Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017 - 17

GreaterReadingChamber.org

From sponsorships to general donations like those received from
Sweet Street Desserts, RM Palmer Company and Clover Farms
Dairy, local businesses have supported the district in other helpful
ways, too. Recently, Eric Savage of Freedom Auto Group sponsored
the high school's first MiniThon, Boscov's donated leather sofas
and love seats to district schools, and Kautter & Kelley Architects
hosted an art show with student work at GoggleWorks Center for
the Arts. "The small donations go so very far to helping make a great
activity or event," says Joel Brigel, principal at Northwest Middle
School. "We are always looking to partner with local companies,
especially those that can come in and make connections with our
amazing students."
Area education partners have also stepped up to provide
opportunities, such as Alvernia University's Reading Collegiate
Scholars Program and Reading Area Community College's
Opportunity Scholarship. "The relationships between, within
and among K-12 education, higher education, and business are
symbiotic," explains Lausch, adding BBEC annually facilitates a
program for ninth-grade students countywide to learn about and
visit Berks County businesses. "Each supports, adds value, and
sustains and nurtures the goals of the other to assure a desired and
viable society."
For business owners like John Weidenhammer of
Weidenhammer, Chris Kraras of White Star Travel Center and Tim
Profit of Savage 61, supporting the district's students and programs
is even more special because they are Reading High School alumni.
"As a 1965 graduate of Reading High School, I continue to be a
proud Red Knight," Kraras says. "I feel so privileged to have
enjoyed the benefits of the Reading School District in my youth
that I feel compelled to try to show my appreciation in any way
possible to the school district that gave me wonderful opportunities
to succeed."
Kraras sponsored the district's new print newsletter and covered
the cost of the trolleys used during the basketball team's city tours,
which made stops at every district school. "I was more than willing
to provide those trolleys to help bring joy to literally thousands of
students and adoring fans in hopes that it would be inspirational for
them to try to achieve goals that once were considered impossible,"
Continued on page 18

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017
