Real Life with Toni Reece

Most of us have thousands of photographs on our phones.  We scroll past them.  We delete a few.  Every once in a while,  a photograph becomes something completely different, it becomes the last picture.  The last smile.  The last hug.  The last ordinary day that suddenly becomes extraordinary because there will never be another one.  Real Life’s guest is co-owner of Arcanum Lens Imagery, Alyssa Su...

There are moments in life that change us forever.  Some moments fill us with joy.  Others leave wounds that take years to understand, years to heal, and sometimes a lifetime to transform into something meaningful.  Cathleen Palm is the founder of the Center for Children’s Justice, an organization dedicated to protecting children and strengthening systems designed to keep them safe.  But long befor...

Are you confused by Medicare Supplements, Advantage Plans, rate increases, enrollment periods and premium increases?  Or do you have questions about 401(k)s, 403(b)s and retirement timing?  How do you protect your retirement savings?  What about principal protection?  Perfetto Insurance can answer these questions for you in this episode of Real Life.  Cassie Hovan, Senior Insurance Advisor and Den...

Every family has a story.  Some stories are about where we came from.  Others are about what we build along the way.  But the most meaningful stories are about what we leave behind.    This episode of Real Life we talk to father and son, Jack and Chuck Gulati.  What happens when one generation creates opportunities and the next generation chooses to build them in a different way?  How do you balan...

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, communities across the country are taking a fresh look at the people, places and stories that helped shape our nation.  In this episode, we are traveling back to the 18th century and exploring one of Pennsylvania’s remarkable historic treasures, Pottsgrove Manor.  Justin Clement, Historic Site Supervisor for Pottsgrove Manor, talks about history...

Most people see a successful restaurant and think about the food.  They think about the atmosphere.  They think about the menu.  What they don’t see are the years of risk, sacrifice, uncertainty, setbacks, and perseverance that happened long before the first customer walked through the door.  Jim and Gracie Rutolo are owners of Gracie’s on West Main and Louie’s Kitchen and Bar.  Together, they hav...

Every person is living a story.  Not just the famous people.  Not just the people making headlines.  All of us.  The challenge is that most of us only see life through our own experiences.  Our own struggles.  Our own generation.  Our own circumstances.  It is easy to assume everyone sees the world the same way we do.  But they don’t.  That’s what Real Life is about.  It’s about looking through so...

So many people are exhausted.  They are carrying stress, anxiety, family responsibilities, caregiving duties, workplace pressures, and unresolved experiences from years ago.  Many are functioning but they are not thriving.  Laural Miller, Founder of Shade Tree Embodies Wellness has spent much of her life exploring those questions.  Her practice is dedicated to helping people understand stress, tra...

June is Men’s Health Month and a time we celebrate Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and honoring the resilience, achievements, and contributions of African Americans.  As we reflect on freedom, equity, and opportunity, it is important to recognize that health and wellness are essential components of thriving communities.  Greg Day, Lead Therapist - Caron Outpatient...

Sometimes the most profound life lessons don’t come from textbooks or classrooms.  They come from life itself.  From the challenges we didn’t choose, the people we love, and the moments that force us to discover strengths we didn’t know we had.  The guest on Real Life today is Erica Hesselson, owner of Ahava Counseling and Wellness Services.  Erica’s story is about getting over the fear of talking...

Sometimes the biggest movements begin with the simplest question - what can we do to help?  The guests on this episode of Real Life are proof that you do not need a large organization, a huge budget, or a national platform to make a meaningful impact.  Sometimes all it takes is a group of friends, a shared purpose, and a willingness to show up for others.  Nearly a decade ago, four longtime friend...

When most people think about agriculture, they picture tractors, barns, and fields.  But agriculture is much more than that.  It’s food.  It’s family businesses. It’s technology.  It’s economics.  It’s innovation.  And ultimately, it’s about the future of our communities.  Berks County has long been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’ agricultural leaders.  Through decades of land preservation effo...

Real Life’s guest in this episode knows what it means to experience profound loss, not once, but twice.  As a freshman in high school, Natalie Jacob-Bell lost her father to addiction.  Years later, she lost her childhood best friend, Kennedy Albright, to suicide.  Many people would be consumed by grief.  Natalie chose a different path.  She transformed that grief into purpose by creating Kennedy’s...

Sometimes the things that challenge us the most become the very things that shape our purpose.  Lexi Hull knows this firsthand.  Lexi Hull is Mrs. Pennsylvania 2026 for American Royal Beauties, but her story is about much more than a title or a crown.  It’s about overcoming dyslexia and learning disabilities, finding confidence in herself, and using those experiences to inspire the next generation...

Heather McCool, Executive Director of Phoebe Ministries’ Berks Campus and Founder of Dementia Friendly joins us to help us understand more about dementia.  Heather’s message is an important one - accepting a diagnosis doesn’t mean giving up hope.   It means learning how to provide the best possible support medically, socially, physically, and emotionally.  It also means remembering that people liv...

This episode is another Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Member (GRCA)  Spotlight!  Joining us in studio today is Jackie Stiles, V.P. Business and Special Programs and Melissa Hassler, Membership Coordinator (both with GRCA) and Yurico Rodriguez-Batista, Founder and CEO of Rena-SER Business Solutions.  Rena-Ser Business Solutions is a company that helps individuals and entrepreneurs navigate taxes...

Joining us on Real Life is Scott Hoh of Resolution Law Group.  None of us like to think about losing a loved one, but eventually every family faces that reality.  When it happens, grief often arrives at the same time as confusion, paperwork, decisions, deadlines, and family dynamics.  Today’s conversation with Scott Hoh is about helping families understand what happens after someone passes away, h...

My guest today has dedicated her life to standing beside people during some the of the most difficult moments they will ever face.  Moments of fear. Moments of uncertainty.  Moments when having someone who will listen, believe, advocate and help can make all the difference.  Beth Garrigan is the CEO of SAFE Berks, an organization that provides hope, safety, advocacy and support to survivors of dom...

Monica Reyes is the Vice President for Programs and Initiatives at the Berks County Community Foundation, where she helps oversee grant making and community programs that impact countless lives throughout our region.  Monica’s story reflects the experiences of so many people in our communities.  It’s a story about opportunity, resilience, believing in yourself and choosing to use your talents to m...

Many people dream about owning their own business.  They imagine being their own boss, creating something unique, and building a life around their passion.  What they don’t see are the early mornings, late nights, difficult decisions, financial risks, and sheer determination it takes to turn that dream into a reality.  My guest is Rachel Adams, Owner, Rachel’s Cafe and Creperie in downtown Lancast...

Success often looks seamless from the outside.  We see the titles, the positions, and the accomplishments.  What we don’t see are the years of learning, adapting, taking risks, overcoming obstacles and saying yes to opportunities when they appear.  In this episode we talk to Chris Cappel, General Manager, Stokesay Castle and Marty Brintzenhoff, Cocktail Creator, Stokesay Castle.  This conversation...

Have you ever wondered if there is something more you are supposed to be doing with your life?  A gift you haven’t fully used.  A dream that you put on hold.  Laurie Dawkins, Founder of Straight Paths Entrepreneurship Resource Center, believes that every person has been given unique talents, experiences, and opportunities, not by accident, but for a reason.  Laurie is a faith based leader, educato...

Every city has challenges.  Every city has opportunities.  The question is:  How do you balance growth, investment, public safety, neighborhood quality of life, and preserving what makes a community unique?  Those are some of the conversations happening right now in the City of Reading.  From redevelopment projects and housing concerns to public safety initiatives and upcoming community events, ci...

For many people, there comes a point when careers slow down, children grow up, and life changes.  The questions become:  Where do I put my time?  Where do I put my heart?  Tom Frebel, Volunteer for Baseballtown Dream League, found the answers to those questions with the Dream League.  Baseballtown Dream League  is a program that provides children and adults with special needs the opportunity to ex...

Planning with purpose.  Turning your money into meaning.  Chris Briscoe, Senior Vice President and Director of Financial Planning and Lisa Ashcroft, Vice President and Wealth Advisor both of Girard, a Univest Wealth Division provide important information answering the question - why financial planning matters.  They teach us in this episode that financial planning isn’t just about preparing for th...