11 minute read
Pandemic Positives
HOW LOCALSMADE THE MOST OF A CHALLENGING SITUATION
COMPILED BY NIKKI M. MURRY & ROBYN L. JONES
Believe it or not, the COVID-19 has brought some positives into our lives. We reached out to a handful of Berks residents and asked: How have you made the most of the pandemic blues by bonding with family at home?
Here’s what they said…
“We got a firepit
“We invested time into doing things as a family around our house and property. We now have a dog, chickens and hair sheep. Our first lamb was born on Feb. 15!” — Rebecca Ezolt, Kutztown
“We have many more family dinners.
We go on hikes. We play board games. I’m betting that when our kids think about their childhoods, when they remember things we’ve done together, they’ll be thinking about the past year.” — Nathan Brant, Wernersville
and two bird feeders for our back porch and we spent a lot of time as a family sitting outside – morning, Noon and night. We would do our remote work outside, drinking coffee and hot chocolate, watching the birds, eating meals and lots of conversation time. I also kept a journal during this time to document what was happening. I can only imagine what it will be like to look back on it years from now.” — Vicki Gallen Schutt, Wyomissing
“This year, I realized my life should be more than running a business.
My almost 14-year-old daughter, Zainab, can make better Chicken Parmesan than most of the restaurants. It took COVID curfew to make me realize how creative, funny and alike we are. Currently, we are on a need-to-talk basis (when she needs something, she talks to me). I got to teach my 17-yearold son, Bilal, how to drive. Yes, there were couple minor fender-benders and close calls with me nearly having a heart attack. I realize how blessed I am with a caring, intelligent son. 2020 was an opportunity from God for me to make up lost time with my family for a couple decades of averaging 70+ hours a week.” — Hamid Chaudhry, Mohnton
“Not being able to see extended family as much as we want has been the hardest thing for our family during this pandemic. To help, we have moved normal indoor events outside and have really taken advantage of our backyard outdoor space. Hand sanitizer, masks and social distancing have been the key part of the everyday celebrations. Birthday celebrations have moved outside, a new tradition of Easter egg hunts and Halloween candy hunts with social distance have become the new normal. We also have created a new tradition of the “Backyard Tailgate” to watch the Eagles games with extended family. We set up a TV outside, get on our Eagles gear, and enjoy the game from the yard. This will stick around post-pandemic!” — Ann Fioravanti, Spring Township
I’ve mastered the art of BREAKFAST.
“Quarantine gave us the opportunity of TIME and during that instance, I’ve developed a very special skill, a talent that needed a sprinkle of “too much time on your hands” for it to grow. I’ve mastered the art of BREAKFAST. Yes, I said breakfast. My son and I are HUGE fans of the ‘most important meal of the day.’ I stir up a buffet of classic recipes, pulling everything I’ve learned from years in hospitality and even new ones to give my family a chef-styled breakfast in the mornings. I’m proud to say my Eggs Benedict are pretty ‘eggscellent.’” — Bernadette Berrios, Reading
— Jill Birckbichler, Blandon
“The Swains love dance parties, movie nights, hiking, trail walks and sledding. We have a lot of
fun together!” — Vicki Swain, Wyomissing
“Thankfully, our family has been healthy during the pandemic. So, while we didn’t start any new traditions or do anything extra-special, the past year did allow all of us to slow down and simply enjoy each other’s company – from spending long summer nights outside and baking cupcakes for breakfast to having Lego® build challenges and UNO® competitions. Among our favorite family activities were having a Penn State Virtual Tailgate and a Saquon Barkley Day party.
“When the world felt like it stopped turning and we had to stay home, I tried to keep life as fun and normal as possible for my 3- and 1-year-old. We decided to get creative with what we had! This resulted in backyard picnics or long walks through parks. Taking a break from business travel also allowed me to focus on my fitness and even involve my kids in the process. We would spend hours chasing each other around fields and playgrounds with no pressure of a schedule. I hope to continue these ‘unplugged’ moments with my family long after the pandemic is just a distant memory.” — Marissa Banks, Sinking Spring
“Usually, I travel home to Puerto Rico three or four times a year. I have not visited my family, so Facetime, WhatsApp, Zoom and House Party apps have become part of our regular time.
We communicate every morning and evening for hours, just sharing daily experiences, recipes, ideas and helping each other with how to deal with the quarantine. Our bond is stronger than ever thanks to the pandemic. As the whole year 2020 has gone by, we laugh, cry, inspire one another, and the most essential part is we are still connected.” —Gammy Nieves, Reading
“We feel really blessed to have two daughters living close by (Kate in Wyomissing and Lauren in Downingtown) through the pandemic. Both have been fairly careful about distancing, wearing masks, etc. so they have been our ‘pod’ for most of the past year. The pandemic's restrictions have cut down on outside socializing but expanded the things we did with our grandchildren, Daniel and Alex, son-in-law, Noel, and our daughters. We have played a lot of board games including customized versions of Alley Family Jeopardy! and Charades, played corn hole in our hall and we've worked on jigsaw puzzles. Early on we put together a competition decorating ceramic piggy banks. Every member of the family (including Stephanie and her husband Tim in North Carolina) decorated one piggy bank then submitted pictures of it and we all voted for winners in categories like "most beautiful," "most timely," "most original," etc. It was a lot of fun!” — Nancy Alley, Wyomissing
we turned our basement into an indoor playground
“I think there are a few things that we have done to make the most of the COVID pandemic blues. Perhaps most notably, my husband, Cristian, turned our basement into an indoor playground for our daughters. He removed some drop ceiling tiles and installed monkey bars, swings and climbing ladders. This has saved us from the pandemic blues on many occasions over the last few months as it gives the girls a way to get their copious energy out; it doesn't involve any screen time, and they can play without requiring a ton of active parental support. (and yes, our patio cushions are lined up along the wall for an added safety measure).” — Katie Williams, Wyomissing
“We learned a lot more about gardening this year and enjoyed sharing that with our kids. Sydney was especially proud
of her carrot harvest.” — Mike & Katey Dinan, Sinking Spring
“Our family has made the most of the pandemic by spending more time outside and gathering for family dinner on the weekends. Our lives had been so busy and fast-paced that we didn’t even realize the moments we were missing out on until we were forced to slow down. The silver lining for us has been the opportunity to bond with our granddaughter, Jordis. She had just turned six months old when the world as we knew it stopped. Initially, there were daily Facetime calls and short visits from a distance and then gradually we started to do more things outdoors. We have also revived the tradition of a Sunday family dinner, something that had fallen off after the passing of my mother in 2016. I have made so many beautiful memories in the past year and enjoyed activities that I didn’t even know I wanted to try. We are thankful to have this time to just enjoy one another and the million little things that make every day a blessing. The lesson learned, at least for me, is how to live a life of gratitude.” — Michele Reinert, Reading
“When the weather cooperates, our family has loved taking walks around our neighborhood.
As COVID has certainly limited recreational events, our strolls are a simple and enjoyable activity filled with fresh air and a greater appreciation for our local area.”— Alex Elliker, Kutztown
Poker became our nightly tradition.
“Without sports to run to or social events to plan around, we've had a year's worth of free evenings to sit around and play cards. One night, my husband taught us a few types of poker games betting with piles of Halloween candy, which quickly became a heated competition that went on well past bedtime. My sons (Charlie, 10 and Ben, 8) really took to the idea of bluffing to us, trying to read everyone's ‘tells’ and risking it all for a big pile of candy. Poker became our nightly tradition. We even ran through the entire Ocean's 11 franchise. The stakes have never
I am a firm believer in no excuses!
“With gyms closing throughout the pandemic — and there being a shortage in gym equipment to purchase, sticking to my workout plan has not been easy. Might I also mention, being a full-time working mom and trying to manage virtual learning (and rather poorly might I add) made finding time for fitness even more of a challenge. Despite the difficulties, I am a firm believer in no excuses! My husband and I started creating more at-home workout routines using nothing more than our bodies, a few dumbbells and some elastic exercise bands. It has been a joy sharing and modeling our passion for health and fitness with our children. Some days it’s a whole family affair. Our 5-year-old, Marcus, is especially good at Burpees.” — Laura Senna, Blandon
been higher!” — Nicole Bowman, Sinking Spring
“Our family found so many ways to bond during the pandemic. We played new board games and went on many bike rides and walks together. Like many others, we worked on home improvement projects. For one project, my son, Matt, and I built a garden wall together. My daughters, Katelyn and Sarah, and I had fun baking and trying new recipes. Trying all these recipes prompted us to start a recipe book of the ones that we really enjoyed. I had to be more creative with time spent with my parents since we can’t physically be together right now. My mom and I have always enjoyed making crafts together, so I bought two rag wreath kits and mailed one to my mom. We crafted together on Facetime for hours and it gave us both so much joy. While there has been some heartbreak, we will cherish this time together and the memories we’ve made.” — Michelle Roberts, Blandon
memories we won’t soon forget
“We’ve always done holidays and special occasions with extended family, usually at someone else’s house. So, the pandemic gave us the opportunity to celebrate with just us and our three kids at our own house. We cooked our own Easter meal, and celebrated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as a family. We love spending the holidays with our extended family and can’t wait to get back to normal, but there was something very special about celebrating those special days with just us and our kids. They’re memories we won’t soon forget.” — Matt & Betsy Forrer, Shillington
“We took my son, Will, to get his learner’s permit on his 16th birthday on
Dec. 26. Since then, we’ve been teaching him to drive. It can be nerve-wracking for him and me, so we tend to limit these sessions to an hour each. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I have a child old enough to drive, but he’s very responsible and an eager learner. It’s been quality bonding time for us.” — Jason Brudereck, Spring Township
