Food For The Hungry helps Interchurch Social Services throughout Knox County

For over 3 decades, the Food For The Hungry drive has been collecting donations to help Interchurch Social Services. WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart had a chance to talk with some representatives of Interchurch around Knox County. She talked with Joy Harris, Executive Director, Katie Frazier, Fredericktown Interchurch Branch Manager and Sheryl O’Neil, Centerburg Interchurch Branch Manager. They shared details about the need around the county and how Food For The Hungry donations impact their organization and the services that they can provide.

Click HERE to hear their conversation.

Click HERE to stay up to date on the 2019 Food For The Hungry Drive. You can watch the totals rise and find ways to volunteer.

December 10, 2019 0

Food for Fines is back to support Food For The Hungry

This week, The Morning Thing is shining the spotlight on events to support Food For The Hungry. WNZR’s Wesley Boston talked with John Chidester, Director of the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County. They talked about the Food for Fines campaign to benefit Food For The Hungry.

Click HERE to hear their conversation.

The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County is back with Food for Fines

The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, including its branch libraries in Fredericktown, Danville and Gambier, is sponsoring a “Food for Fines” campaign that runs until Saturday, Dec. 14. During this time, library fines may be paid with canned or boxed non-perishable food items equal to the value of the fine. Donations of food or money will be gratefully accepted.

Items that are at or near their expiration dates or in damaged or compromised containers will not be accepted. All collected food and money will be given to the Food For The Hungry drive, and donations from each community will stay in that local community. The Libraries cannot accept food in payment for lost or damaged items. In addition to food items, the library will accept Humane Society approved brands of pet food.

The Food for Fines collection started in 1989! This year marks the 31^st year for this collection!

The Food for Fines collection happens in all branches – Mount Vernon, Danville, Fredericktown and Gambier. All food collected in those communities stay IN those communities to benefit families in need.

November 20, 2019 0

KSAAT hosts Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, 10/26/19

WNZR talked with Tina Cockrell from KSAAT – the Knox Substance Abuse Action Team.

She shared the details about Drug Take Back Day. She also shared information about the Photography Contest hosted by the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Click on the links below to hear the conversation.

Click HERE to hear Tina talk about what items people can drop off.

Click HERE for specific locations and why this event is important for the community.

Click HERE for information about the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities Photography Contest.

Click HERE for more details about Drug Take Back Day!

October 25, 2019 0

It’s World Mental Health Day. We have tips on fighting anxiety.

(information and picture from www.daysoftheyear.com)
World Mental Health Day was established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health. In some countries around the world, it forms just one part of the larger Mental Illness Awareness Week.

Mental health problems, ranging from issues like depression and anxiety disorders to conditions like schizophrenia, affect millions of people around the world. In fact, according to current statistics, 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem during their lifetime and many more will see friends of family members affected.

This morning, we shared 10 tips on how to calm anxiety in the moment.
These 10 expert-backed suggestions from www.webmd.com can relax your mind and help you regain control of your thoughts.
Click HERE for the full article. These tips are from Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety.

1. Stay in your time zone.

Ask yourself: What’s happening right now? Am I safe? Is there something I need to do right now? If not, make an “appointment” to check in with yourself later in the day to revisit your worries so those distant scenarios don’t throw you off track.

2. Relabel what’s happening.

Panic attacks can often make you feel like you’re dying or having a heart attack. Remind yourself: “I’m having a panic attack, but it’s harmless, it’s temporary, and there’s nothing I need to do”.

3. Fact-check your thoughts.

People with anxiety often fixate on worst-case scenarios. To combat these worries, think about how realistic they are. Getting into a pattern of rethinking your fears helps train your brain to come up with a rational way to deal with your anxious thoughts.

4. Breathe in and out.

Deep breathing helps you calm down. Focus on evenly inhaling and exhaling. This will help slow down and re-center your mind.

5. Follow the 3-3-3 rule.

Look around you and name three things you see. Then, name three sounds you hear. Finally, move three parts of your body — your ankle, fingers, or arm. Whenever you feel your brain going 100 miles per hour, this mental trick can help center your mind, bringing you back to the present moment.

6. Just do something.

Stand up, take a walk, throw away a piece of trash from your desk — any action that interrupts your train of thought helps you regain a sense of control.

7. Stand up straight.

For an immediate physical antidote to anxiety, pull your shoulders back, stand or sit with your feet apart, and open your chest. This helps your body start to sense that it’s back in control.

8. Stay away from sugar.

Research shows that eating too much sugar can worsen anxious feelings. Instead of reaching into the candy bowl, drink a glass of water or eat protein.

9. Ask for a second opinion.

Call or text a friend or family member and run through your worries with them. It can also help to write your fears on paper.

10. Watch a funny video.

Laughing is a good prescription for an anxious mind. Research shows that laughter has lots of benefits for our mental health and well-being; one study found that humor could help lower anxiety as much as (or even more than) exercise can.

If you deal with anxiety on a regular basis, mediation doesn’t have to be your only treatment. Here are self-care tips from www.webmd.com that can be worked into your daily routine:

Click HERE for the full article.

Move your body. Exercise is an important part of physical — and mental — health.

Pay attention to sleep. Both quality and quantity are important for good sleep
– Leave screens behind before you hit the hay.
– Try to stick to a schedule.
– Be sure your bed is comfy.
– Keep your room’s temperature on the cool side.

Ease up on caffeine.

Schedule your worry time. Take 30 minutes to identify what’s bothering you and what you can do about it. Have your “worry session” at the same time every day. Don’t dwell on “what-ifs.” Focus on what actually makes you anxious.

Breathe deep. It sends a message to your brain that you’re OK. That helps your mind and body relax. To get the most out of it, lie down on a flat surface and put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a slow breath in. Make sure it fills your belly enough that you can feel it rise slightly. Hold it for a second, then slowly let it out.

Be the boss of your thoughts. Try to turn any negative thoughts into positive ones. Picture yourself facing your fears head-on. The more you do this in your mind, the easier it will be to deal with it when it happens.

Tame tense muscles. Relax them with this simple exercise: Choose a muscle group, tighten it for a few seconds, then let go. Focus on one section at a time and work through your whole body. This is sometimes called progressive muscle relaxation.

Help out in your community. Spend time doing good things for others. It can help you get out of your head. Volunteer or do other work in your community. Not only will it feel good to give back, you’ll make connections that can be a support system for you, too.

Look for triggers. Think of times and places where you notice yourself feeling most anxious. Write them down, if you need to. Look for patterns and work on ways you can either avoid or confront the feelings of panic and worry. If you know the causes of your anxiety, that can help you put your worries into perspective. Next time, you’ll be better prepared when it affects you.

October 10, 2019 0

A Day of Bullying Prevention: What are The Signs?

The Morning Thing talked Monday morning about a Global Day of Bullying Prevention.

This day started because two young men saw that one person was being bullied because of the clothes he was wearing, and instead of standing by, they helped him. If you want to read up on the history of Bullying Prevention Day, check it out HERE.

What’s The Need-to-Know about Bullying?

(photo from www.imom.com)

Marcy and Lexie also talked about what the signs of bullying are. According to http://www.imom.com, one in four kids who bully will grow up to have a criminal record before the age of 30. The way that bullying is in the 21st century looks very different as well, due to the addition of social media. Want to know more? click HERE

Is Your Child a Bully?

(photo from daysoftheyear.com )

Marcy and Lexie also share five signs that your child may be the one who is doing the bullying. Is your child obsessed with popularity? Making overly-critical comments? Getting angry when they don’t get their way? These may seem like just a part of growing up, but it might be signs that your child is a bully. http://www.imom.com, talks about the five signs your child might be picking on others, and how to handle these situations when they arise. to read more, click HERE

October 7, 2019 0

WNZR talks with Madison McNichols, Development Director for Knox Starting Point

This week, The Morning Thing spotlight is shining on Starting Point of Knox County.

On Wednesday, we talked with Madison McNichols, Development Director.
She shared details of the upcoming Walk and Run to benefit the ministry.
She shared ways to participate in the event, plus new and exciting things happening this Saturday.
Madison also talked about the impact Starting Point is having in the community.

Click HERE to hear the conversation.

Click HERE to register for this year’s Walk/Run.

October 2, 2019 0

Celebrate International Happiness at Work Week with The Morning Thing.

It is International Week of Happiness at Work. How will you celebrate? How is your work environment?

(from www.daysoftheyear.com)

History of International Week of Happiness at Work

International Week of Happiness at Work was started by Maartje Wolff and Fennande van der Meulen, two Dutch women who started the company Happy Office in 2015. Happy Office offers a program that allows you to incorporate happiness into the workplace so that you can have happier employees all around. Happy Office incorporates studies made from professors at some of the top universities throughout Europe and combines them with certified professionals with certificates and degrees so they can help every organization they meet and help assess the problems so each worker can do their job without losing happiness in their lives.

How to Celebrate International Week of Happiness at Work

Celebrate this holiday by signing the petition on Happy Office’s main website so you can make the pledge to be happier in the workplace. Once you do, share the webpage with your friends and hashtag #internationalweekofhappinessatwork in your social media posts and let your friends know that they can easily make a difference in their workplace by being happier.

The Morning Thing shared 7 Steps to Creating a Happier Workplace from www.productiveleaders.com
Click HERE to see the full article.

What Are Happy Workplaces Doing Differently?

Employee development. A happy workplace is one that is committed to continuous employee development.
Flexibility and understanding. Smart employees need flexibility as well as work challenges to stimulate new ideas.
Avoiding work burnout. A common complaint of work burnout is not just about too many hours employees spent at work, but how they feel while they are on the job. If they feel are appreciated they do not mind spending more time and energy on a project or a task.
Getting rid of obstacles.
Resolving conflict. A happy workplace isn’t necessarily free from conflict, but in productive companies, management works to constructively resolve conflict. Using differences to find new solutions is what imaginative companies do best.
Meaningful work. Cultivating an ambiance of mindfulness and meaning at work is an important factor in encouraging a happy workplace.
Being appreciated.

The Morning Thing also shared 5 Reasons Why Most People Aren’t Happy at Work. If we can figure out the problems or issues, we can work together to solve them.

Click HERE for the full article from www.biospace.com

1. They are disengaged

2. They are stressed out

3. They have a negative/scarcity mindset

4. They have poor relationships with managers and colleagues

5. They aren’t fully using their intellect or strengths

September 24, 2019 0

The 2019 Knox County United Way Campaign is underway

The 2019 United Way Kick-Off Luncheon was held today in Mount Vernon. WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Executive Director, Kelly Brenneman. She shared highlights of Kick-Off Week including what money has been raised so far. She also shared this year’s theme, goal and how you can stay connected with the Knox County Campaign.

Click HERE to hear their conversation.

Here is the current total (as of 9/13/19):