Podcasts about volunteers

Enneagram 2.0 on a Tuesday? You heard that right! Our hosts have some exciting news to share!In this very special episode, Urânio Paes and Beatrice Chestnut greet Nisha Advani, Enneagram coach and corporate consultant. In a heartfelt conversation, Nisha share meaningful insights on the enneagram, carreer and personal journey. Learn more about her:Born and grew up in Calcutta, India. Was middle daughter of 4 children. Went to Catholic school for 13 years and was active in many extra-curricular activities. Came alone to the USA at age 17 as a Rotary exchange student; attended senior year at a local public school, and lived with a Caucasion family for a year. Town had 5,000 people and almost everyone recognized me as "their" exchange student (my birth city had over 13 million at that time and I was a nonentity.) Came to USA to study psychology and in my path, after a few detours, found social/organizational psych which was a perfect fit. Always knew i had to be very well qualified and differentiated as in India life can be fiercely competitive and it is a numbers game as well. Got an MBA to support employability, worked in NYC for some years in corporate, got my green card through horrendous circumstances, and decided to go back to school for psych. Got married to a man who was well settled in India while I was working on my doctorate. He was very supportive of my finishing my studies. Changed my dissertation topic to do a more interesting cross-cultural study on conflict resolution and spent time in India collecting data. Was too difficult to do my research in India and eventually I returned alone to NYC. Had our first child alone while there and fortunately he got his green card soon after I graduated. Have lived in CA since graduation. Worked in OD and LD in different companies for almost 20 years and about 10 years ago started my own practice as a leadership coach and OD consultant. Volunteer in a South Asian domestic violence organization. Do mindfulness meditation and yoga a few times/weeks. Have 2 children, 1 little grandchild whom I learn from continuously including with my Enneagram lens, and am in close touch with my siblings, relatives, dear friends over the years. Grateful to be living in the Bay Area. Life is abundant!Like learning about the Enneagram from Bea and Uranio? Join a community of Enneagram enthusiasts and participate in live monthly webinars and Q&As with Bea and Uranio. Sign up for a FREE trial of CP Online membership at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learn.cpenneagram.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to discover which Enneagram type you could be? Visit our webpage ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://enneagramcompass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about the Enneagram test they created, Enneagram Compass.Please subscribe and share this podcast with others. It will help us out a lot!Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChestnutPaesEnneagramAcademyFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cpenneagramSign up for our newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cpenneagram.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Questions? ⁠hello@cpenneagram.com

With so many nonprofit organizations working diligently to address the multiplicity of needs facing our community, there is a steady need for local volunteers to lend their support to their neighbors. We catch up with Michele Moll, Executive Director of RSVP Volunteers. Michele details the litany programs and services that RSVP Volunteer deliver across Chester County and beyond. We talk about how Michele, her colleagues, and their army of volunteers work to tackle local challenges in education, community support, and senior wellness.OUR PARTNERSouthern Chester County Chamber of CommerceLINKSRSVP VolunteersWebsite: rsvpmc.orgVolunteer Enrollment Form: rsvpmc.org/volunteer-enrollment-formDonation: rsvpmc.org/donateUpcoming golf classic: rsvpmc.org/golf-classicFacebook: facebook.com/RSVPvolunteerTwitter: x.com/RSVPVolunteersInstagram: instagram.com/rsvpvolunteerLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rsvp-volunteerAdditional LinksMichele's story at the West Chester Story SlamEdge of CinemaShoplandia by Jim BreslinLongwood GardensTranscriptThe full transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.

Leading Into 2026: Executive Pastor Insights Momentum is real. So is the pressure. This free report draws from the largest dedicated survey of Executive Pastors ever, revealing what leaders are actually facing as they prepare for 2026. Why staff health is the #1 pressure point Where churches feel hopeful — and stretched thin What worked in 2025 and is worth repeating Clear decision filters for the year ahead Download the Full Report Free PDF • Built for Executive Pastors • Instant access Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We’re continuing our conversations with executive pastors from prevailing churches, unpacking what leaders like you shared in the National Executive Pastor Survey, so you can lead forward with clarity. Today we're joined by Paul Alexander, Executive Pastor at Sun Valley Community Church and Senior Consultant with The Unstuck Group. With more than 25 years of ministry experience and nearly 15 years at Sun Valley, Paul brings a blend of practitioner insight and coaching wisdom. Sun Valley is one of the fastest-growing churches in the country, with six physical locations, a prison campus, and more expansion on the way. In this conversation, Paul helps unpack one of the most pressing themes from the National Executive Pastor Survey: staff health, culture, and organizational structure. Is your church clear on vision and strategy but still struggling to move forward? Do you sense tension or fatigue beneath the surface of your staff team? Paul offers candid, practical guidance on how leaders can cultivate both healthy and high-performing teams. Staff culture is often the real growth lid. // Many churches leave strategic planning sessions with remarkable clarity—clear vision, strong strategy, and actionable next steps—yet still fail to move forward. The reason is rarely theological or missional; it's cultural. Team culture and staff structure often become the limiting factor. Just as personal growth stalls when internal issues go unresolved, churches stall when unhealthy patterns persist within leadership teams. Healthy and high-performing. // Many churches swing between two extremes: high performance with little concern for soul health, or relational warmth with minimal accountability to achieve the vision. Neither honors the full call of ministry. The healthiest teams refuse to live at either end of the pendulum. Instead, they pursue a culture where people are cared for deeply while being challenged to steward their gifts faithfully toward the mission. You can't legislate health. // Health cannot be enforced through policies alone. Leaders set the tone through example, not rules. Staff watch how senior leaders manage time, rest, family, boundaries, and pressure. Late-night emails, skipped days off, and constant urgency quietly shape expectations—even if leaders say otherwise. Pastors need to lead with moral authority, not moral perfection: modeling rhythms that reflect trust in God rather than fear-driven overwork. Practical rhythms that protect people. // At Sun Valley, staff health is reinforced through intentional systems. Leaders are expected to take their days off and use vacation time; reports track whether staff actually do. Full-time staff receive sabbaticals every seven years, including non-director-level roles. Marriage retreats are offered as a gift to staff couples, recognizing that healthier marriages produce healthier ministry. These investments cost little financially but yield long-term fruit in sustainability and trust. Hire leaders, not doers. // A common staffing pitfall is hiring doers instead of leaders. While competence and skill earn someone a seat on the team at Sun Valley, long-term effectiveness depends on their ability to develop others. Staff are evaluated not on how much ministry they personally accomplish, but on how well they equip volunteers to lead. Volunteers are the heroes; staff exist to serve and multiply them. This mindset shifts ministry from bottlenecked to scalable. Structure must evolve with growth. // Churches often treat structure as fixed, but Paul insists that growing churches must restructure continually. Span of care, staffing ratios, and role clarity must be revisited regularly. He points to healthy benchmarks—such as staffing costs and staff-to-attendance ratios—as helpful indicators, not rigid rules. When leaders ignore structure, culture suffers; when structure is aligned, momentum increases. Fruit requires clarity and measurement. // Every staff role at Sun Valley includes measurable outcomes. Paul likens this to personal goals—no one expects a marriage to improve without intentional action. Clear metrics create focus, alignment, and accountability. Monthly one-on-ones blend personal care with performance review, ensuring leaders are supported holistically while still moving the mission forward. Encouragement for leaders sensing tension. // For executive pastors who feel something is “off” but can't quite name it, Paul urges them not to ignore that instinct. Growth exposes weaknesses, and structure or culture may need adjustment. Whether the issue is misalignment, unclear expectations, or misplaced roles, addressing it early prevents deeper damage later. To learn more about Sun Valley Community Church, visit sunvalleycc.com. For resources on staff health, structure, and strategy, explore theunstuckgroup.com or email Paul directly. Watch the full episode below: Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: SermonDone Hey friends, Sunday is coming… is your Sermon Done?Pastor, you don't need more pressure—you need support. That's why you need to check out SermonDone—the premium AI assistant built exclusivelyfor pastors. SermonDone helps you handle the heavy lifting: deep sermon research, series planning, and even a theologically aligned first draft—in your voice—because it actually trains on up to 15 of your past sermons. But it doesn't stop there. With just a click, you can instantly turn your message into small group guides, discussion questions, and even kids curriculum. It's like adding a research assistant, a writing partner, and a discipleship team—all in one. Try it free for 5 days. Head over to www.SermonDone.com and use promo code Rich20 for 20% off today! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. Really glad that you’ve decided to tune in. We’re doing a special series here this month where we’re looking at the results of a national survey that we did of executive pastors across the country. And we’ve pulled in some leading XPs from prevailing churches to help us think through these issues. Like we’re sitting across the table, if you talk about this problem, they want to help you with that. And today it’s our honor, our privilege really to have Paul Alexander with us. He is the executive pastor at Sun Valley Church for over 10 years. He has 25 years of experience. He’s a senior consultant with Unstuck, I think for 13 years. And he’s worked with all kinds of churches on health assessment, strategic planning. Sun Valley, if you don’t know this church, you’re living under a rock. fantastic church in Arizona, six physical locations, if I’m counting correctly, plus in prison, plus online. It’s repeatedly one of the fastest growing churches in the country. Paul, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Paul Alexander — Yeah, Rich, glad to be with you. Hopefully the conversation can help your listeners, man.Rich Birch — I really appreciate that. Why why don’t you fill in the picture about Sun Valley? I know we’ve had you on in the past. You should go back and listen, friends, but kind of give us the Sun Valley picture. Kind of tell us a little bit about that to set some context today.Paul Alexander — Yeah, man, been here now for almost 15 years. It’s wild to think back. When I first joined the team, it was one location, 10 acres, one exit, one entrance.Rich Birch — Wow.Paul Alexander — And, you know, there’s a lid to what you can do with that. And so we had originally went multi-site because we had to go multi-site. You know, the mission that Jesus gave the church to help more people meet him and grow up in their friendship with him. We had a lid to that with the space we were in. And so we had to go multi-site. It wasn’t cool. It wasn’t cute. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t an experiment. It was like, if we’re going to obey Jesus, we don’t have an option.Rich Birch — Right. Yes.Paul Alexander — And so over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to add new locations. And, yeah, six physical locations, one in a prison. Our next prison campus opens up Q1. We grand open our Chandler location in March, and we break ground on San Tan in May. So, yeah, man, fun times, lots of people meeting Jesus.Rich Birch — So multi-sites not dead at Sun Valley.Paul Alexander — Man, multi-site’s not dead in America. Yeah.Rich Birch — I know. And it’s true, right? It’s one of those like, people are like, oh, I don’t know. That’s an old idea. I’m like, that’s not what I’m seeing. I’m like, gosh, there’s so many prevailing churches like Sun Valley that are just doubling down. That’s that’s fantastic. Rich Birch — Well, looking forward to today’s conversation. So friends, you’ve joined us actually for within, what did we ask, two questions that were about fears for next year and or for this year, 2026, you caught me. We recorded this late in 2025.Rich Birch — And we’re talking today about the biggest fear. 24.8% of all respondents identified staff health, organizational structure, morale, succession, leadership – the people issues as a primary fear heading into this year. In fact, and then a separate question we asked about data and insight. Where are you lacking some of that? Almost 9% of respondents answered that they’re looking for better data on staff pipeline and org chart and leadership development, these sort of things.Rich Birch — When you combine them together what does that mean? Nearly three in ten surface staff related tension as a defining pressure point for 2026. And when I was thinking about this issue, I thought of no one better than Paul to pull on and to have this conversation with. So Paul, when you look at the churches across the country, you interact with a lot of churches both just because you’re a great person and through Unstuck, and you’re and Sun Valley’s a leading church and people will ask you questions all the time. Where do you think staff health breaks down the most and why is that? Why is this such a tension for us as we lead from our seats?Paul Alexander — Yeah, well, to your point, Rich, it comes up repeatedly with my work with Unstuck with churches. It’s not uncommon to do a health assessment, strategic planning with the church, and you walk out of the room and they have great clarity on vision, on where they’re going next. They have great clarity on strategy, like how they’re actually going to pull this off and do it.Paul Alexander — And yet you walk out of the room and the lid to move towards that vision, actually obey Jesus and do what Jesus has commissioned and command commanded them to do, the lid is the culture of the team. And the team culture and the team structure is what’s holding them back from going where Jesus wants them to go. Paul Alexander — Which we shouldn’t be surprised by this, frankly. that’s That’s the organizational side of how that shows up. This shows up in our own life personally. So on a micro scale, what’s preventing you and I from actually following Jesus and what He’s calling us to do in 2026? Well, it’s not Jesus’s problem. The problem is not with him. The problem usually with us.Rich Birch — Yes.Paul Alexander — The problem is with how we structure our life, our family, our time, maybe something in our own heart and in the culture of our own heart and our families.Paul Alexander — And so on on a macro scalele scale in the church, it’s not a surprise that this shows up. Most most churches have a tendency to run on a pendulum, Rich, of either being a really high performing team or a very, very healthy team. And at Unstuck, we want we want staff teams to be both very healthy and very high performing.Paul Alexander — The the problem is most churches, their staff swing through that pendulum from one side to the other. And so, and you’ve seen this repeatedly, where it’s take ground and in just do the next thing. And they’re very project oriented and destination oriented, and they have a tendency to not really care about the soul of the team, the health of the team, and they’re caring much more about the the destination they’re chasing.Paul Alexander — Or they’re sitting around looking at each other, praying for one another, kumbaya-ing together, and they’re neglecting the actual call that God’s put on their life. It’s not just a personal holiness, but to invite others people other people to know Jesus as well.Paul Alexander — And while that’s an over-exaggeration, fundamentally, that’s very true of what happens with staff teams. And so, yeah, walking away from a strategic planning with the church, you’re thinking, oh, they’ve got everything they need.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — They just don’t have the culture to pull it off. their Their staff culture is going to prevent them from going where God wants them to go. Or they’ve hired ah a lot of doers on the team and they don’t actually have leaders. So they’ve hired people to do ministry instead of lead ministry. Or they don’t really have a development pipeline. You know, they don’t have a plan to coach up and build up people that the Lord’s already entrusted to them right underneath their nose, to invite them into leadership in the church. And so, yeah, there’s some overarching things that are common.Rich Birch — Yeah, so when I saw this came out, I wasn’t surprised by this result. We’ve seen similar results in past years. But whenever I look at this fear that leaders have, I’m reminded what our mutual friend Jenni Catrin says. She talks about senior leaders are, we think our staff culture is better than it actually is. Like from our perspective, sitting as an executive pastor, lead pastor, we look around and we’re like, man, this is a great place to work. But that’s not necessarily the case with our people. Rich Birch — Sticking with this idea of like high performing and healthy, when you think about Sun Valley or the churches you coach, what are some practical rhythms or structures that you’ve put in place or seen put in place that really help try to do both of those things. Cause I think that’s, I think that’s ultimately what honors the Lord is like, we do want to be high performing. We, the mission’s massive. Like, gosh, we got to get out and reach some people, but we, we don’t want to drive over our people to get there. Paul Alexander — Yeah.Rich Birch — Help us understand what does that practical, some of those practical rhythms look like.Paul Alexander — Well, I don’t I don’t think a lot of XPs are going like what I’m about to say… Rich Birch — Uh-oh. Paul Alexander — …but you you cannot legislate health. You can’t. You can’t build enough guidelines. You can’t build enough policies. You can’t make people be healthy. You also can’t lead a healthy organization unless you yourself are healthy. It’s that’s a just it’s just a fact. You can’t take your family somewhere you haven’t been.Paul Alexander — You disciple people, to use a Bible word for a second, you can’t disciple your own children and your own family and people close to you by intention or neglect. We do that all the time, and unless you have something to actually give them. And so this is why even in the Old Testament, you know God gives the law and we realize we can’t live up to the law. And so it honestly only shows our own imperfection. Right. And so God you know, Jesus says, “Well, hold on a second. The Sabbath was made for man. Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath.” Paul Alexander — And so um what does that mean? It means, I think, as executive staff, senior staff in the church, you actually have to lead with some moral authority in this area. And so people are going to watch if if they get an email from you at 11 o’clock at night, that tells them what’s expected of them. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Without you ever even saying it, you’re telling them what’s expected. If you’re texting them after work hours, so to speak, and it’s not an emergency, it actually, you know, it could probably wait till tomorrow, but you’re having it right now because it’s important to you, and you don’t have the personal self-control to be able to not have that conversation with that staff member at that time.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Paul Alexander — You’re telling them how they’re supposed to behave. They’re watching you just again, leadership so much like parenting. And I don’t want to minimize this, but children watch their parents and they naturally adhere to and take on the behaviors of their parents and the family unit that they grow up in. Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so true.Paul Alexander — And culture a lot like that. It’s way more caught than taught. And so the leaders of the executive staff and senior staff, they’ve got to lead with moral authority, not moral perfection. We’re not going to see that this side of seeing Jesus, right? Not moral superiority. We’re not better than anybody. But just to be able to say, hey, man, if if everybody at my church and on my staff. If they manage their time the way I manage my time, if they manage their finances the way I manage my finances, if they used alcohol the way I use alcohol, or if they use the internet or social media the way I do, if they traded their… would my church be more of what Jesus wants it to be or less?Rich Birch — That’s good. That’s so good.Paul Alexander — And so there’s a moral authority component to this. They got to model this. Okay.Paul Alexander — Now, practically, Rich, because you know, okay, what does it actually mean? Take your time off. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Like that sounds so silly, but I mean, I remember as a young guy in ministry, my my wife was working Monday through Friday. Friday was supposed to be my day off. I’m not the kind of guy that’s going to sit around and like watch Oprah on Friday. Or like, you know, just snack and binge watch Netflix or something like that. That’s not how God wired me up. And so I would just go into the office.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — And I’m like, my my wife’s working. Well, we don’t have kids. um I’m going to go get some stuff done. I’m going to move the ball forward.Rich Birch — Yeah.Paul Alexander — And I remember the XP I was working with on the senior staff at the time came in to get something out of the office. And he saw me and he’s like, Paul, what are you what are you doing? And so I do the whole, my wife’s working and I’m not going to sit around and watch Netflix, blah, blah, blah. He’s like… he gave me a gift. He said, Paul, if you don’t take every day off between now and the end of the year, don’t bother coming in in January.Rich Birch — Oh my goodness.Paul Alexander — Yeah, yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — Wow.Paul Alexander — And looking back, that high challenge was a tremendous gift, to begin to teach a young man in ministry that had a propensity to drive hard to learn how to actually slow down and enjoy my life and receive from the Lord.Rich Birch — That’s interesting.Paul Alexander — And so, um yeah, take your day off. It sounds so silly.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. No, it’s good.Paul Alexander — I get a report on my desk once a year, Rich, of all of our staff, even multiple campuses, all that, who’s taking their time off and who hasn’t taken their time off. And it’s not uncommon for me to have a conversation in January to say, hey, dude, if you don’t take all your time off this year, we’re going to have a problem. Because you’re no good burning out. The Lord needs you in the game for the long run.Rich Birch — Yeah.Paul Alexander — And I need you in the game for the long run. Sun Valley needs you in the game for the long run. Rich Birch — Yeah. Right. Paul Alexander — Your family needs that, and you can’t self destruct. So.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. I had a similar interaction early on in ministry where I had a senior leader say to me, it with a similar kind of tone, don’t forget, take your day off is on the same list as don’t kill someone. Like, you know, which always stuck with me where I was like, you know, okay. And he said it in a funny kind of like, but but the message was was clear, right?Paul Alexander — Yeah.Rich Birch — Same kind of thing. Hey, we, and I don’t know that I’ve always lived by that. Paul Alexander — Yeah, sure.Rich Birch — Are there other behaviors that you, you know, in a similar way would lean in. I think the fact that you’re pushing on, okay, as us as senior leaders, are we setting the pace with the health of our organizations? Lean a little bit more in on that for us.Paul Alexander — Yeah, sure. So a couple of practical things that any leader can actually make their decision to start doing today. Establish a finish line. In some regards, you know, when is ministry ever really done? Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Well, when 7.5 billion people on the planet know Jesus, we’re done, right? So it’s one of those, the poor will have you with you you’ll have with you always. There’s never going to be a done moment. So you got to choose each day when you’re done. And if you don’t choose it, someone else will choose it for you. Paul Alexander — And so talk with your family, figure it out. And there may be a moving target from day to day and what the rhythm of your family is and the rhythm of your ministry is the Lord’s entrusted to you. But you have to personally establish when’s the finish line. I’m going to turn my phone off. I’m gonna turn my email off. I’m going to mute this or whatever. And unless something’s burning down, I’m not going to I’m not going to jump in. Simple things.Paul Alexander — Marriage retreats. We started experimenting some time ago with marriage retreats for our staff at Sun Valley. And so like everybody would say, it’s a good thing for people’s marriages to get better. And sometimes we’ll do that for our people in our churches. And we just thought, well, gosh, what if we did that for our staff? You know, if the marriages of our staff got better, would the ministries that the Lord’s entrusted to them get better? Of course they would.Rich Birch — Of course they would, yeah.Paul Alexander — So we just started doing a marriage retreat couple times a year for our staff.Rich Birch — Wow.Paul Alexander — We invite, you know, 10 to 15 couples. We have a professional counselor that we pay for that runs the thing. And we we just do that as a as a gift to our staff. Because we think, if our staff marriages get better, the ministry that the Lord’s entrusted to them will get better. Paul Alexander — We do sabbaticals every seven years for our full-time director level staff and up. And there’s a period of time that they get and a financial allowance they get. And they think about it in three in three different buckets, like professional development, personal development, and just family. And and ultimately we want them to rest so they can minister from a from a full cup, you know?Paul Alexander — And ah some time ago, we actually made the decision. It didn’t cost us anything, Rich, that even our full-time staff, no matter what their level in the organization was. So for example, a full-time administrative assistant. If they’re full-time, every seven years they get a sabbatical. We give them… Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Paul Alexander — …yeah, you’re full-time admin at Sun Valley. You get, now the scale of it’s a little different.Rich Birch — Sure.Paul Alexander — We just give them a month off with no financial allowance, but we give a month off every seven years to take at one lump sum… Rich Birch — Wow. Paul Alexander — …to get out and refresh their soul and enjoy their life a little bit. What’s that really cost us? Nothing, but time.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Paul Alexander — Nothing.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — And so, yeah, there’s some real tactical things that you can do to invest in your team. Again, you can’t make them be healthy people, but you can kind of roll the carpet out and pave the way for them to be healthy people.Rich Birch — I love that. That’s some real practical examples. I love what you’ve you’ve outlined there and been you know super practical. That’s, yeah, that’s fantastic. I get the sabbatical question actually quite a bit. I think churches wrestle with that and they you know they they think, oh, you know how should we do that? So you do, kind of like what we would typically think of as a sabbatical at director and above, but then everyone else does kind of this one one month off. That’s great. And they do they have to submit a plan for the sabbatical ahead of time? Some churches will do that where they have to kind of define, hey, this is how we’re going to do. Just give us a little more detail on that.Paul Alexander — Yeah. We’re not uber religious about it, Rich. Rich Birch — Sure. Paul Alexander — We, we, we, there is a plan and their supervisor talks through their plan with them… Rich Birch — Yeah. Paul Alexander — …because there’s a financial allowance that follows that. Rich Birch — Yep.Paul Alexander — So yeah, they have the conversation ahead of time. As a representative of the board, I actually sign off on all those sabbaticals just to make sure they’re thinking about and they’re thinking…Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — …intelligently about how they want to spend their time. But functionally, to be honest, like you and your wife just went on vacation, right?Rich Birch — Yep.Paul Alexander — If our staff went on vacation for like an entire sabbatical and sat on the beach for a month or two, and they came back a little bit more rested, and they’d read a couple of books and spent time with the Lord… Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — …and they walked and prayed and fasted and enjoyed their life a little bit, they’d probably come back a little healthier. Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, that’s great.Paul Alexander — So I don’t have strong feelings about it, man. Rest, enjoy your life.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s good.Paul Alexander — Yeah.Rich Birch — That’s so good. I love that. I want to loop back on one thing you talked about earlier. You talked about hiring or or are the way our staff position themselves as doers versus leaders. I think this is a critical Ephesians 4, how we’re supposed to be equipping our people. But I see way too many of our team members, I see us fall into this all the time where we just slip into doing. Coach us around that. What difference does that make around cultures in our organizations?Paul Alexander — Well, yeah. Wow. Now you’re starting to talk about where accountability comes into play in culture, right? And where culture gets violated.Paul Alexander — So it’s not uncommon. So I still, at the size we are, director level and up, I still at least have a phone conversation interview with every single director level hire and up about our culture as they’re joining the team here. And if they do join the team, we go through net new staff orientation. Once a quarter, Chad, the lead pastor and myself, spend a half a day with all of our new staff and talk through our culture and our philosophy of ministry and our strategy and all that stuff.Paul Alexander — And frankly, it’s just a time to hang out have a meal together and create some relational accessibility. Because most these people I’m not going to work with day to day. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — But I want them to know that we care about them, love them, and they’re they’re part of the family now. And so we we don’t hire people that aren’t absolutely fantastic, incredibly gifted people. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — And it’s easy to compliment everybody in the room. Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — Hey man, glad you’re on the team. Whether I hired you or somebody else hired you, I know you’re awesome because we don’t hire people that aren’t awesome. And you were gifted, you’re gifted. Someone saw something in you. We invited you to the team. But here’s the deal. You’re no longer going to be evaluated on how awesome you are. Now that you’re on the team—congratulations—you’re going to be evaluated how awesome you can make everybody else. Rich Birch — So good.Paul Alexander — And so your job and how great you are and gifted you are and skilled you are, that’s what got you in the room. What’s going to keep you in the room is your ability to make everybody else just as incredible as you. And so we just say that from the very beginning. Paul Alexander — And, you know, a lot of churches, their ministry staff kind of think, OK, I have to get all these volunteers in place to help them accomplish my ministry. At Sun Valley, we flipped that upside down. And the hero of the ministry at Sun Valley is the volunteer. We’re helping the church actually be the church. The staff’s role is to be a servant, to help people find their gifting, their place, their calling. And real leaders who are getting paid real money that attend your churches, um they want to solve big problems. They don’t want to just push a broom. Now, occasionally you run into the CEO or the general or whatever, who’s like, I just want to push a broom to help me remain humble. Great. We can we have a lot of brooms you can push.Rich Birch — Yes.Paul Alexander — But most people are competent, skilled, gifted, educated people. And they want to be called into something that’s big, and where they feel like they’re making a real difference. And so, yeah, our job as a staff is to call them into that, tee them up for that, support them in that, and let them run. Not let them run within the boundaries of our strategy and our culture and our vision, but let them run. So, but we’ve got to paint the riverbanks for them.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s really good. I love that. You know, kind of a related issue is how how is Sun Valley ensuring that you’ve got the right people in the right seats? What does that look like in your system? Like, how are you, like, what’s the what’s the cadence of, you know, regular reporting and like goal setting? Paul Alexander — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, you know, how are you holding people accountable? What does that what does that look like? I realize that could be like a whole episode in of itself… Paul Alexander — Sure. Rich Birch — …but give us kind of a thumbnail version of that.Paul Alexander — Yeah. Thumbnail. I mean, at the end of the day, I’ll give you the, how it happens, but, besides the hiring process and recruiting process, that stuff matters a lot. Right. So you’re inviting people to something that they’re actually gifted and called to. But at the end of the day, um it’s really results, Rich. The Bible way to say that is fruit. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — OK, for all of our listeners who are high on the theology side of things, I can sympathize with you. I went to Bible school, too. Really, it’s fruit. And when you are in a place, when your staff are in a place where they’re playing to their strengths and their gifting, and they’re in a place where they’re not overreaching and trying to attain a different role, and they’re not talking about career path, they’re just content to be the person and play the part in the body of the Lord’s gifted and call them to to play, they’re going to have more fun and they’re going to produce more fruit.Rich Birch — Yep.Paul Alexander — It’s just a fact. And so when when you see all this striving and, you know, this ambition to like, I want more, I want more, I want more. It’s a very American, Western idea, right? And the biblical way of doing that would be, hey, well why don’t you be faithful with what the Lord’s entrusted with you today? And when he sees fit to entrust more to you, guess what? He probably will.Rich Birch — He will.Paul Alexander — There’s probably going be some stray arrow out of the battle that was never even intended to hit that guy. It’s going to find just the right place in the chink in the armor. And you’re going to ascend to the throne at the right time when the Lord wants you to. So, you know, relax. Do what the Lord’s called you to do today.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Be faithful in that.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — And he’ll entrust more to you when he’s ready.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — So that’s a big deal. that it may sound ah like a contrite, a little bit Bible answer to that. But when your staff are personally in a place where they’re doing what God’s called them to do, and they’re they’re very sober-minded about that, they’re going to have more fun. That’s really important. They’re go to have more fun in ministry. It’s going to be more fulfilling and they’re going to produce more fruit.Paul Alexander — Now, how’s that work its way out with what you’re talking about? We have an annual run of strategic planning that we do, both senior staff and then at the campus level. And that we refresh that every single year. Out of that come real clear objectives where the Lord’s calling us to go. Then goals, professional goals are set around that at the campus level. And then that kind of trickles down. That all gets into review systems. There’s monthly one-on-ones where they’re talking about the performance side of things.Paul Alexander — But it’s really normal, Rich, where if you and I were working with one another and I was reporting to you, you’d say, hey, Paul, what’s going on with you and Lisa? And you’d be asking about my daughters and you’d be asking about my sons. And we’d be talking about life and marriage and family. And and what’s the Lord doing in your life? What’s he saying to you these days? You know, and you know where’s he challenging you? Where’s he encouraging you? So they’re very natural, normal, that part of things there. You’d probably pray for me actually in that meeting that one-on-one. Paul Alexander — And then we talk about, okay, how are we doing with our goals? What what are the measurables? What are the setbacks? Because there’s always setbacks. Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — And what are the things that went faster than you thought they would go? And you’re finding real real traction.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — And then my your job as a supervisor would be, how do you get roadblocks out of the way for me to be successful? Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — How do you fuel things that I need fueled so I can be successful and and reach my goals? Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Paul Alexander — So yeah, does that make sense? Rich Birch — That makes total sense. So I, you know, in other contexts, I’ve said results matter because the work that you do matters so much. Like and, and we, and we, we want to think about results. We want to think about fruit. What percentage of, or you know, in a round sense of the team at Sun Valley has like a number or a metric or a like they can measure, it’s not like qualitative, like, oh, things are better. It’s like, no, no, we know. I know whether this is working or not. What percentage of your people you think have a metric like that they they think about on a regular basis?Paul Alexander — All of them.Rich Birch — Love it. Tell us about that. I think this is going to be mind blowing for leaders of churches who do not think about these things. And I know, you know, there’s people out there who, who they they haven’t wrestled with this idea. Unpack that a little bit more.Paul Alexander — Yeah. So, I mean, okay. So if I say, I want my marriage to get better this year, we’ll go real personal for a second. Rich Birch — Sure.Paul Alexander — I want to get my marriage. That’s wonderful. Who doesn’t want their marriage to get better? How are you going to do that?Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — That that just doesn’t magically happen. You don’t drift towards relational intimacy with your spouse.Rich Birch — Yes.Paul Alexander — What you do is you drift apart. That’s what happens.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Absence doesn’t make the grow heart grow fonder. It makes it wander. Rich Birch — Yes. Paul Alexander — And so, you know, you’ve got to figure out, okay, how many date nights am I going to do? How much am I going to budget towards this? Are we going to do an annual retreat as a husband and a spouse together, maybe a marriage retreat? Are we going to go on vacation? What are the conversations we feel like we need to lean into? Do we need some do we need some coaching? Rich, if you’re a professional counselor, do I need to go to you and get some some input and some professional coaching? Because goodness gracious, you can see some things that I don’t see because I’m in the fray of it day in and day out. Paul Alexander — So yeah, we’ll get real tactical and say, what book are you going to read? How many of those books are you going to read? What podcast? Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Are you going listen to the unSeminary podcast? You know. What are you going to do to to grow and in your marriage this year or as a leader. And so, yeah, if you can’t measure it, then you can’t actually do it. Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — And then it gets down to opinions and, you know, everybody’s got one of those. So.Rich Birch — Yeah. Alright. I imagine imagine I’m an executive pastor you meet at a conference or you’re somewhere and you’re at an airport lounge, and they’re church of a thousand people, maybe 1500 people. They’ve got 10 staff and they’re sensing that, man, there’s some misalignment, but it’s it’s at the level of like, I think there might be a problem here. I’m not entirely sure. I feel like there’s cracks starting to happen in the staff culture, but it’s not like a giant fizzer. It’s just like things just don’t feel right. What would be some of the first steps that you would suggest a leader take to try to get clarity on actually where things are at with their staff team… Paul Alexander — Yeah. Rich Birch — …you know, in the next 90 days kind of thing?Paul Alexander — Yeah, that’s a good question. Okay, so first of all, I’d say, and this may sound, I mean, play Captain Obvious for a second, don’t ignore that inclination.Rich Birch — That’s good.Paul Alexander — So the Holy Spirit is is is impressing upon you, something doesn’t smell right, then it probably doesn’t smell right.Rich Birch — That’s good.Paul Alexander — Don’t bury that. Don’t avoid that. Avoiding something you know you have to solve is never going to make that situation better, ever.Rich Birch — That’s so true.Paul Alexander — And so don’t avoid it. Go with that feeling. Lean into it a little bit and and begin. Why? Why do I feel this way? What is what am I sensing that needs to be solved? Because my hunch is they’re anticipating something. If they are a good intuitive leader, they’re probably anticipating something before it’s going to happen.Paul Alexander — And so structure is always a lid to growth in a church. Churches always need to restructure. This is really important. So once you get a structure, it’s not like, oh we’re going to be with this structure for the next 15 years. Rich Birch — Right. Paul Alexander — And if it’s a growing church, you’re always going to need to restructure. And that’s just normal. Get used to it.Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — It’s just part of what it is. Rich Birch — Yes.Paul Alexander — And so I think you’ve got decipher, is it a structure issue or is it a culture issue? That that’s, you know, Wwhat am I sensing that needs to be actually needs to be solved? If it’s a culture issue, where is there a violation of your culture taking place, and how do you help it get better? Maybe you haven’t defined what your culture is. Rich Birch — Right.Paul Alexander — Maybe you can’t actually really articulate it. Maybe you haven’t written it down, trained it. Maybe you have not filmed 5 to 10 minute videos for every new staff member to to onboarding to actually understand your cultural distinctives. Maybe you’ve not embedded that into your annual reviews and actually, you know at review time, you’re actually reviewing me on how we’re doing, how I’m doing with our staff culture.Paul Alexander — So maybe that’s something you need to just kind of look in the mirror and say, you know what, as a leader, I have the power to change that. And I’m going to get that better this next year. We’re going really clear about what our staff culture is. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Paul Alexander — And then we’re going embed that and train it. If it’s a structural thing, is it truly a structural thing or do you have one or two players that just aren’t playing their part? You know, you’ve got ah this wonderful body the Lord’s put together. He talks about the church being the body of Christ, this wonderful body but where we’re limping because our ankle, we got a bum ankle. And the reality is we either need to rest it, you know, so we can get it healed up. We need to maybe get some repair done to it, or we need to like reconstruct that thing. We need a new ankle. Rich Birch — Yeah.Paul Alexander — All of those are fine answers. And I think just being honest about the team that we have and everybody playing in the right place. And then structurally, you start to get into span of care and you know do we have the right number of staff? Those are real answers you can really get. When we do staffing and structure with churches at the Unstuck Group, there are real healthy benchmarks. There are real healthy financial numbers that are good benchmarks, you know. If you’re spending more than 50 cents on the dollar on your staffing, you should ask yourself why.Paul Alexander — You know, if you have more than your staffing, you’re, you know, beyond one to 75 and you’re creeping into an area that’s really unhealthy. You know, I’ve seen churches that are staffed like one full time staff member for every 30 attenders at the church.Rich Birch — Right, right.Paul Alexander — And you’re just like. It’s sad, frankly, because the Lord’s called us to so much more. And um so those are those are like the basic science side of things that need to be changed. You know, if you’re not clear about who your senior staff is, if you got, if your senior staff, like your executive staff, are making decisions about like the color of the carpet, and they’re making decisions that that are low-level decisions, then you kind of got to look in the mirror and say, boy, are we training our staff that all big decisions have to come to us? Or are we pushing decisions down and actually teaching people how to lead and make decisions? So myriad of things.Rich Birch — That’s good. That’s so good. One of, in last year’s, kind of rundown of, you know, most listened to podcasts, Amy from the Unstuck Group, hers, I think was our second most listened to podcast. And she, she dove in deep on exactly what we were just talking about their, friends. You should go back in the archives, find that episode. It will, it’ll, you know, all that structure stuff. Rich Birch — And I would say on that, particularly on structure and some of those benchmarks, I think too many of us think our church is like this precious, it’s so different than every other church out there. And and and that’s true. It is a unique body. There’s a there’s one way that that is true. But in this way, there are actually a lot of commonalities you can learn from other churches and gain wisdom from folks like Paul who have done this before and talked with lots of churches. So don’t don’t be in isolation about this, Paul. This has been an incredibly helpful. I’ve got a page of notes and other questions I wanted to ask as we were going through. Oh, I want to talk about that. Oh, I want to talk about that.Rich Birch — But I know you’ve got other things to do than be on our podcast. But as you’re thinking about the 2026, the year coming up here, what’s a question or two that you’re wrestling with that you’re thinking through? It doesn’t have to be on what we just talked about there. But just as you think about the future of Sun Valley, what are some things that you’re thinking about going into this year?Paul Alexander — Yeah, that’s a good question. I mean, we pressure we’ve deal with pressure points just like every church does, right? Frankly, the pressure points we’re dealing with, we’re going through a season of a couple of years of pretty significant growth. A lot of people needing Jesus. last This is the first time in back-to-back years we baptized more than 1500 people, you know, in back-to-back years. And so there’s a huge responsibility that our growth, our front end growth is beginning to outpace our engagement. Things like people engaging in groups and building meaningful friendships that are around God’s word or, engaging and volunteering and being the church, not just coming to church, right? And a giving, learning to be generous, generous and steward with the Lord’s entrusted to them. Kind of these markers that we see of people who are actually beginning to look like Jesus. They’re not just, you know, you know, attending church and trying to figure Jesus out a little bit.Paul Alexander — And so in a lot of ways, we need a bigger boat. We’ve got multiple campuses that are doing two services on Saturday and three services on Sunday. And we’ve, we’ve got to get some bigger rooms. And you know, the other side of it is is growth sometimes can grow faster than our ability to grow leaders. I mean, you think about your own personal leadership, Rich. I mean, how long has it taken you to become the leader you are today?Rich Birch — Right. Right. Not overnight. Not in 18 months.Paul Alexander — Yeah, your whole life.Rich Birch — Yes, exactly.Paul Alexander — Yeah, the answer is your whole life. Rich Birch — Yes.Paul Alexander — And so there’s definitely been crucible moments. My hunch is if we unpack your leadership journey, there’s been crucible moments where the Lord has ah stretched and grown you in unique ways and unique seasons because of pressure points that you went through. And so um we’re figuring out how do we accelerate leadership in in our staff?Rich Birch — That’s good.Paul Alexander — And you you accelerate leadership not by by giving resources, but by constricting resources. Because leaders always figured out and grow through constriction moments. Rich Birch — That’s good.Paul Alexander — And so giving stretch assignments, all those kind of fun things. So yeah, we deal with pressure points just like everybody else does. I mean, everybody’s like, oh, I’d love to have that problem. I know you would. It’s a wonderful problem to have. It’s still a problem because we don’t want to become a lid to more people meeting Jesus in 2026. You know, by us not solving something that’s in our control to solve.Rich Birch — Yeah. In other contexts, I’ve talked about platinum problems. Those are are great problems, but they’re still problems with things we have to wrestle with. And and friends, if you’re not tracking with Sun Valley, you should be, or Paul or the Unstuck Group, these are all organizations you should be getting a chance to kind of follow along with. If people want to kind of connect with the church, get a better sense, follow along with your story, where do we want to send them online? Tell us about that. And then also Unstuck Group. I want to make sure we we send people there too.Paul Alexander — Yeah, Unstuck Group is super easy to find. Unstuckgroup.com. The listeners can email me at paul@theunstuckgroup.com. That’s the easiest way to get me, frankly. The easiest, cleanest way to get me if someone has a question or wants to follow up on something personally. I’m happy to do that, man.Rich Birch — Thanks so much, Paul. I appreciate you being here today and and really looking forward to seeing what happens in 2026 at Sun Valley. Take care, man.Paul Alexander — Yeah, glad to, man. Thanks for the invitation. Hope the conversation is helpful.

Dr. Stephanie West, small and large animal practitioner, practice manager, educator, consultant, and now author, joins the podcast this week. She describes how mentorship and community have shaped her path, and why she believes veterinarians already have the skills to lead and manage— if they're willing to apply them differently! She provides insights from her new book, S.O.A.P. for Success, on how to treat your business like a patient. Our conversation is full of practical insights and encouragement for growth, and we can't wait to share it with you.Thank you to our podcast partner Hill's Pet Nutrition! You can find more information about Hill's Pet Nutrition at Hill's Pet Nutrition - Dog & Cat Food Transforming Lives and Hill's Vet - Veterinary Health Research, Practice Management Resources.Remember, we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a rating and review. You can also contact us at MVLpodcast@avma.org.Follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Mark Stephen meets the countryside rangers and volunteers keeping a large area of land on the outskirts of Aberdeen free of gorse

The Ohio Newsroom has been working on a year-long investigation into volunteer firefighting departments in the state.

The Ohio Newsroom has been working on a year-long investigation into volunteer firefighting departments in the state.

When the idea of a community-owned grocery store begins to take root, it rarely starts with shelves and shopping carts. Instead, it starts with neighbors — people who believe food can connect a community more deeply than any national chain ever could. That belief sits at the heart of the Winchester Co-Op Market, a grassroots effort working to bring a member-owned grocery store to the city. During this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael reconnects with board leaders Michael Daryabeygi, vice president, and Christina McCarthy, board secretary, to explore where the project stands, how cooperatives work, and why now is the right moment for Winchester to embrace this model. A Model Rooted in Cooperation Michael's passion for cooperatives began long before the Winchester project. Having previously worked at the Takoma Park–Silver Spring Food Co-Op, he saw firsthand how cooperative businesses respond directly to the needs of the communities they serve. Unlike traditional grocery stores, food co-ops operate under a democratic ownership model. Members aren't just customers — they are owners and voters, guiding major decisions that shape the organization's future. Christina expands on that idea, explaining that cooperatives are not new or experimental. In fact, they've existed for centuries across cultures and continents. From farming cooperatives to credit unions, the model thrives on shared resources and collective decision-making. Although the Winchester Co-Op Market is not a nonprofit, it is a "not-for-profit" business — meaning profits remain local and benefit the community rather than distant shareholders. Why Winchester — and Why Now Winchester's agricultural heritage plays a major role in the project's momentum. Both Michael and Christina see renewed interest in local farming, regional food systems, and sustainable purchasing habits. As consumers increasingly question where their food comes from, the co-op offers an alternative — one that supports local growers, producers, and makers while strengthening the local economy. Janet compares the vision to open-air markets found throughout Europe: places where food shopping feels personal, local, and deeply connected to community life. While the Winchester Co-Op won't mirror those markets exactly, the spirit remains the same — neighbors supporting neighbors. Building a Grocery Store Takes More Than Good Intentions Starting a cooperative is not a quick or simple process. Christina makes it clear that this isn't something that happens over a few planning meetings. The board follows a national startup framework supported by the Food Co-Op Initiative, which emphasizes long-term sustainability over speed. Across the country, some cooperatives spend years building membership before opening their doors. The Winchester group has already developed a strategic plan — a detailed roadmap outlining membership goals, timelines, feasibility studies, and funding benchmarks. That plan guides every step forward. Importantly, the effort remains entirely volunteer-driven. "No one's getting paid," Christina explains. Board members donate their time, skills, and energy because they believe deeply in what the co-op can mean for the community. Membership: The Engine That Moves Everything Forward At this stage, membership is the foundation of the entire project. A Winchester Co-Op membership is a one-time $200 household investment. Each household receives one vote, reinforcing the democratic structure of the organization. Members help decide everything from product priorities to how profits are eventually reinvested into the community. Membership funds don't build shelves yet — they build credibility. These dollars support feasibility studies, professional consultants, market research, and planning expertise. Just as importantly, they demonstrate community buy-in to lenders and partners evaluating the project's viability. Christina emphasizes that you don't have to be a member to shop at the store once it opens. Membership simply allows residents to shape the vision and guide decisions. Strength in Numbers While $200 may seem small on its own, collective participation creates real momentum. Janet draws a parallel to community fundraising models — where individual contributions add up quickly when hundreds of people believe in the same goal. The co-op relies on that exact principle. The response so far has been encouraging. Community picnics and informational events have drawn stronger attendance than expected, fueling both enthusiasm and confidence. Even supporters from outside the region have joined — including former residents and seasonal visitors who want to invest in Winchester's future. Volunteers: The Heart of the Movement Not everyone can afford membership — and the board understands that. Volunteers play an equally vital role. At this stage, the co-op relies on community members willing to help spread the word, attend events, and lend professional skills when possible. From marketing and planning to outreach and research, every contribution matters. To support this next phase, the organization is preparing for a volunteer recruitment fair in February, preceded by two major educational events in January. Learning from a National Voice To help residents better understand cooperatives, the Winchester Co-Op Market is welcoming Jon Steinman, author of Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-Ops in the Age of Grocery Giants. Steinman brings international experience, having served as an elected director of Canada's largest consumer retail co-op. His work explores how food systems evolved — and how communities can reclaim them. Two events will anchor his visit: January 27: A volunteer training session designed to help advocates clearly explain the co-op model January 28: A public community talk at Winchester Brew Works, open to anyone curious about cooperatives Both events emphasize conversation, education, and community connection — complete with shared food and local collaboration. Creating Community Through Food Beyond logistics and planning, one theme echoes throughout the conversation: connection. Christina describes cooperatives as places with a distinct feel — a different energy, smell, and rhythm than traditional grocery stores. They are spaces where food becomes a gathering point, not just a transaction. Michael adds that co-ops across the country form a tight-knit network, sharing lessons and supporting one another's growth. Winchester's effort is part of something much larger — a national movement focused on rebuilding local food systems. Staying Informed and Getting Involved For residents interested in following the journey, the Winchester Co-Op Market offers multiple entry points: Membership opportunities Volunteer sign-ups Educational events A regularly published newsletter cleverly titled "The Local Beets" The newsletter shares project updates, explains cooperative principles, and highlights how local food choices can impact families and communities.  A Vision Built Together As the conversation closes, one message rings especially clear: this project isn't about groceries alone. It's about preserving local identity. It's about keeping dollars circulating close to home. And it's about giving Winchester residents a voice in how their food system works. The Winchester Co-Op Market remains a work in progress — but with growing membership, dedicated volunteers, and strong community interest, the foundation is firmly in place. 

Is mandatory national service the key to rebuilding civic unity—or an unacceptable infringement on personal freedom? In this episode, Michael explains the thinking behind the Smerconish.com poll question and makes the case for national service as a remedy for polarization, loneliness, and civic disengagement. Broadcasting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Michael connects volunteerism, shared experience, and the “Mingle Project” to a larger argument about what America has lost—and how service might help restore it. Listen, vote, and rate/review/share this podcast! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Broadcasting live from the nation's largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Temple University, Michael Smerconish explores what's really driving America's political divide — and how we might begin to heal it. In a wide-ranging conversation on polarization, media, technology, loneliness, and the loss of common experience, Michael argues that the real problem isn't red vs. blue, but our failure to mingle. Joined by MLK Day of Service founder Todd Bernstein, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, the discussion focuses on civic engagement, volunteerism, political violence, and restoring shared purpose in American life. A powerful reminder that service, connection, and showing up for one another may be the most effective antidotes to division. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pastor Jordan Hansen explores Jonah 3, focusing on saying "yes" to the mercy of God. This message highlights the God of second chances who offers grace to the undeserving. Discover how the Ninevites responded with repentance and fasting when faced with truth. Experience a deeper understanding of how Jesus is both just and merciful.   Pastor: Jordan Hansen Series: I Said Yes (3) Title: Yes to God's Mercy Verses: Jonah 3:1-10 Date: 2026.01.17+18   LINKS:

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the federal holiday honoring The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – 40 years of community gatherings, public forums and special activities to pay tribute to the civil rights icon. And throughout most of the holiday's history, millions of Americans have commemorated the day by volunteering for civic engagement and service projects in their communities, including local efforts like Many Helping Hand 365's Cambridge MLK Day of Service and Learning.

This week on Gun For Hire Radio… NJ Dems are attacking us and protecting illegals, again! What a shock! The NRA Dinners need our help since the NRA Foundation is having a temper tantrum. Please share your displeasure with them @ 877-672-4483 or visit the site and send a message here https://www.nrafoundation.org/contact-us/ because we do not have enough enemies already so we must fight amongst ourselves! Please Listen, Learn, Like, Follow, Share, & Volunteer! The post The Gun For Hire Radio Broadcast: Episode 765 appeared first on Best Gun Range NYC and NJ Area | Gun Range Near Me.

Tennessee Republicans are busy advancing legislation including a crackdown on drag shows and comprehensive immigration plan that will remove illegals from the Volunteer state. Strategic Financial Partners CRN202810-9497169 Listen LIVE Weekdays 7AM Central on the KWAM app, or Mighty990.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can Salt Lake City government do about ICE? Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Kate Groetzinger discuss the city's response to our very pointed question. Plus, how to escape the inversion and picks of the week. Some ICE-related resources: Sign up for the business canvass this Saturday. FICE is selling shirts to benefit La Red de Solidaridad. Volunteer or donate to the Wasatch Immigration Project. Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It's the best way to support our work and help make sure we are around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC.  Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (801) 203-0137 Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  Brickyard Boxing Canyon View Credit Union ICO

On Cincinnati Edition's weekly news review, local journalists join us to talk about the big stories from recent days.

Welcome to Episode 204 of Inside The Line: The Catskill Mountains Podcast! This week, Tad and I chat with award winning journalist and hiker Jo Giese. We chat about Jo's upcoming book “You'll Never Walk Alone: A Hiker's Memoir of Adventure, Tragedy and Defying the Odds” which talks about overcoming a medical miracle and recovering back into hiking. We also chat about a dog rescue on Devils Path, a relocation of a lean to and the 5 year anniversary of the closure of Doubletop and Graham. Make sure to subscribe on your favorite platform, share the show, donate if you feel like it… or just keep tuning in. I'm just grateful you're here. And as always... VOLUNTEER!!!!Links for the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ISLCatskillsPodcast, Donate a coffee to support the show! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills, Like to be a sponsor or monthly supporter of the show? Go here! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills/membershipThanks to the sponsors of the show: Outdoor chronicles photography - https://www.outdoorchroniclesphotography.com/, Trailbound Project - https://www.trailboundproject.com/, Camp Catskill - https://campcatskill.co/, Another Summit - https://www.guardianrevival.org/programs/another-summitLinks: Jo's Webpage, Oboz, Decline in AT thru hikers, DEC Virtual Public Meeting, Steve Aaron photoVolunteer Opportunities: Trailhead stewards for 3500 Club -https://www.catskill3500club.org/trailhead-stewardship, Catskills Trail Crew - https://www.nynjtc.org/trailcrew/catskills-trail-crew, NYNJTC Volunteering - https://www.nynjtc.org/catskills, Catskill Center - https://catskillcenter.org/, Catskill Mountain Club - https://catskillmountainclub.org/about-us/, Catskill Mountainkeeper - https://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/ Post Hike Brews and Bites - Hudson North #jogiese #recovery #hikethehudson #hudsonvalleyhiking #NYC #history #husdonvalley #hikingNY #kaaterskill #bluehole #catskillhiking #visitcatskills #catskillstrails #catskillmountains #3500 #catskills #catskillpark #catskillshiker #catskillmountainsnewyork #hiking #catskill3500club #catskill3500 #hikethecatskills #hikehudson

"The critical period of cover crop management: A framework for maximizing biomass potential and minimizing volunteers with buckwheat" with Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill Buckwheat can be a powerful driver of ecosystem services in potato rotations grown in Canada, but with its long-lived seeds and ability to make a whole lot of them in a short time, it can also pose a serious volunteer problem. In this episode, Andrew joins me to discuss how creating a framework to reduce volunteers can help keep this helpful plant from turning into a fearsome weed. Tune in to learn: ·         How potato farming is done in Canada ·         What ecosystem services buckwheat provides ·         What qualities can turn buckwheat from a helpful crop to a difficult to control weed ·         How combining tools from weed management can help keep buckwheat under control If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70097 This paper is always freely available. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't forget to subscribe. If you'd like to see old episodes or sign up for our newsletter, you can do so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Andrew, you can find him here: andrew.mckenzie-gopsill@agr.gc.ca Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7bAEC405A7-85F1-F011-8407-6045BD006BB3%7d  Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/captions/Njk2OTMwMDM0NzRlNjAzMGE4ZTBiM2JlUGhMWW10UnF3c0h2/o/Q1AwODE3NDYyMDk1  Atlantic Grains Council: https://atlanticgrainscouncil.ca/ PEI Potato Board: https://peipotatoagronomy.com/ Canadian Weed Science Society, of which Andrew will be president as of Nov 6th 2025. https://weedscience.ca/ Agri-Food and Agriculture Canada: https://agriculture.canada.ca/en New Brunswick Potato Board: https://www.potatoesnb.com/ Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

A law that went into effect this school year requires volunteers at public schools to have their fingerprints taken. Schools generally support the policy, even as some bear a big new expense — $20,000 per month, in the case of Missoula schools.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Caroline Norris, Chief Volunteer at Volunteer Odyssey, who discusses how her nonprofit organization serves as Memphis's volunteer center by matching individuals and corporations with hundreds of nonprofits across diverse causes, from housing and hunger to arts and environment, while providing capacity-building support to smaller organizations that lack staff to manage volunteers. She emphasizes that Volunteer Odyssey is partnering with United Way of the Mid-South and Leadership Memphis for MLK Days of Service from January 16-19, 2026, offering 15-16 service opportunities that honor Dr. King's legacy by asking "what are you doing for others." Caroline encourages people to use MLK weekend as a launching pad for year-round volunteerism, noting that the organization's website at volunteerOdyssey.com makes it easy to find opportunities that match individual schedules and passions while tracking volunteer hours and impact across the community.Find your pathway to purpose and learn more about MLK Days of Service by visiting https://volunteerodyssey.com.

It's mailbag time! Kaitlyn and Mike field your questions about faith and works, why churches sometimes prioritize nursery duty over community outreach, and how to move beyond the "Bible in a Year" grind. They talk salvation as allegiance, children as the church's shared responsibility, and creative ways to stay rooted in Scripture without treating it like a daily vitamin.   0:00 - Theme Song   1:25 - Is Salvation a Gift?   6:33 - What Did Paul Mean by "Work Out Your Salvation?"   12:02 - Sponsor - Blueland - For 15% off first order of Blueland cleaning products, go to this link: https://www.blueland.com/CURIOUSLY   13:27 - Should churches focus on outreach or inreach?   22:20 - How to Read the Bible Beyond Daily Reading   31:32 - End Credits

Becky Wandell is a Teacher, Writer, Tour Guide, Volunteer, and Solo Traveler. At 47, while weathering a difficult divorce and the death of four close relatives, she clawed her way up from the depths of grief and, in her words, set out to "find her way back to Becky again".  To do this, she quit her job, sold all of her belongings and charted a plan to complete a series of adventures she had always dreamed of doing. Joining the US Peace Corps, learning to speak Spanish and gaining her confidence in solo travel and living abroad set the stage for several years of living her best life throughout South America; a life rich with opportunities to learn, grow, serve others through volunteering, integrate deeply into cultures, and make connections - especially with women. Then, in 2024 at the age of 55, she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.  It was there, with thousands of footsteps across the desert, over the mountains and back home to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, she was finally able to release the last of her regrets, coming away from the trek feeling lighter, freer, more confident and beautiful than ever before.  Turns out, living life to the fullest and fulfilling all your dreams brings joy. Now, Becky works as a seasonal Tour Guide in Alaska which allows her to spend the rest of the year living out of her backpack, always ready for the next adventure. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Becky  Teacher, writer, solo traveller, volunteer and tour guide  Starting her life in the Mid-West Knowing she always wanted to live by mountains  Starting to work for the forest service in environmental programs  Having a wonderful career and life Needing to make a pivot in her life and needing to figure out what she really wanted to do Joining the Peace Corps at 47  Wanting to travel more, learn a new language and experience more of the world Deciding to hike the Pacific Crest Trail at 55 from Mexico to Canada Gaining a huge amount of confidence  Wanting to slow travel more and working as a tour guide in Alaska Living her dream and being the best beaky she can be The pivot at 47 The love letters….. the origin story to her relationship  Giving up her dreams and "compromising"  Typing out all the things that she wanted to do back then Sacrificing her dreams  What the Peace Corps is Learning so much about herself, other people and cultures  Living in Ecuador with a family and leaning the language  Her new path and dealing with lonely moments Losing her parents  Slow travel and volunteering around South America  Workaway  Spending 2 years travelling around Patagonia  Her dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Feeling ready to take on the hike Not having fears or concerns before the hike Letting go of fear Getting her trail name Challenging sections on the PCT Why 700 miles in the desert was the real challenge  Being supported by her friends during the tough moments The mental game Doing hard things  Writing a letter to herself  Can she push her body that hard to make the hike happen Preparing for the trail really well Needing to hike her hike her way Learning about her last name Sharing a little video from the end of the PCT Finally identifying as a tough girl  How to connect with Becky  Final words of advice Give up the fear, your going to be ok  Start planning, take the step.   Social Media Blog: onthewingadventures.com Instagram: @beckysonthewingadventures  

Volunteers in a Brooklyn warehouse salvage scrap fabric for reuse. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

For a few decades, Nashville was treated to an occasional, irregular series of musical events that couldn't fall neatly into any one category of either format or genre. Plus the local news for January 13, 2026  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Leading in a volunteer organization, motivated by passion and not pay, poses a new set of challenges compared to a paid leadership position. The work can be taxing, and done on personal hours after an already busy day. Volunteer leaders require a special set of mental health strategies. In episode 142, host Casey Czarnowski speaks with Sharyn Combs, founder of UCDI Leadership about leading a volunteer group, such as an HSPA Affiliated Chapter. Combs discusses the challenges that are unique to volunteer leadership, and good things that leaders can do to fill their cups and stay motivated. About our guest: Sharyn Combs Founder UCDI Leadership Training and Development Combs is a keynote speaker, independent certified coach and trainer with The John Maxwell Team and Personality Insights, and founder of UCDI Leadership Training and Development. She specializes in vision casting, team engagement, and fostering employee ownership. Her Progressive Leadership Mentoring Program was developed specifically for professionals looking to climb the career ladder and improve their marketability. She is the mind behind Knowledge or Nonsense and the author of ‘THINK. On Purpose' and ‘Hold Your Form.' Earn CE Now

01/13/26: Robin Nelson is the chair of the Together for School Meals Coalition, joins Joel on "News and Views" to talk about their coalition working to get school meals and tell listeners how to learn more and help. Trainings: Fargo: January 15 at 6:30 PM | Radisson Blu Fargo | Prairie Rose Room201 5th St. N, Fargo, ND 58102 Bismarck: January 20 at 6:30 PM | Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library515 N 5th St., Bismarck, ND 58501 Virtual Training: January 27 at 6:30 PMOnline (Registration Required) You can learn more about the Together for School Meals Coalition on their website or Facebook page. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volunteer hours for med school aren't about hitting a magic number. In this episode, we explain how admissions committees evaluate service, why impact and consistency matter more than raw hours, and how to choose volunteer experiences that genuinely strengthen your application. Like the podcast? Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with our team: https://bemo.ac/podbr-BeMoFreeConsult   Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more great tips and other useful information!   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeMoAcademicConsultingInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bemoacademicconsulting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bemo_academic_consulting/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeMo_AC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bemoacademicconsulting

Families in need of a free car seat or installation and safety training can contact Jessica Ferrer of Nevada County's Mother Child Adolescent Health program at Jessica.Ferrer@NevadaCountyCa.gov.  The Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation's Volunteer Open House is for interested community members who want to learn about the diverse volunteer roles available. The event will take place on January 14, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the SNMH Foundation Office at 140 Litton Drive, Suite #220 in Grass Valley.

Rommie Duckworth, member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians board of directors, joins us to discuss the value of volunteer first aid response teams at work. We also review content from the January issue of Safety+Health.

Rommie Duckworth, member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians board of directors, joins us to discuss the value of volunteer first aid response teams at work. We also review content from the January issue of Safety+Health.

Eric Blanc, assistant professor of Labor Studies at Rutgers University and author of the Substack newsletter LaborPolitics.com, talks about how the thousands of volunteers who canvassed during Mayor Mamdani's campaign could be mobilized to help the new mayor achieve his policy goals. 

358: Need a Team of Volunteers? From Gary McIntosh in *The 10 Key Roles of a Pastor* 1. Look at every person as a potential team member 2. Encourage people to serve the Lord on the basis of their love for Him. 3. Don't downplay the role; magnify it. 4. Don't recruit in the hallway. (Make an appointment) 5. Introduce potential recruits to those already in the same ministry.     - in a small church, you might have to go outside your church 6. Never expect an immediate answer 7. Follow Up 8. Train Them

Jordan Hansen continues the Jonah series with a focus on saying "yes" to the answer from God. Even in hopeless places, prayer remains fertile ground for hope. This study examines the prayer of Jonah from the fish and the declaration that salvation comes from the Lord alone. Discover how God brings purpose to pain and redemption to difficult circumstances.   Pastor: Jordan Hansen Series: I Said Yes (2) Title: Yes to God's Answer Date: 2026.01.10+11   LINKS:

Ideastream reporters examined how volunteer fire departments across Ohio are run and how those departments often deal with staffing shortages and financial challenges.

This week on Gun For Hire Radio… Lets's continue the new year with and emphasis on Training, Safety, and Mindset! Also more updates about Jersey being number one and all of you helped again make many children happy with the Toys for Tots donations. Please Listen, Learn, Like, Follow, Share, & Volunteer! The post The Gun For Hire Radio Broadcast: Episode 764 appeared first on Best Gun Range NYC and NJ Area | Gun Range Near Me.

Melanie talks with Winter about finding a group of women who helped her through the difficult times right aft the loss of Bennett, who passed one day after his birth due to left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC). Melanie talks about finding out about the organization Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep ( https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ ) and what they do for mourning parents by taking photos and touching up photos of their children. DONATE $5 (aka "buy us a coffee/hot cocoa") to support the continued production of these stories. We appreciate all the help toward production and hosting costs.  Or if you want to purchase an "Always a Part of Us" Legacy Gift for $20, you'll be providing to one of these families that shares their story, full transcriptions, mp3s, and mp4s of the recordings of their baby's birth story and advice episodes for their family history records. You will also get a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Thank you! Donate: https://ko-fi.com/stillapartofus SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more birth stories from families who have experienced a stillbirth or infant loss. We're grateful that you're part of our community! https://www.youtube.com/stillapartofus SUBSCRIBE to our podcast Still A Part of Us, wherever you find podcasts. Links (some of these links are affiliate links, which means we may get a small commission off your purchase, at no extra cost to you): Website: http://stillapartofus.com/ Grief Support Groups: https://nationalshare.org/ If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, call 988 #stillbirthstory #stillborn #stillbornstory #birthstory #infantloss #infantdeath #babydeath #stillmychild #podcast  #birthstories #babyloss #mybabydied #bereavedmother #bereavedfather #infantlossawareness #dadsgrievetoo #mamasgrief #pals #childloss #lifeafterloss #saytheirnames #babylossawareness #breakingthesilence #grievingmom #grievingdad #bereavedparents #pregnancyandinfantlossawarenessmonth

Welcome back to Vatican Insider on this second weekend of our brand NewYear! And what a week it was! Tuesday, January 6, the Church celebrated the feast of the Epiphany and the closing of the final Holy Door at St. Peter's basilica, thus ending the Jubilee of Hope. The American couple you met last week on the interview segment, Craig and Laura Schlattmann are my guests again this week in Part II of our conversation and they tell us more about the many times this past year they served as volunteers for the Jubilee of Hope. Join me!

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Los Angeles wildfires, two of the most destructive fires in California history. We bring you an excerpt from a new podcast, The Palisades Fire: A Sandcastles Special, which documents the community-led efforts to fight the Palisades Fire. Host Adriana Cargill highlights the role of the “Community Brigade” – a first-in-the-nation model that allows trained civilians to work alongside firefighters when wildfires hit. The podcast explores whether these kinds of brigades might be replicated in other places as California continues to grapple with more devastating – and more unpredictable – wildfires. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tribes are raising concerns about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and the safety of their tribal citizens living in the Twin Cities after 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent Wednesday in Minneapolis. The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, White Earth Nation, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and Red Lake Nation have issued releases expressing remorse for Good and her family. A number of Native groups have also extended their condolences, included the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition and Native Women Running. The restaurant Owamni by Sioux Chef Sean Sherman, in Minneapolis, closed after the shooting. In a social media post, Owamni said it will reopen with a portion of sales this weekend being donated to Good's family. Tribes are encouraging their citizens to report any interactions with ICE to them, to be mindful of their surrounds, carry identification, including tribal IDs, and to check on elders and relatives in the Twin Cities. The Red Lake Nation is condemning the shooting saying President Donald Trump must be held accountable for his “war of retribution” and that it has 8,000 members living in the Twin Cities where “ICE is presently terrorizing residents.” The Trump administration is justifying the shooting while city and state leaders disagree. The mayor wants ICE to get out of Minneapolis, and so does Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth/D-MN). On national television during an interview with ABC News Thursday night, Lt. Gov. Flanagan said, “it's time for ICE to get out of Minnesota,” to leave them alone, and that enough is enough. Meanwhile in South Dakota, the Oglala Sioux Tribe is also raising concerns about its tribal citizens living in the Twin Cities. In an advisory to tribal citizens, OST President Frank Star Comes Out said he has been made aware that ICE detained four of their tribal members in Minneapolis. He said tribal attorneys have been instructed to reach out to Flanagan and work toward their release. The advisory to Oglala Lakota citizens also includes how to handle ICE interactions, and to contact Star Comes Out or other officials with the tribe immediately. Brian Bull contributed to this story. The Community Giveback event between MMIW Search & Hope Alliance and Project Lemonade benefited foster youth and generated donations of socks, hats and stuffed animals in Portland, Oreg., Saturday, December 13, 2025. (Courtesy Kimberly Lining) A Portland, Oreg. organization involved with Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) awareness and advocacy is holding volunteer training. Brian Bull of Buffalo's Fire reports on what people should expect should they participate in MMIP events. For roughly a year and a half, MMIW Search & Hope Alliance has conducted searches and events that support their community. Founder Kimberly Lining says they rely heavily on volunteers to get things done across the region. Besides being physically fit for hiking, marches, and distributing materials, Lining says it is also important that people are emotionally mature and tough. “How they handle stress. How they handle dealing with confrontation because a lot of times we’re dealing with devastated families. And sometimes their anger can be directed at us, and it’s not personal. It’s because the families are under so much pressure.” Kimberly Lining, founder and coordinator of MMIW Search & Hope Alliance, at its first annual conference held in Gresham, Oreg., on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Photo: Brian Bull) Lining says a common misperception is that volunteering with groups like hers is some kind of true crime adventure, or that all they do is search for bodies. She says most MMIP cases result in finding people who are alive, but even then there can be challenging situations. “A lot of times they’re struggling from an addiction. So we kind of look at that aspect. ‘Hey, do you need to get into detox? Would you like to go here? Do you want to speak to your family?’ We really encourage the missing that we find to call home, call their family, and we offer to give them that resource.” Volunteers with special skills such as scuba diving, rappelling, or operating drones are great, Lining adds. The MMIW Search & Hope Alliance's training will be held on January 10. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Friday, January 9, 2026 – Where do Native Americans fit in with America's Semiquincentennial celebration?

Welcome to Episode 203 of Inside The Line: The Catskill Mountains Podcast! This week, Tad and I crack open the notes on 2025 and take a full look back at the year that was. We dive into the most-listened-to episodes, our personal favorites, and revisit the hot topics that kept popping up throughout the year. We also talk about the latest addition to the Fire Tower Challenge, unpack a tragic death in Harriman State Park, and reflect on the passing of ski legend Russ LaChappelle. Make sure to subscribe on your favorite platform, share the show, donate if you feel like it… or just keep tuning in. I'm just grateful you're here. And as always... VOLUNTEER!!!!Links for the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ISLCatskillsPodcast, Donate a coffee to support the show! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills, Like to be a sponsor or monthly supporter of the show? Go here! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills/membershipThanks to the sponsors of the show: Outdoor chronicles photography - https://www.outdoorchroniclesphotography.com/, Trailbound Project - https://www.trailboundproject.com/, Camp Catskill - https://campcatskill.co/, Another Summit - https://www.guardianrevival.org/programs/another-summitLinks: Russ Lachapelle's Website, Russ's Bearpen Story, Arc'teryx MO/GO AI Pants, Michelo Suneri's Pardon, Garmin Demise, Volunteer Opportunities: Trailhead stewards for 3500 Club -https://www.catskill3500club.org/trailhead-stewardship, Catskills Trail Crew - https://www.nynjtc.org/trailcrew/catskills-trail-crew, NYNJTC Volunteering - https://www.nynjtc.org/catskills, Catskill Center - https://catskillcenter.org/, Catskill Mountain Club - https://catskillmountainclub.org/about-us/, Catskill Mountainkeeper - https://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/ Post Hike Brews and Bites - Blakes Hard Cider, Local Goods, Van Dusens Livingston,#2025 #recap2025 #hikethehudson #hudsonvalleyhiking #NYC #history #husdonvalley #hikingNY #kaaterskill #bluehole #catskillhiking #visitcatskills #catskillstrails #catskillmountains #3500 #catskills #catskillpark #catskillshiker #catskillmountainsnewyork #hiking #catskill3500club #catskill3500 #hikethecatskills #hikehudson

Donate a wheelchair today! Click here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Welcome back to The Plant Healer's Path — Episode 23. In this thoughtful episode, Jesse Wolf Hardin reflects on what it means to be of service as a plant healer — and why generosity, care, and contribution sit at the heart of folk herbalism. Wolf explores the motivations that draw people to herbal work, alongside the realities of sustainability and livelihood. He shares practical ways herbalists and herbal businesses can serve their communities, including sliding scales, deferred payments, bartering, volunteer work, scholarships, donations, and profit-sharing with aligned causes. This episode offers a clear reminder that service is a conscious, intentional act — one that supports access, strengthens community, and honors the reciprocal relationship between people, plants, and land. This audio was extracted from the video version available on the HerbRally YouTube channel. This episode is brought to you by The Good Medicine Confluence October 12–15, 2026 Ghost Ranch, New Mexico Join herbalists, healers, wildcrafters, visionaries, misfits, and medicine makers for four unforgettable days of learning, celebration, connection, ritual, and more than 100 classes from over 40 teachers. You're warmly invited to gather, study, celebrate, and dance under the stars in the Land of Enchantment.

Christmas Bird Counts is the oldest community science program and has made a huge impact on what we know about birds and their populations!  This year, we were able to join the Sunriver, Oregon count.  Listen in to see what birds we spotted!Adventure begins at: 9:23Show notesMorro Bay Birding Festival Spring Chirp Christmas Bird Count Deschutes National Forest WildEarth Live Safari Black-bellied Bustard VideoeBird Trip ReportBirds/Animals mentionedAmerican Dipper Varied ThrushIntro Bird Call: Black-bellied Bustard (Recorded: South Africa, February 2025)Outro Bird Call: Common Raven (Recorded: Oregon, June 2019)Support the showConnect with us at... IG: @Hannahgoesbirding and @ErikgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.comVenmo: @hannahanderikgobirdingGet a discount at Buteo Books using code: BIRDNERDBOOKCLUB

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. George C. Fraser. Chairman & CEO of FraserNet, Inc. Purpose of the Interview The interview aimed to: Promote financial literacy, wealth-building strategies, and entrepreneurial thinking within the Black community. Share actionable steps for creating generational wealth and economic empowerment. Highlight FraserNet’s mission to foster networking, education, and business development for people of African descent. Key Takeaways Knowledge & Execution Are Critical “My people perish for lack of knowledge”—Dr. Fraser emphasizes that progress requires knowledge and execution, not just protest. Rejecting knowledge leads to stagnation; skill-building and financial education are essential. Entrepreneurial Thinking vs. Entrepreneurship Focus on taking ownership and responsibility for your life. Entrepreneurial thinking can evolve into entrepreneurship, creating jobs and wealth for the community. Black Economic Empowerment By the end of the 21st century, Black people must become the #1 employer of Black people, mirroring other ethnic groups. This requires sacrifice, planning, and multiple income streams. Practical Wealth-Building Steps Open a high-interest savings account and start with $100. Buy stocks in companies you use (Nike, McDonald’s, Home Depot). Open or maximize 401(k), IRA, or Roth IRA contributions. Improve credit score by 20 points every six months until above 700. Pay $50 above minimum payments on credit cards and loans to reduce payoff time. Research term vs. whole life insurance—insurance is key for wealth transfer. Start a 529 college plan or Roth IRA for children. Gift U.S. Treasury bonds or indexed universal life policies for grandchildren. Generational Wealth & Insurance 60% of wealth transfer occurs through proper insurance planning. Example: Indexed universal life policies can yield millions tax-free for future generations. Seven Streams of Income Earned income (jobs), Profit income (buying/selling), Interest income, Dividend income, Rental income, Capital gains, Royalty income. Goal: Add a new income stream every year. Mindset Shift “The rich stay rich by pretending to be poor; the poor stay poor by pretending to be rich.” Focus on winning, not looking like you’re winning. Giving Wealth Support Black-owned businesses, restaurants, salons, authors. Volunteer, tithe, and donate to HBCUs. Encourage and uplift Black men, women, and children. Notable Quotes “We are suffering because we cannot see our problems clearly.” “Execution, execution, execution—protest without execution is meaningless.” “To be gifted, Black, and beautiful means nothing unless you are Black and powerful.” “Don’t quit your job until your side income covers twice your monthly expenses.” “White folks plan for three generations; we plan for Saturday night.” “Money attracts money—start with $100 in a savings account.” “There should not be a Negro in America with a single stream of income.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. George C. Fraser. Chairman & CEO of FraserNet, Inc. Purpose of the Interview The interview aimed to: Promote financial literacy, wealth-building strategies, and entrepreneurial thinking within the Black community. Share actionable steps for creating generational wealth and economic empowerment. Highlight FraserNet’s mission to foster networking, education, and business development for people of African descent. Key Takeaways Knowledge & Execution Are Critical “My people perish for lack of knowledge”—Dr. Fraser emphasizes that progress requires knowledge and execution, not just protest. Rejecting knowledge leads to stagnation; skill-building and financial education are essential. Entrepreneurial Thinking vs. Entrepreneurship Focus on taking ownership and responsibility for your life. Entrepreneurial thinking can evolve into entrepreneurship, creating jobs and wealth for the community. Black Economic Empowerment By the end of the 21st century, Black people must become the #1 employer of Black people, mirroring other ethnic groups. This requires sacrifice, planning, and multiple income streams. Practical Wealth-Building Steps Open a high-interest savings account and start with $100. Buy stocks in companies you use (Nike, McDonald’s, Home Depot). Open or maximize 401(k), IRA, or Roth IRA contributions. Improve credit score by 20 points every six months until above 700. Pay $50 above minimum payments on credit cards and loans to reduce payoff time. Research term vs. whole life insurance—insurance is key for wealth transfer. Start a 529 college plan or Roth IRA for children. Gift U.S. Treasury bonds or indexed universal life policies for grandchildren. Generational Wealth & Insurance 60% of wealth transfer occurs through proper insurance planning. Example: Indexed universal life policies can yield millions tax-free for future generations. Seven Streams of Income Earned income (jobs), Profit income (buying/selling), Interest income, Dividend income, Rental income, Capital gains, Royalty income. Goal: Add a new income stream every year. Mindset Shift “The rich stay rich by pretending to be poor; the poor stay poor by pretending to be rich.” Focus on winning, not looking like you’re winning. Giving Wealth Support Black-owned businesses, restaurants, salons, authors. Volunteer, tithe, and donate to HBCUs. Encourage and uplift Black men, women, and children. Notable Quotes “We are suffering because we cannot see our problems clearly.” “Execution, execution, execution—protest without execution is meaningless.” “To be gifted, Black, and beautiful means nothing unless you are Black and powerful.” “Don’t quit your job until your side income covers twice your monthly expenses.” “White folks plan for three generations; we plan for Saturday night.” “Money attracts money—start with $100 in a savings account.” “There should not be a Negro in America with a single stream of income.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GoVols247's Ben McKee, Patrick Brown and Ryan Callahan discuss all things Tennessee football in the latest GoVols247 Podcast. During the first segment, McKee and Brown react to all of Tennessee's coaching changes since its season ended in the Music City Bowl, UT's pursuit of a quarterback, the Vols who have entered the transfer portal and the Volunteers' first commitment from the portal in Kansas State defensive back Qua Moss. Callahan joined McKee in the second segment to discuss all of the latest Tennessee portal targets and visitors. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. George C. Fraser. Chairman & CEO of FraserNet, Inc. Purpose of the Interview The interview aimed to: Promote financial literacy, wealth-building strategies, and entrepreneurial thinking within the Black community. Share actionable steps for creating generational wealth and economic empowerment. Highlight FraserNet’s mission to foster networking, education, and business development for people of African descent. Key Takeaways Knowledge & Execution Are Critical “My people perish for lack of knowledge”—Dr. Fraser emphasizes that progress requires knowledge and execution, not just protest. Rejecting knowledge leads to stagnation; skill-building and financial education are essential. Entrepreneurial Thinking vs. Entrepreneurship Focus on taking ownership and responsibility for your life. Entrepreneurial thinking can evolve into entrepreneurship, creating jobs and wealth for the community. Black Economic Empowerment By the end of the 21st century, Black people must become the #1 employer of Black people, mirroring other ethnic groups. This requires sacrifice, planning, and multiple income streams. Practical Wealth-Building Steps Open a high-interest savings account and start with $100. Buy stocks in companies you use (Nike, McDonald’s, Home Depot). Open or maximize 401(k), IRA, or Roth IRA contributions. Improve credit score by 20 points every six months until above 700. Pay $50 above minimum payments on credit cards and loans to reduce payoff time. Research term vs. whole life insurance—insurance is key for wealth transfer. Start a 529 college plan or Roth IRA for children. Gift U.S. Treasury bonds or indexed universal life policies for grandchildren. Generational Wealth & Insurance 60% of wealth transfer occurs through proper insurance planning. Example: Indexed universal life policies can yield millions tax-free for future generations. Seven Streams of Income Earned income (jobs), Profit income (buying/selling), Interest income, Dividend income, Rental income, Capital gains, Royalty income. Goal: Add a new income stream every year. Mindset Shift “The rich stay rich by pretending to be poor; the poor stay poor by pretending to be rich.” Focus on winning, not looking like you’re winning. Giving Wealth Support Black-owned businesses, restaurants, salons, authors. Volunteer, tithe, and donate to HBCUs. Encourage and uplift Black men, women, and children. Notable Quotes “We are suffering because we cannot see our problems clearly.” “Execution, execution, execution—protest without execution is meaningless.” “To be gifted, Black, and beautiful means nothing unless you are Black and powerful.” “Don’t quit your job until your side income covers twice your monthly expenses.” “White folks plan for three generations; we plan for Saturday night.” “Money attracts money—start with $100 in a savings account.” “There should not be a Negro in America with a single stream of income.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In response to arrests of street vendors and day laborers by federal immigration authorities, thousands of volunteers have mobilized to ‘adopt' a street corner. KQED's labor correspondent Farida Jhabvala Romero takes us to one corner in East Oakland to meet the volunteers offering their time to watch out for ICE and Border Patrol agents. This episode originally aired on Sept. 5, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Week on Gun For Hire Radio… Let us Ring in the New Year with a focus on fundamentals and training, training, training! Bonus – Sign up for text alerts and you may be the next winner of a “pocket heater” click https://app.ottertext.com/subscribe/gun-for-hire Please Listen, Learn, Like, Follow, Share, & Volunteer. The post The Gun For Hire Radio Broadcast: Episode 763 appeared first on Best Gun Range NYC and NJ Area | Gun Range Near Me.