Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living Magazine. Today I have Chris Spanier with me. Welcome, Chris.
Chris Spanier: Thanks for having me, Toni.
Toni: Absolutely. So, take a moment and tell us just a little bit about yourself.
Chris: Well, born and raised in Berks County, so a strong community-minded person. I work with United Way, which goes along with that same theme. I’ve been with United Way for almost 16 years, and I lead the Marketing and Communications team there.
Toni: Wow. That’s probably a very busy job.
Chris: It is, but that’s what I like about it; the mix of projects that I get to work on, and all the different types of people we just have the opportunity to work with and meet. It’s a great team to work with as well there.
Toni: Great. Welcome to the Project.
Chris: Thank you.
Toni: Let’s jump in there. What does inspiration mean to you?
Chris: I think probably at its basis, it means something that you feel or that you connect with. I think it can probably take root in a couple different ways. Something that you want to learn more about. Something that motivates you. Something that encourages you. Something you may want to try.
Toni: I like that “takes root.” I like that inspiration “takes root.” Do you know that? Is it a physical feeling that you get when you’re inspired? Do you know when you’re inspired?
Chris: I think that’s a mixed bag. Sometimes I think it is. You feel something pretty immediate, and then there are other times that you may just be absorbed, and it may surface later.
Toni: Okay. That’s a great way to describe that. How do you put that type of inspiration, whether it’s something that happens instantaneously or maybe something that has taken root and takes a while to blossom—how have you taken that and put it into practice here in Berks County?
Chris: I get the opportunity to work and meet with lots of different people through my job. We have a great team at United Way. We have a great team of volunteers across the board, and people that I get to meet in terms of being helped by United Way programs and services. For example, we just recently completed our campaign video that we are going to be using throughout the year.
I had the opportunity to meet a young man who receives help through one of our agency partners. He has some challenges, but through the agency and the funding that United Way provides, he’s able to have his first job. We got to see him in action and ask him a few questions about it, and he was so proud of what he was accomplishing, what his goals were, and how he was going to tackle his goals. It just made you feel so good to be part of some of the work behind that. It just gives you a great feeling and makes you want to do more good things.
Toni: That was definitely rooted, wasn’t it?
Chris: Mm-hmm.
Toni: What a great story. So, who in Berks County inspires you?
Chris: I would have to say there’s a lot of people. I’m going to start with my family at the root of that. Great parents, great sister, great husband. We have a son who inspires me on days as well. I work with a phenomenal team of people. They are also encouraging. They’re very supportive, and it’s really just a great demonstration of teamwork. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great people before United Way as well. I’ve really been fortunate that I’ve had managers and supervisors and leaders that have really set a good path.
Toni: Is there a common theme on all of these people that are in your life, you think, that inspire you the most, that that’s that characteristic?
Chris: I think bottom line, they all care, and relationships are important.
Toni: That’s inspiring to you.
Chris: Yes.
Toni: Okay. Great. So Chris, what would you like your legacy to be?
Chris: Probably just to be known as a caring person. I hope that I have connected with others, and that has meant something to them. I think relationships are important in every aspect of life, whether it’s family, friends, colleagues, etc. I just really want those relationships to have a lasting impact.
Toni: Well, as I always say, you’re living your legacy just by demonstration of the story that you’ve told and the work that you do. Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Chris: Thanks for the opportunity.
