Joining us in the first hour of FEEDBACK is Gary Hawkins, Owner and Executive Director, Griswold Home Care.  Gary’s work supporting seniors and families has given him a front row view into the emotional realities many older adults face, including loneliness, isolation, grief, cognitive decline and the importance of meaningful human connection.  Gary has made it his mission to provide resources and education platforms such as his YouTube show Dementia Clarity, and of course helping seniors create their legacy with the Our Berks Legacy project.  Our next hour is a conversation about courage, instinct, teamwork, and the extraordinary moments when lives can change in an instant.  Joining us is Cindy Zimmerman, a Clinical Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department at Chestnut Hill Hospital, whose quick action on the Pennsylvania Turnpike recently helped save the life of Erin Jasinski during a medical emergency on a busy highway.  Erin joins us as well and talks about how that moment not only saved her life medically but how it also turned her life around mentally as well.  Powerful stories.

Today’s conversation is on that many women and families may deeply relate to, but one that too often remains hidden behind shame, silence and unrealistic expectations around motherhood.  Join us in the first hour of FEEDBACK are author Crystal Lynette Rance whose book Mom Truths: The S#!t No One Talks About opens honest conversations about the realities many mothers experience, and Allison Maynard, whose deeply personal chapter in the book shares her experience with postpartum OCD and the emotional struggles that followed the birth of her child.  In our second hour of FEEDBACK  we are covering the topic of the alternative to incarceration - drug treatment court recovery housing.  Funded by COCA and licensed by Department of Drug and Alcohol programs, the treatment court recovery housing provides 24/7 intensive case management and recovery support services.  

Today’s conversation spans over the full two hours of FEEDBACK.  It is one of the most difficult and important stories we have ever had on this program.  Joining us is Mary McHale, who has courageously spoken publicly about surviving sexual abuse by a priest within the Catholic Church and the lifelong trauma that followed.  Mary’s willingness to speak publicly has helped bring visibility to survivors everywhere and has made her a powerful voice in Pennsylvania’s continuing conversation around accountability, trauma recovery and legislative reform.

Our first conversation is about one of the most emotional and difficult decisions many families will ever face, how to care for aging loved ones and navigate senior living options with compassion, dignity, and clarity.  Joining us is Kirk Campfield, owner of CarePatrol of Reading and Berks County, an organization dedicated to helping families navigate senior care options and placement decisions during often overwhelming and uncertain times.  In our second hour we are talking about something every single person experiences, but many people  struggle to understand or navigate in healthy ways, anger and emotion.  Joining us is Kate Short, licensed professional counselor, speaker and advocate for emotional awareness and mental wellness. 

In our first hour of FEEDBACK we are talking about food, culture, and the kind of hospitality that turns a restaurant into something much more than a place to eat.  Joining us is Giovanni Giannotti, owner of Salute Ristorante Italiano, this interview reflects Giovanni’s passion and perseverance behind building something authentic and meaningful, while also preserving culture and connection through food and hospitality.  In our second hour, it’s a celebration of Nurses!  Joining us are three incredible nurses from Reading Hospital and Tower Health whose stories represent different generations and journeys with the nursing profession.  Hannah Rodriguez shares her perspective as a new graduate from nursing school, preparing to officially begin her career this summer.  Courtney Ruck, Division Director of Critical Care Nursing, has spent nearly two decades in nursing and recently earned her doctorate, while mentoring and developing the next generation of nurses and Sue Bailey.  Sue is the longest serving nurse at Reading Hospital and is approaching an extraordinary milestone - 50 years of service!  It’s all about CARE and the human touch today on FEEDBACK.

The first hour of FEEDBACK is a conversation about love, loss, resilience, and what it means to carry light forward even after unimaginable heartbreak.  Joining us is Lauren Conrad, Founder and Executive Director of the C the Light Foundation, created in honor of her husband Kyle, who passed away from cancer in September 2022 at just 39 years old.   Through grief, motherhood and building a mission rooted in Kyle’s legacy, Lauren has discovered that pain and purpose can exist side by side, even life’s darkest moments can become a source of hope and impact for others.  The second hour of FEEDBACK we are joined by Scott Hoh, Founder of Resolution Law Group.  Scott shares wisdom from the new chapters of his book Legacy of Love around the topics of Senior housing and care decisions and real estate and house clean outs.  

Joining us on FEEDBACK in the first hour is Chloe Ciferri, Executive Director of the Adalyn Rose Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting families experiencing pregnancy loss, infant loss, and child loss through emotional support, financial assistance, hospital partnerships, and compassionate bereavement care.  Chloe’s interview is about compassion, community, healing, and understanding how powerful it can be when people turn pain into purpose.  Our second hour we talk about a topic that has touched everyone in one way or another - breast cancer.  Michele Reinert, Executive Director of Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks (BCSS) and Emily Lux, Program Director share stories of critical programs, support, and resources that BCSS provides for individuals and families navigating a breast cancer diagnosis.  This organization provides not only resources and education, but also compassion, hope and connection during some of life’s most difficult moments.

Today on our first hour of FEEDBACK, we talked to Cathy Brenner, Secretary, College Manor Swimming Association and Santo Marabella, College Heights Community Council Member about a grassroots initiative to save a community pool.  This story matters because it’s about far more than maintaining a pool, it’s about connection, tradition, and access to something healthy and meaningful during the summer months.  It’s a powerful example of what can happen when a community refuses to let an important resource disappear.  Our second hour of FEEDBACK, starts out with a very tough conversation and story told by Pam Gockley, Founder of The Camel Project.  Pam shares her story of bullying, mental health struggles, isolation, self-worth, addiction, and violence.   Pam created The Camel Project as resources for parents, educators and communities so conversations can begin to change for people who are struggling  and carrying battles we cannot see, but also drives hope, healing and transformation.

Batter up!  We are talking baseball in this first hour of FEEDBACK.  Matt Hoffmaster, Assistant General Manager, Reading Fightin Phils and Tonya Petrunak, Executive Director of Marketing and Baseballtown Charities, join us in this first hour to talk about how the Fightin Phils are more than baseball.  They are part of the fabric of this community.  Our second hour is an interview about public health and how one woman is trying to educate and create opportunities for change in our own back yard.  Kat Ketter’s work is relevant because it focuses on improving health outcomes at the local level, helping people better understand the systems that support them, and addressing challenges that affect families across Berks County every day.

The Polka Party on WEEU Gold is more than just a radio show, it a connection point for community, culture and the kind of music that makes you smile the moment you hear it.  In our first hour of FEEDBACK we talk to Ellen Rohrbach, George Kazmierczak and Cindy Koretsky, the hosts of the Polka Party!  They talk about how they celebrate polka music, share memories and talk about the tradition of polka music that has brought joy to listeners for generations.  Up next is a conversation about tourism and placemaking with Derek Harris, Economic Development Coordinator, Berks County and Alex Roche, Director of Advocacy, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance.  They share the real impact of both tourism and placemaking on influencing job opportunities, the success of local businesses, the vibrancy of our downtowns and even our ability to attract and retain talent.