Mark Wilson – Executive Director, Zoellner Arts Center
In this episode, we sit down with Mark Wilson, Executive Director of Zoellner Arts Center, to discuss the exciting lineup for the 2025 season. We kick things off with a deep dive into Kings Return, the acclaimed a cappella group known for their seamless blend of gospel, jazz, R&B, and classical music, set to perform on February 7. Mark also highlights the pre-show roundtable on mental health featuring Dr. Phillip A. Davis, emphasizing the importance of integrating meaningful discussions with artistic performances.
We then explore other standout events in Zoellner’s season, including:
The Aluminum Show (February 22): A dynamic performance combining dance, visual theater, and humor.
Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna (March 28): A Chilean ensemble bringing a fusion of traditional Latin American music with contemporary influences.
The Sound of (Black) Music (March 29): A reimagined take on the classic, infusing it with gospel, funk, and R&B elements.
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company (April 4): Presenting “Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo” through vibrant dance and storytelling.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (April 6): A powerful tribute celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin.
Mark shares insights into Zoellner’s commitment to diverse programming, community engagement, and the vision for the arts center’s future in the Lehigh Valley. Whether you’re an arts enthusiast or new to the scene, this episode offers a comprehensive look at what’s in store for audiences this season.
In this episode of Lehigh Valley with Love, hosts George Wacker and Jeff Warren continue their mental health series, focusing on the resources, challenges, and stories shaping mental health in the Lehigh Valley. Joined by three local experts, they explore the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding therapy, the critical need for community resources, and how programs like the Clubhouse of Lehigh County provide hope and healing.
Jacquelyn Otto, a licensed professional counselor, discusses how the stigma surrounding therapy has shifted, particularly for younger generations. She explains how normalizing therapy and fostering open conversations are critical steps forward: “The more we talk about it, the more we chip away at the stigma.”
The Clubhouse Model
Ronnie Nase shares how the Clubhouse of Lehigh County uses peer-to-peer support to provide a sense of belonging for those with mental illness. “Our members own this space,” Ronnie says. “It’s their place to connect, build skills, and feel supported.”
Therapy for the Next Generation
Dr. Amy Saborsky highlights the growing number of children and young adults seeking therapy post-pandemic. “It’s amazing to see a 16-year-old introduce me as their therapist to their friends,” she shares. “This generation is embracing mental health in a way we’ve never seen before.”
Tailored Treatment
From addressing substance use disorders to offering specialized care for OCD and anxiety, the guests discuss how therapy must adapt to meet individual needs. Jacquelyn emphasizes the importance of flexibility: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy.”
Looking Forward
As mental health awareness continues to grow, the guests emphasize the need for systemic change, better resources, and increased collaboration. “Tracking outcomes is critical,” Ronnie adds. “We need to show decision-makers the real impact of our work.”
If you or someone you know needs immediate help, you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Visit 988lifeline.org for more resources and support.
As 2024 draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to celebrate an incredible year for the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast. This year, we reached an extraordinary milestone: 2.7 million hits across all of our episodes, showcasing the power of community storytelling and local connections.
With 47 episodes in 2025, we’ve shared countless stories that celebrate the heart of the Lehigh Valley and beyond. From exclusive celebrity interviews like Tony Danza, to exploring local landmarks such as The Sayre Mansion and The Dery House, to diving into community-focused initiatives like New Bethany Ministries’ Turkey Drive and Festival Unbound, our podcast covered an incredible breadth of topics this year.
Thanks to your support, we connected with people from all walks of life, sharing the stories that make the Lehigh Valley truly special.
We’re proud of every episode we released this year, but here are a few that truly stood out:
Tony Danza: Standards & Stories – Tony joined us to share insights from his career and his one-man show at SteelStacks, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at his life in entertainment. Listen / Watch here.
New Bethany Ministries Turkey Drive – We highlighted the incredible work of New Bethany Ministries in supporting our community during the holiday season. Listen / Watch here.
Festival Unbound with Touchstone Theatre – A deep dive into this vibrant annual festival celebrating creativity and community. Listen / Watch here.
Lafayette College Arts Tour – Exploring the rich arts culture on campus with exclusive insights. Listen / Watch here.
Toured The Sayre Mansion – An exclusive look at this historic gem in Bethlehem. Listen / Watch here.
Learned to Swim with Goldfish Swim School – A fun and educational episode about fostering water safety. Listen / Watch here.
Toured The Dery House in Catasauqua – Discovering the history and beauty of this iconic property. Listen / Watch here.
Celebrated 90 Years at Shankweilers Drive-In – A nostalgic dive into America’s oldest drive-in theater. Listen / Watch here.
These episodes, among many others, exemplify the diversity and richness of stories we’re privileged to share with our listeners. Your engagement—from sharing episodes to leaving comments—helped make this possible.
Wind Creek Event Center – Hosting incredible events! Link
Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate – Connecting us to our community. Link.
Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub – Fueling our team with great food and energy. Link
The Coop Sports Bar & Kitchen – Fueling our team with Dinosaur Eggs. Link
Banko Beverage Company – Helping us keep the conversation flowing. Link
Lehigh Valley Health Network – Keeping us healthy! Link
Thank you for believing in our mission and helping us bring these stories to life.
Looking Ahead to 2025
For more updates, episodes, and ways to connect with us, visit our website: www.lvwithlove.com.
We’re already planning for an even bigger and better year ahead, and we want YOU to be part of it! Whether you have a story to share, a business to spotlight, or an idea for collaboration, we’d love to hear from you. Fill out this form to get involved: https://forms.gle/3AXv59fdXrVirXke9.
Are you interested in being a guest on our podcast? Share your story with us by filling out our guest form here: https://forms.gle/V6czQLymPp1B31GW8.
Join the Conversation
Stay tuned for more incredible stories in 2025, and thank you for being part of our journey. Here’s to another amazing year of connecting, sharing, and loving the Lehigh Valley!
In this episode, we take a tour of the Allentown Art Museum’s first floor, exploring the New American Galleries with incredible pieces from artists like Rigo Peralta and Keith Haring, plus a visit to the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright room.
Then, we talk all about the upcoming Cocktails & Collecting event happening Saturday, October 5, followed by the Art Fair for All on Sunday, October 6.
It’s a packed weekend of art, culture, and fun, so get ready to dive in with us!
Cocktails and Collecting Link: https://www.allentownartmuseum.org/cocktails-collecting-2024/
We take a ride with Oogie’s Ice Cream Truck owners Lori and David to learn more about how they started out 18 years ago taking a chance on a dream! We also make a few stops along the way, including visiting their cutest customer as well as Jimi Honochik with YMI Insurance and their podcast.
All of this culminated in a stop at Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub in Molly’s where we sold ice cream for an hour and made more than $300 for the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem!!!!
In this Episode, we’re talking with Joe MIxon and Ginger Brew of Ginger and The Schnappes, a six piece jazz band from the Lehigh Valley.
Ginger and the Schnappes is a star studded affair with Mixon on Guitar, Ginger on Vocals, Brian Bortz on Bass, Dan Twaddell on alto sax, flute, and soprano sax; Vernon Mobley on drums; and Patrick Kerssen on piano.
“Ginger and The Schnappes is a six piece jazz band that swings the great jazz standards. Their broad repertoire covers the great songs from 1920 to 2020 and includes Jazz, Pop, Latin, Country and Blues. Their music is inviting, listenable and danceable.”
We talk about how they formed, promoting during the pandemic, their upcoming shows at Musikfest, their new album social music, and how you can book them for your next gig.
Be sure to see them at Musikfest and check out our Live Stream for August 7 (even if this is after August 7 you can still check it out)
If you’d like to learn more about the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast and the opportunities we can provide through sponsorship and collaboration, be sure to reach us at info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com or through our various social media channels.
The Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast is everything Lehigh Valley. Get in touch!
In this week’s episode, we are talking with Joe and Stacey of Whitehall.
Having grown up in this area, Joe talks about the many fun and family-friendly places he and Stacey take their son, including the Lehigh Valley Zoo, Dorney Park, & to many events at PBS39 just to name a few!
They also go on about their amazing wedding at Sayre Mansion as well as the awesome food in this area including at Brew Works, Keystone Pub, and the delicious rolls at Assante Ristorante Italiano.
Take it from a Local, a Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, is hosted by Allison Pittenger, a 20-year-old college junior.
“A Bethlehem native, I grew up going to Musikfest every summer, seeing shows at the State Theatre, and experiencing all that the Lehigh Valley has to offer. I’m a current student at East Stroudsburg University studying Video & Television production. I love theme parks, musical theatre, traveling, and of course creating content for people to enjoy. I began as an intern with Lehigh Valley with Love in early 2020 and have continued to work with them on various projects, and now this podcast! The goal of Take It From a Local is to hear from Lehigh Valley residents of past and present and to get their views and opinions on the many things to experience in the area. You can find me and follow my journey through life over on my Instagram @alli.pitt. I hope you enjoy the podcast!”
We go through a lot of bad habits in this episode with author and Lehigh Valley executive with Capital BlueCross, Anne Corley Baum. Want to up your online interview game? Wonder if you have a few habits that might be bad? Want to learn a few tricks to set you apart? We go over all of that, as well as all the things I do wrong!
The aim of this podcast is to connect you to stories and personalities living in or affecting the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, encompassing the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton and many other wonderful communities in-between.
We talk to business owners, musicians, authors, students, politicians, and maybe even you.
In this episode we talk with WFMZ reporter and anchor, Will Lewis.
Will moved to the Lehigh Valley in 2010 after working at TV stations in Portland, Maine, Charlotte, North Carolina, and several other markets. Because of his love of traveling and various job assignments, he has driven across country seven times. Will has also lived in, visited, or driven through all 50 states.
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Will left the Pacific Northwest to attend The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. We talk about his journey to the Lehigh Valley, how he snuck into grunge gigs in Seattle, why he loves the Lehigh Valley and some other stuff.
The aim of this podcast is to connect you to stories and personalities living in or affecting the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, encompassing the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton and many other wonderful communities in-between.
We talk to business owners, musicians, authors, students, politicians, and maybe even you.
We’re joined by Bethlehem-native and stunt performer Katrina Danyluk. From dancing and the Liberty High School Rifle Team to New Zealand and stunting in Asia, Katrina has traveled the world with her unique job.
Learn more about the @stuntwomenunited video that she was a part of and how she got started in the stunt industry.
We’re back! Over the course of the past two weeks, we’ve put out more than forty video podcast episodes on our Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter feeds.
We’ve been fortunate to talk to local business leaders, non-profit contributors, and awesome community members.
We took three of those and put them into this first of what may be a few COVID19 discussion podcasts.
We talk to Billy’s Diner owners Billy and Yanna about the tough business decisions they are facing and what other small businesses can do to protect themselves.
We talk to Tim and Betsy, two local teachers who are home with their kids, including their college-aged daughter.
BETHLEHEM, PA, November 2019 – Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) and Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast are partnering up for the podcast’s 100th episode. On Friday, December 13, hosts George Wacker and Tyler Rothrock will host a live taping of the podcast at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts as part of Design After Dark, HBMS’s after-hours programming series. The podcast will feature local collector and philanthropist Ilene Hochberg Wood as the guest.
The Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast with co-hosts Tyler Rothrock and George Wacker now has a television show version on PBS 39 airing at Fridays on midnight through mid-August 2019.
If you’re not able to stay up late to watch our lineup of Lehigh Valley centric guests, you can also catch up with our episodes on the PBS 39 website or app!
Head to the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast TV Show website to watch the latest episodes or download the PBS app in the Apple or Google Play or Amazon stores. Just make sure your PBS station is PBS39 and search for our show.
Brandon Wunder from The Alternative Gallery joins us to discuss his upcoming documentary “Queen City” about the annual Artsfest event held in Allentown.
Hit up The Alternative Gallery website for more information on the documentary, what’s going on at the gallery in downtown Allentown, and what’s coming up!
