Sometimes, there's just no place like home -- especially when you're roaring down the streets you once called your own, in a golf cart representing the Naples, Fla. Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association.

"I'm having a great time," said Nancy Hadfield, Class of 1960, during the annual homecoming parade on Friday. "I just love the campus, the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the students. I wouldn't miss this for anything."

Hadfield, who splits her time between Naples, Fla. and Chester County, was accompanied by fellow 1960 alumna Grace Crighton of Saxonburg.

"We met freshman year, when she lived right next to me in the dorm," Crighton said. "We were in Thompson Hall, which was a men's dorm at the time -- but they put us in there because they ran out of space."

Hadfield, who has participated in the parade three times, said the Naples Chapter of the Alumni Association has about 200 members.

She added that she and Crighton were looking forward to attending football and volleyball games on Saturday.

"I love this place and I wish I could have retired here," Crighton said. "Penn State always has spirit, a lot more than most other universities have."

About a mile away from the women's parked golf cart, Steven Schell, Class of 1971, sat outside the Schreyer Honors College gateway on East College Avenue -- the same spot where he has observed the parade for the past 10 years.

"The atmosphere is great," said Schell, of Berks County. "You have everything here you would have in a big city, but it's still a small town and you feel safe. And it's neat to come up here in a day and time when parades are really not held like they used to be."

He added that during his time at Penn State, a homecoming carnival near Beaver Stadium attracted thousands of students each October.

"The fraternities and sororities paired up and performed skits, and you had to pay to see each one," he said. "The group that raised the most money by getting the most people to come to their skit was the winner."

Schell's son, Penn State alumnus Matthew Schell of Limerick, said he has returned to each homecoming celebration since he graduated in December 1999.

"A lot of the details have changed, but the spirit is still the same," he said.

Farther west on College Avenue, Ingrid and Tom Baker of Emmaus, shared stories about homecoming parades past with their three grandchildren.

Baker said her mother graduated from Penn State in 1936, and her daughter graduated in 1996.

"What's not to enjoy?" she said. "We like the floats, the bands, the camaraderie and just all of the diversity; it's really big."

Meanwhile, Nancy Hadfield reached the end of the parade route and prepared to drive away in her golf cart.

An alumnus sporting a blue and white wig walked by and waved to her and Crighton.

"See you in Naples," Hadfield said with a grin, then gunned the motor and zoomed off.