Stay ConnectedBloomington Indiana is full of interesting characters. Join them for lunch and find out what drives their passion.
“Lunch at The Mill” podcast is recorded at the newly restored Dimension Mill which now operates as a coworking space in downtown Bloomington. If you have ideas, feedback, comments or show ideas – please send an email to // lunchatthemill@gmail.com
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Somewhere in the heart of Bloomington is a woodworking studio that handcrafts one-of-a-kind furniture that you'll never find in the big box stores. Siosi Design has gained an incredible following through social media and takes pride in their relationships with clients, including once delivering a table through a fifth story window in Tribeca. In our 20th episode, Pete sits down with Audi Culver and Ivy Siosi to learn about the art of woodworking, how they got started in this niche industry, and their plans for the future.
If you own a TV, chances are you've watched public television. Broadcasting from Indiana University Bloomington's campus, WTIU has been on our television airways since 1969 and reaches Hoosiers in over 26 counties. In episode 19, Pete eats lunch with Brent Molnar, the current Station Operations and Content Director, to learn more about creating content for a diverse state audience and how WTIU connects community members to resources with their annual Conference on Aging.
Our current prison system seems as if it's designed to set newly-released offenders up for failure. The cost of daily drug screens, the rent to live in a halfway house, finding transportation, reporting to probation meetings—all of these tasks become monumental challenges when most offenders struggle to find work or reliable transportation. AJay and his wife Anna set out to change the outcome for these men and women by starting Made Up Mind (M.U.M.), an organization committed to helping ex-offenders develop honest accountability and provide them with the tools to build a new life.
Fred Glass is no stranger to the public eye: He's a former lawyer, served as chief of staff to Governor Evan Bayh, and is currently serving as the Athletics Director for Indiana University. However, Glass will enthusiastically tell you that first and foremost he's a proud grandfather of four girls and as of the new year, one grandson. In episode 17, Pete and Fred chat over Swing-In pizza about what it's like to be a student athlete in the age of social media and what's in store for Glass when he retires at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.
Chainsaws, blow torches, beer, and 600 pounds of ice—where do we sign up? In episode 16, Pete kicks off the new year with Jason Whitney, the Associate Vice President of IU Ventures and one of the masterminds behind Bloomington's inaugural Freezefest. Say goodbye to the post-holiday blues and winter doldrums with our community's first ever winter festival from January 6-11. Master ice sculptors, a chili cook-off, interactive games, and more make this a can't-miss event for the whole family.
Justin Loveless is an entrepreneur, a self-proclaimed cheeseburger connoisseur, and one of the biggest ice purveyors in town (really). Perhaps most notably, Justin is a co-owner of the beloved Chocolate Moose and has a reputation for giving jobs to individuals who are looking for a second chance. In episode 15, Pete sits with Justin to talk about the history of "The Moose", some of the weirdest bets he's had to settle about an enigmatic basement, and the importance of bringing ice cream to community events.
Classes on Sundays, shorter semesters, digital textbooks—This might sound like the college of the future, but for Ivy Tech Community College it's simply meeting the needs of today's student population. In episode 14, Pete sits down with Chancellor Jennie Vaughan to learn how Ivy Tech serves traditional and non-traditional students alike and contributes to education of an entire community through strategic partnerships. We also ask Jennie who she'd love to have lunch with most (besides Pete, of course) and the answer may surprise you.
In this episode, Pete sits down with arguably some of the biggest Star Wars fans in Bloomington to talk about the timeless franchise and its enduring nostalgia, including the best and worst installments, the popularity of Star Wars conventions, and how the space-opera continues to bring generations together.
In a special episode of Lunch at the Mill hosted in the executive conference room at Cook Medical, Pete sits down with members of the Stride Coalition to make an important announcement about a new crisis center for Monroe County. Substance use disorders impact our entire community, and Stride's mission is to mobilize its resources, knowledge, and influence to drive coordinated treatment efforts and help build healthier lives.
Courtney Payne-Taylor graduated from the IU Kelley School of Business and immediately moved into a van. While that may not be the ideal outcome for a business student, it helped Courtney jumpstart GRO (Girls Riders Organization), a non-profit organization that uses skateboarding to help young girls become confident leaders. Courtney talks with Pete about her passion to empower and how the key to success (and skateboarding) is not being afraid to fall.
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