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 school board director and newcomer Joe Piccione are committed to providing all students with whatever accommodations they need to succeed; respecting diversity, free speech, and human rights; and providing transparency and continuing to encourage parents to be involved. As a teacher, Joe Piccione understands the challenges that face education today—especially in combatting misunderstandings and false narratives about public schools and teachers. Both pledge to be good financial stewards while keeping an eye on maintaining the solid reputation of Boyertown School District. 

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 interpreting the complex language of regulations are areas of concern for today’s schools and ones the current Board has not researched or even considered. Michelle’s work in the insurance arena with budgets and finance in managing risk provide professional abilities in the strategic management of the district’s $139 million budget. Krista and her family follow auto racing; Michelle rescues stray cats. They just met but have become fast friends and pledge to bring strong leadership skills and a dedication to solving problems as positive role models and team players.  

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 BASD’s reputation for offering a quality of education to the district’s students.
Donna spent 10 years serving as a school board director for Boyertown Area School District (BASD). Since her retirement, she has continued her involvement by attending school board meetings, voicing her concerns, and offering information with others.
In the episode, she recalls the recent development of “Boyertown Forward”—the political action committee formed to support the current pro-public school candidates—some details about each of the pro-public education candidates as well as issues presented by their opponents and the groups that support them. 

She urges listeners to become involved, to learn about the unique qualifications of the candidates that Boyertown Forward supports as well as what differentiates them from their opponents. She encourages attendance at the Candidate Forum on May 10, 2023, in the Fellowship room of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 45 N Reading Ave, Boyertown, 7-9 p.m. And, most important of all, she hopes that voters turn out on the primary election day: May 16. Additional details from the "B Inspired" episode can be found in an upcoming article in  The Boyertown Area Expression (boyertownareaexpression.town.news).

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 energy and what she has in mind for the future was eye-opening. https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/n1588GoiCyb

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 real and, since she arrived, there's greater openness to healing the racial divide. She's determined to build relationships among her colleagues and constituents from all sides to make common sense decisions that benefit the welfare of all those she represents. Remembering her dedication to excellence "back in the day," we are happy she's in a position to do so and confident that she will. 

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 to record a “B Inspired” podcast episode with Brieanne to learn a bit more about the company and the process involved in our project from its beginning. Bear Fever seemingly can’t be cured, and our community seems to be quite satisfied that this fever remains contagious! https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/b7mL8cedfyb

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 conversation. A description of the event space and farmers' market for which the railroad received a recent grant provides the community with a beautiful dream that will inspire the involvement of the entire community. https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/atrQ64VK6xb