FIVE THINGS

FIVE Items for Your Adopted DOG

BY HEATHER BAVER

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, a time to open your heart and your home to a furry, four-legged friend. Save a life, and experience the joy of your dog’s unconditional love. Check out these five picks to welcome your new pet and have fun exploring new places together.

1 Elevated Dining.

Make mealtime special with a custom-made stand that’s the perfect height for your dog. Crafted by Berks resident Nicole Kazmierczak, these stands include stainless steel bowls and a drawer for storage. Select paint, stain and hardware to fit your decor. The backsplash can also be laser-engraved with your pet’s name. Custom-made Dog Food Storage Stand, $125-$175, BoomerRang Designs, Facebook @BoomerRangDesigns, etsy.com/shop/ BoomerRangDesigns 2 Bone-Appétit.

Let your dog sink her teeth into a chewy treat. Bone-shaped and made with peanut butter and chicken, these rawhidefree chews are a tasty way for your pet to satisfy her urge to chew and keep her teeth healthy. They’re also a delicious way to get extra vitamins and minerals. SmartBones® Mini Chews Dog Treat Peanut Butter, $19.99, PetSmart, 1183 Berkshire Blvd., Wyomissing, 610.396.3660 & 4210 N. 5th St. Highway, Temple, 610.939.2620. petsmart.com 3 Get Social.

Take your dog to spend the day with canine pals. Your pet can romp with an age- and breedappropriate play group in one of four indoor or four outdoor play areas. He’ll lap up all the attention and water he needs during an energetic day of socializing and exercising. Dawggy Daycare, Half-day: $20, Full-day: $28, Diggity Dawg Daycare Resort & Spa, 5100 E. Penn Avenue, Wernersville, 610.678.2200. diggitydawgresort.com 4 Pawsonal

Pampering.

Give your new addition the royal treatment with a spa day. Your dog will indulge in a cozy, inviting experience. He’ll delight in an oxygen-infused bath, followed by a nail trim and ear cleaning. After a luxurious 15-minute brush-out and spritz, your pet will be rocking some serious style. Full-service bath (haircut not included), starting at $25, Oasis Dog Spa and Shoppe, 2911 Centre Avenue Unit 2, Muhlenberg Township, 610.816.5492. oasisdogspa.com 5 Chew on This.

Play together and bond with your pet. This braided bone toy is made for fetching, plus the open weave massages gums and flosses teeth. Next, have a lively tug-of-war with a natural wool and leather bone. Finish on a restful note with a soft, squeaky plush duck, ideal for snuggling. Tall Tails Orange Braided Toy, 7-inch: $12.95, 9-inch: $16.95, 16-Inch Natural Wool Bone Tug, $11.95, 12-inch Plush Duck, $15.95, Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom, 4267 New Holland Rd., Mohnton, 610.777.5755. godfreysdogdom.com

Fullest THE lifeSENIORS SHARE PASSION PROJECTS

BY ALI BECHTEL PHOTOS BY SUSAN L. ANGSTADT PHOTOGRAPHY

When a lifetime of experience and passion finally meets some free time, there’s no limit to what people can accomplish. From protecting an endangered species, to replicating Berks County’s history in miniature, and writing a library full of books, these three local seniors are living their retirement to the fullest.

Rosie DEBENEDICTIS GARDENER & BUTTERFLY CONSERVATOR

These days The Highlands at Wyomissing is being lauded for its beautiful and creative gardens and has become somewhat of a sanctuary for the monarch butterfly, all thanks to resident Rosie DeBenedictis.

HORTICULTURE AS A HOBBY

A retired infectious disease nurse, Rosie has a passion for helping people and bringing joy. “I’m still blessed with a great deal of energy, so I put it to good use in any way that I can,” she says. Since moving to The Highlands, she’s worked diligently to beautify the residents’ gardens – Courtyard 10. When she first arrived the courtyard was empty, but with the help of the facility’s master gardener, Rosie has brought it to life. Weather permitting, she’ll spend hours a day on her gardens, nurturing a passion she found at 12 years old working in the garden with her mother and grandmother.

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“I love to make my flower gardens unique; I don’t like to plant the same old, same old,” Rosie notes. “I search all the different nurseries in Berks County.” She relies on a lifetime of studying plans to know just what will thrive, and what will bring the most joy to her neighbors. And she shares the love beyond her own gardens. It’s not unusual to spot Rosie helping the grounds crew with their gardening and landscaping or delivering their favorite baked goods.

SAVING THE MONARCH

Her time in the gardens gives Rosie plenty of opportunity to enjoy her other favorite pastime – butterflying. “I’ve had the pleasure of designing the gardens, so I decided to make them nectar gardens for the birds and butterflies. One of my favorite butterflies is the monarch, which are becoming endangered, so I specifically designed the garden for them.”

Rosie uses her horticultural skills to create a sanctuary for them in the courtyard and beyond. Each summer she has the opportunity to witness the full 40-day cycle of her favorite butterflies, treating the gardens to keep the monarch’s more than 100 natural predators at bay. “I never thought I would have the chance to watch the process in person,” she says of the butterflies’ five stages of development. “I’ve seen it on film, but it’s been a wonderful experience to see it happen in my own garden.”

Her efforts are not only limited to helping her favorite butterfly grow; she’s also continually monitoring their progress and migratory patterns. Through her work with monarch.org, Rosie discovered weightless identification tags that she can place on each of her butterflies to watch their annual migration online.

Rosie’s passion for butterflies is proving to be contagious. Other Highlanders will often stop by and ask her questions, and she’s even presented hour-long sessions to residents on what she’s learned. “I’m hoping we can get more ladies interested. I’m trying to encourage everyone to at least plant flowers on their balconies or in their beds to give the butterflies another place to go. I want the The Highlands to become a monarch sanctuary.”

One of my favorite butterflies is the monarch, which are becoming endangered, so I specifically designed the garden for them.

What ’s the Deal

WITH LIFE AT THE HIGHLANDS?

Life at The Highlands at Wyomissing® is filled with fun, culture, and incredible amenities and services. Relax and put your feet up. Express yourself through art, music or gardening. Try a new exercise class. Whatever you desire, whatever you need, retirement living at The Highlands is a great choice.

For an insider’s look at life at The Highlands, Berks County’s only Life Care Community, join us for an upcoming event. Join our mailing list today!

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Berks County Area Agency on Aging is the gateway to aging programs and supports. We offer information on community resources, health and wellness programs, senior community centers, in-home services and access to legal assistance, care management, caregiver support services, Ombudsman (advocates for consumers in longterm care facilities) and elder abuse protection.

Ray LASCOMB MODEL TRAIN EXTRAORDINAIRE

A decade-long construction apprenticeship under his father, a tour in the Air Force and a life-long career in plumbing, heating and ventilation has turned Ray Lascomb into a pretty handy guy. “All my friends here call me every time something comes up because I usually know how to fix it. They call me MacGyver.”

RECREATING HISTORY, TO SCALE

His moniker is well-earned. When Ray first moved to The Heritage at Green Hills, he decided to keep his hands busy by helping in The Heritage’s Train Room. Open to the public each year during the holidays, the train room has earned some esteem for the intricate and historically accurate models of local landmarks. In the past, the club has replicated the Reading Fairgrounds, 7th Street Station, the Fire Tower and the Pagoda. “Last year, we started working on a model of Pomeroy’s. The building was built and placed in the yard, but

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we couldn’t have anybody in, so now we have a little fire truck and we’re going to have Santa climbing up the ladder to the sixth floor like they used to do.”

When he’s not working on the holiday display, Ray is not sitting idle. One day he looked at their Model Z train – a train gauge so small the engine is the about the size of your pinky – and said, “That’s not exciting. We need to do something else.” With no room to work in the train room, he set up a platform on the washer and dryer in his apartment and went to work. He worked for six months transforming a single circular track into a two-by-four-foot masterpiece that has since been built back into The Heritage’s display.

THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE

Ray’s efforts drew the attention of PA State Rep. Mark Gillen, who takes his five daughters to the display each Christmas. He wanted a to-scale diorama of the Battle of Bulge for the Mohnton Military Museum, and he knew just who to call. Ray, an avid history buff, and three of his fellow club members worked for 18 months on the 8-feet wide, 32-feet-long model. “We tried to replicate everything as well as we could, and to make everything look as real as we could,” Ray says.

The model includes two tanks, one at each end for the Americans and the Germans, connected by a bridge that was pivotal to the battle. He explains that if not for a strike on the bridge that cost the German army its oil supplies, they could have overrun the Americans in Bastogne. “We needed that bridge. It had to look authentic.” So, Ray spent 60 hours collecting and gluing individual stones to the structure. “I had a lot of burned fingers, but it looks absolutely real.”

And Rep. Gillen has again enlisted Ray’s help. Over the last two years he’s been creating drawings and plans for a proposed addition to the Mohnton Military Museum, plans that have been put on display and presented to other local dignitaries to secure funding. Now Ray is working with Rep. Gillen and his architects to create plans for all three floors of the new space, including a 72-person auditorium to host local students.

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Since 1965, Berks Encore has been the go-to resource for older adults for Meals on Wheels, health & wellness education, Medicare counseling, friendly visitor and grocery shopping programs. besocial Berks Encore operates six senior community centers offering a variety of fitness activities, opportunity for creativity and social interaction. becare+ New in 2020, to provide help to family caregivers to navigate the aging network, deliver an action plan for care, and connect them to resources. beinformed To learn more about our programs, visit berksencore.org or call any of our centers. We hope to see you soon!

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Randall FEGLEYPROFESSOR AND PROLIFIC AUTHOR

Although Randall Fegley, a resident of The Heritage at Green Hills, is not yet retired, it’s clear that his passions and hobbies will keep him busy well into his golden years. “I’ve always had an interest in the world. I think it was sparked when I was 13 and my grandmother took me to Ireland and Britain,” he shares. His appetite for travel and discovering new places spawned a long and gratifying career as a history and government professor, prolific researcher and author, and world traveler.

TENURED TRAVELER

Randall earned his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University before kicking off his life of adventure. He earned both his master’s degree and PhD in England, where he lived for nearly a decade before returning to the States. His studies focused on state and local government in Belgium, but he also took a great interest in Africa. So much so that between degrees he signed on to teach English at a girls’ high school

in Sudan. He nearly agreed to another four-year contract when two important things happened: the government in Sudan was overthrown, and he met his wife.

As Randall settled into family life, he began teaching African and European history and political science at Penn State Berks, where he has been teaching ever since. His depth of knowledge played an important role in bringing the four-year degree in Global Studies to Penn State. But sharing his passions with local students did not stop Randall from pursuing his beloved research further. Over the years he has traveled the globe studying the governmental structures of foreign countries. He’s authored 11 books and countless academic papers and even wrote a best-seller about Belgium in medieval times.

ADVENTURES AWAIT

Now in his 35th year of teaching, Randall is in the middle of a full schedule of courses. This fall, he is teaching Introduction to the Middle East, Modern Africa and Europe Since 1789 and is slated to present a paper at the Sudan Studies Association. Next semester, his roster will include Early Africa and Cotemporary History and World Issues. “By this time next year, I’ll probably be retired,” Randall admits. “But I’ve already put it off once.”

Although Randall is considering hanging up his professor’s hat, his research is never done. “In the past I studied the history of government structures, specifically in Belgium and Sudan. But for the last 10 years I’ve been traveling the world studying local communities that have suffered mass trauma – natural disasters, prolonged wars and human rights violations. My focus is to look at what local governments, organizations and people have done to recover.”

Randall admits to already having enough research to fill a few more books, but is still looking forward to having more time to travel with his wife. She has long accompanied him on his adventures, and they’re already looking to the next itinerary. He reveals, “Two areas that I really need to do research in are China and Japan. I have never set foot anywhere in Asia, and I already know what I want to do there.” 

My focus is to look at what local governments, organizations and people have done to recover. Diakon Senior Living Services Feeling isolated or alone?

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ENJOY ALL THINGS PRETZEL IN BERKS.

COMPILED BY ROBYN L. JONES & NIKKI M. MURRY

Whether you like a simple pretzel snack, to cover your salted treat with chocolate for dessert – even if you’re looking to venture into adding it to your main meal – you can do it all right here in the Greater Reading area. Read on to find out where you can delight in all things pretzel.

Starters

KICK THINGS OFF WITH ONE OF THESE APPETIZERS (PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH THE BEER OF YOUR CHOICE IF YOU’D LIKE)…

PRETZEL BITES: served with German mustard and Helles beer cheese at Sly Fox Brewery, Wyomissing, slyfoxbeer.com THE UGLY PRETZEL: a Cheddar and Crab Imperial-topped pretzel. The Ugly Oyster, Reading, theuglyoyster.com FRANKLIN BEER CHEESE & PHILLY BIG BRAIDED PRETZEL with Stonefly, Cream Cheese, Cheddar and Mozzarella, Saucony Creek Franklin Station, Downtown Reading, sauconybeer.com BAVARIAN PRETZEL: paired with Pale Ale Cheddar, coarse salt and grain mustard at B2 Bistro + Bar, West Reading, b2bistro.com PRETZEL NUGGETS: baked soft pretzel nuggets served with a spicy beer cheese sauce at P.J. Whelihan’s Pub & Restaurant, West Lawn, pjspub.com PUB PRETZEL: colossal sized and served with English mustard and queso blanco at Liberty Ale House, Shillington, thelibertytaproom.com

Soups & Salads You Say?

IT’S TRUE! YOU CAN FIND PRETZELS SERVED UP IN THESE DISHES, TOO!

SWEET POTATO SOUP at Dans at Green Hills, Green Hills. Featuring apples, pretzel dust, spiced whipped cream, sunflower seeds and thyme. dansatgreenhills.com PRETZEL CROUTONS: add them to your House, Chicken Caesar or Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad at Schaylor Brewing Company, Shillington, schaylorbrewingcompany.com

Covered in Deliciousness

PREFER YOUR PRETZELS COATED IN SOMETHING EXTRA DELICIOUS? TRY ONE OF THESE FINDS…

CHOCOLATE-COVERED: grab the Pretzel Nibs at Zipf’s Candies by Sweet Surprises in West Reading. They’re unique, and absolutely the perfect salty-sweet snack. sweet-surprises.com MILK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FILLED PRETZEL NUGGETS: stock up on this one in bulk at Meme’s Chocolates & Bulk Foods in the PA Dutch Farmers Market, Wyomissing, farmersmarketofwyomissing.com YOGURT-COVERED PRETZELS: find this fan-favorite at Echo Hill Country Store, Fleetwood, echohillcountrystore.com TRADITIONAL CHOCOLATECOVERED: if you’re looking for traditional, no frills, tried-and-true chocolate-covered pretzels, find them at Unique Snacks (uniquepretzels. com) in Reading, Tom Sturgis (tomsturgispretzels.com) in Shillington and Billy’s Candies in Temple (billyscandies.com).

Rolls, Melts & Stuffins

THINKING YOU WANT TO TRY SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL? VISIT ONE OF THESE SPOTS…

PRETZEL SANDWICH ROLLS: choose a pretzel roll for your sandwich creation, including specialty items like the Turkey Melt at Brewer’s Bar and Grill, West Reading, brewersbarandgrill.com

GRAB A BREAKFAST SANDWICH on a pretzel bagel (think ham, egg & cheese) at the Shillington Farmers Market Café. shillingtonfarmersmarket.com MELT MANIA: head to the Kutztown Tavern to enjoy their Pretzel Crab Melt, Turkey Melt (served on a pretzel roll) or a veggie option – the Portabella Melt, served open-faced on a toasted pretzel roll. kutztowntavern.com CRAB PRETZEL: a colossal pretzel is paired with bluefin crab, cheese blend, Old Bay and topped with scallions at Liberty Ale House, Shillington, thelibertytaproom.com STUFFED PRETZELS: order the Stuf’d Pretzel at Schaylor Brewing Company, Shillington, in one of these options: Pizza, Buffalo, Cuban, Crab, Philly Cheesesteak or Pretzel Dog. schaylorbrewingcompany.com

Save Room for Dessert

PRETZELS AND DESSERT JUST GO TOGETHER. ARE WE RIGHT? SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH AND TRY ONE OF THESE…

FROZEN CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZEL PIE: vanilla ice cream paired with crushed pretzels, chocolate-covered mini pretzels, hot fudge and a caramel ice cream topping. It’s a favorite of many and found at Jimmie Kramer’s Peanut Bar, Reading, peanutbar.com. PRETZELS & FUDGE ICE CREAM (order it on a pretzel cone!) at Pop’s Malt Shoppe, Kutztown, popsmaltshoppe.com SWEET & SALTY PRETZEL CREPE: with cream cheese, Nutella, ground pretzels, caramel, chocolate syrup and ice cream at Taste of Crepes, West Reading, http://places. singleplatform.com/taste-of-crepes/menu STRAWBERRY PRETZEL DELIGHT: layered Jell-O salad with a pretzel crust, layers of cream cheese, Strawberry Jell-O and strawberries from Salad & Desserts at the Pa. Dutch Farmers Market of Wyomissing, farmersmarketofwyomissing.com SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL ICE CREAM (add more pretzels as a premium topping) at Sweet Ride Ice Cream, West Reading, sweetrideicecream.com

CINNAMON PRETZEL BITES: cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are served with cinnamon sugar butter and cream cheese icing at Chatty Monks, West Reading, chattymonks.com

Soft Pretzels

SOMETIMES A GOOD-OLD SOFT PRETZEL JUST HITS THE SPOT WITH ITS BREADY TEXTURE. GRAB ONE HERE…

REGULAR AND STUFFED PRETZEL WRAPS (breakfast, lunch and dinner flavor varieties) at the Soft Pretzel Corner at Pa. Dutch Farmers Market of Wyomissing, farmersmarketofwyomissing.com FUN FLAVORS: go regular, stuffed or get your soft pretzel in a garlic, cinnamon & sugar or sour cream & onion option at Stoltzfus Pretzels at the Boscov’s Fairgrounds Farmers Market, Reading, fairgroundsfarmersmarket.com/merchant/ stoltzfus-soft-pretzels BAVARIAN PRETZEL: it’s a Berkshire Mall staple! Grab one at the Wyomissing shopping center’s kiosk.

Berks Pretzel Companies

READING IS KNOWN AS “PRETZEL CITY” FOR A REASON. HERE ARE SOME OF THE PRETZEL COMPANIES THAT CALL THE AREA HOME.

FALLER’S ALL NATURAL PRETZELS: Opened by Edward J. Faller at 528 Moss St., Reading, in 1911. Faller’s uses only fresh, all-natural ingredients. Today, the Pretzel Sticks are still baked in the same location utilizing a brick oven and slow-drying kiln. Original and Whole Wheat Pretzel Sticks are available. fallerspretzels.com

UNIQUE PRETZELS: Celebrating 100 years, Unique Pretzels are made using a secret family recipe with no malts, added sugars or artificial colors by a family-owned business. They are digestive friendly, heart healthy, vegan and delicious. uniquepretzels.com TOM STURGIS: Julius Sturgis died in 1897, but his descendants continued the pretzel baking tradition. In 1946, Marriott D. “Tom” Sturgis, grandson of Julius, founded the Tom Sturgis Pretzel Company after spending years learning pretzel baking from family members. In time, Marriott’s son, Tom, joined the company and now Tom’s son, Bruce, has taken a place at Tom Sturgis Pretzels. Five generations of pretzel baking have made the Sturgis family the “First Family of Pretzels.” Visit for their unique option to purchase pretzel bread crumbs you can use to cook with at home. tomsturgispretzels.com

UNCLE HENRY’S OLD-FASHIONED PRETZEL BAKERY: Opened in 1983 in Mohnton, the bakery offers hand-twisted Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels online to customers across the United States. Products are hand-rolled before they are packed and shipped. Recipes and processes have been handed down through their family for the past 50 years. unclehenry.com