Worldwide youth organization founded by Sir George Williams 1844
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BIN news anchors Teri McCready and Kevin Brown join Hosts Ramses Ja and Q Ward on today's podcast to discuss the major news stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The wait is over—Highland Park Scots football is back! On the eve of the season opener at Highlander Stadium, captains Stuart Allday, Cannon Bozman, Thomas Cook, and Beau Jones join Martha in the Bubble Lounge to give fans an insider's look at the heart and hustle behind this year's team.From bouncing back after last year's championship heartbreak to embracing this season's motto, “Built on Brotherhood,” the captains share how a bond forged since kindergarten fuels their drive to dominate the gridiron. You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories fans rarely get to witness—from surprise phone calls to their moms when named captains, to Coach Allen's legendary YMCA victory dance, to quirky pre-game rituals involving Jimmy John's and avocado toast.This episode is packed with energy, tradition, and pure Scots pride. The captains open up about what it means to play in front of a packed stadium with fired up fans, highlight teammates to watch this season, and explain why community support—especially through the upcoming Caniac Supper & Auction—is vital to the program's success.It's football season in Highland Park—download, share with friends, and get ready for Friday Night Lights!To learn more about the Highland Park Football auction click hereTo purchase tickets to Caniac supper, Beat Jesuit t-shirts & to check out the auction click here This episode is sponsored by: Cambridge Caregivers Kathy L Wall State Farm Agency | Mother Modern Plumbing | SA Oral Surgeons | Please show your support for the show by visiting our amazing sponsors.
A YMCA calls 911 on elderly Black woman after she refuses to give up chair in fitness class. A racist pulls up with an assault rifle and fires shots at Black residents. NFL insider claims the NFL conspired against Shedeur Sanders. Host: Sharon Reed (@SharonReedLive) Guest host: Wosny Lambre (@BigWos) *** SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE ☞ https://www.youtube.com/IndisputableTYT FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK ☞ https://www.facebook.com/IndisputableTYT TWITTER ☞ https://www.twitter.com/IndisputableTYT INSTAGRAM ☞ https://www.instagram.com/IndisputableTYT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oftentimes one interview leads to another, to another. As is the case with Alyssa. The CEO at the YMCA, Jeff Scott, oriented me in the direction of this sweet, smart, savvy mom and director of the incredible local resource, Larkin's Place. Listen as the Chicago suburb transplant talks about growing up in a home with a sister who has a disability, picking a career path in special education, becoming a medical mom, directing a local resource center for children with special needs, fetal surgery, making your expectations clear at the hospital, Spina Bifida, clubfeet and her two beloved children. I continue to be absolutely amazed by the strength parents have when it comes to their kiddos. Alyssa is a powerhouse of love and advocacy for Millie and the many others in need of resources and advocates.Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don't forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops! Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.
Nonprofit leadership is about balancing mission, people, and authenticity. In this inspiring episode of IMPACTability®, Frank Bartoli, founder and CEO of PA Inclusive, shares his journey from father and advocate to leader of a thriving nonprofit. Frank opens up about the challenges of staffing shortages, the shifting culture of volunteerism, and why authenticity is the most important leadership trait. He also reveals the surprising success of Coffee Inclusive—a social enterprise employing people with disabilities that has become a model for community engagement. From organizational design and Board responsibilities to evolving fundraising strategies, Frank offers invaluable insight for nonprofit leaders, staff, and Board members alike. Whether you're facing staffing struggles, engaging volunteers, or seeking new ways to stay mission-driven, this episode is packed with lessons for leading with heart and strategy. Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube, https://youtu.be/nfWMofU-nwI Standout Quotes “It's harder to recruit engaged volunteers. The culture of people is really changing.” — on today's biggest nonprofit challenge (18:36) “Nonprofit CEOs need to be very well versed in organizational design.” — on what leaders must master to succeed (29:27) “Authenticity is key to our success.” — on the most important leadership trait (39:51) Chapters & Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & Frank's Journey to Nonprofit Leadership 04:32 – Inclusion in Action: Understanding IDD Services 10:09 – What Inspires the Work: Lessons from Family & Community 14:09 – The Realities of Nonprofit Leadership 18:36 – Staffing Shortages & Volunteer Engagement Challenges 25:29 – Coffee Inclusive: A Nonprofit Success Story 29:27 – Essential Advice for Nonprofit CEOs & Boards 36:16 – Fundraising Trends & the Power of Authenticity 41:21 – Boundaries, Training, and Final Takeaways Guest Bio Frank Bartoli is the founder and CEO of PA Inclusive and Coffee Inclusive, organizations dedicated to building inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities. With more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership—including roles with The Arc, the YMCA, and multiple Boards—Frank has consistently championed innovation and community engagement. Inspired by his daughter Ellie, who has Down Syndrome, Frank created PA Inclusive to ensure that people with disabilities can live and work in truly inclusive communities. Under his leadership, Coffee Inclusive has become a successful social enterprise, training and employing people with disabilities while reshaping perceptions in the community. Frank has also served on the Governor's Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities and continues to advocate nationally for authentic leadership and inclusion. His journey offers nonprofit leaders practical lessons on staffing, fundraising, Board engagement, and the power of authenticity in driving real change. Resource Mentioned Asking (book) by Jerold Panas:
Jonny Reinhardt talks with some of the folks from YMCA of Greater Michiana about some of their child care and development programs in the area. Got Something to Say? is brought to you by United Federal Credit Union - We Get U! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Melanie is a Data Systems Archival Analyst, a birth doula, a post partum doula, & an infant care specialist. Needless to day, she is a busy woman with a hectic schedule. She excels at being available to people during critical & pivotal times on their lives. This is her story.
Today's show is sponsored by: Delta Rescue Delta Rescue is one the largest no-kill animal sanctuaries. Leo Grillo is on a mission to help all abandoned, malnourished, hurt or suffering animals. He relies solely on contributions from people like you and me. If you want to help Leo to continue his mission of running one of the best care-for-life animal sanctuaries in the country please visit Delta Rescue at: https://deltarescue.org/ Masa Chips You're probably watching the Sean Spicer Show right now and thinking “hmm, I wish I had something healthy and satisfying to snack on…” Well Masa Chips are exactly what you are looking for. Big corporations use cheap nasty seed oils that can cause inflammation and health issues. Masa cut out all the bad stuff and created a tortilla chip with just 3 ingredients: organic nixtamalized corn, sea salt, and 100 percent grass-fed beef tallow. Snacking on MASA chips feels different—you feel satisfied, light, and energetic, with no crash, bloat, or sluggishness. So head to https://MASAChips.com/SEAN to get 25% off your first order. It was another epic week in Washington D.C. President Trump is out with the National Guard as our nation's capital has the lowest crime since the started keeping track. The White House was bumping YMCA as liberal media hacks were outside reporting false narratives, per usual. Today, Dr. Peter McCullough of the Wellness Company gives us a full MAHA breakdown. RFK Jr. has a hefty task ahead of him as he roots out corruption within our government institutions and goes up against financial giants in big pharma and big food. COVID vaccines are leaving very dangerous spike proteins years after the initial vaccine, causing deadly side effects. The very same spike proteins that were created in the Wuhan Lab of Virology. The Wellness Company has products to battle spike proteins to help people test at levels that are not a risk to their health. Dr. McCullough has the 3 part recipe for living a healthy lifestyle in this modern age as MAHA does an overhaul on the institutions we should be able to trust. Featuring: Dr. Peter McCullough Chief Scientific Officer | The Wellness Company https://www.twc.health/ Check out the amazing products from The Wellness Company here: https://www.twc.health/ FREE CONTENT FRIDAY
In this episode of The Everyday Ironman Podcast, Jenna Russell drops by to catch us up on a whirlwind 18 months of life changes. From an unexpected surgery that forced her to defer Muncie 70.3 in 2023, to celebrating her husband Tyler's MBA graduation, Jenna has navigated plenty of transitions. She shares highlights from their dream trip to Ireland, moving into a new home complete with an in-law suite, and the biggest news of all—welcoming their third son, Ethan, just three months ago.Now, Jenna is eager to settle back into a “normal” training routine, thanks in part to the childcare offered at her local YMCA. Of course, Mike tries his best to negotiate a babysitting arrangement with Tyler's mom so they can train together. This is a fun, heartfelt catch-up with one of our favorite Age Group Athletes.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
In today's news: Schools around Southwest Michigan are anxiously awaiting news on the next state budget as lawmakers in Lansing continue negotiations. The city of South Haven is granting some more time to a developer planning to construct some housing and commercial space downtown. Four businesses in Southwest Michigan are helping residents in their area have access to healthier foods thanks to a partnership between the YMCA of Greater Michiana and Be Healthy Berrien. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When life and business feel messy, do you wait for the perfect conditions or push through? In this episode, I'm sharing the behind-the-scenes reality of "making it work" this summer like taking meetings from a YMCA bench and even recording this episode from my car. We'll talk about why shifting from perfection to progress is so hard for creatives, how embracing scrappy seasons can actually fuel resilience and momentum, and practical ways to move forward when conditions are far from perfect.If you've ever struggled with waiting for the “right” time, place, or setup before creating, this episode will encourage you to show up as you are...because done is better than perfect, and your work matters and is worth fighting for.
In this episode of Lowdown at the Lodge, we shine a spotlight on the YMCA's LiveStrong program—an evidence-based program designed to help cancer survivors reclaim their health and strength. Hear a firsthand story from Priscilla, a participant, about her journey of resilience, the power of community, and the role LiveStrong played in her recovery. We'll also talk with Y staff about how this program goes beyond fitness to restore hope, connection, and confidence.
Roderick Sewell is a swimmer who represented Team USA on three national teams. In 2019, he became the first bilateral above-the-knee amputee to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. The YMCA was critical to his early development and now Roderick is a mentor and swim coach. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Alabama and is the author of a new book entitled Iron Will.
Finally at their destination, it's time for the girls to relax, kick back, and go on a couple of field trips! Or... all hell could break loose.Cast: Collateral – MaddieBinary – DotEris – ShannonJet - CydContinuity Editor- DotEditor/Producer- CydGamemaster/Executive Producer – EricIntro Music by SynthezxOutro Music by Austin MillerBackground Music by Machinima Sound
What's the secret to getting a job in Marketing? Should you really take your graduation years out of your LinkedIn info? Why was Jay running the security desk at the YMCA at only 14? Daniel and Jay break down their job search tips and promotion tricks. From tailoring your resume to building your personal brand, a lot goes into your career moves. The truth? The best time to look for a job is while you still have one. Plus, Jay has a take: you don't need to stay somewhere for a year before looking elsewhere. And, Daniel mentions you should take every interview, even if you don't want the job…you'll never know what'll happen until you give it a chance. This short ‘n sweet Bathroom Break is for job hunters, people aiming for a promotion, or if you're just thinking about your next move.
Grab a beer and join us tonight as we start our series on Mark David Chapman. Part 1 tracks Mark from a 1955 birth in Fort Worth through a tense home, rocking tics, and the “Little People” fantasy, into a teen slide—drugs, skipping school, a short runaway to Miami—followed by a 1971 born-again turn. We cover his YMCA work (the kids called him “Nemo”), his relationship with Jessica, Covenant College, cheating on his girlfriend and the guilt that sent him into depression, and a failed suicide attempt in Hawaii—where a passing fisherman woke him up. From there we follow the hospital stay, a steadier stretch, meeting and marrying Gloria Abe, and the jobs that didn't stick. By 1980, the debt is paid off but the mood swings get worse. Catcher in the Rye moves to the center, the Little People come back, and his anger at John Lennon grows—burned records, “bigger than Jesus,” and calling out “phonies.” We end with October 1980: the gun purchase, the “John Lennon” signature crossed out on his resignation, and flying to New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
durée : 00:03:18 - Charline explose les faits - par : Charline Vanhoenacker - Après avoir explosé Trump et Musk deux fois de suite, je vais rééquilibrer au nom du pluralisme, et offrir aux pro-Trump une chanson qu'ils pourront chanter avec nous, tous en choeur ! … Frédéric Fromet ? C'était quoi le tube à la même époque que YMCA ? Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.
Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about a weird vibe to start the day, Chuck’s YMCA cop, Hooters opens in The Villages, French bulldog returned home after owner paid ransom, golf carts taking over suburbs, Uber driver fought off carjackers, kid’s warning prevented train derailment, boat with too many people on board capsized, panic on flight when lost pressure, teen driver flees police on mini bike, ATM gave out wrong bills, pepper sprayed during hippo mom gave its kid a mom look, getting colder as you get older, former NBA player’s wife bitten by shark, Cubs catcher returns from injury and gets injured again, naming rights for Olympic arenas, restaurant in Milwaukee giving free burgers for Brewers win streak, Priscilla Presley’s former assistant facing allegations, Pete Davidson talks about BDE attention, Dora The Explorer turns 25, Dave’s pen, another pervy priest had years long relationship with stripper, video recording devices found in church porta potty, man busted taping other men nude changing, man contaminated female co-worker’s drink with gorilla glue, drunk pilot caught on camera, private nap rooms at airports, update on guy who was blaring train noises, man reported GF beat him and repeatedly called 911, Ask Dave & Chuck The Freak, creepy uncle, BF won’t wipe butt, skipping mom’s 4th wedding, GF yells a lot, OnlyFans model charged for not reporting income and tax fraud, and more! This episode of Dave & Chuck is brought to you in part by Profluent http://bit.ly/4fhEq5l
Send us a textGregg Rocheford became a personal friend as we met through our show! Gregg worked as a geologist, an IT professional, and has climbed Devils Tower, jumped out of a plane (twice), and slept in a snow cave!In 2021, Gregg heard that an approach called “intermittent fasting” was effective for losing weight. As a chair bound IT professional, Gregg developed a soft muffin top around his waistline.In August 2021, Gregg fasted for 206 hours in three weeks and started a physical Therapy program for past shoulder injuries. He began to notice big changes, and even his wife was impressed with the changes she had noticed in such a short time. He then began eating a low carbohydrate, meat-based diet which produced even more results.After retiring at 62, in 2022, Gregg purchased a college biology textbook at his local Goodwill. What followed is a continuing and amazing journey of body and mind. Gregg joined a local YMCA when he turned 65 in 2024 and has added enough muscle mass that he gets regular compliments from many who guess that he is much younger than 65. Recently, he began a part-time job at the YMCA as a Health and Wellness Coach!Find Gregg at-FB- @Gregg RochefordAnd stay tuned!Find Boundless Body at- myboundlessbody.com Book a session with us here!
Republicans on the Indianapolis City-County Council have chosen new leadership. A new partnership between Eli Lilly, the Indiana Fever and the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis aims to get more girls into basketball. Indiana Democrats say pressure from the Trump administration to redraw districts is “congressional shoplifting.” A recent Senate report raises concerns about growing relationships between telehealth companies and drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Drew Daudelin, Zach Bundy and Abriana Herron, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.
This week we're wrapping up summer with a mix of beach vibes, local hangs, and a few San Diego updates you don't want to miss. We kick things off with a weekend recap—Pelly's, talking about camping plans, an end-of-summer beach party, Moneyline in Encinitas, and more.Our New, To Do, and Adieu segment brings:NEW: Coinhaus drops a fresh new beer
This week we talk about the future of RTS, whether or not Game Pass is good enough for Microsoft's Xbox moving forward, whether or not we can cook up the next great reality tv show, and more!
Jonny talks with Morissa from the YMCA of Greater Michiana talks about Youth Soccer Leagues starting this Fall. Got Something to Say? is brought to you by United Federal Credit Union - We Get U! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset we get to experience a story of a man who demonstrates what real unstopability is really all about. I hope you will be inspired and that you will learn some good life lessons from what you will hear. Our guest, Kijuan Amey grew up around Durham North Carolina. After completing high school, rather than going to college, circumstances brought him to an Airforce recruiter. He scored quite high on his tests which resulted in his recruiter showing him a list of jobs including working as an in-flight refueling expert. The job was demanding, and it requires significant intelligence. After pondering and speaking with the recruiter Kijuan signed up for the job and spent the next 6 and a half years refueling aircraft in flight. In May of 2017 Kijuan was struck by a motorcycle and suffered a significant number of major injuries. Of course, his career as a refueling expert ended. He actually spent the next 3 and a half years healing and eventually deciding to move on with his life. Kijuan describes himself as someone who always likes getting answers and moving forward. This he did as you will discover. You will hear the story of Kijuan Amey in detail. Today he teaches and he is a coach. He also wrote and published a book. What I haven't told you to this point is that one of the things that happened to Kijuan as a result of his injuries is that he lost his eyesight. As he will tell you, however, “I may have lost my sight, but I have not lost my vision”. Kijuan today is a keynote speaker talking to many audiences and helping people to discover how they can move forward with their lives no matter what befalls them. About the Guest: Kijuan Amey, the visionary behind Amey Motivation, hails from Durham, NC, where his journey of resilience and success began. After graduating from Southern High School, he dedicated a decade of his life to the US Air Force, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant as an In-flight Refueling Specialist. Medically retired, he transitioned into academia, earning a degree and founding Amey Motivation LLC. Formerly served as the vice president for the Carolina regional group of the Blinded Veterans Association, Kijuan is also a mentor and ambassador for the Air Force Wounded Warriors program. Beyond his remarkable military career, Kijuan is a man of many talents, boasting over 25 years of drumming expertise, onstage acting, and now, an upcoming bestseller, “Don't Focus on Why Me.” However, life took an unexpected turn on May 5th, 2017, when a motorcycle accident claimed his eyesight. Yet, as Kijuan profoundly states, “I may have lost my sight, but I did not lose my vision.” Now armed with an inspiring story of overcoming adversity, Kijuan has become a motivational force, empowering others to reach their highest potential. Whether addressing a crowd of 1,500 or engaging in one-on-one sessions, Kijuan is well-equipped for any speaking engagement. He's not just a speaker; he's a catalyst for transformation, ready for the task ahead! Contact him at (919) 641-8150 | kijuan@ameymotivation.com | AmeyMotivation.com Ways to connect with Kijuan: Website: ameymotivation.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kijuan-amey-783889121?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/167F8mGMfR/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kijuanamey?igsh=NmZtNHRqbW1meWNy&utm_source=qr About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Hi, everyone. I am Michael hingson, and you are listening and or watching our podcast. Unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. And for those who may not really understand all of that, we start with inclusion, because if you talk to diversity people, they typically leave out any discussion of disabilities, and today, especially, that gets to be important, because our guest Kijuan, Amey, is blind, and I, of course, as many of you probably know also, am blind, and so we're going to talk about blind, and who knows what else we'll we'll get into all sorts of adventures. There's another thing that Kijuan and I have in common, and he doesn't even really probably know about it, and that is that in my book thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at Ground Zero, there's a section called guide dog wisdom. And in the section of guide dog wisdom, number two, the main point of that one is, don't let your sight get in the way of your vision. And that was published in Thunder dog anyway, we'll talk about whatever comes along. But Kijuan, I want to welcome you to doing a stoppable mindset, and thanks for being here. We're glad to have you, Kijuan Amey ** 02:42 Michael, I truly appreciate you allowing me to come on your platform and share my story. Michael Hingson ** 02:47 Well, no allowance necessary. It is all all about people conversing and telling their stories and why they do what they do, and showing that they're unstoppable, so that we can show everybody else that they're unstoppable as well, or really ought to consider themselves more unstoppable than they think. But anyway, we're glad you're here, and looking forward to having a great conversation with you. Why don't we start by you going back and telling us kind of about the the early years of Kijuan, the early years of Yeah. Let's start with the beginning. You know, you know, like they, they always say you gotta start at the beginning somewhere. So might as well start at the beginning. Kijuan Amey ** 03:29 Yeah. So back in the 90s, born in Durham, North Carolina, where I was, of course, raised there as well. I don't live too far from there. Now, honestly, I'm only maybe 2530 minutes from there, so I still consider myself right here in it. Michael Hingson ** 03:48 And of course, having grown up in Durham, you must be a major basketball fan of some sort. Kijuan Amey ** 03:55 What? Why would you say that there's no basketball around here? What Michael Hingson ** 03:58 are you talking about? Yes, 25 miles away from you. Yeah, I am definitely a, a Kijuan Amey ** 04:04 true Understander of the rivalry UNC versus Duke. Okay, oh gosh, and and then I might be from Durham, but I'm actually a UNC fan. Michael Hingson ** 04:16 I was in Carolina once and Northern Carolina, North Carolina in Durham, several years ago to do a speech. And we came in on a Thursday night, and I got to the hotel was pretty tired, but I thought I would unpack and watch TV. And at the time, there was a show on CBS called without a trace. I kind of like the show, so I turned it on, and at eight o'clock, when without a trace was supposed to come on, there was suddenly an announcement that says that without a trace will not be seen tonight, because we're going to be presenting live the basketball game between North Carolina State and University of. North Carolina to see which one is going to go to the chip college championships. And so if you want to watch without a trace, you can watch it Sunday morning at two in the morning. I wasn't going to do that, but anyway. But anyway. So yeah, the basketball. It runneth hot there, obviously, Kijuan Amey ** 05:22 yeah, so it's pretty interesting. There is a meme for those who understands what that is, but it's a depiction. There's North Carolina State, Duke and UNC, all standing on top of a mountain, all of the mascots, and North Carolina State says, I'm going to do this one for my team, and they jump off the mountain. And then UNC says, and I'm going to do this one for my team, and then they kick Duke off the mountain. Michael Hingson ** 05:59 Listen, I'm telling you, man, it is serious around I know it is really serious. It's so serious. So, yeah, Kijuan Amey ** 06:05 no, I grew up in a UNC household, um, grandmother, mother, I mean, dad, hey, listen, if you they even worked at Duke and still were UNC fans. It's just the way it was, you know, and it's hard to when you grew up in it was hard to go against, you know, Unc, when they have such a amazing teams with Michael Jordan, Antoine Jameson, all these guys that came through there, you just like, gosh, these guys were really great. And so it's just one of those things. But, you know, kind of growing up with that lifestyle, you had the two games during the season, and you you hope they met in the in the in the ACC tournament, right? Because you wanted to see if there could be a clean sweep, well. And so this past year, Duke got to sleep. They rightfully, rightfully so, because their star player is going to be drafted number one this year. So they rightfully got it Michael Hingson ** 07:12 another year. I was in brether County, Kentucky to do a speech, and it was the day of the NCAA championship. So one of the two teams was the what Wildcats of Kentucky, and I forget who the other one was, but I was to do a speech that started at 6pm and I was told it was at a high school. And I was told this speech has to end absolutely latest, at 6:30pm because by 631 the gym will be completely closed and and everyone will be gone because everyone wants to go home and see the Wildcats. Well, I did the speech. I ended it at 630 and everyone was gone. By 631 they were flooding out. Boy, I couldn't believe how fast they all got out. I'm Kijuan Amey ** 08:09 telling you. Man, those, what we call them is blue, blue bloods, yeah, and these are the big, the biggest, you know, college teams that that impact that sport. So for basketball, of course, you got your UNC, your Duke, your Kentucky, your Kansas, those types of teams, you know. And football we already know is kind of shifting a little bit, but hey, it's just the way it is with all this nio money now. So yeah, and that's kind of what's going on nowadays. You got to have some money. And the difference between UNC and Duke, one's a private school and one's public. There you go. Well, so tell us. So tell us more about you. Yes. So me, besides me being a Tar Heel fan, I personally, you know, went after high school, graduated from Southern High School here in Durham, and then went on to the United States Air Force. I actually was going to consider going to North Carolina State, but it was not to become a fan. It was because they had one of the better engineering programs in the state, and better than UNC, huh? UNC doesn't really offer engineering. They offer computer science. And I didn't want that. And the computer science is kind of boring to me, yeah? And I mean, I'm just being honest, yeah, that's okay. And so I wanted to do either software or computer engineering, and the two best schools in the state were North Carolina State University and North Carolina agriculture and Technical State University, which we shortened for North Carolina A and T. So those two schools are the best here in North Carolina, which actually get a lot of great funding for engineering. Yeah, by the way. So yeah, that was what I was planning on doing, but there were admission hiccups. And so I said, you guys can have your admission hiccups. I already can't afford you. Anyway, I'm gonna take a different route. And so I have a really heavy or, shall I say my family has a really heavy background in the military, and mostly navy. Jeez, maybe seven, I think maybe six or seven Navy members, and then one army, one Marine, one went from the Navy to the Coast Guard. And then you have me, who kicked off the Air Force journey, and then my youngest brother is now carrying that torch, so he's out there in Italy. Man, I'm a little jealous about it. It's okay. I never got to see Italy. It's all right. It's all right. But anyway, I went into the Air Force and became an in flight refueling specialist. So what does that mean? Exactly, yeah, yeah. That's what I was getting into. I can't just say it without not telling so what that means is, I do refill aircraft, but I do it in the sky. It's basically like airplanes pulling up to a flying gas station, Michael Hingson ** 11:28 which can be very tricky, tricky. Kijuan Amey ** 11:30 That's a That's an understatement of the year. It's dangerous the first so when I was going through school, the first warning that they had in the book says flying two planes in close proximity is inherently dangerous. You think there's no way that's possible. No couldn't be Who are they telling this to? Like, man, it's almost like a five year or five year old needed to read that or something. So I'm just like, okay, the way to scare me. Appreciate it. And anywho I did that job for on paper, 10 years, three months and 17 days. That's how long the military counted. I Yeah, say, six and a half Michael Hingson ** 12:22 years now. Why did you decide to do that, to go into the military? No to to become an in flight? Oh, Kijuan Amey ** 12:31 that's because, well, first, yeah, yeah, you're right. That's a good question, because I had no clue that even existed. Didn't even know until my recruiter showed me, because I scored so high on the ASVAB, he said, I gotta show you something. And I was like, Okay, what is it? And so, you know, when you're going into the military, you're kind of skeptical about them trying to sell you a dream. And you know, so I'm like, and again, I have plenty of military families, so they're all telling me about this. They're like, don't let them sell you no dream. Make sure you pick a job before you go to basic training, because you don't want to go in open general and all this stuff. I said, okay, cool. Well, when he shows me that video, I start giggling. I said, Okay, all right. And he's like, what? I'm like, yeah, that's pretty cool. But what's the actual job you're going to show me? And he's like, this is the job as it that looks like a video game, man. He's like, he was like, I know it's crazy, but you qualify for it Michael Hingson ** 13:40 now. What, what, what characteristic did you have, or what was the scoring on the test that made you qualify for that? Kijuan Amey ** 13:49 I don't know what the exact cutoff is, but I score an 87 on my ASVAB out of 100 so that's that's high. Um, you needed a 50 to get into the Air Force. And I scored the 87 and he was so happy and elated. He called me as soon as he got my score. Not like, waited a day or two, no, he called me as soon as he saw the opening of the email. And he was like, When can you come in? That's all he said to me. He didn't say nothing else on the phone. And I was like, um, I could be there tomorrow. He was like, I'll be here. I said, okay, but anyway, that's literally how excited he was. He didn't even tell me why until I got there, so I had no clue, until the day I arrived in his office, and he was, he pulled out this stack of papers that he had stapled together, which was a was jobs, listing of jobs. And it was like eight pages, front and back, listings. And I'm like, Okay, what is this? And then I get close to it, I read. And I'm like, Oh, these are jobs. He's like, Yeah. He's like, go ahead. You flip through him, if you like. And I'm flipping through he's already started highlighting some and I knew there was something I wasn't gonna do. I mean, there was one of them that wasn't highlighted that I thought I wanted to do, which I'm glad I didn't, because I told it basically been me working on, like, Humvees and trucks and stuff. And he was like, You are way too smart for that. I said, okay, but that's what I know. That's what I just came out of high school doing, you know, because I went to a high school that had vocational trades and stuff. So I loved cars, I still do, and worked on mine until, literally, I couldn't see anymore, and so, you know, slowly becoming a lost trait. But hey, somebody's got to do it anyway. Yeah, that's how I got into that job. He showed it to me on a computer screen, and I was like, What the heck he's like, I've never, I said I'd never seen this before. He's like, you're not gonna see it as a civilian, because only the military does. Michael Hingson ** 16:09 So why is it the military essentially said you did it six and a half years and you said you did it as 10. Kijuan Amey ** 16:14 No, opposite. I said I did it six and a half. Oh, okay, rather, okay, 10, right? Because that was the day they retired me, the six and a half is the day I had my injury, and I never showed back up to work. Basically, what was your injury? My injury was a motorcycle accident where a car pulled out in front of okay, yeah, yeah. Sustained my eyes, my eyesight loss, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, spinal cord injury, broken, both legs, everything. What do you want to know? The only thing that didn't get, I guess you say, didn't have a surgery on was my arms Michael Hingson ** 16:55 got it, but they, but they kept you in essentially, well, you were, you were in the military, so you stayed in while you were healing, or what? Kijuan Amey ** 17:06 Yeah, so it, what happened was the reason it took so long, nobody really knew what to do with me and I, and I'll get you to why, or an understanding of why. So I did four years active, but now, at the time of my accident, I'm a reservist. I'm not active duty anymore. So fortunately for me, I was on an active duty, or in an active status, is what we call it, in the reserves, because I was in a travel status that day of my accident because I had to work that weekend, and on the day, which was May 5, 2017 that was my travel day. Okay, thankfully, because had it been may 4, 2017 I wouldn't have any of this, literally just one day. Wow. And so they were trying to figure out how to process me. They didn't know what to keep me, to let me go, to drop me off a cliff, like they didn't know what to do. And so as we were trying to file every piece of paper known to the what do you call it? DOD, Department of Defense. We had no clue what to do. Medical didn't know what to do. My leadership didn't know what to do. I definitely didn't know what to do. I mean, I never dealt with an injury, you know, or seen anybody deal with an injury, especially as substantial as mine. Yeah, of course, you were in the hospital. Well, even after getting out of hospital, you know, we were still dealing with this the whole entire time until I got retired, you know, up until the point where they eventually put me, it's kind of like they were trying to out process me with an honorable discharge, but they saw that he has an injury, so we need to get him some, you know, stuff done, and then he put me on a casualty report, and which means, you know, I was very badly injured. That's basically all that means. And that put me on a another piece of or or track, shall I say, which got me connected to a headquarters in Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, which is the Air Force Wounded Warriors Program. Now, when they saw my name pop up on the casualty report, they called me, and I'll never forget Connie Sanchez's voice, because I was like, What the heck is this? But she said, Hi, I'm Connie Sanchez calling from the Air Force winter Warriors Program, and I was trying to reach a key one Amy. And I'm like, You're who from where, because I had never heard of a program. Mm, hmm. So are you trying to in today's society, the scams that go on, you know? Yeah, I don't know what's going on. Who you? Who are you from? Where I'm I've been been in the Air Force for a while now. I've never heard of an Air Force. When the Warriors program, what are we talking about here, you know? And so she's doing her best to explain it to me and keep me from from being skeptical, as she says, I saw you pop up on a casualty report list, and we help airmen who have been wounded, ill or injured, you know, and and I said, Okay, well, what do you what are we we talking about? Like, what are mean you supposed to be talking about? She's like, Oh, I'm gonna help you get medically retired. I say, you gonna help me who? These are the words I've been looking for. You know, you gonna help me do what? Oh, I'm gonna help you get medically retired. I said, Where have you been for the last three years? And so anyway, that's how that whole thing got started. The ball started getting rolled to get Michael Hingson ** 21:14 rolling so you were injured in 2017 Yeah. What was your attitude like after the injury? How? How did you move forward, or what? What were you thinking? Was it? Were you? Were you just totally devastated? Did you think you're going to just off yourself, or what? Kijuan Amey ** 21:38 Well, let me preface by saying this, I told you I had a traumatic brain injury. The damage to my brain is most severe in the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe houses a lot of emotions, and so yes, there was devastation, yes, there was sadness. Yes, there was, well, what am I going to do now? Yes, there was anxiety, there was anything you can think of anger because of the guy who hit me or pulled out in front of me. Shall I say? You know, there was so much that was going on at one time, because, you know, I'm stuck in the hospital for, oh, by the way, I was at UNC hospital. Okay, so that's pretty cool. Uh, that I'm a Tar Heel Fanning and I got, you know, Life Flight of the UNC hospital. But back to what I was saying, there's so much that was going on that one time, because I'm stuck at a hospital for two months now, granted, the first month I know nothing about. I was in a medically induced coma for the first month, so from May 5 until June the sixth. Don't ask me any question. You know what? I mean, I literally know nothing, because that's when I came to I came out of my medically induced coma, and so I'm just trying to figure out where I am. I cannot see already, like my vision was already gone. This is not a gradual loss, as some might think or might be wondering. I could not talk at the time because my jaw had been broken, so they wired it shut to keep me from damaging it any further then I didn't realize it yet, but I also could not smell, and the reason I didn't realize it is because I could breathe just fine. The only time I noticed I couldn't smell is when some is when somebody said, Man, you smell that? It smelled good? No, no, I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about. What What smells good, you know? Or if I you know, yeah, something smell bad. I don't smell it. What are you talking about? And so anywho, um, all of these different things are going through my mind, and even after I was told what happened to me, because I, of course, don't remember. I have no recollection of the accident. So after they told me what happened now, I am sitting there with these thoughts in my head for basically, I don't know, 12 hours because I stopped talking or communicating with anyone after that, and I just wanted to be alone. Because, as the saying goes, I just got hit with a ton of bricks. Yeah, you know, so I'm literally going through all the emotions, the sadness, the net, the potential, thought of never being able to see again, never being able to fly again, refill again, see my, my girlfriend, see my, my nieces, nephews, a family, uncle, anything possible. My, I don't even have kids. I never get to see them, you know. So it's. It was one of those things. And I, I mean, I took a lot of pride in the things that I saw, because it was things that a lot of people would never see. And this is also why, you know, on some of my social media, when I did do air refuelings and things of that nature, or or went to really nice locations, or even some that weren't so nice. I would take pictures and post it, because some people will never get to see this. Yeah, so I want you to live vicariously if you want to say it through me, they're like, man, that's cool. That video, that was awesome. You you did the other day. Hey, I appreciate it, man. Hey, it's my job, you know? It's just what it is. It's all part of the Michael Hingson ** 25:49 game, you know. And all that was taken away Kijuan Amey ** 25:53 Exactly. And so when I tell you I used to have and I wouldn't even be sleep, I would be daydreaming, and could see so vividly, like airplanes that I used to refuel, like the F 22 Raptor, the C 17, you know, it's it's things like that. The views I used to have looking down at the ocean from 20,000 feet in the air, looking down at the coastline, flying over the North Carolina and Virginia border, where you can see literally go from land to water to land, because there is a tunnel that goes underneath the water for ships to pass over, I could literally see that stuff from the air and to now go from not seeing that ever again, the thoughts that you sit with were just like beating me up alive. And so I finally had to come out of crazy mode, because that's what it makes you do. It makes you go crazy when you do think about all these thoughts. I had to come out of that mode, because if I didn't, I probably would have really went crazy. And I finally started asking all the questions to get answers, instead of trying to formulate my own questions that I had no answers to. And so that is what you know, got me the information and how the accident happened, where I was, where I was coming from. I do remember the day that I had before that, like not not may 4, but like what I was doing before I had the accident. I do remember all of that, but the thing is, when it came up to the accident, I don't know nothing about it, it's like it completely erased that entire moment. And that's a protective mode that your neurological system does for your brain. So it's so, it's so. It's so empowering that your your mind, can do something like that. But it's also a benefit, because I would never, I do not want to relive that dream or that nightmare, shall I say, over and over. Right? Michael Hingson ** 28:22 But you made the choice to move on, to get out of the crazy mode. What? What caused you to do that? Just you decided enough was enough, and it's time to move on, or what? Kijuan Amey ** 28:39 No, I'm a man of answers. I need answers so. So when I think the military kind of did that to me too, but I've always been that guy who asked questions to you, even when I was younger, I was at, man, will you just sit down and we'll get to it, you know? So the military made it worse, because I became an instructor, and as an instructor, you tend to ask questions, so you can see what the person is thinking, how they're thinking, you know, making sure they're processing the information correctly. And so I am now doing that to everybody. I've put my instructor hat back on, and I'm going to asking questions that I need to know the answers Michael Hingson ** 29:21 to so, how long after the accident, did you start doing this? Kijuan Amey ** 29:25 Oh, no, this was a Maybe the day after I woke up from my medically induced coma. Okay, so, so the day I was informed of the accident, which was June the sixth, when I woke up out of my medically induced coma because I hate the panic button, basically not being a receipt or talk, you know what I mean? So, so I needed to figure something out, and that's when I asked the question, Well, what happened to me? Or what is the question I asked was, What? What is this motorcycle accident dream you guys are talking about? Because somebody, it was just people in my room talking, right? And they were like, Oh no, that's not a dream. That's what happened to you. And that was when I went into that shutdown period. And how long were you in that period? That was, that was the like, 12 to 16 hours or so that I didn't talk okay? And so the next day, June the seventh, is when I was like, hey, hey, I need to find something now. And that's what happened to me. What really happened? Michael Hingson ** 30:30 So when that occurred? So now, on the seventh of June, did you just basically decide fairly quickly you got to move beyond from this, or did? Was it devastating for a while? Kijuan Amey ** 30:44 Yeah, no, that's when the devastation and stuff really kicked in, because it made me say, What the heck, man, like, you know, somebody did this to me, you know, and I can't get back, none of that stuff. Yeah, that was taken away from me. I have all these different parts inside of me. I got metal plates in my head, screw rods and screws in my back, rods in both legs, a screw in my foot, like I even have two different sized feet now. Michael Hingson ** 31:16 So how long was it before you started to decide you gotta go off and do something else with your life, and you're not gonna just let all of this rule you Kijuan Amey ** 31:28 let's see when, when did that kind of transfer that it took me a little while, because I had to get acclimated to the new right life, you know, at first. So I think that would be around maybe I know I went on my first plane ride as a visually impaired person in 2018 So December of 2018 I went to my first blind rehab center. Where was that? In Tucson, Arizona. Okay, okay. The one for the V The VA has a couple of them. I can't remember how many it is, but that was the one I went to, because that was the first one to accept. I didn't want to go to the one that was closest to me. I've been to Georgia. It's okay. I wanted to go somewhere I haven't been, you know what I mean? And not no no shot at Georgia. I just wanted to go somewhere different, you know, yeah, and so that's what I did. And at first I wanted to go to Mississippi, but they took way too long to respond. And so anywho, I'm trying to get this done today, not next year, you know. And so I went there from December of 2018 until February of 2019 okay, I'm a pretty fast learner, and everything, when you go to those to the VA blind rehab centers, is at your own pace. You're fully embedded like you know, you're there the whole time. You got a room, you got everything, so they fully submerge you into this program, and you leave when you're ready. And so it only took me, and it wasn't even a full two months, is but, but I say two months because December to February, but anyway, I learned what I needed to learn, and I got out of there. I even learned stuff that I didn't know I wanted to learn, like copper tooling, wood working, you know, what's the other one? What's the leather? What's when you do leather? Yeah, but yeah, I I've even done stuff with leather, and that's so cool. It's pretty cool to do that stuff, but, yeah, I did all of that stuff, man. It's amazing. And, you know, come back home to show everybody what I learned, and they're like, Wow, you're like, a whole nother person. I said, Well, you know, I did pick up few things. And so once I got that under my belt, you know, the ability to know how to navigate, I still was not, like, really stable, because I hadn't. I hadn't, I didn't start lifting weights, or, you know, doing any like physical training, training, like legitimate training, until right before the pandemic, I was going to the YMCA and swimming, because, as we know, swimming is a full body workout, and so I was hitting the lap pool with a recreational therapist. And so what, man, that was the worst when that pandemic hit in March of 2020, yeah, because, trust me, I'll never forget it. That was when everything was looking up for me. I was like, Oh, this is so amazing. I'm I'm getting stronger, you know? I'm able to move a little bit better, get more confident in my life. And then, bam, shut everything down. I said, What? We can't go out. Wait. Everything's closed. Oh, okay, it'll only be two weeks. Oh, okay, that's okay. I could wait for two weeks. That's not that bad, yeah, but it'll be another month. Well, you said three months, six months, okay, I don't like this. So yeah, that's when everything started to come down. But then it went back up in 2021 Michael Hingson ** 35:25 Yeah, later in 2021 it started to lift Kijuan Amey ** 35:28 Well, I mean, for me, for me in 2021 it was when I started actually working out by actually lifting weights again. Michael Hingson ** 35:38 Now, were you still in the military? Swimming? Were you still in the military at this time I Kijuan Amey ** 35:43 retired? Or was literally, uh, like, officially, medically retired, June 3, 2021, but again, I had not been to work since May. No, I understand 17, you know. So there's nothing that I'm doing at work. And when I did go down there, it was just kind of the just kind of a visit and hang out with those guys for the day. Michael Hingson ** 36:07 You mean, they wouldn't give you a long cane and let you go ahead and continue to refuel aircraft, because you could just find the the appropriate place with the cane. They Kijuan Amey ** 36:15 they would have had to switch it to the left hand, because I'm left handed, and they and they make you do that with the right hand, that refueling side, I'm way better with my left hand. Well, but hey, I would have gave it a shot, but, but Michael Hingson ** 36:29 you don't move, yeah, but you, but you, but you had to make along the way the decision that you were going to move forward, which is what it sounds like you, you were doing. And certainly by June of 2021, when you retired and and so on, you made the decision that you were going to do your best to continue to to advance and do something else with your world. Oh Kijuan Amey ** 37:00 yeah, yeah, no. I mean, the pandemic actually was a part of good and bad. I mean, yes, it made me upset because they kept pushing the timeline and stuff back. But October of 2020, that's when I started writing my book. So that was in the pandemic. I started writing my book. You know, I learned how to use a computer again in September. And then once I got that down pack, hey, I'm going to the next thing. What's the title of the book? Don't focus on why me. From motorcycle accident to miracle. Got it Okay, so that's the name of it. Yeah, that's the name of it. And, excuse me, like I said, I wrote the book, or started writing the book October 2020, but I wanted to publish it in May of 2021, because of the accident. You know, the accident was in May. I wanted to publish the book in May. Well, it didn't quite happen like that, because timelines get pushed back, because you got to get an editor, you got to get a book formatter, you got to get it covered. Oh, it was taking a long time. And so anywho, it got published in June of 2021, which is my entire retirement month. So I was okay with it. I retired and I published a book, a self published, by the way, a book in June of 2021, which is a big month for me, so I celebrate both good Michael Hingson ** 38:32 so you did that, yep. And were you? So you got retired in June. And when, what did you decide to do? Or when did you decide to find work? Kijuan Amey ** 38:47 Well, I don't, I don't really consider what I do work, and I'll tell you why, so as we will from what you're about to find out, I am the proud founder, and I call myself a chief motivational officer, not a CEO of Amey motivation. Now Amey motivation, I do keynote speaking motivationally based most of the time, and then I also am a trusted mentor and a resilience coach. So I don't feel like I'm working. I feel like I'm actually doing a service and giving back, right? I'm sorry, go ahead. No, I agree with you when I'm when I when I said a job, I kind of put it in air quotes, but anyway, I got you, but yeah, no, that's how I feel in my, you know, giving back. Because I almost feel like this is a type of ministry, a type of healing, a type of journey that not only benefits me, but benefits others. And it doesn't even feel like I'm working when I do this stuff. It just feels like I'm having a conversation. It feels like I'm building. It feels like I'm helping others, you know. And I. I couldn't even dare say that I feel like I'm working, and it's not even because I'm making good money. It's not because people are paying me, it's not because I travel to do this. It's because I really just don't feel like this is work, sure. Now, when I was in the military, that was work, you know, that felt like work. But this really does not. It's enjoyable, you know, and that's the beauty of it. And I love what I do. Michael Hingson ** 40:34 But when did you decide to start motivating people? Kijuan Amey ** 40:38 Well, that started back before the pandemic, too. And my first speech, like official, big speech, shall I say, anyway, was May of 2019, that's when I came out and told everybody, you know, kind of what, what happened to me, my story. Because, you know, everybody was hearing what happened to me on Facebook. I can't stand when I see a post of something bad happening to somebody on social media. Let me tell my story. And so that's what I did. And the title of that, that, uh, that speaking engagement, was, why not me? And everybody, I'm sure, was like, Wait, what the heck? Why is it called that? And I said, you're gonna have to come in to find out. You know, so anywho I told my story, and I do have a snippet of it on my website, Amy motivation.com Michael Hingson ** 41:33 and Amy is spelled, a, yeah, Kijuan Amey ** 41:36 A, M, E, y, right. So, you know, I did tell my story about just being the vulnerable side of what happened to me, how I feel, how I got through it, what I went through, what I was dealing with, you know, and man, when I tell you it was, you could literally hear a pin drop, and we were on carpet. Okay, so it was so quiet in there. Everybody was very attentive. It was a packed house, to say the least. There was not one empty seat, except for behind me, because, no, I didn't want anybody behind me. I wanted everybody to be out front. And so that was the only spot where there was an empty seat. I had people on the right side of me, people on the left side of me, people in front of me, everywhere. And so anywho you know, it was just an amazing speech and an amazing time, because a lot of people there, I knew some people I didn't, but a lot of people there I knew. And after they heard it and came up and talked to me after the speech, they were like, Man, I didn't even know you were going through that. I didn't even know this happened to you. I didn't even know that happened. I said, that's why I had to tell it, because what y'all are hearing on Facebook is partially true, and it's part of the story. It's not the whole story. Let me tell the whole story. So yeah, that's where all that started. I also did before that speech. I also did a couple of talks at high school, local high schools in Durham too. So my high school, Southern high school, my alma mater, another local high school called Jordan High School. So yeah, you know, just different things like that, Michael Hingson ** 43:31 but you still ultimately were the one that you made the choice to do it. You made the choice to move on, which is so cool, because I can think of any number of people who, if they had the same sorts of things happen to them that happened to you, would give up, and you clearly did not, Kijuan Amey ** 43:50 absolutely not. I think the hardest part for me is I can't sit down. Yeah, so, so me giving up is basically like me sitting down so and I can't do that. I'm like a person like the Energizer Bunny. As soon as you put a battery anywhere near me, I'm gone Michael Hingson ** 44:09 well, and it's so much more rewarding to do that, I know for me after the World Trade Center attacks and so on, and we started getting calls asking me to come and talk about September 11 and what people should learn. My wife and I decided that selling life and philosophy was a whole lot more fun and rewarding, which is really probably the biggest issue, rewarding psychologically, was much more rewarding than selling computer hardware and managing a computer hardware sales team, which is what I did. So, yeah, it became also a a path and something that was worth doing. And I agree it, it is. It isn't work, right? Not. Not in the same way, but that is also in part because we've chosen to structure it and make it work that way, that it's not work. Kijuan Amey ** 45:09 Yeah, yeah. You know what is. By the way, I love your story. I did hear it on another podcast that I listened to, who that I was interviewed by. And so the the so the day of the World Trade Center and the attacks, the plane that I used to fly on the KC 135 was actually the first plane to come check it out. That was the actually the first plane to come report what had happened, because it was one already airborne, nearby, and then when they look, they loop back around, and they were like, wait, the second one's on fire. Yeah. When did that happen? Like it was basically just like that. There was a Michael Hingson ** 45:52 Air Canada flight. We met, well, I didn't. My wife did. Met the pilot. We were out in San Francisco, and I was doing a presentation, and she told me about it after the speech, but she said she was coming down on the elevator, and there was a pilot from Air Canada, and they got to talking, and she explained why she was there and what what we were doing. And he said that his plane was the first passenger plane over the world trade center after things happened. And as she said, the FBI must be, have become one of your favorite friends, right, or one of your best friends? And he said, Yeah, they sure did. But Kijuan Amey ** 46:38 I don't want to get that knock, Michael Hingson ** 46:40 but it's but it is a choice, and yeah, for for us, the other part about it was that the media got the story, and I feel so blessed, ironically, given how everybody likes to abuse reporters in the Media, but I got so many requests for interviews, and clearly it made sense to do what we could to try to educate and help people move on from September 11, so we accepted the interview requests. And for me personally, what I really learned is something, well, I kind of rediscovered and it got reaffirmed, was that, in reality, talking about something that happens to you like that is the most important thing, because talking about it gives you the opportunity to think about it and move on. And I got asked so many different questions by reporters, some intelligent, some not some in the middle. But the bottom line is that by talking to literally hundreds and hundreds of reporters, that made me talk about it, which was a very good blessing by the time all was said and done, Kijuan Amey ** 47:54 right, right, instead of internalizing, yeah, no, listen, I also have to say, I'm glad you were in some shape, because what it was 78 floors, yeah, golly, hey, I don't want to hear you say 10, you know. But 78 floors, Michael Hingson ** 48:15 it was going down. So that's pretty good. As I tell people, I do understand, but as I tell people, the next week, for the next week I was starting, actually the next day, I was stiff as a board. The adrenaline ran out. And, oh, it's horrible. And, yeah, you know, my wife was in a wheelchair her whole life, and we were in a two story house we built so there was an elevator. And I swear, for the next week after September 11, I use that elevator a whole lot more than she did. Kijuan Amey ** 48:43 Ah, that's funny, Michael Hingson ** 48:46 but, but, you know, it was just kind of the way it was. But it is a choice, yes, and the bottom line is that we we move on you. You certainly had lots of things happen to you. You lost a lot of things. Did you ever get your sense of smell back? Or is it still gone? Kijuan Amey ** 49:01 No, no. It was damaged during the reconstructive surgery on my face where they had to input the two plates. Yeah. Okay, yeah. So that's where that came from. So now it happened, shall I say? So Michael Hingson ** 49:13 now getting back to something that we talked about at the very beginning, as you point out, you lost your site, but you didn't lose your vision. So tell me more about that, what that means to you, and why you say that. Because, as I said, that's something that that I've thought and talked about a lot. And of course, when thunder dog was written, we put that into thunder dog. And by the way, if you don't know it, Thunder dog and and all three of my books actually are on on Bard, so you can download them, or you can help a poor, starving author and go buy them, but, but, you know, Kijuan Amey ** 49:50 come on, I think you will off. Mr. Steve Harvey, No, I'm joking. But anywho. So, as I mentioned before. Four, you know, when I was talking about my business, I don't necessarily feel like I'm working. I feel like I'm helping and and what I mean, the reason I even preface that is because when I say I may have lost my sight, but I didn't lose my vision. Sight, to me, is the physical, the vision is the mental. And so my mental was helping others, and it's always been that way, whether it was me playing sports, I had to help in some way, because I played team sports. Now, did I play any individual? No, I played all team sports. I did bowling, I did football, the basketball and ran track. All of those are team sports. And so you can roll in singles, but at the same sense, some point you're going to be doing either doubles or three or four person teams. So most of the time I was doing teams and doubles. But anyway, I was always doing some kind of helping. I grew up with siblings. I had to help somebody. I, you know, I grew up with without much, so we had to help each other. Hey, you don't know how to cook. Let me show you. You don't know how to fix this in the microwave. Let me show you, you know. And so, um, when I got to the military, I had to help, you know, when I was became an instructor, I was helping teach the people who are coming in new and all these different times I'm helping people. And now I get to a point where, not only I have to help myself get back to where I can have some kind of normalcy of life, but what really is a normal life? You know what I mean? Yeah, I had to help others understand that if I can make it through this, you can make it through what you're dealing with as well, and be there to help you. Michael Hingson ** 51:57 How about going the other way? Though you needed help too, yeah, yeah. And were you advanced enough in your thinking at the time that you were perfectly willing to accept help as well? Kijuan Amey ** 52:12 Uh, no, I had my moments. Um, there. There's a chapter in my book I called, uh, it's called the depression set in, and that was when I was at one of my lower points, because not too long after depression, where the suicidal thoughts, the suicidal thoughts, luckily, didn't take me out and I never attempted, because I was able to think my way. I'm a very critical thinker, Problem Solver kind of guy, so I was able to think my way out of even having those thoughts again. And I said, Hey, man, this is not you. I don't know what it is, but it's not you. And so instead of me continuing to have those thoughts, I started asking people questions, what can I do? Because this is not like, it's not working, whatever life is not working for me, right? You know, and I'm a faith believer. So my grandmother, I was living with her at the time, and the first she's a faith believer as well. And the first thing she says is, you know, just pray. You know, just pray about it. I said, Grandma, we pray every day. Hear me clearly. I didn't say, some days we pray every day this obviously, and I'm not saying it's not working, but it needs something more. And so she was, well, I don't know what to tell you. And then eventually she goes in her room and thinks about it for a minute, and she said, Why don't you call your uncle? And I said, You know what? It's not a bad idea. And he, by the way, he's a senior pastor at his church, and so I said, that's not a bad idea. I didn't think to call my pastor because I didn't want to bother him. It's kind of one of those things you just felt like, I don't want him to think about that. I've had it on his mind, you know, stuff like that. And so I called my uncle, and I was telling telling him how I was feeling, and all I heard him say was, hold on key, I'm on the way. It was like eight o'clock at night, so for him to be like, Hey, I'm HOLD ON key, I'm on the way. That's what they call me Ki, my family. Some of them call me kiwi, but some call me Ki. But anyway, just as long as they don't call me late for dinner. And so I was like, Wait, he he's coming over here, you know? So I said, Okay. And I hung up the phone, and my grandma's like, Well, what did he say? I said, he said he's on the way. She's like, he went. I said, Exactly. That's what I said. And so she said, Oh Lord, well, let me put on some clothes. I said, let you put on some clothes. I need to put on some clothes. And. Yeah, and so anyway, we both get dressed somewhat. I wasn't, like, fully dressed. I just put on, like, some, you know, some basketball shorts, a shirt, yeah, you know, stuff like that. Because I'm thinking, we're just going to hang out at the house. He's going to talk to me. He's like, Hey, man, you want to throw on some pants and, you know, go out and put on some shoes. I said, Where we going? It's like, for a ride. I said, Okay, uh, yeah, uh, grandma, and she came back in there, she's like, Yeah, he's like, we're gonna go for a ride. Um, can you get my sweatpants from over this here? Because I knew where everything was in the room, and you know how it is, we know where everything is, where we put stuff. We know exactly where it is, right? And so I knew everything was get my sweat pants from this drawer and get my shirt from that drawer. And I said, No, it's the second drawer, not the third and stuff. So we I get dressed, we go for a ride, and he's talking. No, no, I'm talking first. He let me talk. He said, So key, tell me what's up. I said, I ran through the gambit of what I was going down with me, how I had the depressed thoughts, how I had some suicidal thoughts, but I had to bring myself back out of this, and I just could not figure out why this was coming over me like that. And he was like, Uh huh. And then, you know, I just stopped talking for a while. He said, You know what key I said, What's that? He said, I'm surprised it took you this long. I was like, What do you mean? He was like, Dude, I thought this would have happened to you a long time ago? He said, I've been waiting on this. And I said, that's crazy. Like I'm sitting there thinking, man, what the heck? You know? I'm thinking. People ain't thinking about me. Nobody's like, really, can't they see me smiling, laughing, giggling and all that stuff. So they're probably not even thinking about it, you know. But he was actually prepared. He's prepared for what I call the breakdown. And he said, Keith, I think the best thing you can do, and this is when we pulled over somewhere and start talking. He said, The best thing I think you can do with this situation is you're going to have to embrace and confront the issue. And I said, Can you explain that a little bit more? He's like, Yeah, yeah. He said, what it is, I think, is your the hope that we all have is for you to regain your eyesight. But the real realization is you don't have it right now. So I need you to live like you don't have it and hope that one day you'll get it. So don't keep dwelling on the hope part. Just live like you don't have it, and that way you'll keep moving forward versus thinking you're going to get it, because these thoughts are taking you down. Every day you wake up, every time you wake up from a nap, you think you're gonna open your eyes and see something that's gonna keep bringing you further and further down. I need you to embrace this thing and don't live in the denial phase of it happening. And that was when I started to come out like that was when I really started to gain some strength and a stronger mindset. Very wise words, oh, yeah, no, these are all he is, trust me, I'm just regurgitating them. I'm sorry. Oh, I said, yeah, these were definitely his words. I'm just regurgitating, Michael Hingson ** 58:46 yeah, well, but, but certainly some, some good wisdom there. But you also then chose to follow, which is great, and probably whether he's surprised it took so long. It sounds like it all happened at the right time, because you are also willing to listen, which is great. So you you moved forward. When did you form your company? Kijuan Amey ** 59:12 I mean, on paper, it was like two years ago, okay, um, but like I said, officially, I started speaking in 2019 right? I understand that, yeah. But so I always count 2019 because I really believe as soon as you start doing something, you're doing it, right, yeah, you understand and and the legality side of it, hey, you can have that. I don't care. But yeah. So that's how I view it. Michael Hingson ** 59:44 So how did 10 years, if you will, even though some of it was less active, but how did 10 years in the military help prepare you for public speaking and what you're doing today? Kijuan Amey ** 59:56 Oh, wow. I mean, well, first off, like I told you, the resilience coaching. Mm. Um, that's part of it, and that's all they used to talk about in the military, being resilient. We used to have, like, a training, I think it was every year, is it every year or twice a year, or something like that, but we used to have training on that stuff. Um, speaking, I I never really wanted to be a public speaker. I'll be honest. Um, I do have to stay that, say, say that, because I was not one who wanted to be in the spotlight. But if the spotlight found me, I'm okay with it. You know that that's that's what I was okay with. If it found me, that's fine, but I'm not trying to take over it. Don't put it on me, shine that light somewhere else and so, but what happened with that? Okay, yes, I took, I was in college for a while, and I did take a public speaking class with the instructor. Upgrade. You have to do public speaking, because you have to give presentations going through the pre training and the actual training, the certification training. So those were different. And also the the group sizes were different. Size you might be talking to one person you might be talking to an auditorium full. Mm, hmm. So there, there was that. And, you know? So these different things, I speak for different things at my church, you know? And so it started to kind of snowball again. Different things were building me up to that point, and as I got and you'll, you'll appreciate this here, as I got into my vision, or the eyesight loss, I understood that I have a superpower. Now, yeah, and I know people like a superpower. What are you talking about, man? So I can't see you so the the looks on your faces don't affect me, the fact that I'm looking at, or supposedly looking at, engaging an audience of one to 10 to 100 to even 1500 because I have spoken to over 1500 people before, it does not affect me, yeah? And that is like us to me, my superpower now. So that's how I've changed all of this to be fitting for me. Yeah, Michael Hingson ** 1:02:32 yeah. Well, so let me ask you this. We've been doing this for a while, but I want to ask you one more question. Other people are certainly going through challenges. They're experiencing difficulties in their lives, and maybe some life altering kinds of situations. What kind of advice would you give them? Kijuan Amey ** 1:02:54 Oh, the first one I can easily give you don't give up, and it's easily easy to give, but it's not easy to do. So I do have to say that you but if you keep that in the back of your mind, don't give up and you keep saying that to yourself, make it an affirmation. Put it on your vision board, put it in as a reminder in your phone, whatever you need to keep you grounded in that concept of, don't give up. And so that's one thing I would say. And for myself, I say this a lot, my situation, whether it's me being blind, me being having a traumatic brain injury, me having emotional, you know, flare ups, spinal cord issues or lack of mobility, what, whatever it is my situation that doesn't define who I am. I define who I am. Michael Hingson ** 1:03:56 So that's what I'll leave people with. And that is so true for everyone. Your your conditions don't define you. You've defined you, and you can choose how you want to be defined. Which gets back to, don't let your sight get in the way of your vision. Yep. Well, key one, I want to thank you for being here. I hope that people take this to heart, and I hope it will generate more business for you, if people want to reach out to you, maybe for coaching or for speaking and so on. How do they do that? Yeah, Kijuan Amey ** 1:04:33 and I appreciate you saying that. So again, you can go to my website. That's Amey, motivation.com A, M, E, y, motivation.com you can also find my book on there. So don't focus on why me from motorcycle accident to miracle. You can also go on Amazon, Kindle Apple books as well as audible to find my book as well. So I do have audio versions out there for those who like to listen to their book. Books and for speaking engagements, feel free to click that book me link you can speak book me for a convention or conference or an event, a gala, high school, college, whatever you want me to come speak for. Come get me because I am all over it. Michael Hingson ** 1:05:18 How many speaking events do you do a year. Kijuan Amey ** 1:05:21 I don't count. Okay, if I try to count, Michael Hingson ** 1:05:24 you know what I mean? I know the feeling, yeah, Kijuan Amey ** 1:05:27 I just do Hey, hey. That's, I think that's what Nike said. Just do it, man. Michael Hingson ** 1:05:31 Yeah, exactly right. Well, Kijuan, thank you for being here, and I want to thank all of you who are out there listening or watching. Really, we're grateful that you're here. I hope that what we've talked about today not only inspires you, but it gives you some good life thoughts that you can go use. Because certainly, everything that we got to discuss today is relevant, not just if you are having a challenge in your life, but it's something that is important for all of us. Life lessons like these don't grow on trees, and I hope that you'll enjoy them and use them. Reach out to key one. I'd love to hear from you. Love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to email me at Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at access, A, B, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, or go to our podcast page, www, dot Michael hingson.com/podcast, and Michael hingson is m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, S O, n.com/podcast, love you to please give us a five star rating wherever you're listening. We love your reviews and your thoughts, so please do that, and as I also love to do, and that is to ask you, if you know of anyone else who ought to be a guest on this podcast. And Kijuan you as well, love to get your thoughts. Feel free to reach out, introduce us to anyone who you think ought to be a guest. We're always looking for more people who want to come on and and share their stories and help us all become more unstoppable than we think we are. But again, really appreciate your time today, everyone and Kiju, especially you. Thanks for being here. This has been wonderful. Kijuan Amey ** 1:07:15 Thank you again. I really appreciate you having me on to tell my story. Michael Hingson ** 1:07:22 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
Henry is joined in studio by former KARE 11 Sports Anchor Eric Perkins and his daughter Jenna Perkins as they discuss the YMCA of the North and Special Olympics Unified sports camps, why it's a game changer, the "Inclusion Revolution", the Special Olympics coming to Minnesota in 2026, and more.
Illinois Beef Association hosts the show at the gazebo as the Illinois State Fair enters Agriculture Day with Green Hyundai's Mike Quimby, Brian Manci of American Business Club, Lou Bart of the YMCA, and Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Justin Cousart joins JMN to share all the details about tomorrow's (Sat Aug 9) TOUCH A TRUCK event at Brooks Family YMCA off Centurion Parkway in the Deerwood area. The fun starts with a horn-free hour at 8am, with all manner of big trucks, construction equipment, firetrucks, police cars, boats, food trucks, and more. Bring some school supplies to donate! It's free, but we recommend you register in advance at WOKV.COM or EVENTBRITE.COM. See you tomorrow for TOUCH A TRUCK!
Good morning half listeners. We are coming from you straight from the dome, no notes. Alex is on the roof and Nick is recovering from ballin' on muhf****as at the YMCA. After Alex gives a brief tour of the roof, including a spiritual tangent about the parallel between the Empire State Building and the Evil Brooklyn Tower, we wade into a couple Topics of the Moment: Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad killing woke and Trump's Tariff Pump and Dump scheme. Nick also takes it upon himself to invite the Beyhive to come after him because he thinks Beyoncé is racist. We also get into more personal/random topics including:Pushing it to the limit athleticallyWhat is the most "Wisconsin" songAlex getting some sun while binge-reading FuccboiMovies from Summer 2024 (Twisters and The Fall Guy)A follow up on the street healer from last episodeNot to toot our own horn but 3 years in, this might be our best episode yet.
On this episode of the Mastery Unleashed Podcast, host Christie Ruffino interviews Tony Babcock—actor, speaker, mindset coach, and creator of the On the SPOT Framework. With a background in acting and psychology, Tony empowers entrepreneurs to overcome stage fright, spotlight anxiety, and imposter syndrome by building authentic confidence. He explains how introverts can thrive on stage by rewiring beliefs around confidence and learning to engage audiences using tools from improv and neuroscience.Tony breaks down his On the SPOT framework:S – Stay Present (Stop overthinking and ground in awareness)P – Play Ping Pong (Engage in energetic exchange with the audience)O – Own Your Opening (Create connection from the first moment)T – Track the Story (Use your body, voice, and eye contact to align your message)He also introduces his free training, Shine Through the Shit Storm*, which helps speakers find their voice, tap into joy, and set powerful boundaries—especially in uncertain times. ABOUT TONYTony Babcock is a Speaker, Coach, Live Event Host, Author & award-winning Actor.Growing up in a small rural town, spending his first 17 years in the closet, and navigating raging ADHD, he is completely self-made and represents a story of taking a chance and finding the way at any cost. Tony has worked with thousands of individuals across the globe and has been a keynote speaker for the world's largest companies (including Microsoft, YMCA, Freshbooks, Doctors without Borders, & Hilton Hotels). Tony has a Psychology degree and is certified in Neuro-linguistic Programming, Nonviolent Communication, Gestalt Therapy, Breathwork, Improv and Forum Theatre Facilitation. You can see him on screen in various projects on Netflix, Amazon Prime, NBC, CBS, CBC, Cartoon Network, and hear his voice on national radio commercials for huge brands such as Virgin & Moneris. He has been featured in major publications, podcasts, talk shows and magazines. Tony's on a soul-mission to help coaches, speakers, creators & artists become the go-to in their field by leveraging authentic confidence & owning “spotlight moments”. He will teach you how to speak like a pro, keep your mind calm & focused, and create genuine connections with the gatekeepers and change makers. GET TONY'S GENEROUS GIFTShine Through the Sh*t Storm Free TrainingGet Calm, get Focused, get Ready! This is a Training for Busy-Brained Entrepreneurs & Creatives Who Are Done With the Drama and Ready to Make a Real Impact like Yesterday!ACCESS THIS GIFT AND MANY MORE LINKS SHARED ON THE SHOWwww.tonybabcock.comABOUT OUR SHOWMastery Unleashed is a podcast for success-driven women who want to empower their thoughts, design their dream businesses, and build beautiful lives that are aligned with their destinies—hosted by Bestselling Author and Business Strategist Christie Ruffino.Each episode features today's top influencers and entrepreneurs on the rise as they share empowering stories and ninja tips meant to become the FUEL that will ignite a positive change in YOUR life and the lives of others.ABOUT OUR FREE GIFT VAULT GET THIS GIFT AND MANY MORE HERE: https://masteryunleashedpodcast.com/gift-signup/
Send us a textIn this raw, no-holds-barred episode, Sauce Mackenzie sets the city on fire.
In the 6 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: INTERVIEW: HANS VON SPAKOVSKY (Senior Fellow, Heritage Foundation Center for Legal and Judicial Studies) on the Texas Redistricting Battle WJLA: Loudoun County School Board Meets to Discuss Transgender Bathroom, Locker Room Policy HERITAGE FOUNDATION ON X: "The YMCA won’t keep men out of women’s locker rooms, but still receives about $600 million in funding from the federal government every year. That has to change." Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Tuesday, August 5, 2025 / 6 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on the Voices of Value podcast, I sat down with the thoughtful and powerful Hallie Young—a public health professional and personal trainer who's shaping the future of wellness through community and purpose.In this conversation, we cover:✅ Growing up in Washington, D.C. and the beauty of bilingual education✅ Why Hallie didn't find fitness until adulthood—and how it changed her life✅ The power of public health as a career of service✅ Building a wellness mindset across mental, physical, social, and financial domains✅ How community can shape both your health and your missionHallie's story is one of intention, growth, and purpose-driven work. Whether you're on a personal health journey, building a business, or just need some perspective—this episode has gems for you.Hallie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foreveryoungfit/Hallie's Website: https://www.foreveryoungfit.org/Collis's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collisstutzertraining/Collis's Website: www.foundryhp.comResources:Play Equity Fund - https://www.playequityfund.org/Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport - https://chjs.org/LA Parks & Rec - https://www.laparks.org/YMCA - https://www.ymcala.org/United Way of Greater LA - https://unitedwayla.org/
Despite the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette withdrawing as a project partner, the city of Ridgefield is pushing ahead with its Recreation and Community Center plans. The facility is at 90% design and expected to begin construction in Spring 2026 without new taxes. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/city-of-ridgefield-moving-forward-with-recreation-and-community-center-project/ #Ridgefield #CommunityCenter #YMCA #PublicProjects #CityCouncil #MattCole #InfrastructurePlanning #ClarkCounty
What happens when a nurse brings healing into the kitchen?
People have been camping in the Poconos for a VERY long time. There are campgrounds all over the map and campsites at state parks and other spots where you can park a camper or pitch a tent.Recently, Brianna Strunk visited Pocono Camp and Glamp in the Jim Thorpe area and learned how glamping in addition to horseback rides resulted from a former YMCA camp for teens from Philly. The former summer camp has been upgraded to have all the modern amenities that you could ever want or need along with more of your traditional campsites. The Poconos is a year-round destination for millions and with 24-hundred square miles of mountains, forests, lakes and rivers with historic downtowns and iconic family resorts, it's the perfect getaway for a weekend or an entire week. You can always find out more on PoconoMountains.com or watch Pocono Television Network streaming live 24/7.
Cómo han ido este año las contrataciones para trabajos típicos del verano: Socorrista, camarero, monitor de tiempo libre… Nos lo explica Silvia Fernández, directora de Gi Group Aragón; Gerardo Belloch, presidente de la Federación Aragonesa de Salvamento y Socorrismo; y Belén Portolés, Directora de YMCA en Aragón.
Ecoutez L'histoire derrière les tubes avec Miguel Derennes du 28 juillet 2025.Distribué par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
FEEL GOOD STORY - YMCA SWIM by 101.9POR
Northfield Area Family YMCA CEO Tyler Powell discusses the YMCA’s mission and various opportunities and events occurring at the Y.
Northfield Area Family YMCA CEO Tyler Powell discusses the YMCA's mission and various opportunities and events occurring at the Y.
https://coachingyouthhoops.com/ai-basketball-coach/ https://coachingyouthhoops.com/ Ever found yourself suddenly “roped into coaching” and wondered, “What on earth do I do now?” Many folks think you have to be a basketball expert to coach youth hoops, but that's far from reality. This week, veteran coaches Steve Collins and Bill Flitter—your go-to sources for all things youth basketball—share how anyone can step up and thrive, even if it wasn't part of your plan. Could your coaching journey use a confidence boost? Tune in to discover: How to survive (and enjoy) being unexpectedly recruited Finding the right support so you're never coaching alone Simple steps to organize your season—without losing sleep More practical tools are waiting inside! Let's change the game together! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review. Coaching youth basketball, practice plans, basketball drills, coaching resources, youth basketball season prep, assistant coach, mentor coaching, youth basketball parents, youth families, AI basketball coach, coaching tools, basketball stat sheet, video analysis, youth sports insights, youth basketball administration, basketball team management, youth sports volunteers, structuring basketball season, basketball coaching goals, teaching basketball fundamentals, basketball drills for kids, coaching advice, time management for coaches, organization for coaches, balancing coaching and family, coaching rewards, youth sports relationships, coaching at YMCA, AAU basketball program, CYO basketball program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What happens when you combine a 20-year passion for video editing with a deep love for rodeo and Western culture? In just eight short months, Troy and his son have created Outlaw Echos, a rodeo promotion powerhouse that's amassed over 125,000 genuine followers and is revolutionizing how rodeo content is presented to the world.Unlike typical rodeo coverage, Outlaw Echos brings ESPN-quality production values to every ride. Using multiple camera angles in a strategic "triangle" formation, they capture moments most fans never see – from the raw emotion behind the chutes to the exhilaration of successful rides. "You're not going to see Michael Jordan pop up at the local YMCA just to get a run in," Troy explains about rodeo's unique accessibility. "But you see that in rodeo and it's amazing."The name "Outlaw Echos" carries profound meaning beyond initial impressions. To Troy, being an "outlaw" today means living counter to modern cultural norms – embracing personal responsibility, showing respect with "yes sir" and "yes ma'am," and prioritizing family values. When lived authentically, these values echo outward and positively influence others. This philosophy forms the foundation of everything they create.What began as a father-son project has become something much more significant – a platform that honors rodeo's rich traditions while introducing them to new audiences through contemporary storytelling techniques. But despite their rapid growth, Troy maintains that the most valuable aspect remains the quality time spent with his children on the road, behind the camera, and editing footage together until the early morning hours. "If I'm at small-town rodeos for the next 20 years and that's all I'm doing, and it's this time I get with my kids, I'm in. Sign me up."Ready to experience the authentic spirit of rodeo through a fresh lens? Follow Outlaw Echo and discover why this rapidly growing brand is changing how we see Western sports culture.Instagram:@outlawechoshttps://www.instagram.com/outlawechos?igsh=eGgzeGU1cHcwM2o3@aceswildrodeohttps://www.instagram.com/aceswildrodeo?igsh=MTExMW5jcWpjc3M4bw==Shoutout to :Troy Chambers Ms. Kenzie The Chambers Family Wiley Coyote Karas Aces Wild ProRodeo Ag-Gear Store https://www.aggearstore.com/Use Code: Milesmountains For 15% Off Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/Miles & Mountains Promo Code: Milesmountainsyr3Raising Awareness:Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)Mental Health Send us a text
YMCA of Idaho Falls is looking for volunteers for its back to school season. Student Reporter Cody Miller interviewed C.E.O. Tanner Rohne about the non-profit.
YMCA North staff who work in the Auckland accomodation team have said they are scared of losing their jobs, worry about their mental health deteriorating and safety being compromised if a proposed restructure goes ahead. The frontline accomodation staff at the Y's Pitt Street hostel and it's City Lodge had until tomorrow afternoon to give feedback on a restructure proposal. If the proposal goes ahead, workers called Guest Service Agents who have been working both across day and night shifts will only be able to work either in a day or night role. Staff question how the proposal fits with the YMCA's key values. Reporter Bella Craig spoke with two of the workers.
What if your most honest art came not from control, but from surrender? In this soul-expanding episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne is joined by the luminous Flora Bowley—artist, author, and founder of the FreeFlo Community—for a powerful conversation on embodied creativity and intuitive living. Together, they explore: What it means to paint from the body—not just the brush How blindfolded dance helped Flora reconnect with freedom and flow The spiritual and emotional healing that comes from intuitive art Why inner peace is the true creative goal Her current journey building a 20-acre creative sanctuary in Oregon Flora shares how her years as a painter, movement guide, and mindfulness practitioner have blended into a life of deep listening and artistic trust. This isn't just a conversation about making art—it's about making space for your whole self to show up in the creative process. If you're craving more flow, peace, and self-expression, this episode is your gentle permission slip to return to what's real. UPCOMING EVENTS: Weekly live class in my FREE FLO Community. Enjoy your first week free here: https://freeflo.florabowley.com/ In-person retreat at the Omega Institute in New York, Oct 19-24, 2025: https://www.eomega.org/workshops/art-aliveness More in-person retreat announcements coming soon. Be the first to find out here: https://florabowley.com/news-art-love/ FUN FACTS: I was raised in Wisconsin by two YMCA directors. I can do backflips on a trampoline. I changed my name after my first year at Burning Man. I am currently learning to speak Portuguese. florabowley.com https://www.instagram.com/florabowley/ https://www.facebook.com/florabowleydesigns/ https://www.youtube.com/@florabowleydesigns
Felix Biederman and Nick Mullen join the pod to discuss the new Chapo Trap House comic book anthology Year Zero, names made out of initials, Felix the Cat, the evolution of the YMCA, Dick's Last Resort, Halo, white guys with Asian girlfriends, who would write a movie about the Brooklyn podcast scene, and much more. Felix, Nick and Stav help callers including a woman whose husband is going through a midlife crisis because they can't find a third partner for a fling, and a man who has trouble telling people he works in funeral transport services. Purchase Chapo Trap House: Year Zero at Bad Egg Publishing: https://badegg.co/products/year-zero-1 Follow Felix Biederman on social media: https://www.instagram.com/byyourlogic https://x.com/ByYourLogic Follow Nick Mullen on social media: https://www.instagram.com/mulldogforever https://www.tiktok.com/@mulldogforever https://x.com/nycguidovoice Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/wyx330el #CashAppPod. As a Cash App partner, I may earn a commission when you sign up for a Cash App account. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Eat smart with Factor. Head to https://www.factormeals.com/stavvy50off and use code STAVVY50OFF to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. Visit https://bluechew.com/ and use promo code STAVVY to try your first month of BlueChew FREE -- just pay $5 shipping. Get a refreshing Twisted Tea today. Keep It Twisted!! Visit https://www.twistedtea.com/locations to find Twisted Tea near you.
If you've ever assumed that being near your child at the pool meant they were safe, this episode might just change the way you see water forever. I'm joined by Lindsay Mondick, Director of Aquatic Safety for the YMCA of the USA and a lifelong advocate for drowning prevention. We talk about what drowning really looks like (spoiler: it's not like the movies), why so many tragic incidents happen with adults present, and how something as simple as putting your phone down can be the difference between life and death. She joins me to discuss: • Why drowning is quick, silent, and often missed even with supervision nearby • The “Phones Down, Eyes Up” campaign and what every caregiver needs to know • How to build layers of water safety from swim lessons to life jackets to water watchers Whether you're a pool regular, weekend beachgoer, or backyard splash pad fan—this conversation is a must-listen for every parent this summer. To connect with the YMCA follow them on Instagram @ymca; TikTok @ymcaofficiall; Facebook @TheY and YouTube @ymca. Learn more at Phonesdowneyesup.org We'd like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you! 00:00 – 01:18 Why This Conversation Matters 01:19 – 02:37 Meet Lindsay: A Lifelong Water Safety Advocate 02:38 – 04:35 The Pandemic's Impact on Drowning Risk 04:36 – 06:14 Why Proximity Isn't Enough 06:15 – 08:32 Active Supervision: What It Looks Like 08:33 – 10:16 Are Lifeguards Enough? 10:17 – 12:14 Strong Swimmers Still Need Supervision 12:15 – 13:41 The Hidden Dangers of Lakes and Open Water 13:42 – 15:53 What Drowning Really Looks Like 15:54 – 19:55 The Power of Prevention and Real-Life Stories 19:56 – 22:31 Swim Lessons: How Early Is Too Early? 22:32 – 27:14 Teaching Adults to Swim (And Why It Matters) 27:15 – 30:07 Bridging the Gap in Underserved Communities 30:08 – 32:04 One Simple Habit That Can Save a Life 32:05 – 36:15 Minimizing Distraction Without Guilt 36:16 – 39:10 Final Thoughts + Taking Action Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. Join the newsletter! And don't forget to follow @pedsdoctalkpodcast on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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