Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Meggan Kerber with me. Megan, welcome to the Get Inspired! Project.
Meggan Kerber: Thank you for having me here today.
Toni: Take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Meggan: Sure. I was born and raised in Brookhaven, New York, which is on Long Island. Lived there for many years and did a couple of moving around, so to say, with my family, and ended up in Berks County in 1992. Came to enjoy a wonderful educational opportunity through Alvernia University. So proud of those ties. I’m currently working for Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf.
Toni: I encourage people to check that out, because I was learning some things pre-interview that were pretty amazing. Alright, shall we jump into the Project?
Meggan: Let’s do it.
Toni: Alright. What does inspiration mean to you?
Meggan: I have to admit, I had to think about this one quite a bit. When I think of inspiration, I think of an experience, an individual, or a thing that moves you to the core, that truly motivates you to make change or create something to happen based on that feeling that you have.
Toni: For you, is inspiration something you feel, or do you know when you’re physically inspired?
Meggan: I think I feel it.
Toni: You feel it.
Meggan: I feel it down to my core. It just rings this very loud bell inside me that says, “You need to do something, and you need to do it now in order to make this happen for someone or something.”
Toni: Does it have to always be a big event?
Meggan: No. It can be the smallest of things as well.
Toni: Can you remember the last time you were inspired?
Meggan: I think I have a lot of little inspirations, but I would say one of the biggest ones I’ve had really I think not only made a difference in my own life, but also in someone else’s life when I met a young lady by the name of Liz, who had so many aspirations in life, but unfortunately her home environment was not going to support that. She worked so hard to try to achieve her goals that it just inspired me to not only reach out to her personally to help her reach those goals, but also to motivate others to rally around her and provide her that support system she needed. Through that, she not only graduated from high school with honors — and she was one of the first in her family — she also was an honor student in her undergraduate degree, and then just finished her Master’s degree as well.
Toni: Oh, that’s amazing.
Meggan: I’ve been able to follow with her through that entire time, and here’s just a young lady someone wanted to give up on, and I just knew that there was this light in her eye, and someone just needed to believe in her. We were just able to rally with her and make her dreams come true.
Toni: So this is something that you see this spark, as you said, and it moved you and you stayed with her. That’s amazing. That’s the second question, which you may have answered partially, but I’m sure you have other examples. When you take this being moved into action and you’re inspired by something or someone, how else do you put that into practice here in Berks County?
Meggan: I do it through a lot of service in the community. I love to volunteer probably more so than what my family appreciates, because I probably spend more time volunteering than I do probably at home and with them, but I choose to work with organizations that create change for the better for Berks County. Three organizations in particular I love to work with are Girls On the Run of Berks County where they are empowering and inspiring young girls to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Rotary. I’m a member of the Reading Rotary Club and a past President of the club, and it’s all about service above self, because you truly do things to help others. It’s not about you as a person. It’s about the community as a whole, and recently we partnered with the Gilmore Henne Fund to rebuild Essex Park and give it back to the kids at Church and Oley Streets. That was huge. Huge, huge, huge. One organization I volunteered for in the past but I’m not currently, but I would say every day when you walk in, you just get this feeling like, “Oh my goodness. This place is a miracle.” That’s the John Paul II Center for special learning.
Toni: Oh my goodness. Is it all children for you?
Meggan: Primarily children and animals is my big thing, but I’ve spent the majority of my career and my personal life working with kids, those with some type of special need or cause.
Toni: And then you are inspired to help them; but, do you normally see them inspired first?
Meggan: Yes.
Toni: That’s what I’m hearing. Something has inspired them, and they’re just looking for that hand.
Meggan: Yes. They’re just looking for someone to say, “I see you. I hear you. Let’s do it together.” I think we can work with our kids today to show them that there’s so many opportunities out there, because I think so many people tell them “no.” There are times we need to say “no” but when someone says, “No, you can't,” do something and they really want to do it and they have the talent and the willpower to do it, they can. I think that is such an important message for kids. I know for myself personally, I was told no as a child regarding my education, because I had some difficulties in my education, and I proved them wrong. I think that’s what my driving force is for our kids today.
Toni: Creating opportunities and opening those doors.
Meggan: Absolutely. Let them explore. Let them be themselves. We’re all going to make mistakes, but we have to make mistakes in order to learn from each other.
Toni: It’s amazing that when I asked your earlier, I had said are these big or small events, and you said they can be the smallest events, but opening the doors that you do could be the biggest event in that child’s life.
Meggan: Absolutely. I think of Liz. We opened up that one door for her and from there, she is amazing woman today in law, in fighting for others just like her. It’s just awesome to see someone who said, “This is what I want to do. I just want to have a chance,” and be able to take that opportunity and run with it.
Toni: So who in Berks County inspires you?
Meggan: Besides all the kids, I’m struggling with that question, because there’s a lot of people that have inspired me. I’ve had a lot of great mentors in this community, so it’s really hard for me to target one person.
Toni: Well, can you give a couple?
Meggan: Kim Murphy has been a wonderful mentor for me in the past and still is. I still seek her out every now and then. “Hey, what do you think about this situation or that situation?” Someone who’s not here anymore in our community but was here was Robert Balthaser and Nan Hamberger. They were both from Alvernia University. Just such strong guiding lights in my life and what I’m doing today. I have to say I take some inspiration from my family as well. It’s really hard to pinpoint.
Toni: I understand that.
Meggan: Down to one person.
Toni: But there’s a common theme of these people that inspire you. What do you think it is? The people that do inspire you, what do you think the common thread is?
Meggan: I think their common thread is that they’re strong people, they’re open, and they’re honest. They’ll tell you like it is. I love that about anybody. Some people may say, “Well, you might not want to hear what I have to say.” I’m like, “I’d rather hear it because then it’s an opportunity for growth.”
Toni: There’s that word, opportunity, again. So Meggan, what would you like your legacy to be?
Meggan: I would like my legacy to be that I have shaped lives to build a better community and to know that our next generation of leaders can follow into our footsteps in a strong path.
Toni: Isn’t it kind of cool to be living your legacy?
Meggan: A little bit. It’s very cool.
Toni: Absolutely. Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Meggan: You’re welcome. Thank you for having me.
Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Meggan Kerber with me. Megan, welcome to the Get Inspired! Project.
Meggan Kerber: Thank you for having me here today.
Toni: Take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Meggan: Sure. I was born and raised in Brookhaven, New York, which is on Long Island. Lived there for many years and did a couple of moving around, so to say, with my family, and ended up in Berks County in 1992. Came to enjoy a wonderful educational opportunity through Alvernia University. So proud of those ties. I’m currently working for Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf.
Toni: I encourage people to check that out, because I was learning some things pre-interview that were pretty amazing. Alright, shall we jump into the Project?
Meggan: Let’s do it.
Toni: Alright. What does inspiration mean to you?
Meggan: I have to admit, I had to think about this one quite a bit. When I think of inspiration, I think of an experience, an individual, or a thing that moves you to the core, that truly motivates you to make change or create something to happen based on that feeling that you have.
Toni: For you, is inspiration something you feel, or do you know when you’re physically inspired?
Meggan: I think I feel it.
Toni: You feel it.
Meggan: I feel it down to my core. It just rings this very loud bell inside me that says, “You need to do something, and you need to do it now in order to make this happen for someone or something.”
Toni: Does it have to always be a big event?
Meggan: No. It can be the smallest of things as well.
Toni: Can you remember the last time you were inspired?
Meggan: I think I have a lot of little inspirations, but I would say one of the biggest ones I’ve had really I think not only made a difference in my own life, but also in someone else’s life when I met a young lady by the name of Liz, who had so many aspirations in life, but unfortunately her home environment was not going to support that. She worked so hard to try to achieve her goals that it just inspired me to not only reach out to her personally to help her reach those goals, but also to motivate others to rally around her and provide her that support system she needed. Through that, she not only graduated from high school with honors — and she was one of the first in her family — she also was an honor student in her undergraduate degree, and then just finished her Master’s degree as well.
Toni: Oh, that’s amazing.
Meggan: I’ve been able to follow with her through that entire time, and here’s just a young lady someone wanted to give up on, and I just knew that there was this light in her eye, and someone just needed to believe in her. We were just able to rally with her and make her dreams come true.
Toni: So this is something that you see this spark, as you said, and it moved you and you stayed with her. That’s amazing. That’s the second question, which you may have answered partially, but I’m sure you have other examples. When you take this being moved into action and you’re inspired by something or someone, how else do you put that into practice here in Berks County?
Meggan: I do it through a lot of service in the community. I love to volunteer probably more so than what my family appreciates, because I probably spend more time volunteering than I do probably at home and with them, but I choose to work with organizations that create change for the better for Berks County. Three organizations in particular I love to work with are Girls On the Run of Berks County where they are empowering and inspiring young girls to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Rotary. I’m a member of the Reading Rotary Club and a past President of the club, and it’s all about service above self, because you truly do things to help others. It’s not about you as a person. It’s about the community as a whole, and recently we partnered with the Gilmore Henne Fund to rebuild Essex Park and give it back to the kids at Church and Oley Streets. That was huge. Huge, huge, huge. One organization I volunteered for in the past but I’m not currently, but I would say every day when you walk in, you just get this feeling like, “Oh my goodness. This place is a miracle.” That’s the John Paul II Center for special learning.
Toni: Oh my goodness. Is it all children for you?
Meggan: Primarily children and animals is my big thing, but I’ve spent the majority of my career and my personal life working with kids, those with some type of special need or cause.
Toni: And then you are inspired to help them; but, do you normally see them inspired first?
Meggan: Yes.
Toni: That’s what I’m hearing. Something has inspired them, and they’re just looking for that hand.
Meggan: Yes. They’re just looking for someone to say, “I see you. I hear you. Let’s do it together.” I think we can work with our kids today to show them that there’s so many opportunities out there, because I think so many people tell them “no.” There are times we need to say “no” but when someone says, “No, you can't,” do something and they really want to do it and they have the talent and the willpower to do it, they can. I think that is such an important message for kids. I know for myself personally, I was told no as a child regarding my education, because I had some difficulties in my education, and I proved them wrong. I think that’s what my driving force is for our kids today.
Toni: Creating opportunities and opening those doors.
Meggan: Absolutely. Let them explore. Let them be themselves. We’re all going to make mistakes, but we have to make mistakes in order to learn from each other.
Toni: It’s amazing that when I asked your earlier, I had said are these big or small events, and you said they can be the smallest events, but opening the doors that you do could be the biggest event in that child’s life.
Meggan: Absolutely. I think of Liz. We opened up that one door for her and from there, she is amazing woman today in law, in fighting for others just like her. It’s just awesome to see someone who said, “This is what I want to do. I just want to have a chance,” and be able to take that opportunity and run with it.
Toni: So who in Berks County inspires you?
Meggan: Besides all the kids, I’m struggling with that question, because there’s a lot of people that have inspired me. I’ve had a lot of great mentors in this community, so it’s really hard for me to target one person.
Toni: Well, can you give a couple?
Meggan: Kim Murphy has been a wonderful mentor for me in the past and still is. I still seek her out every now and then. “Hey, what do you think about this situation or that situation?” Someone who’s not here anymore in our community but was here was Robert Balthaser and Nan Hamberger. They were both from Alvernia University. Just such strong guiding lights in my life and what I’m doing today. I have to say I take some inspiration from my family as well. It’s really hard to pinpoint.
Toni: I understand that.
Meggan: Down to one person.
Toni: But there’s a common theme of these people that inspire you. What do you think it is? The people that do inspire you, what do you think the common thread is?
Meggan: I think their common thread is that they’re strong people, they’re open, and they’re honest. They’ll tell you like it is. I love that about anybody. Some people may say, “Well, you might not want to hear what I have to say.” I’m like, “I’d rather hear it because then it’s an opportunity for growth.”
Toni: There’s that word, opportunity, again. So Meggan, what would you like your legacy to be?
Meggan: I would like my legacy to be that I have shaped lives to build a better community and to know that our next generation of leaders can follow into our footsteps in a strong path.
Toni: Isn’t it kind of cool to be living your legacy?
Meggan: A little bit. It’s very cool.
Toni: Absolutely. Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Meggan: You’re welcome. Thank you for having me.
