2025 is here! The Morning Thing shared New Year’s Resolutions that are achievable!

The New Year brings a fresh start! What goals would you like to achieve?
The word “resolution” often becomes a negative term because many of us give up after 2 weeks.
Good Housekeeping came up with a list of 65 Achievable New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Keep!
Check out the FULL LIST HERE!
If we can adopt 1 or 2 or maybe 3 of these goals, we will be on our way to a healthy, more balanced 2025.

Here are some of the resolutions that we are going to try in the New Year.

  • Start a gratitude journal.
  • Make time for family.
  • Create a budget you can stick to.
  • Cook new foods.
  • Add cleaning tasks to your calendar.
  • Prioritize sleep.
  • Learn to love vegetables.
  • Schedule annual health screenings.
  • Become a plant owner.
  • Take the stairs.
  • Plan a vacation.
  • Start walking more.
  • Write to yourself.
  • Do one thing at a time.

As you start this new year, we hope you can remember the promises of these powerful bible verses:

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Isaiah 43:18-19 – “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Revelation 21:5 – And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 – To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Morning Thing talks about Positive Mental Health

The Morning Thing talked about Positive Mental Health today, Thursday, December 26th.

The holidays are filled with the happiness and joy surrounding the birth of Jesus.

However, its is always important to remember to pay attention the mental health of yourself, family, friends, and co-workers during this time of the year.

We have provided a printout that you can use for mental health, sleep hygiene, and a list of core emotions associated with mental health awareness.

Click HERE to find some helpful hints from Focus on the Family.

Click HERE for a Emotional Checklist.

The Food For The Hungry Service Club Challenge is back for 2024

Kathy Brechler, Food For The Hungry Executive Director and Carol Grubaugh, Executive Director for the Knox County Chamber of Commerce stopped by WNZR to talk about this year’s Service Club Challenge.
Click HERE to hear the conversation or click the link below.
Service Clubs throughout Knox County are hosting events and collections to benefit the annual drive.
The deadline to submit donations is December 9th.

Kathy also talks about how the Mount Vernon annual Holiday Parade and Winter in Downtown MV event will be a collection point. Look for the FFTH Shopping Carts in the parade!
Kathy shares a Top 10 list of foods that our local pantries have requested. She also shares a list of collection points that will be open on Friday, 12/13.
Would you like to volunteer? Volunteers are needed at the collection points.
Please email Kathy director@foodforthehungrycares.org

Local libraries host collections to benefit Food For The Hungry

John Chidester, Director for the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County shared with WNZR about their annual collection.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click the link below.
They have been supporting FFTH for decades!
Food and monetary donations are being accepted through 12/13 at the libraries in Mount Vernon, Danville, Fredericktown and Gambier.
This year, the library has an extra incentive for those that donate. Each time you give a donation, your name will be put into a drawing for a gift card!

Non-perishable items that are at or near their expiration dates, damaged, or in compromised containers will not be accepted. All collected food and money will be given to the 2024 Food For The Hungry Drive. Donations from each community will stay in that local community.

For more information about this year’s campaign, go to foodforthehungrycares.org

Knox County Elementary kids are collecting donations for Food For The Hungry this week!

WNZR is honored to partner with the 43rd annual Food For The Hungry Drive.
Today, The Morning Thing shared talked with Debbie Ruggles, President of Psi Iota Xi Sorority about this year’s elementary school collection.
Psi Iota Xi has been involved with FFTH for 25 years!

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the link below.

The collection is happening this week – 11/18 – 11/22 at all Knox County Elementary schools: Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Columbia, Dan Emmett, Pleasant Street, East, St. Vincent DePaul, Twin Oak and Wiggin Street. The Knox Learning Center and 6th Grade at Mount Vernon Middle School are also participating.

Debbie shared that there are rewards for the top collectors:
– The Top Class in each school will receive a pizza party from Psi Iota Xi
– The top donor from each school will be honored in the Food For The Hungry broadcast at the Knox County Memorial Building on Friday, Dec. 13. The students will be recognized on our live video stream at www.mvnu.tv, as well as on 100.9 FM and 93.7 HD2 – WMVO, with reports given on WNZR and 93.7 the Super Q. 

A green flyer went home with the kids this past Friday sharing all the details. This flyer also included the Top 10 food items needed at our local pantries.

The Top 10 items needed for our local pantries include soup (pop-tops or packages), jelly, canned meals (ravioli, spaghettios, etc.), breakfast foods (cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix), canned fruit, canned vegetables, pasta/egg noodles, side dishes (boxed or packaged), peanut butter, and pasta sauce. 

Though non-food donations are welcome, cash donations are encouraged because $1 donated is equivalent to $4.56 of buying power through the Mid-Ohio Collective. Checks should be made payable to Food For The Hungry. All donations collected in each school will stay in the community in which they were donated. These students are asked to demonstrate the idea that no one is too young to make a difference and that the community is better when we work together!

Follow FFTH on Facebook (@FoodForTheHungryKnoxCounty) and Instagram (@FFTHCares) to stay up to date on all things FFTH. Get involved by attending events, donating, volunteering, or even hosting your own event for FFTH! If you are hosting an event or collection, make sure to fill out the Community Event/Collection Form on the FFTH website. 

To learn more about FFTH, donate, or find photos, videos, and more, visit www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org. To volunteer with FFTH, call or text Kathy Brechler at (740)-409-1866 or email Director@FoodForTheHungryCares.org. 

The 2024 FFTH Live Broadcast will take place on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Memorial Theater inside the Knox Memorial. This is a Knox County tradition you won’t want to miss!

Food For The Hungry—Working together to care for our neighbors. 

What’s for dinner? SOUP!

Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some yummy recipes from AllRecipes.com for you.
Ridiculously easy soups that are ready in 30 minutes or less! Let’s make dinner!

Click HERE to find 22 different recipes!

Here are the ones that Marcy talked about this morning:

Avocado Soup with Chicken and Lime

Pumpkin Chipotle Soup

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cream of Tomato Gorgonzola Soup

The Mount Vernon Salvation Army is bringing a new childcare facility to our community

Captain Christine Moretz shared an exciting ministry update with WNZR.
Construction is underway for a new childcare center in our community!
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the link below.

She explained how they discovered the need for childcare and decided to build this facility.
Christine shared an overview of the facility that will be added to the area that they call “Salvation Square.” This new building is a 13,270 square foot childcare center, that also allows for 36 additional slots for an after-school program. A total of 112 children will be cared for daily in this facility, named “The Salvation Army Learning Lighthouse!”


She listed the areas and facilities in this center that will be used for educational and recreational programs. There will also be renovations made to their existing social services building to better serve those in need in the community!


Christine also shared the timeline for this building project with WNZR. Construction is planned to finish in October 2025, with the childcare center to open in January 2026!
Their campaign goal is $6.25 million dollars, and about $4.9 million dollars has been pledged by generous organizations.
You can support this campaign at www.salarmy.us/LightTheDay

Christine also shared about the many ways to get involved with raising funds for the Salvation Army this Christmas Season!
Kettle Kickoff is Tuesday, November 26th at noon at the Salvation Army! You can keep an eye out for red kettles accepting donations around town, or volunteer to ring a bell.

The community Thanksgiving Dinner will be November 27th at the Salvation Army, and you can volunteer for that event as well.

MVNU Cross Country hosts the “Before the Bird” 5K Run and Walk

MVNU’s Cross Country Coach, Simon Taylor stopped by WNZR to chat about the team and an exciting event.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.

The team is hosting the “Before the Bird” 5K Run and Walk on Saturday, November 16th!
Registration is from 8:15am – 8:45am
Race starts at 9am
Where – MVNU Campus Chapel.

All proceeds from the event are donated to MVNU Cross Country.

Today is Food For The Hungry Kick-Off Day!

It is Food For The Hungry Kickoff Day!
Today, we celebrate a legacy of giving that started in 1982.
2024 marks the 43rd Anniversary of this incredible campaign.

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with the new Food For The Hungry Executive Director, Kathy Brechler and Olivia Stern, Digital Content and Marketing Director.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

The ladies covered many topics about this year’s drive:

  • 2024 Drive Goal of $330,000
  • Why the goal has increased
  • The power of $1.00 at the Mid Ohio Food Collective ($1.00 – $4.56)
  • The Value of volunteers and how you can get involved
  • This is a local effort and donations stay right here in Knox County
  • Upcoming events to support the campaign
  • Summer Grant Program (15 local organizations received grants for a total of $29,500)
  • Top 10 needed food items
  • Healthy Donation Guide
  • How to stay connected

The ladies also shared powerful stories of how residents have been impacted by these donations. They also shared about their summer visits to several of our local pantries that benefit from FFTH.

Your generosity is astounding each year and we believe this will be another fantastic season of giving to support the FFTH mission of alleviating hunger in Knox County.
We invite you to get involved! Donate, Volunteer, Host an Event/Collection, or Attend an Event!

To learn more, visit http://www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org
Food For The Hungry – Working Together To Care For Our Neighbors.

The United Way of Knox County launches their new All Kids Bike Program

On Wednesday, 10/23/24, the United Way of Knox County hosted an exciting community event. They launched their All Kids Bike Initiative – a program that aims to teach every child in Knox County how to ride a bike. This is the pilot year. They are introducing the program across all the Mount Vernon City Elementary schools as well as Centerburg Elementary. They hope to extend the program to every school in Knox County by the 2025-2026 school year.

Click HERE to hear from Halle Krajenski, Program Director about this exciting initiative. We also talked with Patrolmen Benjamin Fike from the Mount Vernon Police Department about bike safety.

To connect with the United Way of Knox County and to donate for the 2024 Campaign – click HERE.
Your gift makes a difference!
Be sure to scroll down and check out the videos!

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