Women2Women Fall 2015 by Hoffmann Publishing Group

FALL 2015

MAGAZINE

Communities Working Together

Shop Local, Shop Smart. Small Business Saturday— November 28

BACK TO SCHOOL

Slow Cooking Meals

MAGAZINE

Contents

FALL 2015

Karen Marsdale, Senior Editor Melissa Varone, Editor Kristin Golden Mancuso, Associate Editor •

201 Penn Street • Suite 501 • Reading, PA 19601 berkswomen2women.com • 610.376.6766

Women2Know

wORK2LIFE

Happily Small

A New Way of Working

A Prominent Female Entrepreneur’s Growth Continues

Advice From a Professional Recruiter: First Impressions

Dressing For Success: What Does Your Look Say About You?

From Education to Retail

Back to School Slow Cooking Meals

Women2Women Advisory Council

Alexa Antanavage, Danielle Antos, Mary Arbogast Margarita Caicedo, Karen Collins, Valerie Downing Vicki Ebner, Kim Hippert-Eversgerd, Nancy Hoban Delphia Howze, Bethany Kirkner, Karen Marsdale Julia Nickey, Mary Jean Noon, Chiara Renninger Connie Skipper, Alison Snyder, Vanessa Wanshop Women2Women, managed by the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry, encourages women to create connections, gain knowledge, open doors and build strategic alliances, and much more. Our goal is to create more women leaders in Berks County by providing a forum where women from diverse backgrounds can learn, share ideas and mentor each other. Membership is free and open to all women of Berks County. Women2Women Magazine is a publication of the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Growth2Go 18

Landing That Elusive Board Seat

Estate Planning DO IT NOW!

To join: W2W@GreaterReadingChamber.org Stay connected: BerksWomen2Women.com Facebook.com/BerksWomen2Women LinkedIn: Berks Women2Women

Women2Women Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Health2Wellness 33 COPD a Disease

Title Investors Penn State Health St. Joseph Wells Fargo Platinum Investors Alvernia University Boscov’s Department Store, Inc. Penske Truck Leasing Reading Eagle Company Reading Health System Santander Bank Susquehanna Bank Gold Investors BCTV Baker Tilly Berks County Bar Association Berks County Living Bell Tower Salon, Medi-Spa & Store Carpenter Technology Corporation Comfort Keepers East Penn Manufacturing Fulton Bank-Great Valley Division Herbein+Company Highmark BlueShield Lords & Ladies Salon & Medical Spa M&T Bank Meridian Bank National Penn Peritech Home Health Associates, Inc. Reading Dermatology Associates RKL LLP (Reinsel Kuntz Lesher LLP) Sweet Street Tompkins VIST Bank Wyomissing Hair Studio VA Productions The opinions expressed in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

For Advertising Opportunities: call 610.685.0914 Ext. 1 Read W2W Magazine Online at BerksWomen2Women.com

Lurking After Women

Guts & Glory: Dieting vs. Healthy Eating

New Technology for the Treatment of Skin Cancer

In Every Issue 4

Editor’s Desk

W2W Events

Idea Exchange

© 2015 All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced electronically or in print without the expressed written permission of the publisher. Women2Women Magazine is published quarterly by Hoffmann Publishing Group, Reading, PA HoffmannPublishing.com • 610.685.0914 ON THE COVER: Left to Right: Deb Hetrick-Overley (back), Mayor Marianne Deery (front), Beth Rich (back) and Lyn Camella (front) COVER PHOTO BY: Jill Elizabeth Photography

Like us at Facebook.com/BerksWomen2Women

Editor’s Desk

his issue is especially significant as Women2Women celebrates our 5th Anniversary. Karen Marsdale has been the driving force of this movement, along with countless women volunteers, Chamber President & CEO Ellen Horan and our Board of Directors. So much has evolved since its inception and so many women have become involved—I couldn’t be prouder of where we stand today. So cheers to Women2Women!

Jill Elizabeth Photography

In recognition of Small Business Saturday which is held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this year on November 28, we have a story that captures female small business owners that are happily small. The common theme of their success was their approach to customer service and commitment to their community. October celebrates Manufacturing month; what better way to highlight this initiative than to feature Sandy Solmon. Sandy is a pioneer female manufacturer who continues to evolve her business. From desserts, to cafés, now to food trucks.

Melissa Varone Editor, Women2Women Magazine Assistant VP, Marketing, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Women2Women Magazine EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Tracie Barrett Sweet Street

Tracy Hoffmann

Hoffmann Publishing Group

Kristin Golden Mancuso Marketing Consultant

Kristin Kramer

Wilson School District, Wilson Education Foundation

Britany Maack Loomis Company

Karen Marsdale Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry Julia Nickey Penn State Health St. Joseph Connie Skipper Berks County Intermediate Unit Melissa Varone Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry

4 Women2Women Fall 2015

Women who participate on committees and boards of directors can gain a lot from a development perspective which can have an impact on their careers. Although not enough of us are heeding this advice! I myself have gained many different skills participating on committees and sitting on boards. And, I feel good about giving back to the community. We have an expert give pointers on how to go about serving on non-profit boards, with suggestions that can lead to being able to serve on paid boards. This issue is robust with health advice. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States—fifty-three percent of those deaths are women. How scary is that? We need to take care of ourselves; if you are a smoker, I encourage you to quit. We have provided resources and information on how to become smoke free. Coming off the hot days of summer, we need to be reminded to protect our skin. Even when the sun isn’t out, we need to apply sunscreen. In this issue, we introduce a new technology called Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) which is on the forefront of skin cancer treatment. Dieting and health go hand in hand. We have an informative article that encourages our readers to adopt healthy eating habits. And to help you with that goal, we have provided easy and delicious—I can attest they are delicious because I made them—slow cooking meals. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I have enjoyed planning it and working with the incredible women featured, writers and committee members. Happy Reading!

Melissa Varone

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Community & Business Profiles, Insights & Highlights

Kristin Golden Mancuso Marketing Specialist

s Small Business Saturday approaches on November 28, we thought of the many small, successful retailers in our county that will welcome local shoppers as the holiday season begins.

Small Business Saturday, or Shop Small®, was originally developed by American Express to rally support for small businesses, but many retailers benefit from the “Shop Small®” trend throughout the year. There are hundreds of retailers in Berks County; we spoke to several owners to gain their insight and perspective on exactly why they are happy to be part of the Shop Small® movement.

Shop Local

There is no question that “local” is a trend. We hear the word local as we source ingredients for our recipes, select our restaurants and plan day trips to walkable Main Streets. So, in conducting the business of our lives locally, it would make sense that we would build relationships as we shop, getting to know our retailers along the way.

Paisley & Company in Kutztown

happy hours so friends can make their custom This allows us to foster a warm environment,” products together. Hosting these events has says Joanne. “We’re not just selling products; forged strong relationships between the we are hosting an experience. We know that Paisley & Company staff and their customers people can shop for soap just about anywhere. We want our customers to feel at home.” Joanne Lapic from Paisley & Company has —enhancing the sense of community. been in her Kutztown location since 2003. In fact, it was not in the store, but at a Paisley & Company is a small boutique and When Joanne hires a new staff member, she party one evening that Joanne realized she manufacturer of fragrances, soaps, face care, searches for someone with experience in the had achieved her goal. “I overheard someone moisturizers and much more. Along with hospitality industry, not necessarily someone at the party telling another guest that as they their day-to-day retail operations, they also with an extensive retail background. “It’s my were planning their relocation to the area, host bridal showers, birthday parties and belief that we are here to host our visitors.

6 Women2Women Fall 2015

they were shopping along Main Street in Kutztown. When this person wandered into Paisley & Company, she was welcomed with warm familiarity. She sensed that she would really enjoy being part of a community that gave her this feeling of warmth,” said Joanne. “That gave me such a smile! And a real sense of satisfaction to know that I was part of making someone feel at home.”

A Special Connection

Large retailers offer customers a little bit of everything, while smaller retailers can be more responsive to their customers’ interests. Our local shops are known for satisfying a niche for their customers. Dancing Tree Creations in Boyertown is a perfect example. Dancing Tree Creations was founded by Lyn Camella and her partner Beth Rich. The two took early retirement from their corporate positions in 2007 and within a short time, their art was overflowing their home. They recognized that they were producing and collecting so much art that they could literally open a store. So they did. In 2010 they opened Dancing Tree Creations in an old general store in Boyertown, representing the work of about 45 artists. It was a welcome addition to the community. In 2013, Deb Hetrick-Overley joined the business and in 2015 they moved to their current location on Reading Avenue in Boyertown. They currently feature the work of more than 200 artists. The owners have made it a point to meet each and every one of those artists. In fact, they close the shop mid-January through mid-March, traveling each year to a new location in the United States or Canada to find new artists. And as artists themselves, they have become familiar with all of the techniques used to create the artwork in their store. So when a visitor falls in love with a piece of art, Lyn, Beth or Deb can create a sense of connection with the artist. As Lyn says, “It’s all about relationships. We connect with our customers; we connect with the artists; and our goal is to help customers feel a direct connection through us to the artist. It’s a sense that we try to create for each visitor to the store and it helps us satisfy our customers.” Continued on page 9

Partners Dancing Tree Creations in Boyertown (left to right: Beth Rich, Deb Hetrick-Overley and Lyn Camella) Photo by Jill Elizabeth Photography

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8 Women2Women Fall 2015

Women2Know The support they have felt from their customers is remarkable. When Dancing Tree Creations held their grand opening reception for their new location, members of the Tri-County Chamber Association told them that they had never seen so many people in attendance at a new location opening. What a testament to their special connection with customers.

These personal relationships have not only helped them build their businesses, but sustain them over the years. Says Shirley Dierolf from Blue Mountain Herbals, Hamburg, “People have been shopping with me for over 28 years. They know when they come into my store, they will find specialty gifts [including crystals, jewelry and pottery], bulk herbs and spices, and a variety of vitamins and supplements. We help people find just what they were looking for.” Shirley knows that Which leads us to another key to suc- her customers will return again and again cess—the value of personal relationships. In not just for the inventory she offers, but for smaller retail locations, customers and business her personal customer service. owners make a point to meet one another. Building those personal relationships pays Ruth Kershner of Ruth’s Dress Shop in off in dividends. For the customer, retailers Hamburg notes, “Our customers love our will locate a special item, make a custom personal service. When someone comes creation or even stock something with a into the store, we help them by gaining an specific shopper in mind. And for the shop understanding of what they are looking for, owner, they know that they will be the first showing them several options and helping place their customer visits when searching for a special gift or item they need. Continued on page 10

Personal Relationships

Blue Mountain Herbals in Hamburg

berkswomen2women.com 9

Women2Know house tour, First Friday, and so much more. People gather in our downtown area and really feel a sense of being a part of this community.

ities and community events.” And in turn, community members show their gratitude by spending their shopping dollars with those same businesses. It’s a cycle that builds and builds.

“Community members know, it’s these local businesses that give back to the community,” continues Marianne. “Shop owners donate This sense of community is the cornerstone their time, talent and dollars to local char- of success of the Shop Small® movement.

Ruth's Dress Shop in Hamburg

them find what they need within their budget.” Ruth’s Dress Shop has been open for 26 years. Her customers travel from Ephrata, Lancaster, Montgomery County and from all over Berks County. Ruth knows her personal service keeps them coming back. “When we offer good quality merchandise, a wide selection, at the right price with great customer service, we know they’ll return!”

Strength In Numbers

Each shop owner spoke about the power of their community association. Whether it’s Our Town Foundation in Hamburg, Building a Better Boyertown, or Keepin’ It Kutztown, each retailer noted that being a part of a larger organization helps to promote their area as a destination. Each community makes a point to create events that will draw more people to their area.

As Boyertown Mayor Marianne Deery, a founding member of Building a Better Boyertown and innkeeper of The Twin Turrets Inn, explains, “[When the community comes together,] you can feel the energy in the air. We host festivals and craft shows, a holiday 10 Women2Women Fall 2015

Mayor Marianne Deery, innkeeper of The Twin Turrets Inn, Boyertown

Shop Small®

The Official Story Our Berks County retailers definitely experience a surge in shoppers over Small Business Saturday. Held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, many communities will join in the Shop Small® initiative by offering sales and special events in their area stores. Since 2013, the Greater Reading Chamber has acted as a neighborhood champion in helping promote Shop Small Business Saturday. Each year, small businesses throughout the community are recipients of signage, promotional items, American Express gift certificates and more. Contact Melissa Varone, Assistant VP—Marketing at mvarone@greaterreadingchamber.org, if you are interested in learning more about Shop Small®. American Express cardholders may receive special incentives for participating in Small Business Saturday. Be sure to check out their website for more details at: www.shopsmall.americanexpress.com Support your local businesses by Shopping Small® this holiday season!

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Women2Know

A Prominent

Female Entrepreneur’s Growth Continues

Conversation with Jennifer Matten, Marketing Communications Specialist for Sweet Street. Questions prepared by the Women2Women editorial staff.

ost from Berks County know that Sandy Solmon started baking classic American cookies in a 2-bay garage in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1979 which was the beginning of Sweet Street. Today, Sweet Street is a leading innovator in the dessert industry and it’s still owned and operated by Sandy and headquartered in Reading. Sandy continues as the head of research and development, leading a team of like-minded, passionate researchers and recipe developers who now bake for restaurants in over 60 countries, on every continent.

Sweet Street’s mission, The Power of Good Food Shared™, inspires this team to innovate and create the finest, indulgent foods they can imagine. Sandy’s collaborative experiences inspired her growth and expansion over the years. This expansion presents itself in various forms. Currently, Sweet Street is building a second manufacturing plant in Greenville, South Carolina. Sandy remains amazed by the power of good food shared, which has led her to reinvent Café Sweet Street and launch her latest project, The Sweet Street Mobile Art Kitchen, which is a food truck currently serving up American cuisine at the World’s Fair in Milan, Italy. 12 Women2Women Fall 2015

Q. We understand you are about to build a second manufacturing plant in Greenville, South Carolina. How did you know it was time to grow? What factors influenced your interest in developing a new facility? What capabilities will the new facility provide Sweet Street?

A. “I have been watching the food offerings

in cafés across America change over the past decade. Increasingly, bakery cases are planned with more shelf space dedicated to savory products for breakfast and lunch. Since we have so many wonderful chefs in our R&D department, it was a natural progression for us to try our hand at savory products to fill those needs. We began with panned quiches for Barnes & Noble and did multiple vegetarian

items with cheeses and vegetables, like our popular Spinach Artichoke quiche. Since our Reading plant is not USDA certified, we can’t produce with meat or seafood. That is what the market wanted. And thus the evolution to a new plant, and we ended up finding a location in Greenville, SC.”

Q. Let’s talk about Café Sweet Street. Many Berks County residents are super-fans of your new and improved café on Heisters Lane here in Reading. What was your inspiration for this refresh in design and new approach to the menu?

A. “I love Reading; over these 35 years it

has become my home and I wanted to do

something wonderful for my friends and local customers. My husband Doug and I fell in love with the Highline in New York—an elevated park built over the meatpacking district, which was previously home to an abandoned rail line used to deliver ingredients to the bakers. It seemed appropriate to bring this groundbreaking environment to our production headquarters, melding wild and bountiful naturalistic plantings with our industrial esthetic, creating Sweet Street’s own respite from the city…a true destination for our café. There were many skeptics as I poured my time, passion and money into this. But with my team of designers, some local like Mary Anne Disegi of Interior Environments and others like my landscape architects Jeff Charlesworth from New Jersey as well as Tom Dinsmore, our Reading landscaper (who has done all of our plantings since our inception), we have truly succeeded in bringing life back to our neighborhood. I am proud.

I enjoy seeing so many regulars here at the café, and since I am now one of them (no longer eating lunch at my desk). I finally get the opportunity to bump into my friends, and longtime customers and hear glowing comments from all. Having Chef Brendan Jones (who is my stepson) at the helm makes it a bit of a family affair and brings even more passion to it. While it is a very personal project for me, additionally we learn a lot from our experience in the front of the house, making us more credible with our foodservice customers.”

Q. We understand you are a globally focused company. Do you plan any expansion on this concept? Whether it be in different locations or through expansion in this location—a dinner menu perhaps?

A. “Our commitment to quality and strict

ingredient standards paved the way for our international growth. We seem to gain fans all over the world. And I can say with conviction that our products are universally loved, no matter the country. Imagine Myanmar… our desserts are actually sold and enjoyed there. Our American style cheesecakes create true excitement, as well as our interpretation of classic American desserts, like our Choc’late Lovin’ Spoon Cake®. We get many requests to franchise bakery/cafés. And we have finally taken the plunge, licensing our café to an American Vietnamese expatriate, who has several successful restaurants in Vietnam. Café Sweet Street will be opening in Ho Chi Minh City in late spring.” Continued on page 14

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Women2Know

Mobile Art Kitchen (M.A.K.) with Screen on top

Q. We were so excited to hear about the Sweet Street M. A. K. Food Truck at the World’s Fair Expo in Milan, Italy. We love the union you created between foodies and artists. We are particularly fascinated with the truck’s ecologically conscience and forward thinking technology. The Food Truck uses solar energy and recycled packaging. It also provides charging stations for customers and can display art, film or advertising on three projection spaces and two LCD screens. What was the inspiration behind this innovative concept?

A. Since my first days here in Reading, I

have supported the arts. From the Reading Public Museum or the GoggleWorks, to local theater like Genesius or Reading Civic Theater, in which I have even performed in the chorus. Architecture, landscape and art are personal passions of mine and all imbue the 14 Women2Women Fall 2015

environment of our Headquarters, our Café, our interactive projects, called “Making the and my home…literally all of my ventures. World a Sweeter Place,” where we capture our customers’ ideas, in film or print, on I started the Mobile Art Kitchen (M.A.K.) how they (or we) make the world sweeter, with a team of artists, videographers and through “the Power of Good Food Shared.” designers from France who brainstormed alongside me and helped author the concept. It was a wild, wild development process, Q. Why Milan? stimulated by a room full of emotional artists. If you know anything about me, my A. “We had the unique opportunity to join life or Sweet Street, you’ll understand that it is all one long passionate design project. So the James Beard Foundation and other culiM.A.K. was a natural evolution of who we nary illuminati in the USA Pavilion at Expo are as a company. Milano 2015, where our desserts are being offered at Food Truck Nation through fall. Ultimately, M.A.K. is more than just a deli- Our yummy American style desserts—cookies, cious destination; we combine digital media, brownies, cheesecakes and more—were so well video and sound with visually exciting images received we decided to station our M.A.K. and yummy American-centric food, creating at the Mercato Metropolitano, an urban an engaging, interactive grazing experience. farmers’ market based on the principals of To that end we ensured it was designed in the slow food movement…continuing this a way that would allow it to continue to mutual love affair with the locals, tourists and morph and innovate on itself over time… Expo visitors through the hot Milan summer thus the media screen sitting atop the truck months. My daughter Zoe and her boyfriend was born. I’ll give you an example of one of Maguire, both 2015 graduates of the Hotel

School at Cornell University, are in Milan this summer, running the truck and building the brand. The truck will probably continue throughout the year, doing big media events such as fashion week.

Q. And finally, you have been in business for over 36 years… How do you continue to find inspiration for the creative and innovative approach to your industry? In your professional life?

A. “That’s a good question,” she answers

with a grin. “It is tough to stay creative when life gets in the way. The foodservice industry is quite brutal right now. Our large customers continue to get bigger and more demanding; situations like our current egg crisis with egg prices tripling take our focus. I know my LIFE BLOOD and Sweet Streets’ is the sweetness of new, that next big idea. It both excites and torments my mind 24/7. That’s

why I constantly get myself in trouble with new and distracting projects that take on a life of their own…that is, to be done right, be it Café Sweet Street…to the Café Sweet Street deck…to the franchising of them…or the food truck in Paris…that travels to Italy where things must be translated and staffed by Italians…which is incomprehensible to me! New plant…another story. New projects are never as simple as I imagine them. And OF COURSE our customers continually push us. They need us to come up with new ideas to counterbalance distributors who want to sell everyone the same few products…it counters the true entrepreneur…searching for their restaurant’s identity. We all must fight to stay true to our visions, despite the world.”

Q. What does the future hold for Sweet Street?

A. “(Sigh) We are living the future right

map out multiple paths we may take…so many options. Developing savories…individually wrapping retail product…franchising cafés internationally. Ah…we make a killer Salted Caramel Crunch Cookie that I feel has a life of its own yet to be discovered or our Lobster M.A.K. n’ Cheese…Ultimately, it is about delicious food and we can never forget that.”

To learn more about Sweet Street, visit them online: www.sweetstreet.com www.cafesweetstreet.com www.mobileartkitchen.com

now! Our present projects are so robust they

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Women2Know

Women 2Women Celebrates 5th Anniversary! Karen Marsdale Senior Vice President—Greater Reading Chamber

“Women2Women’s mission encourages women to create connections, gain knowledge, open doors and build strategic alliances, and much more. Our goal is to create more women leaders in Berks County by providing a forum where women from diverse backgrounds can learn, share ideas and mentor each other.”

here does the time go? We all ask that question in many instances. “Where did the summer go?” or, “I can’t believe your daughter is already graduating!” In my case, I very often ask the question, “Where have the years spent working for this great Chamber gone?” I can share with you that one of the fastest five years has been since the inception of Women2Women, fall of 2011! After spending a year with a dozen or so incredibly talented and dedicated women looking at the Chamber’s women’s programming, analyzing what we’d been doing right, what had gotten old, what were other organizations doing, researching the needs of women in the twenty-first century, Women2Women was born. Our mission, while simple, took a year of meetings and researching initiatives around the country both large and small to finally come to an agreement at that table. We were “laser-focused” on this one

mission and knew we would always need to come back to this simple premise every time we added on to or were developing our programming. And so the journey began, first with total backing and support from our president and CEO Ellen Horan and then from our Board of Directors. Looking back, they understood the vision, saw the need—all of which have been critical to our success. That first year we launched with Emily Giffin as our keynote speaker; a huge success but the work was just beginning. This organization was not about providing great speakers and having good times networking with friends and colleagues. With the addition of each new initiative we’ve asked the question, does this align with our mission? That’s what is so unique about what we’re doing. It’s all about giving women the opportunity to take advantage of resources that we pull from so many different places. Having tools like Lean In Circles that help women find their voice and build confidence to grow professionally is huge. This is now a well-oiled machine that takes a lot of heavy lifting from our staff, our volunteers and the women who participate. Our success is also about risk, not doing what we’ve always done and trying to make it better. We all need to take a lesson here…doing the innovative and un-tried in life isn’t always easy and we don’t always succeed. That’s what makes each day and each new piece of W2W exciting. We step out of the norm, like creating De Mujer a Mujer for our Latina community, hoping these women will embrace the concept and just show up, they did and they do just that! We are proud of the work that we do but we are far from our goal. Women still make less than men for the same work, we are under-represented in board rooms, C-Suite positions and clearly in the political arena. What we’ve found particularly interesting is how we are building awareness, not just among women, but among men as well. Men have been tremendous advocates of our work because they realize how important it is to prepare women to become leaders in the community. As we celebrate this wonderful milestone it’s hard to believe all that has been accomplished in a relatively short amount of time! But, there is still much to be done. As we survey women…they are becoming more confident, taking the time needed to get more education, working on their own professional development. We take small steps and together we improve ourselves and our world. Please take time to join us for this journey; in time you’ll be glad you did!

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W2W Events

2015 –2016 HAPPENINGS… To Join Women2Women, e-mail: W2W@GreaterReadingChamber.org | Plus, stay connected at: BerksWomen2Women.com • Facebook.com/BerksWomen2Women • LinkedIn: Berks Women2Women Group

WOMEN2KNOW SPEAKER SERIES – For Inspiration 5TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF WOMEN2WOMEN

An Evening with Jennifer Weiner, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and social media maven October 1, 2015 • 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Crowne Plaza Reading • $50

Janine Quigley, CJM, Warden — Berks County Prison December 9, 2015 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Inn at Reading • $20

Janine Quigley is the Warden of the Berks County Jail System and has spent 28 years of her corrections career in this system. Janine became the first deputy warden in 1997, overseeing administrative and support services. In 2006, she was transferred to the custody/security division and shortly thereafter was promoted to Chief Deputy Warden. In February 2014, she was named acting Warden. In May 2014, Janine was appointed to the position of Warden. She has served as a Defense Tactics/Use of Force Instructor and continues to serve as a Conduct and Ethics Instructor.

GROWTH2GO LEADERSHIP SERIES – For Education & Preparation BECOME A CONNECTOR, NOT A COLLECTOR, PART II Nancy Dunleavy, Founder and CEO — Dunleavy & Associates

November 17, 2015 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Highlands at Wyomissing • $20

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Nancy was so dynamic and informative last year so we invited her back again. Magic happens when you are able to go beyond networking and actually connect with others. Learn how to stop the cycle of merely collecting business cards and learn how the power of connecting can change your career and the world around you. Nancy is one of “Philadelphia’s Top 101 Connectors,” and the owner of a top 100 woman-owned business. Her career as an entrepreneur was preceded by more than twenty years in the healthcare business, as a senior financial manager and hospital administrator. Nancy will share more tools to get you connected!

HE SAID/SHE SAID — GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKPLACE Michele Richards, Senior Vice President/

Commercial Banking Manager — Fulton Bank

Jeffrey Rush, Senior Executive Vice President,

Regional President, Pennsylvania — Fulton Bank January 19, 2016 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Highlands at Wyomissing • $20 There is no denying that gender stereotypes still exist. While these stereotypes are often exaggerated, research shows gender characteristics do exist and influence the workplace. These differences don’t have to be negative; they can be a positive force for businesses. Hear from a team that is successfully navigating and harnessing the power of these differences.

PATH2PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT – Mentoring P2D LAUNCH EVENT

October 14, 2015, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Crowne Plaza Reading • $25 • Allison Shannon, Owner — Allison’s Clothing • Liz McCauley, Executive Director – Animal Rescue League • Lisa Greenawalt, Director of Curriculum & Instruction — Lehigh Career & Technical Institute

• Kim Leppold, Senior Analyst — Metal Bulletin Research Our panel will share their journeys and obstacles they faced and overcame, and the decision points they encountered. They will also reveal the role that sponsors and mentors played along the way. Their stories will inspire you and ignite interesting discussion around the paths they have taken.

ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS WITH DIVERSE COMMUNITIES Alexis Jardine

Coordinator of the Spanish Department and Chair of The Multicultural Awareness Initiative — Reading Area Community College November 11, 2015 • 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Chamber’s Center for Business Excellence • Free There is little question that our personal and professional lives are impacted each day by the diversity of the communities within which we live and work. Understanding more about the values, traditions, culture and history of our neighbors, co-workers and customers will certainly make each of us more effective in these interactions. Join Alexis Jardine as she shares her personal knowledge, experiences and her years of training on understanding cultural differences.

CRAFTING POWERFUL BUSINESS STORIES Michelle Kissinger

Director of Business Development — Kissinger Associates Inc. January 13, 2016 • 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Chamber’s Center for Business Excellence • Free Storytelling plays a powerful but often overlooked role in organizations. The transformative power of stories is rooted in their ability to capture our imagination, arouse our passion, and inspire commitment. Facts and data come alive with emotional resonance when wrapped in a well-crafted story. Learn what distinguishes information from story, how to engage your listeners’ emotions and senses, and to how to be more intentional about the stories you tell in the workplace.

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Growth2Go /

Finance, Mentoring & Education

Landing That E l us i ve Board Seat Patricia Langiotti, PMC President, Creative Management Concepts

emember that frustrating feeling when you applied for your first job and learned that only candidates with experience were being considered? If you are like me, you wondered how you were ever going to land a job if no one would give you the opportunity to get experience! Landing your first board seat is a lot like that—especially if you have your sights set on securing a compensated board seat.

as a Board of Directors since they are ‘advisory’ in nature and do not have decision-making authority. Public companies, companies whose stock is traded in the marketplace, always have Directors who are officially elected by the shareholders, and they are generally well compensated due to the liability associated with such a role. Public companies often prefer a majority of independent, outside board members and limit the number of employee/insiders on the board.

If service on any of these boards is part of your future plan, let me offer some simple suggestions for heading down what I believe There are different types of boards and board roles—some comwill be a productive pathway to get you there. First, it’s important pensated and some not. Non-profit organizations generally have for you to recognize that the likelihood that someone with no board non-compensated, volunteer boards with members being nomiexperience would be asked to serve on a compensated, corporate nated by a committee and then elected by the members. Privately board is probably pretty close to zero. If that’s your goal, some serious held, for-profit companies have a Board of Directors made up of prep work needs to be done! the owners or shareholders with a small number of independent, outsiders sometimes being invited as well—usually when all of the Volunteer to assist with one or two of your favorite non-profit requisite skills are not met by the owners. A Board of Directors has organizations. After you have demonstrated a commitment to the decision-making authority and fiduciary responsibility. organization—and after you have demonstrated that the people in Some private, for-profit companies form Advisory Boards in charge can count on you to show up, follow through and honor your addition to their Board of Directors. Advisory Boards often include commitments, volunteer to serve on a committee. Before volunteering, owners, senior managers and independent members. Advisory Board spend some time thinking about which committee best matches roles may be compensated (or not) depending on the size of the your talents and interests. Once you have spent some time working company and the willingness of qualified independent members to on the committee, volunteer to help the Committee Chairperson. serve. Advisory Boards do not have the same level of responsibility Volunteer to do something nobody else is willing to step up and do!

18 Women2Women Fall 2015

Then, when there is a vacancy for a committee Chair, or an opening on the Board, you will definitely come to mind. If you don’t have a sense of which nonprofit might best suit your interests, Leadership Berks is a great way to learn all about the community and to connect with its nonprofit organizations. Let me emphasize that volunteering and then not showing up (or showing up late and/or unprepared) is counterproductive. All organizations need volunteers—but they really value good volunteers—community leaders that they can count on. Good volunteer leaders stand out from the crowd without even trying! And when board seats become available, those good volunteer leaders are at the top of the list of prospects. Choose organizations that you sincerely care about—organizations that will continue to hold your interest as you work your way up through the ranks. If you find that you are losing interest and not enjoying what you’re doing, leave and find something else! Lack of passion is hard to hide. Pick committees or activities that best match your talents and interests to ensure that your volunteer work is both effective and valued. And don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to do too much at the same time. Do whatever you are confident you can do well. When businesses look for people to serve on their Advisory Boards, they generally look for people who have a solid, respected record of leadership; for people who have a large network of contacts (who say nice things about them); and they often look for people with special skills. Some companies look for people who have experience in their industry or a related industry. Others look for talent with marketing, financial management, or corporate governance and human relations skills. When your resume reflects experience at a high level in a non-profit organization, you’re much more likely to be considered for that first corporate advisory board or board role. Just as experience in the world of work qualifies you for bigger and better job opportunities (and higher and higher earnings), board experience does the same thing. Once you have demonstrated your leadership skills—and once you have demonstrated that you can be counted on—more and more board opportunities will come your way. Organizations are always looking for good volunteer talent. Let me illustrate this suggested approach or progression by looking back over my own career journey. When I first moved to Berks County and started my business, I joined the Chamber right away and volunteered to serve on its Small Business Committee. I volunteered to provide a number of training programs for the Chamber (at no charge) and helped with the membership drive (a job nobody wanted to do). Shortly thereafter, I was asked to be the Committee Chair. While serving as the Small Business Committee Chair, someone endorsed me to represent the Chamber as a Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business. And a couple of years later, I was invited to join the Chamber Board. The White House Conference was a high visibility volunteer role that led to my Continued on page 20 berkswomen2women.com 19

Growth 2Go being ‘noticed’ by James K. Boyer, Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Boyertown. NBB had been looking for a female business owner with board and leadership experience when my work caught his eye, and I was elected to serve on my first public company Board—for pay! At the time, I’m fairly confident that I was little more than a token gesture at diversity as there were basically no women on bank boards (or any other boards for that matter) back in 1986. I was thrilled to have the opportunity. I worked hard and agreed to serve on a committee I wasn’t all that thrilled about. I studied my materials and prepared for every meeting. I didn’t try to stand out as the only female—instead, I tried to fit in because I recognized that this was a unique opportunity for me to demonstrate that women can work well in a male-dominated corporate board setting. My pathway to serving on other, private company boards was similar. Business owners who served alongside me on the bank board thought of me when they formed an Advisory Board…or when they wanted to appoint an independent, outsider to their Board of Directors. One business colleague, a majority owner in a large, private business, actually asked me to serve as Chairman of his Board saying, “You’re a much better organizer and facilitator than I am. You be the Chair and I’ll be a board member.” Similarly, when my small business clients needed help and advice outside of the scope of the project I was engaged to perform, I often volunteered to help them. This help and advice became more and more valuable to them over time and when the project ended and it was time for me to move on to the next client, I was often asked to ‘stick around’ as a member of an Advisory Board—for pay! When you show up, contribute, and do what you have signed on to do, those who are working with you feel comfortable recommending you to others. Just like a job referral or reference—board opportunities come to those who demonstrate good leadership skills, an ability to work collegially with others and build consensus—and especially when you have a talent or skillset that is in demand. As you select your volunteer organizations and roles, keep that in mind. Pick things that are most likely to lead to what you hope will be your ‘next step’ in the board progression. Volunteer for committees or leadership roles that will help you develop your talents. Treat your volunteer service like it’s going to be an important part of your resume—because it is! What’s the easiest way to land that next great job? Doing a great job at the job you already have! Securing a board seat works exactly the same way. When you are already doing it and doing it well—the offers keep on coming and you can pick and choose. My advice to those of you who aspire to a board role? Take time to carefully prepare and be willing to work for that first board seat. It will be well worth the time and effort.

20 Women2Women Fall 2015

Growth 2Go

Heidi B. Masano, Esquire Managing Partner, Masano  Bradley

t is something we always say we are going to do. We mean to do it. We talk about it for months, sometimes even for years. Yes, we are talking about preparation of an estate plan, meaning a will, power of attorney and living will. We all need one and since women are more likely to outlive our husbands, it is even more crucial.

So, what is the first piece of advice that an estate planning attorney gives to his/her client? The answer would be to just get started. Schedule the appointment with your lawyer even if you have not thought everything through. You don’t need to have all of your assets organized or all of your questions answered. It is our job, as lawyers, to help you get focused and answer your questions.

frank discussion with the potential guardian regarding his or her willingness to serve, your financial situation and expectations.

Depending on the size of your potential estate, you may need to consider setting up trusts in your will for the benefit of your children while they are minors, and for the years that follow. It’s never a good idea for an 18-year-old person to have unrestricted For preparation of a will, prior to meeting access to large sums of money. Think about with your attorney, gather information regard- who would serve as trustee. It could be an ing the assets you own and the liabilities you individual, a bank or trust company. have. Your accountant and financial advisor should be able to assist in this regard. Decide Think about who would serve as the perwho you want to inherit your assets and sonal representative of your estate, meaning how your liabilities and inheritance tax will the person who would gather your assets be paid. You might consider purchasing life and distribute them in accordance with insurance to fund these liabilities. Keep in your wishes. Ordinarily, you would choose mind some assets, such as your 401(k) plan, a family member or close friend. If no one life insurance and annuities, do not pass under comes to mind, a bank or trust company can a will. They require you to name beneficiaries be considered. Create a memo listing your separately. You will need to consider a primary personal property and its disposition to your beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary, if intended beneficiaries, identifying who will the primary dies before you. receive the family heirlooms or your jewelry. Think about who would act as guardian of the person of your minor children, meaning who would take care of them if you are not around. It is difficult to contemplate unexpected death, but even more difficult to picture your grieving family having to go to court to get a guardian appointed for your children. You will need to have an open and

peacefully? Do you want heroic measures? It is truly a gift to our family to make the decision ourselves and execute a living will. Have this conversation with your family regarding end of life when you are well. Make sure they see a copy of your living will. You also need a durable power of attorney. With a power of attorney, you appoint an agent who can act for you with respect to your assets in the same fashion you could act for yourself while you are still living. Since most of us will suffer from a period of disability at some point in our lives, this is a very helpful preventative step. Without one, under difficult and emotional circumstances, your family would have to go to the trouble of asking the court to appoint a guardian for you.

Make sure your estate planning attorney is aware of any prenuptial or post nuptial agreements, sometimes called property settlement agreements, you may have.

It is especially important when you own your own business to have proper estate planning along with succession planning in place. Remember, it is not only family who depend on you, but employees, customers and suppliers. Your personal representative will control the assets making up your business immediately after your death, but think about who ultimately will own and run it. Part of the discussion includes having enough life insurance to fund succession planning.

Every one of us needs to consider what care we want in the event that we are terminal and can’t make decisions. Do you want to die

It is never too soon to think about your estate plan. So add it to your “to do” list and get started today! berkswomen2women.com 21

Work2Life /

Balancing Life, Work & Family

transitioned to a true work-from-home role based out of Wyomissing. Sure, she still will have a work week of long hours, but she doesn’t have to miss an event for her family, if she doesn’t want to. She simply builds her schedule around their priorities.

A New Way of Working Kristin Golden Mancuso Marketing Specialist & Virtual Colleague

Jen acknowledges the downside—no paid vacation, zero benefits—but the positives far outweigh those negatives. “Being completely transparent with my clients allows us both to feel that we are getting the better end of the deal,” says Jen. “My clients can hire the talent they need to support their business without the added expense of taking on a full-time staff person. And I can create my own schedule—allowing me to live the lifestyle I desire.” These days, Jen juggles her responsibilities by carefully planning her schedule with her clients. And she is able to participate and maintain her responsibilities as a mother of three young boys, ages 3, 6 and 7.

Kim deBelle

ost of us enjoy the way technology can keep us connected to family and friends. And some of us even enjoy staying connected to work. Responding to a quick email in the evening may save us valuable office time in the morning. Some take this a giant step further.

access work to their advantage. May these career stories be an inspiration to anyone who has dreamt of a new way of working.

Marketing Specialist

Jen Strock,

When asked about the start of her business, Kim deBelle says, “I can tell you the exact date, June 30, 1997, which happens to be the day my oldest son was born.”

Access to video conferencing, collaborative documents, the internet, and email through a laptop or mobile device have created the ability for our culture to take advantage of a virtual workflow.

In 2009 Jen Strock was the Marketing Director for Shape Magazine and lived in New York City. Jen built her career over a 10-year period and really loved her role, but as a new mother was working 10+ hours a day. A year after having her first son, her husband suggested a lifestyle change with a move to his home town of Wyomissing, PA.

Prior to that date, Kim was working as a market researcher for a company in Canada. She was a dedicated worker, spending long hours delivering her projects conscientiously on time. There were many nights she worked until midnight. As she prepared to be a mother, she wondered how she would balance a baby and work. It is a question many women face.

Shape responded to Jen’s plan to move with an offer for a freelance opportunity and her business was born. At first, Jen worked in the city a few days each week with just one client, Shape. But as time went on and her media industry clients expanded, she

Kim could see how important her role was to her company. She began to think about contributing those same deliverables to the business on her own terms. She wanted the freedom to take on projects without the direct oversight of a traditional boss’s demands.

People can work from anywhere. Employers are recognizing they can hire the best talent for a task without the expense that a full time employee costs with healthcare benefits and other perks. Businesses can run virtually from just about anywhere. Women2Women spoke to several women in our community who are making virtual 22 Women2Women Fall 2015

dB Market Research, Inc.

As Kim’s projects have evolved, so have her skills. “In a corporation,” Kim notes, “I was a contributor. As a vendor, I am a partner to my clients.” This shift in role facilitates a change in the balance of the relationship. Through this shift, fee structures can evolve as project scopes expand.

As well Kim notes, “Over the years what I truly believe is an added benefit of working from a home office is the boys definitely know my priority is them but they also see me running a business with deadlines and deliverables; hopefully a strong work ethic will rub off on them.

Certainly there are days when Kim begins her work in the dark hours of the morning, but by 3:00 PM school dismissal, she is “I have had consistent work since I started available to assist with homework, drive to my business—all beginning with my former practices or simply be available for her three employer. My former colleagues have moved teenage boys. Then, after the house quiets in on to other companies and they have hired the evening, Kim can return to client work, me for projects in those new businesses,” enabling her to build out a full-time work week without the need to compromise her says Kim. goal of being a great mom. Kim believes that being self-employed Of course as her boys have grown up, has helped her work more productively. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish without they have learned to support their mother any distractions,” says Kim. Working as an by managing the volume in the house while outside vendor keeps the focus on the work she is working. And she doesn’t need to drive at hand. There are no distractions of office for practices quite as much, but she doesn’t politics, small side projects or extra assignments. miss a game or event.

“I truly believe that I have the best of both worlds,” says Kim. It was a leap well worth taking.

After some consideration, Kim decided to start her own business. When she explained her plan to her employer, she offered to help her boss in any way that she could on a project-by-project basis. Her employer respectfully declined. Just two weeks later, her phone rang. Her former employer needed her for a project. And thus, a business was born.

Stacey McCaffrey Vintage Jane

Stacey enjoyed her business of selling vintage and collectable items from her Vintage Jane booths in Adamstown and Morgantown. She started her business in 2006. In 2008, she heard about a new website called Etsy and decided to create a third location for her business—a virtual one. By 2009, she stopped Continued on page 24

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Work2Life

spending her weekends away from family and poured her efforts into building her online store. Today, through her Etsy shop, Facebook and Instagram, Stacey is able to sell her vintage merchandise to anyone, anywhere in the world. And she does. Google translator has become her ally. She has had customers in Europe, Canada and throughout the United States. To keep her business strong, Stacey maintains over 300 active product listings on her Etsy store at any given time. She markets her merchandise through social media. As technology and social media evolves, Stacey has to learn new platforms, which helps her identify new ways to access customers and build customer relationships.

24 Women2Women Fall 2015

Stacey finds her business to be energizing and exciting—always finding new treasures to resell and even designing a few products of her own. Stacey now offers

screen printed pillows with vintage fabric backers on her site. Operating her business through Etsy has allowed her to scale her store to suit her personal world. Balancing family with her business is of paramount importance to Stacey. “Summer takes more creative balancing,” says Stacey, “but overall I can maintain my business while my children are busy with school and other activities.” Above all, Stacey is grateful for her Vintage Jane Etsy shop. “[What a great way] to build relationships with people, learn new things, contribute to my family financially and still have time to spend with my husband and children.”

From the Heart Consignment Shop Proceeds Fund Mission Trip A follow up to a piece from an article in the Spring 2015 Women2Women issue

rom The Heart Consignment raised almost $1,450 since opening to help cover costs of a short-term mission team to Puerto Rico. Nineteen youth and adult leaders participated in various ministries while in Puerto Rico including attending several worship services at the sponsoring church, Calvary Church of the Nazarene. The mission team visited a rehabilitation center, conducted prayer walks around the community and evangelistic outreaches to the surrounding areas. The teens who were part of our mission team ran a Vacation Bible School/sports camp for the children. They played sports, worked on art and craft projects, and taught a Bible lesson each day. The group ended each day at the playground by gathering in a circle to pray and invite the kids back the next day and to the church. This was First Presbyterian Church of Readingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico to the community known as Monte Atello.

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Work2Life

ADVICE FROM A PROFESSIONAL RECRUITER:

First Impressions Katelyn Lengeman, Gage Professionals

even seconds: the average amount of time it takes for people to establish their first impression of someone. For interviewers, those first seven seconds include your physical presentation and a couple seconds of nonverbal cues. Don’t be caught off guard as those first seconds fly by. There’s a reason that dressing for an interview is one of the most exhausted interview advice topics. Your physical appearance sets the stage for how the interviewer will assess you. Dress clothes speak for themselves and show that you actually prepared to look professional; however, the key is that your attire fits well and is not revealing. Feel free to show your personality with colors and accessories, but only as an accent to a professional outfit. Simple accessories, scent, and make-up come across as confident and credible. The interviewer should be able to pay more attention to your skills and experience rather than your overwhelming appearance.

Want to add a finishing touch to your appearance? Wear a smile, look your potential employer in the eye, and deliver a firm handshake. With the right attire and a confident demeanor, you’ll nail the first seven seconds and be on the way to your dream job. With the first few seconds already taken care of, make sure you keep the good impression steady by coming prepared with knowledge of the company, follow-up questions, and thorough examples about why you’re best for that position.

And don’t forget… ➥ SHOW UP EARLY – Showing up 15 minutes early shows you’re prepared and enthusiastic. ➥ DON’T CHEW GUM – This is very unprofessional and quite simply can gross people out. ➥ PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY – Before, during, and walking out of the interview, your phone should be out of sight and definitely on silent. ➥ BRING YOUR RESUME – Play it safe and don’t get caught unprepared when they ask for an extra copy. ➥ SIT UP STRAIGHT – Your posture should show that you’re relaxed but professional.

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Work2Life

Dressing For Success: What Does Your Look Say About You? Kristi Gage-Linderman, Gage Personnel

et’s face it—women typically have more choices in their wardrobe than they know what to do with—which means women have more chances of experiencing a setback when it comes to dressing for success.

With many workplaces becoming increasingly more casual, women can still earn respect from their peers and superiors by finding the perfect balance between presenting an image that is professional, yet powerful—and stylish. That’s right. Women can add style and personality to their wardrobe and still be “dressed for success.” Long gone are the days of women needing to blend in at work by wearing frumpy, oversized suits in order to be taken seriously in the workplace and in their careers. Choosing the right wardrobe gives women a chance to promote themselves in a fun, creative and professional manner. A woman’s style reveals a lot about her confidence, creativity, and even her decision making skills. That being said, women should be prepared to dress appropriately for any setting, whether it be the workplace, professional meetings, networking events, company parties, community events or even casual events. For women, dressing appropriately for each occasion can be just as important as showing up on time or meeting an important deadline. By presenting a classic, clean and professional look for any occasion, women can be sure to increase their chances of success without breaking their budget. By investing in just a few classic pieces, such as a blazer, pencil skirt, tailored pants or a simple black dress, women can keep their attire timeless and versatile while getting the most value out of their wardrobe. According to Lillian Bjorseth*, darker colors such as black, navy and darker shades of gray suggest power, authority, knowledge, responsibility and success. White is always a good choice for a blouse or a shirt since it suggests sophistication and adds a formal touch to any look, but don’t be afraid to use color or patterns to show your personality—and style. Regardless of personal style, it is how a woman puts herself together that sends her message to the world. What does your look say about you? *http://www.sideroad.com/Business_Attire/dress-for-success.html berkswomen2women.com 27

Work2Life

From Education

Susan Shelly

to Retail

elissa Jamula and Patricia A. Kotch are having the time of their lives as co-owners of Curious On the Avenue, a specialty shop in West Reading that offers unique gifts, art, jewelry, furniture, new and consigned clothing and other items.

them the option to work part time locating and procuring items for the shop. “Between us we both work every day, but neither of us is working full time,” Kotch said. Across Berks County, in Barto, Linda Rohrbach Austerberry also is enjoying a second career since retiring after 35 years of teaching ceramics at Boyertown Area Senior High School. Rohrbach Austerberry creates a variety of ceramic items that are sold from her studio at her home and in Dancing Tree Studio in Boyertown. And, while she greatly enjoys the challenges of creating and selling art, she is glad for the more relaxed pace her life has taken on. “I work now when I want to, not because I have to,” Rohrbach Austerberry said.

Both retired educators and best friends since high school, they purchased the shop last year. Jamula is a former superintendent of the Reading School District, where she served before finishing her education career as superintendent of the Upper Merion School District in Montgomery County in 2012. Kotch was a long-time first grade teacher in the Reading district before retiring in 2007. Neither expected to find themselves owning and helping to run an eclectic retail shop. “If you would have told us two weeks before we bought this that we’d be shop owners, we would have told you that you’re crazy,” Jamula said during a recent interview at the store. “We were as surprised as anybody.” Kotch and Jamula employed their friend Cindy Angstadt as their full-time store manager. With a background in retail, she relieves a lot of pressure on them, giving 28 Women2Women Fall 2015

We asked Kotch, Jamula and Rohrbach Austerberry how the skills they learned during their careers in education have helped in their new careers.

Wanting to reach more potential customers, she joined Boyertown’s Fall Into Winter Festival, a gallery and artisan shop tour set this year for the weekend before Thanksgiving. “I had to think creatively to be able to reach more people,” Rohrbach Austerberry said. “When you’re trying to market something, you just have to keep at it and see what works.” When asked if she missed her teaching career, Kotch took a few minutes to think about her answer before conceding that she did not. “I am very grateful for the years I had in education, but I think you know when it’s time to leave,” she said. “Besides, once you’re a teacher, you’re always a teacher. I have grandchildren now and I’m starting all over, teaching them.” As for the biggest difference between education and retail, Jamula cited the lack of regulations and rules that apply to a retail shop, compared to those in place in education. “Basically, there are no rules here,” Jamula said. “You can be as creative and successful as you want. You’re not regulated by state rules.” That, however, does not guarantee success. “On the other hand, there’s no bi-weekly paycheck, either,” Jamula said. “You have to make it a success. It’s all up to you.”

We wondered if they missed working as educators, and what the biggest differences are between their former and previous work. The most important attribute Rohrbach Austerberry brought with her from education to running her own business is creative thinking—a skill she always strived to teach to her students. “Most of my students were not going to be potters,” she said. “But, I wanted them to know how to think creatively and approach their work creatively. Now, that creative thinking goes into everything I do.” Marketing is a particular area in which Rohrbach Austerberry has found creative thinking to be valuable.

Linda Rohrbach Austerberry’s ceramics on display at Dancing Tree Studio in Boyertown. Photo by Jill Elizabeth Photography

The women concurred that education is in every way a worthwhile and rewarding career. Each of them, however, is happy for the chance to take on new challenges and opportunities. “I always say it was a wonderful career. But, this is the new chapter,” Kotch said.

Work2Life

BACK TO SCHOOL

Slow Cooking Meals

Tracie Barrett, AKA Moodie Foodie and Research & Development, Sweet Street

ho doesn’t love the convenience of slow cooking? Fall is in full swing and the kids are back to school. The cool nights and busy schedules call for warm, hearty meals and a more simple dinner routine. Minimize the stress. Sit back, relax and let your slow cooker do the work for you.

Also, recipes don’t need to be followed to a tee. Adjust ingredients, spices and herbs to your liking. The amount of liquid can also be adjusted depending on your preference for consistency.

Slow cookers are designed to do their own thing so as tempting as it is to lift the lid, you Overwhelmed with cooking temperature don’t need to keep checking the progress. and time settings? Don’t be. There isn’t an The heat will escape, thus requiring extra exact science because some slow cookers run cooking time. Each time the lid is removed hotter than others. A general guideline for you will need an additional 15 minutes of time is 8 to 10 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours cook time. I always say peek through the on high. Cook accordingly to your needs. lid, avoid stirring, and be patient. If you

MUST lift the lid, remove no more than once or twice during the day. Remember, there is no right or wrong to a recipe. It will taste delicious regardless. Make your adjustments at the end. The idea is to turn the slow cooker on, go about your day and return home to a hot cooked meal. The following recipes are a few of my family favorites.

12 Hour Apple Butter

(6 Qt cooker)

This apple butter is too easy not to make. This recipe does require a bit more cook time than most slow cooker recipes, but time is needed in order to fully cook down the apples and intensify the flavor. The longer cook time gives this apple butter its smooth and creamy texture. For a unique spin make this recipe with pears—equally delicious.

INGREDIENTS 12 Apples peeled, cored, & sliced (I like to use a variety: 4 Granny, 4 Gala, 4 Honeycrisp) 1 Cup apple cider 4 Cinnamon sticks ¼ Cup of sugar in the raw (honey or maple syrup can also be used) Pinch grated nutmeg ¾ tsp. ground cloves This recipe is very versatile. Adjust spice & sweetness to your liking. Use honey or maple syrup as your sweetener. Or add fresh grated ginger and lemon zest for some extra zing. Get creative!

PREPARATION

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and place into cooker. Cover and cook on high for approximately 12 hours. Adjust time according to your slow cooker. Warning: your house will smell amazing!

WHEN READY TO SERVE • Apple butter should be thick and dark and have the consistency of applesauce. • Discard cinnamon sticks. • Place in Mason Jars. • Cool, lid, refrigerate. • Add to plain yogurt, oatmeal & smoothies or simply use as a toast topper.

berkswomen2women.com 29

Work2Life HUNGARIAN STYLE CHICKEN PAPRIKA

(6 Qt cooker)

A full flavored classic, old-world stew. Chicken thighs are a perfect fit for this dish. Thighs can withstand a longer cook time without drying out. Bone-in chicken breasts can be used but cooking temperature and time will need to be reduced. INGREDIENTS 3 ½ to 4 lbs bone-in chicken thighs (approximately 10 pieces) (Bone-in breasts approximately 5 pieces) 2 Small onions, large dice 8 Garlic cloves, chopped 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes 2 Tbsp. Sweet Hungarian Paprika 1 tsp. Hot Hungarian Paprika

1 Cup chicken broth 3 Carrots peeled & diced 8 oz. Baby portabella mushrooms, sliced ½ Cup white wine Salt & Pepper to taste ¼ to ½ Cup Sour cream Fresh Parsley, a handful

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

PREPARATION

WHEN READY TO SERVE

• Pan sear chicken thighs skin down in EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) with salt and pepper until golden brown. This extra step will add depth & flavor to the dish. (If time is short skip this) • Place all veggies in bottom of cooker. • Add canned tomatoes and garlic. • Place chicken on top of veggies. • Combine broth, tomato paste, paprika, and wine then pour into cooker over chicken. • Cover and cook on high for approximately 6 hours or on low for 10 hours • (If making with bone-in breasts: pan sear first and cook on high for approximately 3 hours or on low for 7 hours.) Adjust time according to your slow cooker.

QUICK FACTS SLOW COOKERS: • First developed in 1936 for meals to be eaten after the Sabbath, originally named a Beanery • Rival Manufacturing designed the Crock Pot as we know it in 1970

BENEFITS: • Cook once, eat twice. Slow cooking meals always provide leftovers • Fresh ingredients • Healthier low fat method of cooking

• It was marketed toward working mothers

• Minimal preparation

• 85% of families today own one

• Reduced energy usage

• While the Crock Pot may indeed have been the original slow cooker on the market, it’s not the only one. Technically speaking, not all slow cookers are Crock Pots.

• Easy cleanup • Family/schedule friendly

• Remove chicken, stir sour cream into sauce and add chopped parsley. • Re-season with salt & pepper if need be. Add more broth if need be to achieve your desired consistency. • Serve over buttered noodles.

SHORTCUTS/TIPS: • Recipes can be assembled the night before cooking. Simply combine ingredients in cooking pot, cover & refrigerate. When ready to cook place pot in your slow cooker and add 30 minutes to your projected cook time. • Go easy on the liquid. Because your slow cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won’t evaporate. Liquid should just cover the meat and veggies. • Bean dishes may require more liquid. Anytime you use dried beans in a recipe you’ll want to check the broth level once in a while to make sure too much hasn’t been absorbed. If so, you can easily add more. • Heartier varieties of beans require soaking overnight, which should be drained and rinsed prior to cooking. This extra step will cut your cooking time significantly. • Salt or acid such as tomatoes may prevent the beans from cooking completely. Add these ingredients at the end.

30 Women2Women Fall 2015

TUSCAN STYLE BEANS & VEGGIES (6 Qt cooker)

A hearty dish that is perfect for the Fall season. Protein packed beans and green veggies make this heart healthy too. I sometimes call this my Green Bean Go To Stew.

INGREDIENTS 2 Cups dried beans, pick your favorite (I like to use either chick peas or red lentils. Chick peas must be soaked overnight, rinsed & drained prior to cooking. Lentils require no soaking. Just a simple rinse.) 6 Cups chicken broth (may substitute with veggie broth) Fresh Herbs (1 sprig Rosemary, 1 sprig Thyme, 2 Bay Leaves), plus additional for garnish

3 Stalks Celery, large dice 8 Garlic cloves, chopped 1 Bunch green onion, sliced 1-2 Cups baby spinach 2 Zucchini, diced Salt & pepper to taste

PREPARATION

• Place beans, broth, herbs, celery, and garlic into cooker. • If using chick peas cover and cook on high for approximately 8 hours or on low for 12 hours. If using red lentils cover and cook on high for approximately 6 hours or on low for 10 hours. Adjust time according to your slow cooker. • Herbs up front will infuse your stew with lots of flavor. • Also dried beans are a first choice vs. canned. More flavor, better flavor, plus you have greater control on cooking them to your desired texture. • During the last 15-30 minutes of cooking add: Green onions, Baby spinach, Zucchini *Crisp tender veggies are always added at the end to prevent overcooking

WHEN READY TO SERVE

• Discard bay leaves, rosemary & thyme sprigs • Re-season with salt & pepper if need be. • Add extra chopped thyme & rosemary, to taste • Add more broth if need be to achieve your desired consistency. • Drizzle with EVOO or a dollop of pesto. • Crusty French bread a must!

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1. 2. 3 .

Heart Disease Cancer Stroke

4. COPD (Emphysema

& chronic bronchitis)

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Alzheimer’s Disease Diabetes Kidney Disease Blood Poisoning-Septicemia Anxiety Disorders/Depression

10. Osteoporosis

List compiled from Everyday Health, Fox News, Office on Women’s Health, Del Mar Times and Hopkins Medicine.

32 Women2Women Fall 2015

Health2 Wellness

Mental, Spiritual, Physical Health & Wellness

A Disease Lurking after Women

Ann E. Schmehl, MBA, RN, CCM Pulmonary Navigator— Penn State Health St. Joseph

Risk Factors The three primary causes of COPD are smoking, occupational hazards and genetics.

COPD and have more advanced symptoms earlier in the disease process.

Diagnosis & Treatment SMOKING OR EXPOSURE TO SECOND HAND SMOKE hronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Women with COPD have challenges that or COPD is the third leading cause of is the primary cause of COPD. Interestingly may hamper timely diagnosis and treatment. enough, the rise of COPD in women is closely death in the United States. Fifty-three Women may be delayed in getting properly tied to the success of the tobacco industry percent of those deaths are women, making it diagnosed, have more difficulty in quitting targeting women, which dates back to the #4 on our Top 10 Health Threats to Women. smoking, exhibit higher rates of anxiety and 1920s. Cigarettes contain over 6000 toxins But what’s more interesting about this disease depression and lower overall quality of life that are absorbed into the body. Although is that the number of deaths among women according to the American Lung Association nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes, from COPD has more than quadrupled since study. A standardized test called spirometry the toxins and their impact on the lungs and 1980. According to a 2013 study by the is the recommended way to accurately other body systems are what cause the disease. American Lung Association women may be diagnose COPD. This test more susceptible to the lung damage caused can be performed in the OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS can include exposure by cigarette smoke and other environmental primary care physician to fumes, chemicals and dust. These risks toxins, the main contributing causes of COPD. office or pulmonary can occur with jobs in health care, food Women aged 45-64 are 51% more likely physician office. and textile manufacturing, visual arts and to develop COPD as men of the same age, Other testing such cleaning; most of these jobs being in womethnicity, income, education and smoking as pulmonary function en-dominated industries. status. Women also are under-diagnosed tests, exercise study and and under-treated. COPD has long been arterial blood gas may also GENETICS plays a role in those who have thought of as a man’s disease and so many be used. Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (ATTD). doctors still don’t expect to see it in women ATT is a protective protein made in the liver. resulting in misdiagnosis. Inhaled medications When there is a deficiency in this protein, it So what is COPD? It’s characterized by is unable to circulate to protect vital organs are the most common increased breathlessness, frequent cough with including the lungs. Anyone who develops daily treatment for COPD. or without sputum production, wheezing and COPD should be tested for a deficiency of Medications are used on a rouchest tightness. COPD can develop insidiously ATT. Even those without a smoking history tine basis with others available over years and by the time symptoms manifest can develop COPD if they have ATTD. Those who smoke and have ATTD can develop the disease is often quite developed. Continued on page 34

berkswomen2women.com 33

Health 2Wellness QUIT SMOKING RESOURCES Smokefree.gov A free website resource

including quit coaches and plans supporting those wishing to quit smoking or chewing tobacco.

1-800-QUIT-NOW A free, phonebased service with educational materials, coaches, a quit plan and referrals to local resources to help you quit tobacco use. SmokefreeWomen A website that provides free, accurate information and assistance to help women quit smoking and stay tobacco-free.

Smokefree Smartphone Apps Smartphone applications that help you track your quit smoking progress, receive motivational reminders and more.

Local Hospital Programs Free individual and group smoking cessation classes at Penn State Health St. Joseph. To register call 610.378.2155. Reading Health System’s Tobacco-Free Wellness Center provides tobacco treatment services. For more information on this program, please call 484.628.9055.

Easy Way to Stop Smoking Book by Allen Carr

34 Women2Women Fall 2015

for use if symptoms escalate. Those with COPD may experience symptom changes with exercise, activity or other triggers such as dust, pollen or temperature changes.

sation cuts lung cancer deaths from 137 per 100,000 people down to 72 per 100,000. Pulmonary Rehabilitation is another important venue to explore for those with COPD. Typically a multi week program, Pulmonary Rehabilitation helps COPD sufferers understand their condition, educate on breathing exercises, nutrition and low impact exercise routines in order to make lifestyle changes that will assist in endurance and completion of household and occupational tasks. Pulmonary Rehabilitation has proven effective to decrease shortness of breath, improve strength and cut healthcare costs. Experts agree that pulmonary rehabilitation should be a core strategy for managing COPD.

Living with COPD There is no cure for COPD. Smoking cessation is the single best thing those with COPD can do to help to slow the disease process and decreasing exacerbations. And the benefits are evident almost immediately. Within 20 minutes after the last cigarette, blood pressure and pulse rates return to normal. Within eight hours, carbon monoxide levels drop to normal and oxygen levels in blood normalize. Within 48 hours of quitting, your chance of heart attack decreases, nerve endings start It is important for women suffering to regrow and ability to smell and from COPD to follow up regularly with taste are enhanced. This is why their family physician and/or a pulmonary some people gain a few pounds specialist. Compliance with medications, after quitting smoking—food oxygen, exercise and above all complete smells and tastes better! In three smoking cessation will lead to an improved months, circulation improves and quality of life for these patients. Education lung function can increase and support is also available through the up to 30 percent. Five American Lung Association, local hospitals years of smoking ces- and healthcare providers.

A RECAP TO

Top 10 Threats to Women's Health  HEART DISEASE

• Winter 2015 • “Pessimism” is the Key to a Healthy Heart • Although heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, women are more likely to dismiss their symptoms and delay seeking medical help. Their “optimism bias” causes women to believe they are less at risk for negative outcomes than they actually are. When it comes to having signs and symptoms of a heart attack, be pessimistic!

 CANCER

• Spring 2015 • Follow-up Care Plan Critical for Breast Cancer Survivors • Breast cancer survivors could have a cancer recurrence that isn’t related to breast cancer. One of the most common sites is the lung. It’s critical for survivors to create a plan with your family physician and be aware of cancer recurrence symptoms.

 STROKE

• Summer 2015 • Women as Caregivers • The additional responsibility of being a caregiver can significantly impact the health and well-being of a woman. Caregivers are at greater risk for developing serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

 COPD – (EMPHYSEMA & CHRONIC BRONCHITIS) • Fall 2015

 ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE • Winter 2016

 DIABETES • Spring 2016

 KIDNEY DISEASE • Summer 2016

 BLOOD POISONING-SEPTICEMIA • Fall 2016

 ANXIETY DISORDERS/ DEPRESSION • Winter 2017

 OSTEOPOROSIS • Spring 2017

berkswomen2women.com 35

Health 2Wellness

Photographer Kevin Clancey from Channel 69 news— photo submitted by My Gut Instinct

Guts & Glory:

Dieting vs. Healthy Eating Aparna M. Mele, M.D., Board certified gastroenterologist with Digestive Disease Associates

y now, the second annual Guts & Glory Digestive & Wellness Expo has passed. If you happened to miss the event held on September 19th, don’t fret! The themes of wellness education, nutritional awareness, and health consciousness can be boiled down to this: dieting versus healthy eating.

When it comes to dieting, recidivism is a hopeless consequence for most. Dieters start to cultivate a love-hate relationship with food and extreme weight fluctuations result. Why do we diet? Our image of our correct weight and body size, often dictated by 36 Women2Women Fall 2015

a public obsessed with obesity, continues to drive us to achieve the ideal appearance. But medically, this should not be the main goal of altering food intake. Worse, there may be detrimental effects on health with extreme dieting. Some glum news to share: 96 out of 100 people are unable to lose weight and maintain it, and this is not always related to lack of will-power. With reduced calories, metabolic rates decrease and this process creates a vicious cycle in which it becomes harder to lose weight, as the dieter’s body uses food more efficiently and draws less from its fat reserves. Extreme diets create a starvation state, forcing the body to store fat for energy. Severe weight loss induces breakdown of protein stores and normal body tissues, leading to muscle loss. Many dieters look at dieting as deprivation, agonizing over every eating decision, and this can take an enormous toll on emotional well-being. They torture themselves, refusing to eat foods they enjoy, even in small quantities, and eating loses its pleasure. They can become obsessed with weighing themselves, and become frustrated when the number does not dramatically change quickly. Furthermore, if you are always depriving yourself of your food favorites, or constantly restricting cravings, temporarily cheating with your diet can lead to feelings of guilt and low self-esteem, leading to comfort eating. Thus, dieting can contribute to eating disorders.

The lower the daily calories, the harder it becomes to maintain nutritional requirements. Also, because dieting lowers your basal metabolic rate (so you can live on less food), when you do eventually return to your normal pre-dieting intake, you then gain weight faster. From this doctor’s perspective, dieting doesn’t teach us about healthy intake. Healthy eating does not mean GOING HUNGRY, and we should focus less on metrics, how much we weigh, and what we look like on the outside, and instead start focusing on how we look ON THE INSIDE.

Adopting healthy eating patterns will not only curb weight gain, but most importantly, help us maintain a healthier body. Limited, while not overly restricted, daily caloric intake can help us live longer and healthier lives with reduced cholesterol levels, normalized blood sugars, improved stress, and slowed aging. Healthy eating habits also allow us to pay attention to what we are putting in our bodies. Safe and sustained weight loss involves combining physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet with healthy food choices and smaller portions. When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods, but watch the total number of calories. Most importantly, never skip meals. Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your outlook, and maintaining your body’s normal functioning for longevity!

MY GUT INSTINCT In addition to her full-time job as a physician, Dr. Mele is the founder and president of My Gut Instinct, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization created to increase public awareness of digestive diseases and their impact on overall public health, and to advocate proactive and healthy lifestyle and dietary behaviors. In October 2014, through her nonprofit, Dr. Mele created Berks County’s inaugural Guts and Glory Digestive and Wellness Expo, a large scale free public health event designed to inspire the community to eat and live better. berkswomen2women.com 37

Health 2Wellness

NEW TECHNOLOGY

for the Treatment of Skin Cancer Mark Kramer President, Core1Marketing, LLC

kin Cancer. It’s a serious disease and a critical topic that’s been increasing in awareness at a rapid rate as it afflicts more than two million Americans each year. It’s the most common of all cancers but the good news is that it’s the easiest to cure if diagnosed and treated early. Facts reveal that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime…a sobering truth.

Fortunately, a new technology called Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) is on the forefront of skin cancer treatment. And even more fortunate is that this cutting edge technology is now available in Berks County exclusively at Reading Dermatology Associates, a family-centric dermatology practice located in West Lawn.

“We believe SRT offers patients a skin cancer treatment that results in minimal-to-no scarring, minimal-to-no discoloration, and minimal-to-no discomfort for patients with skin cancer in cosmetically significant areas, areas that are difficult to reconstruct,” says Dr. Hendrix. “Reconstructive surgery often does not yield a perfect result, which is why we’re excited to be able to provide this option to our patients.” Dr. Burget, who performs over 30 SRT procedures a day, stresses that SRT is painless and causes no systemic side effects. Each procedure takes less than a minute to perform and the results are attained after approximately 13 treatments. It is important that the patient receives the series of treatments according to a recommended schedule without interruption, however, interruptions can be accommodated. “The first step in determining whether a person is a good candidate for SRT is a consultation,” says Dr. Burget. “We use a number of criteria to decide if SRT is the best treatment for each individual, including assessing the size and location of the cancerous area, as well as considering the patient’s age, time constraints and availability.

SRT is a low-energy radiotherapy for treating primarily basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Applied only to specific areas of the skin requiring treatment, while sparing heathy skin cells surrounding the cancerous area, SRT penetrates a short distance below the skin, providing a highly effective, painless and cosmetically attractive alternative to surgery. The machine used in this process is so technically advanced that it contains a calibration unit that measures the exact amount of radiation output, ensuring consistency and safety. Skin cells in treated areas become purposely damaged by the radiation, the end result being that healthy cells recover while cancer cells do not. “Our patients at Reading Dermatology Associates are thrilled to have this option over surgery for the treatment of skin cancer,” says Dr. Jason Hendrix, board certified physician at RDA. Dr. Dean Burget, RDA’s surgical practitioner, is simply amazed by the results he’s seen in patients, affirming the procedure’s 98% national cure rate.

(left to right) Dr. Jason Hendrix, Coleen Milot (medical assistant), and Dr. Dean Burget demonstrate the Superficial Radiation Therapy process on Yomaira Polanco, practice administrator at Reading Dermatology Associates.

“While SRT usually delivers a more desirable result than surgery, if the size of the cancer is too large, surgery may be the only alternative. But, if the cancer is in an area that’s difficult to reconstruct such as the nose, eyelids, lips and ears, SRT is preferable.” Dr. Burget also adds that it’s important that a patient who chooses SRT has the time and availability to complete the treatment process.

In response to their patients’ needs, Dr. Burget and Dr. Hendrix realized a tremendous demand for a non-invasive skin cancer treatment “When economics play a key part in the decision making process, that would be exceptionally effective in treating lesions on the arms, SRT is more cost effective than surgery in these cosmetically sensitive legs, and back, but especially well-suited for skin cancers in areas areas,” says Dr. Hendrix. “All procedures are performed in the comfort that would most likely result in a less desirable cosmetic outcome of our office and are covered by nearly all insurances accepted at from surgery, such as the nose, eyelids, lips, corner of the mouth, Reading Dermatology Associates. Bottom line, Superficial Radiation and ears. They found exactly that in Superficial Radiation Therapy Therapy is simply a great alternative to surgery, yielding a fantastic result while being cost effective.” and invested in the technology earlier this year. 38 Women2Women Fall 2015

Idea Exchange

Ear Candling

uring one of our editorial committee meetings, Ear Candling was the topic of conversation. Interestingly enough, there were mixed reviews from our group regarding this practice. For those of you who are not familiar with Ear Candling, also called Ear Coning, it claims to be an alternative/holistic and natural way of treating ear aches and other common issues related to ear hygiene. It is best

described as the use of an ear candle, made up of beeswax or paraffin wax, and lighting one end of a hollow candle and placing the other end in the ear canal.

the operation, Dr. Toso discovered that the patient’s ear drum was gone, the bone had to be realigned and grafted—basically Dr. Toso had to rebuild the ear drum and middle ear.

Women2Women wanted a reputable view on this treatment so we approached Gianfranco Toso, M.D., D.D.S., F.A.C.S., founder of Berks E.N.T. Surgical Associates, Inc., who has practiced in the field of otolaryngology (ears, nose, throat) for over 52 years. Here’s what he had to say about Ear Candling.

In Dr. Toso’s opinion, even though Ear Candling is meant to suck the wax out, it is an unreliable and unsafe method because complications can more than likely occur.

In his 52 years of caring for patients, Dr. Toso quickly recalled an extremely damaging case of a patient that was a frequent user of ear candling. During a home use of ear candling to clean out ear wax, the wax melted and dripped directly into his patient’s ear canal, resulting in a clogged and damaged ear drum. Dr. Toso had to operate on the patient because the wax had dripped into the ear canal, destroying the ear drum and the middle ear. Dr. Toso marveled how the patient could have possibly endured the pain prior to his office consultation. During

Dr. Toso's recommendation for a safer method of ear cleaning: 1. Never use Q-tips—they remove and displace

the wax. Wax is not dirt, it is natural oil and is bacteriostatic; it controls the growth of bacteria. Wax acts as a natural antibiotic for the ear canal.

2. Use a rubber syringe, once every few

months—this is a gentle irrigation method and if used correctly, can be successful. However, you must be very careful, if you do not know the condition of the ear drum.

3. Preferred recommendation is to have a

professional place a few drops of oil into the ear and use a gentle suction to clean out the ear.

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