Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Jodi Gibble with me. Hi, Jodi.
Jodi Gibble: Hi, Toni.
Toni: How are you?
Jodi: I’m great. How are you today?
Toni: What a beautiful morning to do an interview.
Jodi: It’s great. I had a walk this morning at 5:30. Just gorgeous.
Toni: It absolutely is. So, Jodi, welcome to the Project. Take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jodi: Sure. I am the Director of Marketing at The Highlands Wyomissing, which is a continuing care retirement community in beautiful Wyomissing on 113 acres. We serve residents 62 and older in apartments, cottages, personal care, and skilled nursing. I’ve worked in the senior housing industry from nonprofits, for-profits for about 20 years. I’m a social worker by background, but have done marketing and operations most of that time. I live in Sinking Spring with my family. I have two boys that are 14, twin boys, and my husband.
Toni: Fantastic. Thank you for taking time out of your busy life to show up for this Project.
Jodi: Sure.
Toni: Let’s get into it. What does inspiration mean to you?
Jodi: Inspiration – I did look it up, and it means to mentally stimulate or to do or feel something. I think for me, when I learn something new, it inspires me to maybe do something about it. For instance, this past Wednesday I went to a seminar with a lady who focuses on nonprofit boards and how boards should work. They talked about some things that inspired me to go back to some boards that I serve on to maybe relook at how we’re doing things and look at things differently.
Toni: So is it a feeling? Is it an action? Do you know when it happens?
Jodi: Yes, absolutely. If I hear something, if I see something, if I read something, I might be inspired to act upon it.
Toni: Right. So it moves. It’s a movement.
Jodi: I believe so, yes.
Toni: Fantastic. But yours is around education as well. So if you’re learning something, then you’re going to be moved to action.
Jodi: Absolutely.
Toni: That inspires you, when you hear something new.
Jodi: Yes.
Toni: So how do you take that type of inspiration and put it into practice here in Berks County?
Jodi: I’m a member of a couple different organizations in Berks County. I’m a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Toni: What’s that?
Jodi: It’s an organization of women who can basically track their genealogy back to somebody who served in the Revolutionary War.
Toni: Wow.
Jodi: We raise money for scholarships for students in the Berks County area, but it is a national organization. Also, I’m a member of the Berks Historical Society. I enjoy ancestry and genealogy and old things, so I’m a member of the Berks Historical Society. I’m also a member of the Bridge of Hope organization, which serves homeless women and children. I’m on the national board, but we have a chapter in Berks County as well. I serve on the Wilson Education Foundation, some of their events and projects, and my church. I think I’m inspired to give back to the community by working with these different nonprofits. Also, the Junior League of Reading. I can't leave them out as well.
Toni: So Jodi, the way you describe the way you are inspired is that you either hear something or see something or learn something and it moves you to action, and you just listed all of these wonderful organizations that you’re giving back your time to. Is there a common thread that inspires you?
Jodi: I guess it’s just my interests. As I mentioned, the ancestry and genealogy is of interest to me, so I’m involved in the Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Serving children is important to me, so the Junior League of Reading and Bridge of Hope, caring for those that are less fortunate than ourselves inspires me to give back and be involved.
Toni: Do you find yourself learning from each one of those organizations?
Jodi: Absolutely. Then I can take things from one organization and potentially pass it along to another.
Toni: That’s very cool. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Jodi: Seniors in general inspire me. At The Highlands, we have 470 residents on any given day that can inspire me. We have teachers, chemists, engineers, physicians, pastors, and former business owners. There’s just a great knowledge base there, and they inspire me, how active they still are. Some still do serve on boards. How active they are in our community on committees.
We have a partnership with Alvernia Seniors College. About 50-60 of our residents take their classes each semester to continue to learn. Even at 60, 70, 80, 90 years old they take iPad classes. They work out in our fitness center and pool, and they want to live well and be well.
I think seniors inspire me. The two centurions that were highlighted in Berks County Living Magazine in this current edition inspire me. Our 104-year-old resident is still quite active, still drives, and mows his grass on his farm in upper PA. He’s unbelievable. When we asked him about why he thought he lived to 104, it was his garden. He always had a garden and ate natural, organic vegetables, and he always had a purpose – a reason to get up in the morning. Something to do. In fact, when we were trying to schedule his interview, we had to work around his schedule because he was so active and busy at 104.
Toni: That is fantastic!
Jodi: Yes. I would say the seniors of our community, but seniors in general inspire me.
Toni: What a great story. Do you get to hear their stories?
Jodi: Absolutely, yes. We work with a lot of folks prior to move in, so we hear about why they’re making the decision to move. We want to get to know them, their history, their background. We have residents that were former CIA, worked on the atomic bomb, traveled the world. We have two World War II veterans – what their experiences were like. It’s amazing.
Toni: What do you want your legacy to be?
Jodi: My children I think are my legacy. I want to have them give back to the community as I’ve given back to the community. Hopefully, I’ve made a difference in serving on some of these nonprofit organizations that are impacting others. I guess lastly, making a difference in the lives of seniors from my work experiences as well.
Toni: Jodi, it’s all about the living legacy as well. The downside of the Get Inspired! Project, if there is one, is that people can't see you during the interview. As you speak about the seniors and you tell those stories, you should see the look on your face. That is an amazing living legacy, and they are lucky to have you.
Jodi: Thank you.
Toni: Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Jodi: Thanks for having me.
Toni: Take care.
Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Jodi Gibble with me. Hi, Jodi.
Jodi Gibble: Hi, Toni.
Toni: How are you?
Jodi: I’m great. How are you today?
Toni: What a beautiful morning to do an interview.
Jodi: It’s great. I had a walk this morning at 5:30. Just gorgeous.
Toni: It absolutely is. So, Jodi, welcome to the Project. Take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jodi: Sure. I am the Director of Marketing at The Highlands Wyomissing, which is a continuing care retirement community in beautiful Wyomissing on 113 acres. We serve residents 62 and older in apartments, cottages, personal care, and skilled nursing. I’ve worked in the senior housing industry from nonprofits, for-profits for about 20 years. I’m a social worker by background, but have done marketing and operations most of that time. I live in Sinking Spring with my family. I have two boys that are 14, twin boys, and my husband.
Toni: Fantastic. Thank you for taking time out of your busy life to show up for this Project.
Jodi: Sure.
Toni: Let’s get into it. What does inspiration mean to you?
Jodi: Inspiration – I did look it up, and it means to mentally stimulate or to do or feel something. I think for me, when I learn something new, it inspires me to maybe do something about it. For instance, this past Wednesday I went to a seminar with a lady who focuses on nonprofit boards and how boards should work. They talked about some things that inspired me to go back to some boards that I serve on to maybe relook at how we’re doing things and look at things differently.
Toni: So is it a feeling? Is it an action? Do you know when it happens?
Jodi: Yes, absolutely. If I hear something, if I see something, if I read something, I might be inspired to act upon it.
Toni: Right. So it moves. It’s a movement.
Jodi: I believe so, yes.
Toni: Fantastic. But yours is around education as well. So if you’re learning something, then you’re going to be moved to action.
Jodi: Absolutely.
Toni: That inspires you, when you hear something new.
Jodi: Yes.
Toni: So how do you take that type of inspiration and put it into practice here in Berks County?
Jodi: I’m a member of a couple different organizations in Berks County. I’m a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Toni: What’s that?
Jodi: It’s an organization of women who can basically track their genealogy back to somebody who served in the Revolutionary War.
Toni: Wow.
Jodi: We raise money for scholarships for students in the Berks County area, but it is a national organization. Also, I’m a member of the Berks Historical Society. I enjoy ancestry and genealogy and old things, so I’m a member of the Berks Historical Society. I’m also a member of the Bridge of Hope organization, which serves homeless women and children. I’m on the national board, but we have a chapter in Berks County as well. I serve on the Wilson Education Foundation, some of their events and projects, and my church. I think I’m inspired to give back to the community by working with these different nonprofits. Also, the Junior League of Reading. I can't leave them out as well.
Toni: So Jodi, the way you describe the way you are inspired is that you either hear something or see something or learn something and it moves you to action, and you just listed all of these wonderful organizations that you’re giving back your time to. Is there a common thread that inspires you?
Jodi: I guess it’s just my interests. As I mentioned, the ancestry and genealogy is of interest to me, so I’m involved in the Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Serving children is important to me, so the Junior League of Reading and Bridge of Hope, caring for those that are less fortunate than ourselves inspires me to give back and be involved.
Toni: Do you find yourself learning from each one of those organizations?
Jodi: Absolutely. Then I can take things from one organization and potentially pass it along to another.
Toni: That’s very cool. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Jodi: Seniors in general inspire me. At The Highlands, we have 470 residents on any given day that can inspire me. We have teachers, chemists, engineers, physicians, pastors, and former business owners. There’s just a great knowledge base there, and they inspire me, how active they still are. Some still do serve on boards. How active they are in our community on committees.
We have a partnership with Alvernia Seniors College. About 50-60 of our residents take their classes each semester to continue to learn. Even at 60, 70, 80, 90 years old they take iPad classes. They work out in our fitness center and pool, and they want to live well and be well.
I think seniors inspire me. The two centurions that were highlighted in Berks County Living Magazine in this current edition inspire me. Our 104-year-old resident is still quite active, still drives, and mows his grass on his farm in upper PA. He’s unbelievable. When we asked him about why he thought he lived to 104, it was his garden. He always had a garden and ate natural, organic vegetables, and he always had a purpose – a reason to get up in the morning. Something to do. In fact, when we were trying to schedule his interview, we had to work around his schedule because he was so active and busy at 104.
Toni: That is fantastic!
Jodi: Yes. I would say the seniors of our community, but seniors in general inspire me.
Toni: What a great story. Do you get to hear their stories?
Jodi: Absolutely, yes. We work with a lot of folks prior to move in, so we hear about why they’re making the decision to move. We want to get to know them, their history, their background. We have residents that were former CIA, worked on the atomic bomb, traveled the world. We have two World War II veterans – what their experiences were like. It’s amazing.
Toni: What do you want your legacy to be?
Jodi: My children I think are my legacy. I want to have them give back to the community as I’ve given back to the community. Hopefully, I’ve made a difference in serving on some of these nonprofit organizations that are impacting others. I guess lastly, making a difference in the lives of seniors from my work experiences as well.
Toni: Jodi, it’s all about the living legacy as well. The downside of the Get Inspired! Project, if there is one, is that people can't see you during the interview. As you speak about the seniors and you tell those stories, you should see the look on your face. That is an amazing living legacy, and they are lucky to have you.
Jodi: Thank you.
Toni: Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Jodi: Thanks for having me.
Toni: Take care.
