Real Life with Toni Reece

Every community has moments that bring people together.  Sometimes it’s a parade, a celebration or an historic event that reminds us where we have been and perhaps where we are going.  This year’s Independence Day celebrations gave Berks County, PA several of those moments.  Derek Harris, Economic Development Coordinator, Berks and Alex Roche, Director of Advocacy, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance...

Carmen Bloom is an attorney, a mother, Mrs. East Coast International 2026 and an ambassador for Red Sneakers for Oakley.  She is using her voice to educate families and communities about severe food allergies and anaphylaxis.  When Carmen’s son was one year old when he experienced and went into anaphylaxis and ended up in the ER.  She discovered that her son suffered from severe food allergies.  S...

In this episode we are talking about the power of connection and why every generation needs the other generations.  Dallan Yoh, Director of Membership and Missy Hassler, Membership Coordinator with Greater Reading Chamber Alliance share how experience and innovation work together, why mentorship is more important than ever and how GRCA help create opportunities for those relationships to happen na...

“I was once part of the problem, but now I am part of the solution.” - Shawn Bridges, Owner of BridgesinSpirit, shares his story of second chances, redemption, and purpose as he is joined by Dallan Yoh, Director of Membership in this episode of the GRCA’s Member Spotlight.   Shawn’s story reminds us that our past doesn’t have to define our future.  It also reminds us that business can be about muc...

Local government impacts our daily lives in ways we often don’t think about, from the roads we drive on and the parks our children play in to the public safety, neighborhood improvements, economic development, and community events.  This episode of Real Life is about helping residents better understand what’s happening in Reading, what’s coming next, and how they can become more engaged in the fut...

In this episode of Real Life, we are talking about a group of people that many of us never think about until someone’s loved one is missing.  A child wanders away.  A hiker doesn’t return.  An elderly person suffering from dementia disappears.  A family waits, hoping and praying that someone can bring their loved one home.  Those ’someones’ are volunteers.  Scott Hertzog, President and Chairman of...

In this episode of Real Life we are talking about preserving the past, connecting generations, and why local history still matters.  Rachael and Gene Kehler, board members of Boyertown Area Historical Society, believe that our local history deserves to be remembered because it tells us not only where we have been but who we are.

For generations, county fairs have been part of the fabric of small-town America. But county fairs have had to evolve.  They are balancing tradition with changing interests, finding new ways to engage younger generations while preserving the agricultural roots that made them so important.  Christopher Garcia and Amber Fessler, board member of the Berks County Fair join us on this episode of Real L...

This episode of Real Life is Part Two of our conversation with Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Jay Ostrich, Director of Berks County Veterans Affairs and Chief Warrant Officer 2 (Ret.) Will Tobin, Deputy Director, Berks County Veterans Affairs.  In the first hour we talked about the challenges many veterans face after military service.  But this hour isn’t about statistic, it’s about hope.  Jay Ostrich...

When we see a veteran in uniform, we often say two simple words:  Thank you.  These two words, although heartfelt, only scratch the surface of the sacrifices our military men and women have made.  This episode of Real Life isn’t about politics or war.  It’s about people, it’s about what happens when they come home.  Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Jay Ostrich, Director of Berks County Veterans Affairs a...

The Fourth of July is one of America’s favorite holidays.  It’s a time for family, backyard barbecues, parades and of course fireworks.  Understanding the law, respecting the power of fireworks, and knowing what to do in an emergency can help protect your family, your neighbors, and first responders.  In this episode of Real Life, we are joined by Reading Fire Marshal Jeremy Searfoss and Lieutenan...

Sometimes a rumor spreads faster than the facts.  This episode of Real Life sets the record straight about the Meals on Wheels program.  The mission remains the same, making sure older adults receive nutritious meals, remain independent, and continue living safely in their own homes.  LuAnn Oatman, President and CEO of Berks Encore and Jessica Jones, Director of Berks County Area Agency on Aging,...

When most people think about agriculture, they picture fields, tractors, and barns.  What they do not see are the families who have spent generations adapting to changing times while working to preserve a way of life.  Dan Brown is a third generation farmer, the owner of Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery, and the President of B.A.R.N. (Berks Agricultural Resource Network).  His family experienced firs...

Our guest today believes second chances don’t simply change lives, they create opportunities to help others.  Ryan Bradley is the Clean City Coordinator for the City of Reading.  Every day he works alongside residents, churches, schools, businesses, and volunteers to make Reading cleaner, safer and stronger through the Adopt-a-Block program.  But before Ryan helped restore neighborhoods, he had to...

America 250 PA is upon us!!  Commissioner Christian Leinbach joins us in studio to talk about all the events that are happening in Berks County, PA to help celebrate this milestone.  However, the story of this episode is not just talking about the events, but magic, inspiration, and passion took over this episode right in the middle of it.  Commissioner Leinbach spoke so passionately and eloquentl...

Rosa Parra is the founder and CEO of Palo Magazine, a publication dedicated to celebrating culture, community, business, and the stories that connect us.  However, long before she launched a magazine, Rosa was a little girl growing up in public housing, raised by a single mother of five children.  Her mother could not read or write.  Resources were limited and opportunities were scarce.  Survival...

Lisa Ashcroft, Vice President, Wealth Trust Advisor and Thomas Miller, Director of Investment Strategy, Senior Vice President both of Girard, a Univest Wealth Division talk about the Mid-Year Market Check.  What’s working, what’s not and what investors should do next!

Real Life’s guest today believes every family has stories waiting to be discovered, not just names on a family tree, but ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives.  Laurel Miller is the Director of the Womelsdorf Community Library, and the founding President and current librarian of the Berks County Genealogical Society and someone who has spent decades uncovering the remarkable stories hidden...

We live in a world that goes incredibly fast.  We scroll, we skim, we react.  Yet stories still have the power to slow us down, challenge us, comfort us, and help us understand each other.  Marian Wolbers is the guest today on Real Life.  Marian is an author, playwright, teacher, editor, and the founder and publisher of Pretzel City Press.  She has written novels, poetry, nonfiction, and drama, bu...

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in America, affecting one in five people during their lifetime.  The encouraging news is that it’s also one of the most preventable cancers when we build good habits and catch problems early.  On this episode of Real Life, we are talking to Andrew Kay, Executive Vice President of Growth for Dermatology Partners about a new initiative called Play Sun Safe, a pa...

Tammy Dahms joins the conversation on Real Life.  Tammy is the V.P. of Corporate Partnerships for Oak View Group working with the Reading Royals, Santander Arena, and Santander Performing Arts Center.  She is a respected leader, a relationship builder and someone who spends her days connecting businesses, organizations and people.  Tammy’s story reminds us that balance isn’t a destination, it’s a...

Have you ever wondered who decides what goes into a museum exhibit? Or what happens behind those closed museum doors after visitors go home? This episode of Real Life takes you behind the scenes with one of the coolest jobs you never knew existed. Kim Jovinelli, is the Collections and Exhibitions Manager in the Curatorial  Department of The Reading Public Museum. This conversation is realizing tha...

Cindy Silverman grew up knowing only fragments of her family’s past.  She knew her grandparents spoke with thick German accents.  She knew they had escaped Vienna.  She knew relatives had perished during the Holocaust.  But whenever questions were asked, the answer was always the same:  “You shouldn’t know from this.”  Years later, after her grandmother passed away, a forgotten box of letters was...