America 250 Berks County Events

Berks County Commissioners Christian Leinbach, Michael Rivera, and Dante Santoni outline the upcoming events of the Berks250 celebration happening in 2026.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Welcome to another edition of County Connection. I'm your host, Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach. Our most recent edition of Burks First says, Happy birthday, America. 2026 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Burks County. We're kind of in the middle of all of the uh celebration, and we're excited about it. My guests on the show uh this month are kind of the opposite of my guests on the show last month. Last month, uh some of you remember I had the commissioners' wives. Well, we have all three commissioners uh on our show today. Uh Commissioner Michael Rivera, welcome. Thank you very much, Commissioner Linebach. Great to be here. And uh Commissioner Dante Santoni, welcome.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Thank you for having me on. And and next month, if you need guests, I can ask my daughters to be on with you. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

So let's all have our daughters on the show. Let's agree to something up front. Let's stop calling each other Commissioner. We'll confuse the viewers if we're okay. Let's go by first uh first name. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 1:20

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

So uh first of all, let's plug Burke's First magazine. This is uh a great magazine, and I've heard from a lot of people telling me they think this is the best issue that's uh come out so far. A lot of information, but there's uh particularly some very good information on upcoming celebrations around America 250. We'll talk a little bit about that, uh, but briefly, America 250, 250 years. What does it mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Well, I I mean, it's a huge deal, obviously. Um I I know that uh you and I talk sometime about the 200th anniversary that happened. I was a junior in high school, so I I remember it as sort of being a kid, just having a good time. I do remember going down to the baseball all-star game, all-star game in 1976. I know the all-star game is in Philadelphia this year as well. So I remember going down with uh friends of my father. My father gave me gave me his ticket for the game. And uh and I enjoyed that. There was a lot of spectacular fireworks and the like. Mark the Bird Fidrich, if you remember him. Oh, I do the character from the one of the big Detroit Tigers was the starting pitcher for the American League. But uh just the the pomp and atmosphere. Now that I'm 50 years later, I'm a little bit older, hopefully a little bit more wiser. Um I I look back at just the greatness of our country. I know that there's divisions, I know that we've disagreements, and that's okay. Uh, but we still live in the greatest country on earth, and I think back of of my ancestors, my grandparents that came over from Italy and lived the American dream, and and and I think that uh they appreciated everything that they had here, and I think about my mother who passed a couple years ago as well. And my dad, who's a who's a Korean veteran, who's still around, he's gonna be 95 in July. So I think about the people that that that this countr that this great country has given so much for. And and I'm I'm just blessed, and I hope that we can do a great, and we're gonna talk a lot about what's happening uh during the 250th over the holiday, that we can leave for our children and our grandchildren and the generations to come.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Well said. Uh Michael.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

So 50 years ago, I was uh only six years old, so I don't really remember much about what we did back then, but I do remember back then uh we lived in Potts Town, and my grandparents uh used to live in Boyertown. My grandfather was a pastor of the Boyertown Mid and Night Church. And what we would do around the celebrations on the 4th of July is we would go to the uh park there in Boyertown, and we'd all lay in the grass. We'd have some snacks and uh sheets and whatnot, and we'd lay in the grass there and watch the fireworks. So that's what I remember about the uh 4th of July celebration back then. Again, not too many memories about it because I was only six years old, but uh it brings back good memories about my family. Uh one of my uncles who has since uh passed away, but I remember it was him and my aunt who would normally take us there and play with us and uh spend the time there with us. But it's a great opportunity for everyone here in Burke to come together and celebrate. And as Dante said, there's a lot of division uh going on right now uh politically. But this is a time for us to come together to celebrate as a community, as a state, as a nation, and say, you know what, we've come a long way in 250 years. There's still a lot that we need to get done, but we need to celebrate the great accomplishments that we've had in these last 250 years of our nation. It's a great nation, and each one of us uh we're celebrating what has happened in the last 250 years, but we also have to look at it, okay, what have we done and where can we improve upon to continue moving forward so that those that celebrate in the next 250 years are in a better position than we are right now. So it's a great opportunity, one, to look back, but also to say, what do we want our future here in Burks County and our nation to look like?

SPEAKER_00 5:23

Yeah, uh I'm similar to Dante because we're right around the same age. Uh I remember it very well. Uh, and I have the interesting perspective that on my dad's side of the family, our history in Berks County goes back to 1723. But on my mother's side of the family, uh I'm only the second generation born in America. Uh my grandfather and grandmother uh immigrated around 1900 from what was then the Austria-Hungarian Empire, predating World War I. Uh, present-day, uh, my grandmother would have come from present-day Slovakia, my grandfather from uh Hungary. And I remember July the 4th, uh, 1976, being at Valley Forge Park. Uh, my mom and dad took all five kids. I'm the oldest of five kids. Remember, we were so far away from the stage, Gerald Ford was just this little person walking across the stage. Don't know what he said, but I remember the fireworks and remember how big it was that we reached 200 years. Now, in when you look at world history, that's a short period of time. You go to Europe and they measure things in thousands of years. Even China measures in thousands of years. But the other thing that it means to me, especially in the divisive political environment that we're in right now, and it is not unique to this time. If you know history, there have been some very divisive times. In fact, uh the Adams Jefferson race was horrific, uh, a presidential race. But I go to the declaration, and my favorite president, Abraham Lincoln, pointed out that the declaration in reality didn't accomplish anything. It didn't set up a government, uh, it didn't uh start some new form of government. The declaration simply said three things. One, here are the core rights, God-given rights for every human being. Two, it's the core responsibility of government to ensure and to protect those rights, and three, here's why we're leaving England. We've tried all these things to make things right, and England is ignoring these. And Lincoln made the point that what the Declaration sets is a goal. And I think that's what I have been saying to people. That's our we need to refocus on that. The the core goal, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, God given, and that it's the core responsibility of government to protect those, uh, those fundamental uh rights. How how about Berks County? When you think of the 250th and Berks County, not necessarily events, are there places or people that come to mind? History, maybe people you knew, you mentioned your father. He's one of the many, many men and women that have served this country, some as we just passed Memorial Day, paying the ultimate sacrifice.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Yeah, I think about I think about him, I think about all veterans, and and and on my show last month, I had uh Jay Ostridge and Will Tobin on to talk about issues related to the veterans and what we can do in conjunction with Memorial Day. I participated in an event in Robassonia to honor uh the men and women who gave their ultimate sacrifice. So I think that is important here in Berks County. I know I think about I mean, I mean, there's a lot of political mentors that I had, but uh but someone in history, the first speaker of the House was Frederick Muhlenberg, who my alma mater is named after. So I read a little bit about him being the first speaker from Pennsylvania, uh obviously, and and so I remember, so we had a lot of, I mean, there's been a lot of great Benjamin Franklin. I know he wasn't born in Philadelphia, but he but he's associated with Philadelphia and and and the city where our country was formed. And and you talk about um about how people get don't get along as well today, but think about, and you're much better at history than I am, Christian, but if you think about the men, and at the time it was only men that got together in Philly, they didn't Philadelphia, they didn't always like each other. They were screaming and yelling, a lot of times they would run out of that room because they couldn't agree, but they thought that there was there was something better than what they needed, what the each individual man at the time needed, and it was to start this government that that you talk spoke so eloquently about. So I I think about uh Berks County's relationship to that and all the important people that have that have come down through the years uh in business and labor and politics uh that have made this county great and and so important to what's happening uh uh 250 years later.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Yeah, and and some of the names, uh I just saw an article, and I cannot remember what publication, within the last couple of days, some of the more obscure names around the declaration. One of them is James Wilson. James Wilson at the time was an attorney here in Reading. He's one of the signers of the Declaration and one of the few to be part of the Declaration and part of the Constitution. Uh very interesting. Uh Conrad Weiser. Yes. Uh Conrad Weiser, in some respects, is the George Washington of Burks County, and actually wasn't alive during the uh 1776 and the revolution, but was here for the founding of uh Burks County. Uh there are numerous other other people that come to mind, but they're just uh two very significant individuals.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

I think also something we have to keep in mind is a lot of times we talk about the Declaration of Independence and how all this process went, and we think that a lot of times we think that everyone was here and saying, okay, yes, let's do this, let's move forward, uh, you know, we we want this. And that's not the case. There were many people, just like any change, any time we have any change, people were thinking, well, you know, what if we separate? You know, what what's going to happen? Yeah, what, you know, we'll will we be able to make this on our own? You know, what's gonna happen? You know, we came here uh to our families came here for for a new beginning, a new nation, but can we make it on our own? So there was uh also for some people there was that excitement, and yes, let's do it, but for others, there was that fear also as to what's gonna happen now. You know, and that divided families, it divided friends. Uh so that's something we need to keep in mind that it was a tough moment within our history where not everyone was on the same page, uh, but yet we move forward.

SPEAKER_01 12:17

And many people risked everything back then. They risked their property, they risked, and in a lot of cases, they risked their lives uh for what they truly believed in. So we have a lot to be thankful for.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Yeah, I I I think it's important for people to understand that history tells us a majority of Americans were either ambivalent or just really didn't want to get involved. It was a minority that stood with England, and it was a minority that stood for independence. And probably the most amazing aspect of that is George Washington. I encourage people if you get an opportunity to read uh documented uh historical information on George Washington, by all rights, he should have been a British officer. And he was. Uh he was involved in Braddock's army as they marched to Fort Pittsburgh and was actually in the battle where Braddock was killed. But George Washington, maybe as much as any American in 1776, risked it all. He was independently wealthy. Uh he had a military career uh in the British Army, and he stood with a ragtag army. Uh one of the pictures uh I remember as a child. I I don't know if anyone's been to Freedom's Foundation in Valley Forge. It's been there, I think, before I was born. Uh they have a big bronze statue of George Washington praying at Valley Forge. Uh just an amazing, humble leader.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Uh so I mean, if you think about it, think about that. He was he was wealthy, he was set for the rest of his life. He didn't have anything to worry about, but he he cared, you know, for for what he stood for, and he he, as you said, he risked everything.

SPEAKER_02 14:13

The other interesting thing is just thinking about it, we're sitting here on this is the what 500 block of Penn Street. Just a block from here is where the county courthouse was, and the Berks County uh Liberty Bell was there, and on July 8th, that's it rang, and it called the people from the city and from the county to come together, where the Declaration of Independence was read right here in Burks County, and we're talking literally a stone throw distance from where we're sitting right here today. So, you know, it's good to sometimes close your eyes and just you know imagine what it was like back then, uh, what emotions were going on, what people were thinking, how people were coming together. Uh there was no internet back there, no cell phones. Um, you know, so people had to come together to the to the center, to the courthouse, uh, to get the important news that was happening, and that was happening on July 8th in 1776, a block away from here.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

With without a doubt, uh I I think part of what I want to touch on, and we want to make sure we leave enough time to talk about some of the events that are coming up, but Brooks County really has been able to play a pretty exciting role in the America 250 uh program. Pennsylvania was the first state in the United States to adopt its program after the federal government adopted America 250, America 250 PA. Berks County was the first county, not just in Pennsylvania, we were the first county in the entire country to adopt and establish its own America 250 PA, Berks County, City of Reading was the first city. And why did we do that? The three of us, uh three of us, or was I have to think who voted. I think it was Lucina. No, that would have been Kevin.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

It would have been Luce Lucine or something.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Was it Lucine or Kevin? I didn't actually be. I didn't look. It was before you came in. But why why is that right for the county to spend any time and effort in saying we are going to officially recognize this? Why is that important to you?

SPEAKER_02 16:29

I mean, to me it's important because uh as county government uh we look out for what's in the best interest of the county. I think we are well positioned uh in the county to be able to draw in other organizations and other uh key players into this, which is what we did. Uh we're not doing this alone. There's a lot of other organizations like the Burks Historic Society, uh the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, and many, many others. BCTV is engaged, our Parks and Recreations Department, our Ag uh Ag Department. So there's many different county departments involved. We brought in other partners that are working together with us. So I think it's key that the county would do this. I don't know if any other group or person would be able to bring together the people that we have brought together for this. So I think it was very important that the county would take the lead on this. But it also I want to make it known that we were the first, but it didn't stop there because you also took it to the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and reached out to other counties encouraging them to also sign up uh for this as well. So it started here, and we also encouraged others to do the same.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

And I several months ago I interviewed Cassandra Coleman, who is the executive director of America 250 PA, and she let me know on that show. As a result of that, Pennsylvania was the first state to have every single county sign on. So it's it's it's pretty exciting stuff. Uh, there's a lot coming up. We have about uh 10 minutes uh left. Let me touch on a couple of the items. I'm not gonna, we've had several events already, but coming up uh the beginning of June, uh a partnering uh co-sponsored event is World War II weekend. Excuse me. You mentioned your father in the Korean uh conflict. Uh there are very, very few World War II veterans left. Uh this is June 5th, 6th, and 7th at the Reading Regional Airport on uh the North Apron, which is where the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum is located. Great event. All three of us are going to be involved in that uh in the parade and some other uh things that are coming up. Uh Robazzonia, uh, they are doing a 250th anniversary, which is their annual street fair, on June the 26th. They're doing that in conjunction with us. And then the Daniel Boone Homestead, uh, they're having homestead days on June the 27th, again, part of America 250. Um, I know I'll be at all three events. I encourage our uh viewers to join us on as many of these as you can. I'll mention this at the end, but if you want more information, go to America250paBurks.com. America250paBurks.com. There's a calendar that links actually to the uh Experience Reading and Burks Visitors Bureau to help us out. But let's talk briefly about the big events that are coming up. All of us have been involved in the West Reading Wine Missing Field of Honor. This year they reached out and said, hey, we want to be part of this. Uh just briefly share your thoughts on uh the field of honor and the uh West Reading Wine Missing Rotary Club.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

Well, before that, I I want to do I want to commend I want to commend you on your work. I I know that you talk about how is Berks County involved, and your leadership has really has really set set set this foundation for all of this, and I want to I want to commend you for that. Um and we're gonna get into and we'll get into a lot of these individual events, but I think there are some that have just popped up for the 250th, but I think to your leadership, you've incorporated a lot of the events that we're gonna be talking about, have been ongoing. Right. But we're making them part of the 250 because they're so important and because they they bring our communities together. The the West Reading Wine Missing Field of Honor is an event that occurs over in in the wine-missing area uh where they put up uh flags uh down at down at the uh at the stone house and they have a ceremony and they talk about all the important things that people do for their community. It's not just about veterans, it's about it. It's it's it's a here it's who people's heroes are, and a lot of times that's just a teacher that they know or it's someone that they that they respect. So um it it's it's a great event. Um we're gonna be there again this year. It's gonna take on added significance because of the 250th, um, but it's just a great community event, and a lot of the things we're gonna be talking about, that's what it's about. You're bringing communities together and and why I'm missing in Hamburg and in the city of Reading and throughout and throughout our community, and that's really what's important.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

So, one event, uh the official Fourth of July parade for Pennsylvania is actually gonna be on the 3rd of July in Philadelphia. Uh it makes sense because most communities have their own 4th of July parade. Uh the Reading Buccaneers are the America 250 PA Burke's official entry uh in that parade. We're very excited uh for them. I was going to try to go down, but with everything going on, and everything going on in Philly round FIFA, and then the following week. You have uh the all-star uh the uh baseball, major league baseball. I decided you know Reading Buccaneers will represent Berks County very well. Yep. Uh on the fourth, and maybe you can address this, uh Michael, uh our official America 250 BA Burks Parade, Fourth of July parade, is the Y Am Missing Parade. Why why does that make sense?

SPEAKER_02 22:25

Well, the Why I'm Missing Fourth of July Parade is always a great parade. I I've been, well, we've been doing it, what, for the last seven or eight years together now? Uh so it's a great parade. So it just makes sense to bring it together there in Why I'm Missing and have uh the 250s celebrated there at that Fourth of July parade. It's a great parade. If you've never been there, it's it's really great. You need to be there. Uh there's a ton of participants in that. The the streets are lined with people there celebrating with their flags. Their kids are out there, their dogs, and they're having a great time in many houses. They're having uh grills out in the front and just parties, uh celebration going on all over the place. So it's a great opportunity for that parade to bring the official 250th uh parade together.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

And the committee will have an entry in that, led by uh our county-elected officials. Uh the Liberty Uh Fire Company Museum will have two of their fire trucks. Uh the uh Sycamore Stage from Robazzonia will be doing uh dressed as reenactors and singing patriotic songs. So really looking forward to that. We're getting tight on time. If we can put up the flyer, the big event. The here's the time, the epic, the epic event is going to be the Star Spangled Spectacular at the Berks County Fairgrounds on July the 4th. Uh the gates open at noon. The shows start at 2 o'clock. Uh there are food trucks there, it's free to the public. We've raised just about $200,000 uh from the community uh to make this happen, including $20,000 grant from America 250 PA. Great event. Get this on your calendar, and this is one of the ways to get your kids involved. We all have referenced being young, some of us younger than others in uh 1976, but we have memories. Let's use this to create memories. Uh the next event after that, kind of the uh closing event for our uh independent events, it will be on July the 8th, uh, and it's the Berks County Liberty Bell event. We will be celebrating the actual 250th anniversary of the reading of the Declaration of Independence right here in uh Burks County. Again, we've each been involved in that. If you want to, Dante, touch on your thoughts.

SPEAKER_01 25:03

I I think well Michael briefly mentioned it during his opening remarks about a block from here is where the bell rang and people came, and it's just such a significant period of time for Berks County. I I I I just want to say if you're from from July 2nd to July 8th, if you're bored, that's what that's on you. Because there is so much going on with July 4th. FIFA fan zone is here in the city. Uh I'm gonna be talking about that later on in one of my shows. So there's gonna be so much occurring, so much happening, and and hopefully it will bring lots of memories to our to our young people.

SPEAKER_02 25:34

Uh absolutely. Your your thoughts. It's a great opportunity again to uh kind of revisit what happened 250 years ago, just a block away from here. I would encourage our young people to come in. Uh, more than likely, none of us is going to be here uh for the 300 uh 300 anniversary. More than likely. Maybe for the 275, but I can't. Uh so it's important to have our our youth there, the the younger generation there learning about history, learning about the 250 years. So when we celebrate the 275 and the 300, they can look back and say, this is what happened 25 years ago, this is what happened 50 years ago, and are able to say, let's now, looking back, what are we going to do to move forward again?

SPEAKER_00 26:22

Well, I I hope this show has been exciting for you. A couple things to remember if you want more information, go to America250paBurks.com and please mark down the special Star Spangled Spectacular event. Uh the details are there. There's a website, a QR code. If you forget it, just Google Star Spangled Spectacular, Burks County. You'll be able to find it there. Join all of us, your community, your friends, your family, maybe even your enemies. Get together on 4th of July and around this celebration, and let's celebrate not the politics, not red and blue, but red, white, and blue, and what America and the Declaration stands for. I'm your host, Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach, thanking you for joining us for another edition of County Connection.