Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living Magazine. Today I have Cameron Martin with me. Hi, Cameron.
Cameron Martin: Hi, Toni. How are you? Thanks so much for having us today.
Toni: You are quite welcome. So, take a moment and tell us just a little bit about yourself.
Cameron: Exactly. I work at Berks Encore as their VP of Development and Marketing. I’ve been there for about three years now. Berks Encore’s focus is on helping seniors to age confidently; giving them the tools so that they’re comfortable with aging, and have a place to turn if they have any questions or concerns about the process of aging.
Toni: Oh, wow. What a cool, cool thing. Alright. Let’s go into the Project. So, Cameron, what does inspiration mean to you?
Cameron: For me, inspiration is all about motivating yourself or others to action. Hopefully that’s a positive action, helping them to understand the specific project or cause that you’re interested in.
Toni: Is that a feeling? Do you know when it happens? Is it something that you create?
Cameron: I think it’s a feeling. For me, if somebody motivates me, inspires me to action, it’s something where I have this, “Go get ‘em, coach, win one for the Gipper!” mentality where you’re just excited and you have this…if somebody said, “Run through a brick wall,” I’m gonna run through a brick wall. If someone can inspire you that way for cause and change, I think you feel it.
Toni: Do you get inspired every day?
Cameron: Absolutely.
Toni: Tell me the last time.
Cameron: Just walking through our center right up on Court Street, you see people that are using our services at Berks Encore each and every day. For me, it inspires me for action and for cause and motivates me to create change, because we’re changing their lives daily. Berks Encore serves over 600 meals a day. You think about that—if we were not to serve those meals, people would go hungry. I’m inspired daily to wake up and do my best for this cause, because I know people’s lives are depending on the success that we have in the fundraising department, in the marketing department, so that people know what we’re doing. If we weren’t here, people would starve. Just walking into the center and seeing the people that are using our services, using our resources, you’re inspired daily.
Toni: Well, you’ve kind of led into the second question, but maybe you can expand upon that a bit. When you are inspired by a cause or to do some sort of change around something, how do you put that inspiration into practice here in Berks County, whether it’s with Berks Encore or outside of Berks Encore?
Cameron: Within Berks Encore, I think you’re always trying to connect with people that you can champion your cause with. We’re always trying to tell people our inspiring stories; the things that are going on at Berks Encore, and how they can partner. In talking with them, hearing their stories, you can quickly identify where they have their passions, and if their passions align with our passions, then together we can make the change that we so desperately need in this county and in this country. That’s how we do it every day. It’s just through talking to people, hearing their stories, sharing their stories, and hopefully motivating someone to act positively.
Toni: So you’re inspired by your work, and then that translates into multiple programs and activities.
Cameron: Exactly.
Toni: How about personally?
Cameron: For me, it’s all about leaving a good example for my children. I have a three-year-old and a three-month-old. Becoming a father has completely changed my life. My wife and I are just so fortunate to have these two bundles of joy. For me, it’s all about teaching them how to give back, how to live a meaningful and loving life, and just how to treat others, I think, is the basic…it’s the Golden Rule. That’s what inspires me to lead a positive life for both my daughters.
Toni: Fantastic. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Cameron: It’s simple. At Berks Encore, we’re not able to accomplish what we do without…I think we’re at 1,400 volunteers that help us through the course of the year, so that inspires me that there are people out there that will give of their time. Some people will volunteer on their lunch break to help deliver Meals on Wheels. They’ll take lunch early so that they can do that. It’s coming in and helping people with their taxes, or the Apprise program. Helping them with their Medicare. Sometimes it’s just calling Bingo. That’s 1,300 people that are taking time out of their lives to give back to the seniors in our community, to help them live a happier, healthier and motivated life. That inspires me, that there are that many people that are willing to give of their time.
Toni: Anybody in particular you want to call out that inspires you?
Cameron: There are so many people in this community. I mean, the whole team at Berks Encore is amazing. There are many places that we could choose to work, but they choose to work at Berks Encore. I think of our community leaders. We have Craig Poole, who sits on our board, who is so involved in the community. You can talk forever about Craig. Also, Eric Savage has been great for us. Recently, we received some rather large gifts that were in the paper, so I think of the Barbeys and how they’re giving back and helping to inspire people with their opportunity. Then, obviously, Dick Ehst, at Customers Bank, has been great in helping us to champion our cause and motivate others to rally behind us with support.
I could go on and on. We have a great Board of Directors that has just given so faithfully. They’re committed to our cause, and they open doors, and it’s just been great to work alongside them. It motivates us, and it motivates me, knowing that I have such a faithful board that are supporting us and coming alongside us, and helping to open doors for us as well so that we can continue the great work that we’re doing.
Toni: That inspiration around the support probably is your motivator to keep doing what you’re doing.
Cameron: Exactly.
Toni: That’s amazing. What do you want your legacy to be?
Cameron: I have said for years that when I die — hopefully that’s a long time away from now — but when I die and people think back on Cameron Martin that they smile. That’s always how I’ve lived my life. I have said this since high school. That has been my motto is to try to live a life of compassion, of giving back, being humble, and just making an impact. I do that just by talking to people. I love to tell jokes and have fun with people. I hope most people smile. That’s in my mentality, now that I’m a father a husband, it’s knowing that my daughters and my wife are loved and showing them that each and every day, so that when I’m not here they’ll say, “You know what? My husband (or my dad), he was a great guy.”
Toni: What a fantastic living legacy you’ve got going on.
Cameron: We’re trying.
Toni: That’s amazing. Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Cameron: Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.
