The Illuminate Podcast

Special Kneads and Treats, Inc. Website

Episode 59: Michael and Tempa Kohler- Special Kneads and Treats Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

Michael and Tempa Kohler are the cofounders of the non-profit organization, Special Kneads and Treats in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Michael and Tempa have two kids, Bradley and Ashley. Their son, Bradley, was born with Fragile X Syndrome and when he was 22 years old and aging out of the county supported programs, they were trying to find a job for him. When they realized there weren’t many options, they started dreaming up starting a bakery that would employ adults with special needs. In 2014, they officially opened Special Kneads and Treats where they provide employment and training to adults with special needs. They sell sweet treats at their store front as well as cater for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, and other parties and celebrations. Additionally, they have a program called Cakes for Kiddos where they provide cakes to children, special needs individuals, and elderly who cannot afford a birthday cake.

Before co-founding Special Kneads and Treats, Michael worked in operations management. He also was the GAA Special Populations Assistant Director and Baseball Commissioner. Tempa previously baked and decorated cakes with The Bridal Kitchen and T.J.’s Sweets.

In the episode, Michael and Tempa talk about learning about Bradley’s diagnosis, the joys and challenges of having a child with special needs, starting Special Kneads and Treats, the behind the scenes of the organization, their goals for the organization going forward, why they think that everyone should employ people with special needs, and the challenges that they faced with the bakery during COVID.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

What we talked about:

2:50- Introduction to Michael and Tempa; what they did for work previously and what they are doing now

4:30- How Michael and Tempa met

5:10- Sharing about their two kids and talking about their son Bradley’s diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome

8:50- Some of the challenges that they faced while raising a child with special needs

12:50- The biggest lessons that they have learned from parenting a child with special needs and being in the special needs community

14:40- How Special Kneads and Treats got started

23:05- Some of the people that helped and believed in them in starting Special Kneads and Treats

30:00- Their stance on employing adults with special needs and why they think that every company should too

36:10- Each of their roles in the organization

41:30- What a typical day at work looks like for each of them and for their employees

49:45- How COVID affected their bakery

57:05- How people can help and support their nonprofit organization

1:01:30- End of podcast questions

Show Notes:

Special Kneads and Treats on Facebook

Special Kneads and Treats on Twitter

Michael’s Book Recommendation: The Purpose Driven Life

Tempa’s Book Recommendation: Lord I Want to Know You

Southeast Gwinnett Food Cooperative

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Illuminate Podcast on Instagram

Illuminate Podcast on Twitter

Illuminate Podcast on Facebook

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Have A Little Faith in We

Episode 58: Jackie Bessette – Embrace the Mess and Find the Beautiful Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

Today’s guest is a warrior, sister, mother, wife, Cystic Fibrosis advocate, community builder, and a courageous inspiration to so many. Jackie Bessette shares her beautiful and messy journey of being the spouse to someone with Cystic Fibrosis. In this episode, she walks through what it’s like to go through two double lung transplants, birthing her baby with her husband on FaceTime and not in the hospital room, what it’s like to “live with the disease” and be faced with challenging discussions around mortality, and how to make lots of plan Bs with grace, humor, and faith. Jackie is vulnerable, real, hilarious, brave, and should be teaching a course on marriage. She is light in this world and will inspire you with her courage and how she tackles life!

What we talked about:

2:30- Introduction to how Kristin and Jackie met

4:30- How Jackie met her husband

8:10- What Cystic Fibrosis is, her husband’s journey with Cystic Fibrosis and how it has impacted her life

19:30- The lung transplant process as her husband had two lung transplants

25:40- The strains on a relationship when going through a transplant

38:00- Different stages in his recovery from the lung transplant, their decision to get pregnant, and the journey of going through a second lung transplant

1:01:10- End of podcast questions

Show Notes:

If Only You Know by Jamie Ivey

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

O’Connell Superdance

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Book recommendation: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

Episode 57: Charlotte Simpson- Traveling Solo Sep 30, 2020

Show notes

Charlotte Simpson joins the podcast today! Charlotte Simpson is a retired guidance counselor and solo traveler from Indianapolis. After losing her husband of 31 years, she decided to begin traveling solo and seeing the world. Charlotte traveled to all 50 states with her husband and since he passed away she has traveled around the world.

Charlotte started her Instagram page The Traveling Black Widow to share her solo travel photos with family and friends. She has now grown to over 13,000 followers and shares messages of positivity, book recommendations, and more along with all of her fun travel photos!

In this episode, Charlotte shares about some of her travel experiences, where she recommends traveling to, why she started traveling solo, what traveling has taught her about herself, her favorite things about her husband, and her work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Charlotte’s joy for life is contagious and you will come away from this episode feeling so much positivity!

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

What we talked about:

2:15- Introduction to Charlotte Simpson & how she got the Instagram name “Travelling Black Widow”

4:06- How her and her husband met

5:45- Charlotte’s work as a special education teacher and guidance counselor

8:40- Stories of travelling with her husband

12:30- When and why she started travelling solo

16:20-What drew her to travel to Italy for her first solo travel

22:35- Her favorite things about her husband

25:00- Favorite place that she has visited

26:15- What type of accommodations she likes to utilize when travelling

27:05- Her experiences using travelling companies when travelling solo and planning trips

29:40- Places that she dreams of travelling to

34:45- What she has spent her time doing since she isn’t able to travel due to COVID

36:45- Her volunteer work as a CASA

47:30- How she fits in her volunteer work with her busy travel schedule

53:45- Things that she has learned about herself from her travels

58:30- End of podcast questions

Show Notes:

Charlotte on Instagram

Charlotte on Facebook

NAACP

Information about becoming a CASA

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Episode 56: Carrie Rickenberg – Wheeler Mission Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

Carrie Rickenburg is the Director of Donor Relations at Wheeler Mission Ministries in Indianapolis, IN. Wheeler Mission is the largest homeless shelter in the state of Indiana – they provide Addiction Recovery, Residential Program, Emergency Shelter services to the Indianapolis community.

In this episode we talk about how the onset of COVID affected Wheeler Mission and how they operate, how they adapted and going forward, in light of our new normal. We also get to hear about how the Indianapolis community and restaurant community stepped up to help Wheeler during these trying times.

Coming soon is the 2020 Drumstick Dash which is Wheeler’s largest fundraiser of the year. They have a modified in person event planned but also have big things going on with the virtual option as well. Make sure you register because 100% of the proceeds go directly to Wheeler Mission.

Show Notes:

Wheeler Mission

Follow The Illuminate Podcast

Follow Sandyboy Productions

I’ll Have Another Interview with Lopez Lomong

Businesses in Indianapolis who have helped out Wheeler Mission during this time!

Donated food/meals without a business sponsor:
Foundry Provisions
Tinker Street
Capital Grill
Piazza Produce
Jack’s Donuts
Sushi Boss

Here are the restaurants who prepared meals with help from sponsors:
Chicago’s Pizza Arlington
Illinois Street Food Emporium
Jugs
Nameless Catering
Chicago’s Pizza Greenwood
Johnson’s BBQ ShackLLC 2
Bazbeaux Pizza
Movable Feast
Johnson’s BBQ Shack LLC
The District Tap
Roosters Kitchen
Love Handle
Old Major Market
Green St Pub (Brownsburg)
Shapiros

Here are the sponsors who provided funding so the restaurants could get a boost:
Chicago’s Pizza
Jabaal Sheard (Mike Nattis)
KSMC – Mary Catharine Grau
Shepherd Insurance
Starbucks
Tom Calhoun
Weas Engineering
Nick and Tracy Papas
Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling
Weas Engineering
Chorus
Evans Family
KSMC #2
Pacers Foundation
Schneider
Roche
Corteva
High Alpha
Edward Jones (Ted Burgoon)
Schoolhouse Insurance & Financial Services, LLC.

Episode 55: Mark Tabb- The Power of Storytelling Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

Mark Tabb joins The Illuminate Podcast today! Mark is an author and has written his own books as well as been a co-author for over twenty books. Mark has worked with so many incredible people to co-author their books including YouTube stars Cole and Savannah Labrant, Olympian Lopez Lomong, actor Alec Baldwin, Superbowl champion Ben Utecht, and so many more! He was the co-author of the New York Times Bestselling book Mistaken Identity.

In this episode, Mark shares about the collaborative writing process, what he loves about writing and storytelling, how he seeks out these stories, some of his favorite books that he has written, authors and books that he loves, and so much more! If you love reading and writing, you will love hearing this interview with Mark.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Mark Tabb Website

Follow The Illuminate Podcast

Follow Sandyboy Productions

Indiana Prison Writers Workshop

What we talked about:

3:00- Introduction and how he got started writing

10:00- Why he kept trying after 27 rejections of one book and how he finally got it published

11:45- What type of books he writes these days

13:30- He shares about his book Convicted: An Innocent Man, the Cop Who Framed Him, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness and Friendship

18:10- The process of doing collaborative writing and working with other people

28:35- How he finds the stories to co-author

30:15-The length and time commitment of the writing process

31:50- What it feels like when he finishes writing a books

34:25- Authors that he looks to for inspiration and ideas he pulls from other authors

39:00- Negative reviews he has gotten and he uses them to help improve his writing

45:50- What he loves about writing other people’s stories and the power of storytelling

46:20- The marketing of his books

49:10- Working with Lopez Lomong to write his book Running for My Life: One Lost Boy’s Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games

52:50- The dream story to write about or person to work with

54:15- Favorite book that he has written

57:05- End of podcast questions

Episode 54: Debra Des Vignes – Indiana Prison Writers Workshop Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

Debra Des Vignes joins us today on the Illuminate Podcast. Debra is the Founder of the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop. The nonprofit works to improve the lives of Indiana offenders through creative writing and expression.

Debra began her career in the News industry and moved to working in the Nonprofit sector before starting the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop. She is the author of Sunday Sweet Sunday and The Green Balloon.

This episode is hosted by Lindsey Hein.

Show Notes:

Just Mercy – Bryan Stevenson

The Central Park Five – Sarah Burns

Solitary – Albert Woodfox

Lydia Davis

Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter – 50 Cent

Follow Indiana Prison Writers Workshop:

IN Prison Writers Workshop on Instagram

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Addict II Athlete on Instagram

Episode 53: Blu Robinson- Turning the Mess of Addiction into the Message of Sobriety through Addict II Athlete Sep 02, 2020

Show notes

Blu Robinson is the founder of Addict II Athlete as well as a mental health counselor. Blu struggled with addiction early on in his life but when he found a passion for mountain biking he found the power in replacing his addiction with a new love and passion for endurance sports and the Wasatch Mountains. He shares that he found himself “erasing addiction and replacing it with a more excellent way of life.”

Blu became a therapist working with people struggling with addiction and found that some of his clients were not getting what they needed out of the traditional 12-step program so he started the free community group, Addict II Athlete. Addict II Athlete is a non-profit organization that helps individuals struggling with addiction to replace their addiction with things of greater value while maintaining sobriety. Addict to Athlete hosts group runs, practices and races to help individuals pour their energy into something other than their addiction. They offer free community support groups, online support and resources, service projects, races and events and personal training.

In this episode, Blu shares about his own journey through addiction and how he established sobriety, starting Addict II Athlete, their mission through their running and community service projects, some stories about athletes that he has worked with, and so much more!

Addict II Athlete is putting on a virtual race during the month of September for National Recovery Month. You can enter to win an entry to the race through The Illuminate Podcast by leaving a rating and review for The Illuminate Podcast and/or subscribing to the show and emailing a screenshot of it to emma@sandyboyproductions.com.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Addict II Athlete on Facebook

Addict II Athlete

Addict II Athlete Podcast

Addict II Athlete Virtual 5k Race

Broken Open by David Clark

Live on Purpose with Dr. Paul Jenkins

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Follow Sandyboy Productions

https://www.elizabethfriedland.com/

Episode 52: Elizabeth Friedland – In the Arena as a Foster & Adoptive (Single) Mom Aug 26, 2020

Show notes

Today’s guest is an 11-time mom. Elizabeth Friedland has been a foster mom to 11 children. One of her foster children became Elizabeth’s adoptive child. In this episode Elizabeth talks about what it has been like to be a single woman fostering children and the journey to adopting her son, Jack, in an open adoption. Elizabeth dives into the joys, challenges and realities of fostering, where there are challenges with the system, why she has decided to take this path and her advise for anyone considering fostering.

Elizabeth’s optimism, energy and humor are contagious and uplifting. She is a believer and builder of community. And her outlook on life is that we are here to help others and we all need to try to impact other people’s lives for the better.

You will leave this episode refreshed, with new knowledge on foster care and thinking about what you are doing for your corner of the world to make it better and to get “in the arena.”

This episode is hosted by Kristin Srour

Show Notes:

Foster moms mentioned by Elizabeth:

Book recommendation:

Follow Elizabeth

Elizabeth on Instagram

Instant Mom Podcast

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Sponsor:

Hello Fresh

Use code “Illuminate80” for a total of $80 off your order.

Episode 51: David Block – Health & Impact Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

David is the Founder & CEO of Previnex. His passion for optimal health, wellness, and prevention started when he was a research analyst covering the health and wellness industry. David specialized in nutritional supplements, reading clinical studies, touring manufacturing facilities, meeting with various companies, and immersing himself in the supplement and wellness industry on all levels.

What I love about David’s story is his decision to change his career path after spending several years as a hedge fund manager. His passions and vision for how he wanted to spend his career changed and he pursued a new dream.

One of the coolest things about what his company previnex is doing is that for very customer order, they donate a bottle of our premium children’s multivitamin, Super Vites, to malnourished children. Get Health, Give Health®.

Show Notes:

Follow Previnex:

Previnex on Instagram

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