ELU Member Spotlight: Brenton Haupt

Brenton Haupt is a Berks County native who has recently moved back to the area. He has wasted no time in getting reconnected in the community and serving in various capacities. Along with being an active ELU member, Brenton is also an ELU Cabinet member. He also serves with Penn State Health St Joseph Medical Center Foundation as a Board member, a member of their Finance Committee, and a member of their Golf Tournament Committee. This summer he plans to join Berks Encore as a Board Member and to continue to serve as a member of the Olivet Boys and Girls Club Golf Committee.

Brenton believes his involvement with Leadership Berks is one of the ways he was able to get so quickly engaged with most boards and committees he serves on. He believes serving in this capacity is important because, “I think it’s so important to give back to the community because it’s my home. Berks County is where I was born, it’s where I work, and it’s where my family is. So, I just want to make sure I’m doing my part to make it an even better place to live.” That is why Brenton has become quickly engaged with ELU. He shares, “Joining ELU was a result of me just looking for groups in the community who offered professional interaction, but more importantly helped serve the community in which we all live.” He continued, “Not only is ELU an excellent opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone, but you develop interest in a specific organization that fits your interests.”

We know many of our ELU members have a desire to dive deeper in serving in our community, but sometimes it can seem to be a daunting task when first starting out. One of the first places to start is by researching organizations/their missions and the needs they have. Brenton believes one of the most important things to do is, “just put yourself out there and let the organizations know that you are willing to help.” He also believes it is important to find something that you are excited about doing. “It doesn’t have to be a “passion”, but it has to be something that you look forward to doing. For example, I don’t think anyone is “passionate” about shoveling manure into compost bins at the ELU community garden events. But I love being outdoors, and I l love knowing that this labor will eventually lead to food for the local neighborhood. I’ve even developed my own interest in gardening and growing my own food at home thanks to these events.”

We thank you Brenton for the passion he has to be a leader in our community and for his work with ELU and beyond!