B Inspired

Laura shares her journey from small-town Boyertown to New York to Hollywood, from her high school goal as environmental scientist to costume designer for theatre and film. Our conversation allowed a peek into her life of traveling the world researching and gathering the people and knowledge needed to outfit actors authentically for their roles.

Pam Dent is adamant: life is too short to be anything but sweet! Enjoy the ice cream, that gorgeous slice of cake. The bright, vibrant colors and wild, lavish brush strokes in her paintings entice us to enjoy life's simple pleasures and to unleash our creativity within! Chatting with her inspires joy; and, before you know it, she'll have us painting!

Catching up with Mindy, BASH Class of '98--one of those students a teacher never forgets--I found her on a course to a new career as elementary school teacher. Learning the personal and family challenges she's met and managed, undaunted, since high school--especially those parenting challenges as a single mom of a neurodiverse son--I learned the core belief that has made her an uncommon mo...

Speech and language therapist Kristin Park brings The Magic Speech Bus wherever children need her services. Kristin’s goal of establishing a private practice as speech therapist has found its home in her Magic Speech bus that is cheerfully and whimsically decorated in primary colors, featuring rainbows and stars. The beauty of her mobile office is not just in its looks, however. A sign inside the...

ICYMI--Encore Presentation: Originally dropped as a mid-week special, this episode spotlights the "Before I Die" mural wall that was dedicated recently. We Are (again...part of) the World! Again! Boyertown, PA, joins the "Before I Die" global project of over 5,000 walls in over 70 countries, in over 30 languages. Amy Muzopappa introduced the project from Alaska while on vacatio...

 "Nevertheless, she persisted" is Gigi Malinchak's motto, one that she has had tattooed on her arm to remind her and inspire others following her stroke and subsequent surgery to remove the injured part of her brain. Yet, it was no surprise to me that this positive, spirited, dynamic pet care professional was determined to return to health and share the challenges she continues to fa...

Ellen Finks spent her career as a classical performing flutist--one that required the utmost precision. No mistakes allowed! In retirement, she took up painting to try something new but not unfamiliar: her mother was an artist. Ellen tried watercolor first but has taken workshops and courses in multiple mediums--"finding her voice," she says. A workshop in "Intuitive Expression&quot...

Eric Armusik breaks the stereotype often found among artists in his entrepreneurial ability to make a living doing what he loves: making art. Chatting with him briefly before inviting him to record a "B Inspired" episode, I was inspired by the many revenue streams he's created for himself and other emerging artists and by his savvy promotional efforts using social media today that he...

Katarina Illona knows who she is and is not only content but willing to share her experiences in order to provide acknowledgement, encouragement, support, and validation to her children and adult readers. Her book of poetry—entitled  Anxious Thoughts from an Awkward Mind —pretty much says it all. Katarina, self-described as OCD, has found writing her reflections about herself in free verse a liber...

Gilbertsville entrepreneur Jeff Peiffer and his daughter Rachel Trettin turn unexpected encounters into opportunities for uncommon and successful enterprises. The future didn't look bright to the shy young boy from a dysfunctional family unit who hasn't graduated from high school or even thought about attending college. But Jeff's openness to the opportunities presented to him have led to uncommon...

Beth Trout loves Spain and wants to share what she loves with small groups in 7-9 day tours. As your group's concierge, she'll help you plan your trip to include your interests and passions; she'll take care of arrangements, travel with you, serve as translator, and, as needed, shop for a new toothbrush if you forget yours! An authentic, intimate experience in a country of beautiful pe...

It's a remarkable story. Michele Barrett shares her journey as mom, struggling to understand and then champion and assist her baby boy's development to reach his fullest potential. The silence and developmental delays accompanying autism plus the sporadic focusing issues of ADHD required uncommon patience and dedicated efforts she offered unhesitatingly. Today, watching him as the star of his...

Voters in Boyertown school district’s Region #3 should Vote-for-Two: Matt Hook and Brad Updegrove. As a Boyertown High School graduate, with family members who were well-respected teachers in the district, Brad brings a lifetime knowledge of Boyertown schools—then, as a student and now, as a substitute teacher, father of children attending Boyertown schools, and coach. Matt offers unique qualifica...

Voters in Boyertown school district’s Region #2 should Vote-for-Two: Incumbent Lisa Hogan and Joe Piccione. Lisa Hogan is often described as the model school board member: intelligent, analytic, respectful, collaborative and an excellent listener—someone who listens to understand, find common ground, and negotiate toward solving complex problems. Lisa, who has served the community since 2019 as a...

Voters in Boyertown school district’s Region #1 have two, new faces running in the upcoming primary on May 16. Michelle Sweisfort is running for the open 2-year seat; Krista Arndt hopes to secure the 4-year seat. What both Michelle and Krista bring is valuable and unique to the Boyertown School Board. Krista’s experience and network of professionals who provide security in technology and in interp...

Donna Usavage talks about her efforts to support pro-public education candidates for upcoming open seats on the School Board to be decided in the May 16 primary election. Donna voices her concerns about the candidates whom members of the sitting Board support--concerns that motivated her and a group of other volunteers to organize and work to elect pro-public education candidates and maintain BA...

Donnie Conrad and Lee Heffner, active members of the Bally Lions Club, shared details about the Medical Equipment Lending program that the club offers to area families that led to learning about the many other projects the club sponsors in this tight-knit Berks County community. 

Hungry? No Problem--Bause Catered Events also offers Meals-to-Go. For 34 years, sisters Erin Bause and Amy Bause-Bartra partner in preparing…and delivering…meals for any occasion and to meet any tastes—home cooking to French cuisine. Appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts, drinks: they do it all--deliciously!

Inspired by Mary Dice who has loved baking her entire life, I loved learning more about her, the seasons of her business, fastnachts, and Hawaii's sacred ingredient--poi from the taro or Kalo plant--in their specialty doughnut. 

Rachael Kehler creates ideas non-stop—seemingly in her sleep--and her ideas bring people to the streets of Boyertown to have fun and to enhance the lives and success of her own business, The Peppermint Stick, fellow business owners and non-profits including Building a Better Boyertown, Berks-Mont Business Association, and the Boyertown Area Historical Society. Learning what “powers” her whirlwind...

Pennsylvania native Karen (Stein) Lupton, looking to a career as a Biblical scholar, graduated with a degree in vocal performance--the first student to do so at the new music school at Eastern University, but left Yankee territory to marry and raise a family and is now a voice for education reform in Georgia as a freshman member of the House of Representatives. She affirms: Southern Hospitality is...

The Bear Fever project is fortunate to have long-time contact Brieanne Hauger handling orders for bears at Cowpainters, LLC. Brieanne—who joined Cowpainters in 2007—several years after our launch—purchased the company in 2018—and facilitates orders, designs and sculpts custom additions to the bears, and handles delivery of the sculptures to the artists in the Boyertown area. I was excited recently...

Rescuing the Colebrookdale Railroad from abandonment allowed executive director of the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust Nathaniel Guest an opportunity to make his boyhood dream come true of running a tourist railroad. Reviewing his personal history, sharing some of the challenges involved in running a railroad, and envisioning Boyertown as Christmas City USA makes an inspiring conversatio...

Ellen Martignetti, Building a Better Boyertown’s Main Street Manager, describes her job as completing a giant puzzle, one that requires her to search carefully for just the right person to head up or volunteer for a project or just the retail business to fill an available spot on the main street to attract shoppers. Finding the right puzzle piece is Ellen’s favorite part of the job, and she’s not...

Christy Weidner is on a mission to offer healing through conversations held ideally in a meadow as Sacred Circle Ceremonies to liberate the “natural self” stripped of ego states, defenses, judgments and expectations that block the energy of emotions toward becoming a loving human being and reclaiming joy. Christy shares her journey--from the traditional mental health structure to one in which she...