Berks Gives Thanks

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Thursday November 22, 2012�Reading, Pennsylvania $1.75

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Our reporters asked people in and around Berks County:

What are you thankful for this year?

Thoughts of thanks

�I�m thankful that ev-eryone in my family is healthy. And we all have jobs.�Connie Stoner� 54� Read-ing� bank teller

�For the Lord� for my recent surgery that came out OK and for my kids.�Marta Cruz� 67� Reading� retired

�My dad surviving 9/11.� (He worked near the World Trade Center.)Kayla Correa� 17� Read-ing� student

�First of all� I�m thankful for America because I come from Russia.�Moisey Schneider� 77� Exeter Township� retired

�My mother just turned 100. We cel-ebrated that and had family come together.�Jill Snively� 58� Mohnton� professional counselor

�I�m just thankful that my kidney transplant is still working. It�s been 11 years.�Alex Breidegam� 19� Boy-ertown� student

�I�m thankful for be-ing alive� thankful for my family and thank-ful for having a job.�Brian Brown� 49� Read-ing� factory worker

�I�m thankful for my health� my family�s health and my grand-daughter.�Cathie Kantner� 72� Spring Township� shuttle driver

�My grandchildren and the knowledge God gives my doc-tors.�Diana Prince� 63� Read-ing� retired

�I�m thankful that I�m in fairly good health� I live in America and I live in a rural area.�Lloyd Hopkins Jr.� 84� Oley� retired

�I�m thankful for my family and friends who have supported me through life.�Amanda Miller� 24� Sink-ing Spring� office support

�Thank you (to my family) for being close to me� for your friendship.�Francisco Abila� 42� Reading� home remodeler

�I am thankful for my wife. She�s had a rough go of it. Her parents both died in the last month� so she�s had a tough time.�Troy Richard� 48� Read-ing� Sovereign Center stagehand

�I�m thankful that the storm (Hurricane Sandy) didn�t hit us worse than it did.�Betty Schell� 67� Annville� Lebanon County� retired

�I�m thankful that my family�s healthy� and I have a good job.�Jeff Neiswender� 38� Bernville� quality control manager

�I�m thankful for my family� especially my brother.�A�yonah Jones� 11� Read-ing� student

More responses. Page A3

READING EAGLE� READING� PA. THURSDAY� NOVEMBER �� A�


�Most of all� I am thankful for my fam-ily and the opportu-nity to be together. I�m also thankful for my job. I receive more blessings from it than I could possibly give.�Sandi Lloyd� 52� Exeter Township� occupational therapy assistant

�I�m thankful for good health. That�s what�s most important. Ten years ago� I watched my mother�s genera-tion battle health is-sues. Now� it�s my friends� former class-mates� my generation.�Bruce Yelles� 65� Ham-burg� retired teacher

�My new grandchil-dren. I got two more this year. Now I have three grandsons. I�m thankful for friends and family and job and that my son came back safely from Iraq.�Sandy Carter� 54� Cumru Township� administrative assistant

�I am thankful for my two beautiful kids and amazing wife. My daughter has autism� and I am very thankful for all of the research done to help her.�Travis Harley� 28� Shoe-makersville� quality as-surance for East Penn Manufacturing Co.

�I�m thankful every day for my wonderful fam-ily and thankful to have been working with lots of great kids and help-ing them learn during the past 18 years.�Melanie Hefter� 40� Muhlenberg Township� Monocacy Elementary Center principal

�I got my health and that�s great. And I�m thankful for all the beautiful peo-ple around here (at the Gov. Mifflin Berks Encore Center) who keep me going.�Elizabeth Franklin� 87� Wyomissing� retired li-censed practical nurse

�This year I�m very thankful for my fami-ly� who helped finance my recent wedding. I�m also thankful for being offered a new job position. It�s been a good two months.�Ashley Binkley� 27� South Heidelberg Township� case aide

�I�m thankful that I have a new husband. We just got married. I�m thankful I have a good family� a close family. I have some health problems� but I�m thankful I�m get-ting through them.�Debra Davis� 54� Reading� food service supervisor

�I�m thankful that I�m able to help some-one else who is close to me and is having a hard time.�Vickie Madden� 51� Wom-elsdorf� waitress

�I�m thankful for my family and friends and the many accom-plishments I have achieved.�Ashley Reddy� 24� Shil-lington� office worker

�For waking up this morning� for my fam-ily� my health and that I have a little Jesus Christ in my life.�Joanne Wilcox� 51� Stony Creek Mills� unemployed

�Being able to further my education and go to school and for my family still being there for me.�Jose Cabreja� 17� Lau-reldale� student

�I�m thankful that all my family can get to-gether for Thanksgiv-ing� including relatives who live out of state.�Jessica Yost� 37� Blandon� director of a preschool

�I�m thankful for fam-ily and friends. They�re the most important thing to be thankful for every year.�Chuck Corbin� 37� Reading� mortgage supervisor

�I�m thankful for my family. Most of us still live locally. We fill up two tables for Thanks-giving dinner.�Steven McGowan� 55� Hamburg� prison guard

�My family and that I still have a home. There�s some people who do not.�Ellen Phillips� 48� Fleet-wood� medical recep-tionist

�I�m just thankful for every new day.�Maria Sanchez� 23� Tem-ple� student

�I�m thankful for my friends and family.�Abdul Alkhabaz� 19� Wyo-missing� student

�For life and for my kids.�Julieta Goldar� 63� Read-ing� retired

�Just to be here at RACC.�Reinier Blok� 25� Exeter� student

�For my wonderful family.�Marcia Biehl� 58� Spring Township� dental hygienist

�I�m grateful for family and health.�William Hughes� 66� Spring Township� retired

�My freedom and my children.�Katelyn Hoffa� 27� Robesonia� student

�For health.�Kathy Miller� 70� Ream-stown� Lancaster Coun-ty� retired

�I�m thankful for going to the (Reading Pub-lic) Museum� and the ant (sculptures) out front and how they in-stalled them.�Elijah Velazquez� 12� Oley Township� student

�My two brothers who are in the service and the Wyomissing foot-ball team.�Sam Turner� 16� Wyo-missing� junior at Wy-omissing Junior/Senior High School

�I�m thankful for friend-ships and support from the community. Read-ing is a caring� support-ive place.�Jon Van Wyngarden� 26� Reading� director of the Learning Center

�I�m thankful we have this place (Berks En-core senior center) and the whole group around here that makes us happy.�Victoria Morales� 77� Shil-lington� homemaker

�I�m thankful that I reached 81 years of age� and that I�m still very active — very active.�Newt Malerman� 81� Abington� Montgomery County� sculptor and glass artist

�I�m just thankful in general for my family� my wonderful job� my faith and my two chil-dren who amaze me every day.�Rene Berkhammer� 37� Birdsboro� teacher

�For my family. They�re always around help-ing me any time I need them. And I�m very thankful for my health.�Denise Frasso� 53� Bern Township� office support worker

�My family� my health� my friends and to live in the land of op-portunity� the United States.�Lily Salazar� 34� Spring Township� administrative assistant

�To have a job� to have a home� to help other people.�Diana Correll� 53� Shoe-makersville� manufacturer

�Probably just that I have the opportunity to go to school.�Geoff Morrison� 23� Read-ing� student

�I�m most thankful for my family and my friends.�Sally Stewart� 44� Mohrs-ville� CPA

�What God has given me for the year to sur-vive.�Candy Deck� 57� Ham-burg� cosmetologist

�I�m thankful for my family and good health.�Jackie Tome� 44� Blandon� stay-at-home mom

�My family and my friends.�Sara Gallagher� 49� Sink-ing Spring� interior deco-rator and mom

�I�m thankful that I�m getting close to 100.�Paul Houck� 92� Womels-dorf� retired� World War II veteran

�I�m thankful for my first son and my fam-ily as well.�Abu Camara� 29� Reading� retail salesman

�Today was our Thanksgiving din-ner and I asked all our people what they were thankful for. I figured it would take about an hour. So I just said I wanted them to know that I was thankful for all of them.�Tina Snyder� 39� Mohn-ton� Berks Encore center manager

�I�m thankful for a husband and a fam-ily that support what I am doing. I was a stay-at-home mom until� re-cently� I decided to open Willow Tree Primitives and Antiques in Ham-burg. I did� and with their help� I�m doing fine.�Larraine Brown� 44� Bern-ville� consignment shop owner

�I�m thankful for all the new technolo-gy� like the new iPod and iPhone 5� because it helps us. There are apps for helping with jobs and you can store music and there are fun apps. I�m also thank-ful for the Xbox so I can play video games.�Everett Frey� 11� Amity Township� student

�I�m thankful that Obama won. I believe in the things he stands for. I�m convinced he�ll be able to follow through on his plat-form� which includes creating more jobs. I believe he can repre-sent all the people.�Barbara Peters� 78� Kutz-town� retired Kutztown University administrator

�This year I�m thank-ful for my supportive family and my father�s health� because he has been very ill. I�m also thankful for the opportunity Reading Hospital has given me in my job.�Tammy Lillis� 54� Read-ing� trainer for Reading Hospital

�I�m thankful for friends and family� a safe place to stay and food. I live here in America. We have a good president. And here in West Reading� we have a good police force.�Andrew Schaeffer� 53� West Reading� retired me-chanic

�I�m thankful for the kids I have in Sun-day School. Watching them learn and grow� and being part of their journey as they grow up is awesome. The kids are great and tal-ented. There�s nothing they can�t do.�Rose Galczynski� 49� Hamburg� Sunday school teacher

�A beautiful wife� a beautiful daughter� good quality of life. And I�m grateful for where we live and the friends that we have. We have it a lot bet-ter than a lot of people around the world.�Joseph Glasgow� 44� Am-ity Township� police of-ficer

�My family.�Edward Wilcox Sr.� 49� Stony Creek Mills� unem-ployed

�I�m thankful for my health and my family.�Mark Wagner� 55� Green-fields� cabinet maker

�My family� that�s what I�m thankful for.�Sherry Strausser� 52� Hamburg� homemaker

�Giving.�Edward Wilcox Jr.� 22� Stony Creek Mills� unem-ployed:

�My family.�Brandi Styer� 16� Breck-nock Township� Lancaster County� student

�Eating good food and being with my family.�Analiese Guthridge� 10� Denver� student

�To not be hungry.�Kim Stamm� 50� Shoe-makersville� manufacturer

�My family.�Amy Salvi� 18� Reading� student

�Good health� em-ployment and a great family.�Hunter Biehl� 57� Spring Township� ultrasonic in-spector

�Family� that�s the most important. And the fact that I�m work-ing.�Ronnie Houck� 37� Wom-elsdorf� burial vault worker

�I am thankful for my family that I will get to see in Phillipsburg� N.J.�Ken Sawtelle� 34� Muncy Valley� contractor

�I am thankful for my health� happiness and family.�Morgan O�Shea� 28� Reading� owner of The Macaron Shop

�My family. My wife. To be able to stay with them.�Julio Rivera� 31� Read-ing� retail clerk and deliv-ery man

�My family� my loved ones� that�s all I�ve got: my mom� my sister� my nieces� that�s it.�Mark Morrison� 49� Read-ing� construction worker

�That I�m alive and that I have two great kids.�Jacqueline Genthner� 82� Montrose Manor� house-wife

More responses available at read-

ingeagle.com

READING EAGLE� READING� PA. THURSDAY� NOVEMBER �� A�


�Most of all� I am thankful for my fam-ily and the opportu-nity to be together. I�m also thankful for my job. I receive more blessings from it than I could possibly give.�Sandi Lloyd� 52� Exeter Township� occupational therapy assistant

�I�m thankful for good health. That�s what�s most important. Ten years ago� I watched my mother�s genera-tion battle health is-sues. Now� it�s my friends� former class-mates� my generation.�Bruce Yelles� 65� Ham-burg� retired teacher

�My new grandchil-dren. I got two more this year. Now I have three grandsons. I�m thankful for friends and family and job and that my son came back safely from Iraq.�Sandy Carter� 54� Cumru Township� administrative assistant

�I am thankful for my two beautiful kids and amazing wife. My daughter has autism� and I am very thankful for all of the research done to help her.�Travis Harley� 28� Shoe-makersville� quality as-surance for East Penn Manufacturing Co.

�I�m thankful every day for my wonderful fam-ily and thankful to have been working with lots of great kids and help-ing them learn during the past 18 years.�Melanie Hefter� 40� Muhlenberg Township� Monocacy Elementary Center principal

�I got my health and that�s great. And I�m thankful for all the beautiful peo-ple around here (at the Gov. Mifflin Berks Encore Center) who keep me going.�Elizabeth Franklin� 87� Wyomissing� retired li-censed practical nurse

�This year I�m very thankful for my fami-ly� who helped finance my recent wedding. I�m also thankful for being offered a new job position. It�s been a good two months.�Ashley Binkley� 27� South Heidelberg Township� case aide

�I�m thankful that I have a new husband. We just got married. I�m thankful I have a good family� a close family. I have some health problems� but I�m thankful I�m get-ting through them.�Debra Davis� 54� Reading� food service supervisor

�I�m thankful that I�m able to help some-one else who is close to me and is having a hard time.�Vickie Madden� 51� Wom-elsdorf� waitress

�I�m thankful for my family and friends and the many accom-plishments I have achieved.�Ashley Reddy� 24� Shil-lington� office worker

�For waking up this morning� for my fam-ily� my health and that I have a little Jesus Christ in my life.�Joanne Wilcox� 51� Stony Creek Mills� unemployed

�Being able to further my education and go to school and for my family still being there for me.�Jose Cabreja� 17� Lau-reldale� student

�I�m thankful that all my family can get to-gether for Thanksgiv-ing� including relatives who live out of state.�Jessica Yost� 37� Blandon� director of a preschool

�I�m thankful for fam-ily and friends. They�re the most important thing to be thankful for every year.�Chuck Corbin� 37� Reading� mortgage supervisor

�I�m thankful for my family. Most of us still live locally. We fill up two tables for Thanks-giving dinner.�Steven McGowan� 55� Hamburg� prison guard

�My family and that I still have a home. There�s some people who do not.�Ellen Phillips� 48� Fleet-wood� medical recep-tionist

�I�m just thankful for every new day.�Maria Sanchez� 23� Tem-ple� student

�I�m thankful for my friends and family.�Abdul Alkhabaz� 19� Wyo-missing� student

�For life and for my kids.�Julieta Goldar� 63� Read-ing� retired

�Just to be here at RACC.�Reinier Blok� 25� Exeter� student

�For my wonderful family.�Marcia Biehl� 58� Spring Township� dental hygienist

�I�m grateful for family and health.�William Hughes� 66� Spring Township� retired

�My freedom and my children.�Katelyn Hoffa� 27� Robesonia� student

�For health.�Kathy Miller� 70� Ream-stown� Lancaster Coun-ty� retired

�I�m thankful for going to the (Reading Pub-lic) Museum� and the ant (sculptures) out front and how they in-stalled them.�Elijah Velazquez� 12� Oley Township� student

�My two brothers who are in the service and the Wyomissing foot-ball team.�Sam Turner� 16� Wyo-missing� junior at Wy-omissing Junior Senior High School

�I�m thankful for friend-ships and support from the community. Read-ing is a caring� support-ive place.�Jon Van Wyngarden� 26� Reading� director of the Learning Center

�I�m thankful we have this place (Berks En-core senior center) and the whole group around here that makes us happy.�Victoria Morales� 77� Shil-lington� homemaker

�I�m thankful that I reached 81 years of age� and that I�m still very active — very active.�Newt Malerman� 81� Abington� Montgomery County� sculptor and glass artist

�I�m just thankful in general for my family� my wonderful job� my faith and my two chil-dren who amaze me every day.�Rene Berkhammer� 37� Birdsboro� teacher

�For my family. They�re always around help-ing me any time I need them. And I�m very thankful for my health.�Denise Frasso� 53� Bern Township� office support worker

�My family� my health� my friends and to live in the land of op-portunity� the United States.�Lily Salazar� 34� Spring Township� administrative assistant

�To have a job� to have a home� to help other people.�Diana Correll� 53� Shoe-makersville� manufacturer

�Probably just that I have the opportunity to go to school.�Geoff Morrison� 23� Read-ing� student

�I�m most thankful for my family and my friends.�Sally Stewart� 44� Mohrs-ville� CPA

�What God has given me for the year to sur-vive.�Candy Deck� 57� Ham-burg� cosmetologist

�I�m thankful for my family and good health.�Jackie Tome� 44� Blandon� stay-at-home mom

�My family and my friends.�Sara Gallagher� 49� Sink-ing Spring� interior deco-rator and mom

�I�m thankful that I�m getting close to 100.�Paul Houck� 92� Womels-dorf� retired� World War II veteran

�I�m thankful for my first son and my fam-ily as well.�Abu Camara� 29� Reading� retail salesman

�Today was our Thanksgiving din-ner and I asked all our people what they were thankful for. I figured it would take about an hour. So I just said I wanted them to know that I was thankful for all of them.�Tina Snyder� 39� Mohn-ton� Berks Encore center manager

�I�m thankful for a husband and a fam-ily that support what I am doing. I was a stay-at-home mom until� re-cently� I decided to open Willow Tree Primitives and Antiques in Ham-burg. I did� and with their help� I�m doing fine.�Larraine Brown� 44� Bern-ville� consignment shop owner

�I�m thankful for all the new technolo-gy� like the new iPod and iPhone 5� because it helps us. There are apps for helping with jobs and you can store music and there are fun apps. I�m also thank-ful for the Xbox so I can play video games.�Everett Frey� 11� Amity Township� student

�I�m thankful that Obama won. I believe in the things he stands for. I�m convinced he�ll be able to follow through on his plat-form� which includes creating more jobs. I believe he can repre-sent all the people.�Barbara Peters� 78� Kutz-town� retired Kutztown University administrator

�This year I�m thank-ful for my supportive family and my father�s health� because he has been very ill. I�m also thankful for the opportunity Reading Hospital has given me in my job.�Tammy Lillis� 54� Read-ing� trainer for Reading Hospital

�I�m thankful for friends and family� a safe place to stay and food. I live here in America. We have a good president. And here in West Reading� we have a good police force.�Andrew Schaeffer� 53� West Reading� retired me-chanic

�I�m thankful for the kids I have in Sun-day School. Watching them learn and grow� and being part of their journey as they grow up is awesome. The kids are great and tal-ented. There�s nothing they can�t do.�Rose Galczynski� 49� Hamburg� Sunday school teacher

�A beautiful wife� a beautiful daughter� good quality of life. And I�m grateful for where we live and the friends that we have. We have it a lot bet-ter than a lot of people around the world.�Joseph Glasgow� 44� Am-ity Township� police of-ficer

�My family.�Edward Wilcox Sr.� 49� Stony Creek Mills� unem-ployed

�I�m thankful for my health and my family.�Mark Wagner� 55� Green-fields� cabinet maker

�My family� that�s what I�m thankful for.�Sherry Strausser� 52� Hamburg� homemaker

�Giving.�Edward Wilcox Jr.� 22� Stony Creek Mills� unem-ployed:

�My family.�Brandi Styer� 16� Breck-nock Township� Lancaster County� student

�Eating good food and being with my family.�Analiese Guthridge� 10� Denver� student

�To not be hungry.�Kim Stamm� 50� Shoe-makersville� manufacturer

�My family.�Amy Salvi� 18� Reading� student

�Good health� em-ployment and a great family.�Hunter Biehl� 57� Spring Township� ultrasonic in-spector

�Family� that�s the most important. And the fact that I�m work-ing.�Ronnie Houck� 37� Wom-elsdorf� burial vault worker

�I am thankful for my family that I will get to see in Phillipsburg� N.J.�Ken Sawtelle� 34� Muncy Valley� contractor

�I am thankful for my health� happiness and family.�Morgan O�Shea� 28� Reading� owner of The Macaron Shop

�My family. My wife. To be able to stay with them.�Julio Rivera� 31� Read-ing� retail clerk and deliv-ery man

�My family� my loved ones� that�s all I�ve got: my mom� my sister� my nieces� that�s it.�Mark Morrison� 49� Read-ing� construction worker

�That I�m alive and that I have two great kids.�Jacqueline Genthner� 82� Montrose Manor� house-wife

More responses available at read-

ingeagle.com

�Thanksgiving is a time for us to get perspec-tive and find out how much we really do have. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own problems that if we reach out to others we may discover we are doing pretty well. I am always thankful to have my family be-cause they are the cen-ter of what I do.� Phyllis Moser� 61� West Reading� retail manager and artist

�My children and my husband and my amazing friends and family. My Mom is battling cancer so ev-ery moment we have with her is a joy we are thankful for. She is beautiful� loving and so selfless. She inspires me. This year I am most thankful to have the mother I do.� Crystal Schoning� 41� Ex-eter Township� homemaker

�I�m thankful for good health� friends and family. But I�m also proud and thankful for the wisdom passed on to me by my parents which helped me in making everyday de-cisions. I miss my par-ents.� Joan Bialis� 65� Wyomiss-ing� retired nurse

�I have a lot to be thankful for. I�m just thankful for my won-derful family and the support they give me and we give each oth-er� which includes the addition of a son-in-law.� Rick Kauffman� 57� Bern� Berks County Cooperative Extension Director (Penn State Extension)

�There�s a lot to be thankful for. I�m blessed to have em-ployment. I�m blessed to have family. Hope-fully things will pick up for the economy. And I�m blessed to be alive (and) enjoy each day as it comes.� Joe Toner� 50� Bern Town-ship� sales

�I�m thankful for my family and all the things that have been given me — health� family� everything. And� I�m hoping and praying for peace in the world� though I doubt I�ll see it in my lifetime.� Faye Kincaid� 67� Fleet-wood� retired Kutztown University employee

�I�m thankful for ev-erything. Basically� God is universal. He is the king of kings. We have to be thankful for the air we breathe. I�m thankful for every-thing.� Jasmine Ramos� 49� West Reading� housewife

�I�m definitely most thankful for my family and friends. I�m thank-ful for the community that we live in because it�s so close-knit. I�m thankful for my up-bringing.� Alaina Swindell Jones� 17� Wyomissing� senior at Wyomissing Junior Senior High School

�I�m thankful for my daughter� Caroline� who�s 13. She�s become a respectful young lady. I�m blessed to have such a good kid.� Andrew Kearney� 45� Ex-eter Township� advertising salesman

�I�m thankful for my family and that my family is well. And I�m thankful that I have a good job that I enjoy very much.� Barbara Holmes� 50� West Reading� security guard

�I�m thankful that we�re fortunate enough to own a home right now. We just bought it� and it was rough.� James Fantaski� 36� Shil-lington� computer tech-nician

�For family� my hus-band and daughter� our home and our health. There�s so much we have to be thankful for.� Conchita Glasgow� 41� Am-ity Township� college ad-ministrator

�The hurricane has passed� and I�m OK. So is my family. My broth-er lives bay front. He had 23 inches of water in his basement.� J.P. Fox III� 59� Rockland Township� county assessor

�I�m thankful for my family� the health I have� having a job and a job that I enjoy� and all my good friends and employees.� Duane Rashlich� 63� Spring Township� real estate as-sessment director

�I give thanks to God who gave me one more year of life. He gives us our families and the ability to make our lives better every year.� Angel Negron� 66� Read-ing� store owner

�My family and for having a job. I think the closeness I feel to my family is what makes Thanksgiving special to me.� Tara Scott� 36� Reading� supervisor

�I am thankful that I have this new job and new opportunity in Pennsylvania� and that my family made the trip out here.� Matt Haan� 39� Wyomiss-ing� Penn State Extension dairy educator

�When you look at the world today� I�m thank-ful for the freedoms Americans have and the ideals with which we live that inspire us.� Dale Derr� 55� Spring Township� Berks County veterans affairs director

�The family and the fact that I�m retired� though that�s a myth� but retirement and ev-eryone�s health� includ-ing mine.� Darvin Levengood� 75� Amityville� retired

�My loving family that supports me in what-ever I do� and my amazing job� And also my twin cousins and my friends.� Alexis Adamski� 18� Exeter� student

�I�m thankful for my mom still being alive because she has ter-minal cancer and she�s survived almost five years.� Shaina Aponte� 17� Muhlenberg Township� student

�My family and my new granddaughter. She has beautiful blue eyes and she is a very happy little girl. Layla�s her name.� Debbie Shaak� 52� Upper Bern Township� farmer

�For being alive� and for being able to still move at my age. I�d also be thankful for all our troops came back alive.� Mike Miller� 71� Ream-stown (Lancaster County)� retired

�For my health and that I�m still living home alone at my age. And for my family. I just wish we had peace in the world.� Betty Sensenig� 83� Brownstown (Lancaster County)� retired

�My teacher (Miss Deininger) because she�s very kind and helps us out a lot in the classroom and helps me learn new things.� Madison Albright� 9� Am-ity Township� student

�I am thankful for life� my family and my country. I�m thankful for every day of peace with all that is going on in the world.� Kelly Emge� 44� Fleetwood� substitute teacher

�Family and friends and clients. The love you find around the holidays is great. Ev-erybody�s in a better mood.� Kat O�Mara� 31� West Reading� hair stylist

�Getting together with friends and fam-ily around the holiday� having amazing food and it doesn�t matter how much you eat.� Erin Work� 29� Shillington� hairstylist

�I�m thankful that I have a place to live� a place to worship and the opportunity to go wherever I want to.� Duane Kensinger� 46� West Reading� unem-ployed

�I�m thankful for hav-ing a job and a car. Ba-sically in this economy� the job is most impor-tant.� Matthew Hatch� 23� Shil-lington� collections repre-sentative

�I�m thankful for my mom� that she has a good job and she�s making a lot of mon-ey.� Kaylee Kantner� 8� Ruscombmanor Township� student

�I�m most thankful for my friends and family� of course and my dog and the opportunities that I�ve been given.� Brinn McClennan� 18� Wyo missing� senior at Wy-omissing Junior/Senior High School

�I�m thankful that I got some work. A couple of years ago and last year� it was pretty spo-radic.� Rick Johnston� 52� Wyo-missing� contractor

�My family� my job and great friends. There�s so many things I�m thankful for. Those are some of many.� Ruth Estrella� 37� Muhlen-berg Township� administra-tive assistant

�I�m thankful to God that the Army is let-ting my son� Larren Reddy� come home for Thanksgiving.� Tamotra Reddy� 44� Shil-lington� office support

�I�m thankful for good health. I�m thankful that I have good fami-ly and that I�m still able to help others.� Gary Rothemel� 66� Perry Township� retired

�Family� health that is reasonably good. I ap-preciate the neces-sary things. The basic things.� Larry Ebersole� 53� Brec-knock Township� disabled

�I am grateful for the fact that I am about to graduate and that I have time to visit my family.� Lauren Dyer� 22� Clemson� S.C.� student at Clemson University

�I am thankful for be-ing alive� for my nice daughters� my lovely wife and my six grand-children.� Sid Hill� 72� Wyomissing� retired

�My family and the Wyomissing football team because we�re doing really well this year.� Logan Jones� 16� Wyomiss-ing� junior at Wyomissing Junior/Senior High School

�My children. I�m thankful for them and that I have a job and my family.� Kyley Scott� 24� Reading� security guard

�For my family and my ability to eat every day without worrying about it.� Carl A. Brown� 66� Oley� treasurer� F.M. Brown�s Sons

�I�m thankful for my family and being able to be together for Thanksgiving.� Jared Bouchard� 18� Wer-nersville� student

�I�m thankful for my family. We�re all go-ing to be together on Christmas Eve.� Dawn Burkert� 72� Fleet-wood� retired

�My family. But I am thankful for every-thing. My husband and I started a church and we love it.� Stephanie Ross� 35� Wyo-missing� mother of four

�Food because we get a lot of food and it helps so we don�t sit around and get bored.� Kema Duncan� 6� Amity Township� student

�For my principal (Mrs. Hefter) because she can bring kids to her office to talk to them.� Alexander Rosario� 7� Am-ity Township� student

�I am thankful for my family and my two grandsons and for my good health.� Ellen O�Shea� 48� Read-ing� works at The Maca-ron Shop

�For a close family and friends and health too.� Debbie Didyoung� 57� Maidencreek Township� of-fice support worker

�For my first great-grandchild and for life.� Madeline Torres� 58� Reading� volunteer

�I�m thankful for my family.� Grace Ohlinger� 13� Shil-lington� student

�Everything. Health� friends and family.� Carolee Apsokardu� 74� Muhlenberg Township� re-tired

�Lots of friends and health.� George Apsokardu� 79� Muhlenberg Township� re-tired

�Family and friends and health.� Lisa Pierce� 45� Sinking Spring� data entry clerk

�My family. I�m very thankful for my family.� Josset Alvarez� 22� Read-ing� fork lift operator

�My family� friends and the Lord.� Penny Snyder� 54� Leesport� secretary

�Employment� family and health.� Daniel Nates� 33� Muhlen-berg Township� data en-try clerk

�I�m thankful for my family and my friends.� Linda Henne� 65� Mohrs-ville� business owner

�Family and health and freedom.� Ann Shollenberger� 67� Leesport� retired book-keeper

�My mother. I can�t say enough about her.� Maria Lamourt� 26� Read-ing� state corrections worker

�Everything. I can�t complain about any-thing.� Lori Mengel� 57� Hamburg� small business owner

�For friends� fami-ly� health and my dog Millie.� Pearl Ann Boyer� 71� Wer-nersville� retired

�Most everything. I�m thankful for good health.� Chester Burgert� 81� Bern Township� retired

�I�m thankful for my family and my job.� Mike Noll� 48� Mohnton� groundskeeper








�I�m definitely most thankful for my family and friends. I�m thank-ful for the community that we live in because it�s so close-knit. I�m thankful for my up-bringing.� Alaina Swindell Jones� 17� Wyomissing� senior at Wyomissing Junior/Senior High School




















































































�Getting together with friends and fam-ily around the holiday� having amazing food and it doesn�t matter how much you eat.� Erin Work� 29� Shillington� hair stylist





































�I�m thankful that both my girls are healthy in school and I�m looking forward to their com-ing home. Everybody�s healthy and we still have jobs.� Pete Pellicano� 46� Wyo-missing� co-owner� burial vault firm

�It will be my co-work-ers. I just got this new job about two or three weeks ago. I just met the people there and they�re pretty nice. And I thank God for Thanksgiving� too.� Edgar Medina� 45� Read-ing� therapy intake worker

�I�m thankful there�s been improvement in my son�s health. He�s been ill for two years� and now he�s in 10 per-cent remission. I�m thankful my husband has work.� Ellen Greninger� 76� Onte-launee� retired

�I�m thankful for my family� my friends and muy health — what lit-tle I have left of it. I�ve been an insulin-depen-dent diabetic for more than 40 years.� Thelma Leinbach� 73� Mohnton� retired office worker

�I am very thankful for my son� who is 13 years old. He�s a good kid. And my friends� St. James Church and my best friend� Nancy Mc-Nally.� Jacqueline Figueroa� 42� West Reading� unem-ployed

�I�m thankful that my daughter Lisa� my old-est daughter� is a can-cer survivor. I�m just thankful that the Lord let her be a cancer sur-vivor.� Greg Braley� 63� West Reading� Reading Hospi-tal valet

�I�m just thankful for the love of my family. These are tough times and we�re all blessed to have the love of our families to get us through.� Sherry Ritchey� 51� Auburn (Schuylkill County)� execu-tive assistant

�Great family� good friends. I have a job. It seems everybody has their health. And we�ve got two kids almost out of college� and they�re doing well.� Richard Favinger� 57� Mohnton� child support enforcement officer

�I�m thankful for my family� I�m thankful for the opportunity to get an education and I�m thankful that I have friends who support me.� Lindsey Houghton Lauer� 23� Morgantown� student

�My friend� she passed away� and I�m glad she�s taken care of and that she won�t have to suffer now. I�m thank-ful I can get around as good as I can.� Ray Hartman� 85� Center-port� retired

�My home because if I didn�t have a home� I wouldn�t be safe. They help us store things and when there are storms they don�t let us get wet.� Hannah Javage� 8� Union Township� student

�I will be celebrating my 42nd anniversary the day before Thanks-giving� so I am very thankful for that� good family� good friends and good health.� Donna Uliasz� 64� Fleet-wood� medical secretary

�Family. We�ll be trav-eling to see family in West Virginia. We�ve been taking that trip for 35 years and we�ll be celebrating with them.� Bill Thomas� 58� Mohnton� sales rep

�I�m thankful for my family and my house and being able to cel-ebrate Thanksgiving with the people that I love.� Selena Notobartolo� 20� Shillington� student

�We have a grandbaby due any day now. And I�m thankful for my husband and family. And I�m thankful that I have a job.� Kim Skiles� 40� West Reading� saleswoman

�I just started a new business and I am most thankful this year for the outpouring of support to get that off the ground.� Sharon Mast� 56� Lower Alsace Township� business owner

�Family and I�m go-ing to say the foot-ball team too because I really got into it this year.� Jack Baker� 16� Wyomiss-ing� junior at Wyomissing Junior/Senior High School

�I�m thankful for my children and that they�re happy and my husband and my fam-ily.� Laura Brennan� 44� Birds-boro� cyberschool fam-ily coach

�I�m very thankful I will be able to retire in 30 days and thankful for the health of my fam-ily.� Carol Jablonski� 64� Spring Township� records clerk

�I�m thankful for my family� supportive boy-friend and my health and job.� Katie Hummel� 25� Sink-ing Spring� trainer for the Reading Hospital

�My new little grand-daughter� who is 4 months old. She�s beautiful.� Frederick Sheeler� 49� Bern Township� recorder of deeds

�I�m thankful for grad-uating college and having a job� and my family and friends.� Lauryn Kruszewski� 23� Ex-eter Township� collections representative

�I am very thankful to have my family and friends the love they give me.� Luis Negron� 44� Reading� store owner

�I am thankful to be living and the bless-ings life brings me. I�m thankful to be alive.� Julio Montanez� 49� Read-ing� unemployed

�I am thankful for my family and for my lit-tle daughter that was born last Black Friday.� Andrew Scott� 30� Shilling-ton� information technolo-gy specialist

�I served in the military in the �60s. I am very thankful to be free and live in a free country.� Richard Bausher� 68� Mohrsville� warehousing technician

�I am thankful to have a place to live right now after being kicked out by my boyfriend.� Kimberly Weidner� 42� Muhlenberg� student at Berks Technical Institute

�I�m thankful for my doctor� Marc Rovito. He�s such a nice doc-tor.� Anna Schneider� 70� Ex-eter Township� retired

�I�m thankful for fam-ily and friends. We just got engaged.� Paige Lechner� 22� Wyo-missing� student at Penn State Berks

�Just family� friends� the normal spiel — and a job� too.� Christian Walsh� 24� West Reading� HVAC technician

�I pray and thank God for my family every day.� Jeremy Konoza� 32� Bern-ville� construction worker

�I�m thankful that my family is all here and healthy.� Angie Styer� 47� Brecknock Township (Lancaster County)� para-educator

�Family. Especially my mom.� Jim Donahue� 20� Norris-town resident and student at Penn State Berks

�I�m thankful for every-thing� all year round.� Charles Ludwig� 72� Low-er Heidelberg Township� retired

�For my health and for my family�s health.� Mamie Garman� 69� An-nville (Lebanon County)� nurse

�I�m thankful to get up every day.� Lavina Uplinger� 70� An-nville (Lebanon County)� retired

�Food� so I can eat it� like corn on the cob.� Hailey Hadwin� 5� Amity Township� student

�Family. Being able to be together is good.� Diane Naugle� 55� Exeter Township� registered nurse

�Family and friends.� Nettie Kauffman� 69� Bern� retired

�My health.� JoAnn Williams� 58� Read-ing� on disability

�Good health.� Wayne Schrack� 77� Tulpe-hocken Township� retired truck driver

�I�m thankful that both my girls are healthy in school and I�m looking forward to their com-ing home. Everybody�s healthy and we still have jobs.� Pete Pellicano� 46� Wyo-missing� co-owner� burial vault firm

�It will be my co-work-ers. I just got this new job about two or three weeks ago. I just met the people there and they�re pretty nice. And I thank God for Thanksgiving� too.� Edgar Medina� 45� Read-ing� therapy intake worker

�I�m thankful there�s been improvement in my son�s health. He�s been ill for two years� and now he�s in 10 per-cent remission. I�m thankful my husband has work.� Ellen Greninger� 76� Onte-launee� retired

�I�m thankful for my family� my friends and muy health — what lit-tle I have left of it. I�ve been an insulin-depen-dent diabetic for more than 40 years.� Thelma Leinbach� 73� Mohnton� retired office worker

�I am very thankful for my son� who is 13 years old. He�s a good kid. And my friends� St. James Church and my best friend� Nancy Mc-Nally.� Jacqueline Figueroa� 42� West Reading� unem-ployed

�I�m thankful that my daughter Lisa� my old-est daughter� is a can-cer survivor. I�m just thankful that the Lord let her be a cancer sur-vivor.� Greg Braley� 63� West Reading� Reading Hospi-tal valet

�I�m just thankful for the love of my family. These are tough times and we�re all blessed to have the love of our families to get us through.� Sherry Ritchey� 51� Auburn (Schuylkill County)� execu-tive assistant

�Great family� good friends. I have a job. It seems everybody has their health. And we�ve got two kids almost out of college� and they�re doing well.� Richard Favinger� 57� Mohnton� child support enforcement officer

�I�m thankful for my family� I�m thankful for the opportunity to get an education and I�m thankful that I have friends who support me.� Lindsey Houghton Lauer� 23� Morgantown� student

�My friend� she passed away� and I�m glad she�s taken care of and that she won�t have to suffer now. I�m thank-ful I can get around as good as I can.� Ray Hartman� 85� Center-port� retired

�My home because if I didn�t have a home� I wouldn�t be safe. They help us store things and when there are storms they don�t let us get wet.� Hannah Javage� 8� Union Township� student

�I will be celebrating my 42nd anniversary the day before Thanks-giving� so I am very thankful for that� good family� good friends and good health.� Donna Uliasz� 64� Fleet-wood� medical secretary

�Family. We�ll be trav-eling to see family in West Virginia. We�ve been taking that trip for 35 years and we�ll be celebrating with them.� Bill Thomas� 58� Mohnton� sales rep

�I�m thankful for my family and my house and being able to cel-ebrate Thanksgiving with the people that I love.� Selena Notobartolo� 20� Shillington� student

�We have a grandbaby due any day now. And I�m thankful for my husband and family. And I�m thankful that I have a job.� Kim Skiles� 40� West Reading� saleswoman

�I just started a new business and I am most thankful this year for the outpouring of support to get that off the ground.� Sharon Mast� 56� Lower Alsace Township� business owner

�Family and I�m go-ing to say the foot-ball team too because I really got into it this year.� Jack Baker� 16� Wyomiss-ing� junior at Wyomissing Junior Senior High School

�I�m thankful for my children and that they�re happy and my husband and my fam-ily.� Laura Brennan� 44� Birds-boro� cyberschool fam-ily coach

�I�m very thankful I will be able to retire in 30 days and thankful for the health of my fam-ily.� Carol Jablonski� 64� Spring Township� records clerk

�I�m thankful for my family� supportive boy-friend and my health and job.� Katie Hummel� 25� Sink-ing Spring� trainer for the Reading Hospital

�My new little grand-daughter� who is 4 months old. She�s beautiful.� Frederick Sheeler� 49� Bern Township� recorder of deeds

�I�m thankful for grad-uating college and having a job� and my family and friends.� Lauryn Kruszewski� 23� Ex-eter Township� collections representative

�I am very thankful to have my family and friends the love they give me.� Luis Negron� 44� Reading� store owner

�I am thankful to be living and the bless-ings life brings me. I�m thankful to be alive.� Julio Montanez� 49� Read-ing� unemployed

�I am thankful for my family and for my lit-tle daughter that was born last Black Friday.� Andrew Scott� 30� Shilling-ton� information technolo-gy specialist

�I served in the military in the �60s. I am very thankful to be free and live in a free country.� Richard Bausher� 68� Mohrsville� warehousing technician

�I am thankful to have a place to live right now after being kicked out by my boyfriend.� Kimberly Weidner� 42� Muhlenberg� student at Berks Technical Institute

�I�m thankful for my doctor� Marc Rovito. He�s such a nice doc-tor.� Anna Schneider� 70� Ex-eter Township� retired

�I�m thankful for fam-ily and friends. We just got engaged.� Paige Lechner� 22� Wyo-missing� student at Penn State Berks

�Just family� friends� the normal spiel — and a job� too.� Christian Walsh� 24� West Reading� HVAC technician

�I pray and thank God for my family every day.� Jeremy Konoza� 32� Bern-ville� construction worker

�I�m thankful that my family is all here and healthy.� Angie Styer� 47� Brecknock Township (Lancaster County)� para-educator

�Family. Especially my mom.� Jim Donahue� 20� Norris-town resident and student at Penn State Berks

�I�m thankful for every-thing� all year round.� Charles Ludwig� 72� Low-er Heidelberg Township� retired

�For my health and for my family�s health.� Mamie Garman� 69� An-nville (Lebanon County)� nurse

�I�m thankful to get up every day.� Lavina Uplinger� 70� An-nville (Lebanon County)� retired

�Food� so I can eat it� like corn on the cob.� Hailey Hadwin� 5� Amity Township� student

�Family. Being able to be together is good.� Diane Naugle� 55� Exeter Township� registered nurse

�Family and friends.� Nettie Kauffman� 69� Bern� retired

�My health.� JoAnn Williams� 58� Read-ing� on disability

�Good health.� Wayne Schrack� 77� Tulpe-hocken Township� retired truck driver

Berks Gives Thanks

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