Meet 2021’s Favorite Freelance Writer: Donna Reed
Donna Reed is a Reading City Councilwoman and also a frequent writer of our Living In Style section. Get to know her better by reading on…
Q: How did you get your start with Berks County Living? When was that?
I was actually among the first group of writers when BCL premiered in 2000, just months after I left the Reading Eagle. I'm not quite sure of the exact dynamics of how I became a contributing writer. I actually remember being at a very nice roll-out event for the magazine sponsored by the former West Lawn Graphics, the first BCL publisher. I imagine there are pix of that somewhere.
Q: What kind of writing have you done for the magazine?
In its initial iteration, I did some personal profiles. I've also written about places -- for example, the monuments/memorials tour of City Park a few years back. In the past five or six years, my assignments have centered on the Living In Style section, visiting and writing about some really amazing homes here in Berks County. It's been great to see these residences and meet so many good folks.
Q: What was your favorite story you’ve written and why?
There are probably two favorites -- one for the August 2001 issue profiling Art Moore, the executive producer of the then Live with Regis and Kelly. Art has deep Reading routes and, among other accomplishments, is considered a father of the "Action News" concept which he started in Buffalo, NY, and brought to Philadelphia with Jim Garner, Dave Roberts and the late Jim O'Brien, all Philly news icons. A quartet of us, including current BCL publisher Robyn Jones, traveled to NYC that month to see the show and we had VIP seats. Regis and Kelly spent at least 90 seconds discussing Art (who was the cover story) and showing BCL to their viewership. Later, Kelly Ripa and I had a couple minutes to speak about Art and how great of a guy he is. A special treat was seeing Julie Andrews, a guest that day. And, on a very poignant note, it was to be the last time our group would ever see the Twin Towers greeting us as we approached New York. They were attacked just weeks later.
My other favorite is the February 2019 Living In Style profile on a home in Reutlingen, Germany, Reading’s sister city. In the autumn of 2018, during an official exchange trip, I was able to interview the homeowner, an architect and interior designer, whose home's exterior wall is part of the town's medieval fortification that dates to 1240. The house, like many in European cities, is small but her creativity blending the ancient and the contemporary, made it incredibly memorable.
Q: What do you enjoy in your free time?
I'm technically retired, but I'm flunking that designation badly. When I do have some down time, I love spending it with friends and family, most especially my 5-year-old grandson, Hunter. It's always intriguing to see the world through a child's perspective -- very refreshing. I hope to do more traveling as the world continues to open up again. I love to read and I do my best to get through a book a week. My favorites are biographies and history -- as a long-time newspaperwoman, reality is always the most fascinating to me. I still love the classic old TV sitcoms, especially The Mary Tyler Moore Show and I am gaining some additional appreciation for The Donna Reed Show. (Wasn't that Alex a looker? No wonder she looks so happy hugging and kissing him!)
Q: Anything you’d like to say to those who voted for you?
I'm very flattered and humbled. Thanks to everyone for those votes of confidence. I will continue to do my best to write about the good people and places with which Berks is so blessed.
