Brooke Zimmerman’s mom, Brandy, is “pretty great,” she said. This year, the Zimmermans are planning on spending Mother’s Day at Raystown Lake for an afternoon of aquatic recreation away from their Hollidaysburg home.

“As kids, we used to go every summer, and hang out down there, so we’re going back just to celebrate Mother’s Day,” Zimmerman said.

To Zimmerman, being a good mother to her son, Aiden, means everything.

“I think the kids are our future, so instilling good values in children” is important, she said. “My mom would always tell me that you never know what unconditional love is until you have a kid of your own.”

To Brooke Zimmerman of Hollidaysburg, being a good mother to her son, Aiden, means everything. She said her mom, Brandy, “would always tell me that you never know what unconditional love is until you have a kid of your own.” Mirror photo by Conner Goetz

According to Zimmerman, her relationship with her family is very important to her life.

“It’s given me a fulfillment I never knew I would have,” she said.

As the middle of three siblings, Wesley Edevane has a close relationship with his family and especially his mother, Barb.

“She’s a fantastic lady,” he said. For Mother’s Day, the Edevane family is planning a gathering.

“We’re just going to go over to her house … spend some time with her and visit,” Edevane said.

Mike Irwin

Stephanie Onkst spent her Thursday afternoon preparing for Mother’s Day by plant shopping at Leighty’s Farm Market and Flower World with her mother-in-law, Shirley.

“That’s her gift from us, to plant up, do some mulch and some flowers,” Onkst said.

According to Onkst, her favorite flowers to plant are “anything the deer doesn’t eat,” since her Hollidaysburg property has lots of wild visitors.

Their Mother’s Day flower-buying trip is not currently a family tradition, although it may become one in the future, Onkst said.

“Because we’re valuing experiences over smaller gifts, so we’re here together,” Onkst said, “it was going to be a surprise, but I wanted her to be here and be a part of it so she could pick out some of the flowers.”

Paulette Cummings Vandzura

For Sarah Flegal and partner Tyler Nace, their respective mothers are a study in contrast.

“(She’s) funny, different, but average at the same time — unique,” Flegal said of her mom. While Nace’s mother isn’t as “old school” as Flegal’s.

“She’s more open-minded,” Nace added, “she’s trying to understand more.”

To celebrate on Sunday, Nace said he plans to visit his mother in Altoona, when Flegal is visiting her mother.

“I’ll probably just get her something, go out to (a restaurant), depending on how much time we have,” Flegal said.

Margaret Garguilo

Spending time together doing activities and playing games builds memories that kids and adults will carry for a lifetime.

On Monday, Kayla O’Shell and her daughter, Paisley, 7, sported big grins as they played at Kid’s Kingdom Play Park at Legion Memorial Park in Hollidaysburg.

The duo from Flinton were celebrating the day, which happened to be Paisley’s seventh birthday. When asked about her own mother, O’Shell said “she has more love than anyone I know.” She was thrilled when her mom met Paisley for the first time and she saw “the love in her eyes.”

Mike Irwin’s mother never went to a party that wasn’t the best party she ever went to, he said.

Irwin, of Altoona, remembers that his mom would say “that was the greatest party. … She always had a positive thing to say about where she went.”

Steve Garguilo

Prom and wedding dresses, Easter outfits and more, there wasn’t anything that Paulette Cummings Vandzura’s mom couldn’t make.

“My mother was a wonderful seamstress,” she said. Vandzura, who grew up in Portage and now lives in Altoona, said “she was a great mom.”

For Margaret Garguilo and her son Steve, one of her three boys, a family gardening day on Sunday is a much anticipated event.

“It’s becoming a tradition. … Getting to plant the vegetable garden together, and Mother’s Day is the perfect time to do it,” Steve Garguilo said. They “get everything in the ground, and then all summer long see it bear all the vegetables.”

The vegetable and herb planting will be just one part of the day’s itinerary.

“We’re going to make a meal, do some planting and have a nice family day,” Garguilo said.

Her role in her family’s life “is the most important thing to me,” Margaret Garguilo said.

“I feel like my greatest accomplishment is having raised really fine young men,” she said.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.