year, he is looking forward to travel baseball with the Mid-State Mavericks, along with flag football and basketball.

     As team captain of the Hershey 11U All Stars, Barrett has learned the importance of commitment, sportsmanship, and lifting others up. He and Bowen also support the Hershey Challengers, an all-abilities baseball team, as peer mentors—a role that reflects the kindness and inclusion their parents hope to model every day.

     Bowen, 6, known as Bo, is a sweet soul with a gentle heart. He loves his family, his dogs, and the friends he has made at school. He seems to make a friend wherever he goes, whether riding his ATV around the neighborhood, heading outside to play, or meeting neighbor and cousin Todd Ruddle for a popsicle or garage hangout. If Bowen could be a professional wiffle ball player, he just might. This year, he joined Hershey Little League and proudly wore his Accuwrite-sponsored jersey all season. He is learning early that the love of a game is about connection, confidence, and the people cheering from the sidelines.

     For the Tlaxcalas, Hershey Bears hockey is more than a night out. It is a family tradition that began long before Ali had children of her own. Her grandfather, Al Peters, took her to games while her father, John, worked as an off-ice official. Today, Ali and her brother continue the tradition by sharing season tickets with their families, passing that excitement to a new generation of young fans. There is joy in hearing the kids chant “B-E-A-R-S!” with vuvuzelas in hand, experiencing Calder Cup playoff energy through their eyes, and taking part in traditions like the Teddy Bear Toss. These are more than outings on a calendar; they are reminders of how community traditions become part of a family’s heartbeat.

     On Friday nights, the family loves local spots with outdoor seating, including Rising Sun and Snitz Creek. They appreciate the friendly faces at Tröegs, and Ali and Dave enjoy occasional date nights at Hidden Still, Chocolate Avenue Grille, and Devon. For quality time that feels more like them than even dinner out, the Tlaxcalas love a day date on the Hershey Country Club golf course, where a little friendly competition makes the time together even sweeter. In the fall, living within walking distance of the high school stadium brings extra excitement as families gather at their house before walking together to cheer on the Trojan football team.

     One of the most meaningful parts of the Tlaxcalas’ lives is their involvement with 3.21 For Life’s World Down Syndrome Day Celebration. For Ali and Dave, showing up for the people and families who make 3.21 special reflects their values: kindness, connection, friendship, and belonging. The friendships they have formed through 3.21 For Life have helped them lead by example for Barrett and Bowen. Inclusion, they believe, should not be just a word people use. It should be a way of living, felt in everyday actions, relationships, and the simple choice to be a true friend.

     Ask the Tlaxcalas what they love most about Hershey, and their answer comes back to closeness. Family is close. Friends are close. School, sports, work, and favorite gathering places are all around the corner. Everyday life feels connected and grounded in the comfort of knowing that the people who matter most are never far away. For Ali, Dave, Barrett, and Bowen, home is found in the cheers from a backyard game, the hum of a Hershey Stadium country concert in the distance, the walk to a Friday night football game, the comfort of a neighbor’s wave, and the joy of raising their boys in a place where roots run deep and relationships grow stronger with every season. And in the Tlaxcala family’s little corner of Downtown Hershey, together truly is their favorite place to be.