Athletic pedigree hasn’t been a problem in the Arnold’s household in Coopersburg. Susan and Mike Arnold’s three daughters, Kristin, Katelyn, and Maddie—human progeny—were each first-team All-State and All-Colonial League field hockey stars at Southern Lehigh High. Between 2006-17 they collected five league, and seven District XI championships. Kristin, a three-sport athlet... »
This month, 14-year-old Ryan Baki will embark on an incredible adventure: Hiking to the peak of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world—the 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. But he isn’t doing it just for the experience; it’s the linchpin of his efforts to raise money for a global charity that benefits people in third-world countries. He arrived at this point... »
RCN’s annual telethon helps make childhood magic happen for those who deserve it most. In 1984, Lehigh Valley businessman Kostas Kalogeropoulos overheard a conversation at a restaurant about a child with cancer who wanted to go to Disney World. He vowed to find out who the child was and help the child get there. “The only thing he wanted was for the family to tell him how... »
Healing the psychological wounds of war with a wagging tail Jason, a veteran and volunteer, spends some quality time with Loftus, a Tails of Valor service dog in training. Anyone who’s owned a pet can agree that animals have a soothing, supporting, and healing impact on a person’s life. The organization Tails of Valor—which trains rescue pups to be service animals for war ... »
Cultivating new farmers when we need them most Thanks to a special conservation program that began in Pennsylvania 30 years ago—one that helps limit development on farmland—Lehigh County has now preserved over 23,000 fertile acres on more than 300 farms, in perpetuity. But over the years, as the amount of preserved land grew, there was a new challenge: finding farme... »
Providing support for preemie babies and their families The best laid plans of mice and men—and storks—do sometimes go awry! Most pregnancies last 40 weeks, but about 12 percent of babies don’t complete their 40 week gestation. These babies are born prematurely and they (and their parents) need a lot of help and hope. Here in the Lehigh Valley, an agency offers just... »
"Camelot, located nowhere in particular, can be anywhere," wrote Arthurian scholar Norris J. Lacy. But if you were to ask thousands of families benefitted by Camelot for Children here in the Lehigh Valley, they’d say that Camelot is located on Emmaus Avenue in Allentown. Camelot for Children was founded by Patricia Mullin and Kostas Kalogeropoulos more than three decades a... »
Reclaiming a life from a downward spiral of addiction and violence can seem like an insurmountable challenge. It takes time, effort, courage, and support—both emotional and financial—for a vulnerable woman to recover from a painful past and plant the seeds for a healthy, productive future. Bloom Bangor offers such empowerment to marginalized women in the Slate Belt area. A... »
As reggae plays softly in the background of his Easton salon, Stephen Flowers settles into a chair, crosses his legs, and begins to talk about why it’s important for him to give back to those in need. “I have a young son, and I want to teach him to make the world a better place,” he says. “It seems like people are very angry at each other, and we’re so divided. When you th... »
Home ownership has long been a big part of the American Dream. And plenty of effort goes into it: working, saving, and searching—not to mention maintenance. But, as John Lennon put it, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans,” and some people find that dream dissipating just when it was within reach. That’s what happened to Jinette Ramos and her ... »
