Marcy Rinehart of The Morning Thing talked with representatives from the New Directions Shelter of Knox County today on the show.

Laurie Thompson, Advocate and Prevention Educator at New Directions talked about the Stewards of Children program.

Lori Jones, Delta Focus Coordinator talked about the See the Signs Program and TAC (Teen Advisory Counci).

Listen in and find out how to get help and how to get involved in our community.
Click HERE to hear their conversation.

Click HERE to go to the New Directions website.

If you need help, please call 740-397-4357 (HELP).

It’s Dating 101 – from generation to generation.
Today, Marcy and Jenna talked about how dating has changed over the past few decades.
Times have definitely changed and so has dating!
(Picture from www.sheknows.com)

Take a listen to a true-to-life description of the differences of dating from 1980 to 2017! Click HERE to listen as Marcy and Jenna share dating insights from freelance writer Maureen Stiles from www.scarymommy.com
You’ll love this! :-)

You can follow Maureen through her monthly column at towncourier.com and find her at her blog, Magnificence in the Mundane.

We also talked with Jenna’s Mom, Missy Potts about how much dating has changed. Missy has been working as a youth pastor for over 25 years. Click HERE to hear our conversation (and get some great advice)!

Check out this article from Sarah Kelsey that shows us 10 Ways Dating Now is Different Than Dating in the ‘80s. Click HERE to read the full article.
1. How did you meet? Social media has changed this answer.
2. First dates no longer exist.  In 2017, a potential date has been Googled, Facebooked and Internet-stalked so much that there’s no real need for first-date jitters.
3. Keeping in Touch. Remember way back when the wait to hear back from a crush was agonizing? You’d have to sit by the phone and pray they’d call (and that your mom, father or sibling wouldn’t pick up when they did!). Now getting in touch with someone is as simple as sending a quick text.
4. Wardrobe Requirements. ‘80s outfits were the best. The hair! The scrunchies! The high-waisted jeans! It was all so over-the-top. What has changed?  A date now is much more casual and relaxed. Sweatpants are a suitable pant option.
5. Blind Dates. Blind dates aren’t really blind anymore because so much information is shared on a potential dating candidate before the big event actually happens. People can even text their date a photo of what they’re wearing so they can be picked out from a crowd.
6. What’s Romantic? Girls in the ‘80s wanted to be romanced: with romantic tunes, dancing, birthday cakes and sweet words. Today, being romantic is much more elaborate. Sweeping gestures are way more public; they may even involve videographers who capture a moment on film then promptly post it to YouTube.
7. Cost-Effectiveness. Dating was a lot cheaper in the 80s. Movies were cheap, candy was only five cents and drive-ins combined food and a movie all for the price of $5. Today, going out will set you back at least $25.
8. What You Do. The skyrocketing price of date-night activities has led to a complete shift in what potential couples actually do. Concerts or movie dates have given way to park sits and even window shopping. Free lectures, art talks and even cooking a meal at home are also more contemporary options.
9. Following Up With an Ex. Another danger of the Internet age is post-breakup stalking of an ex. Back in the ‘80s finding out what someone was up to was a long, arduous process; news traveled so slow that by the time you heard an update it was probably outdated. Thanks to Facebook, finding out what an ex is up to is only a small click away.
10. Breaking Up. Ending a relationship is harder than ever in 2017. Not only do you have to do the deed in person (it’s never acceptable to do it via text or a phone call), but you also have to change your relationship status on multiple social platforms. You may even consider de-friending him, her or their posse of pals.

More than 1 in 10 teens who have been on a date have also been physically abused by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last year. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is a national effort to raise awareness and protect teens from violence.(from http://www.healthfinder.gov)

The New Directions Shelter of Knox County is working hard to create awareness and prevention education for our community.

New Directions has a Teen Advisory Council that is making a difference. The Teen Advisory Council is a group of Knox County youth, ages 14-18, who actively work to end teen dating and sexual violence. TAC members are “Ambassadors” of healthy, safe, equal, and non-violent relationships among their peers and in the community.

The Teen Advisory Council is a group of passionate, informed high school students who serve as ambassadors of healthy relationships in their schools and communities. The Teen Advisory Council is trained by New Directions Staff, and takes that training into the community through projects and events of their design. One of the TAC’s annual events is the “Color for a Cause” 5K in downtown Mount Vernon.

WNZR’s Rachel Rinehart had a chance to talk with 2 members of the Teen Advisory Council. Click HERE https://soundcloud.com/wnzr/sets/february-is-teen-dating-violence-awareness-month
to hear their conversation about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Click HERE http://newdirectionsshelter.org/ to find out more about New Directions.

The Morning Thing features a conversation with MVNU’s President, Dr. Henry Spaulding on the first Friday of every month. For February’s Presidential Update, Dr. Spaulding talks about what he is looking forward to the rest of the semester. He also shares his Valentines Day plans and what the MVNU students will be doing over spring break.

Click HERE to hear the conversation with Dr. Spaulding and Dan Monnin.

Click HERE to stay up to date with what is happening at MVNU.

Have a question for Dr. Henry Spaulding, MVNU’s President? Email your question to wnzr@mvnu.edu

Since Sunday is the big game, The Morning Thing shared their favorite memories from past Superbowl games! Click the links below to hear from each our co-hosts! The Superbowl will be this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The game between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons will be featured on FOX.

For Dan’s favorite memory, click HERE!

To hear Marcy’s story, click HERE!

Jenna shares her Superbowl memory, HERE!

Andy explains his favorite memory, HERE!

To hear from Kelsey, click HERE!

Did you know your phone addiction could be classified as a mental illness?

This morning we talked about phone dependency and a study conducted by Daniel Kruger, a scientist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. According to Kruger, extreme dependency can create “phantom phone alerts” which is when an individual thinks their phone is buzzing, but it’s not. The study found that this is a sign of addiction and a mental illness.

Phone dependency has also been linked to other mental illnesses, depression, anxiety, weight gain, feelings of isolation, damage relationships and more.

To read the full article, click HERE.

However, there is hope! You can “unplug” from your device starting right now!  The Huffington Post gives us many ways we can take a step back from our cell phones and be present in the world around us.

Read the full article HERE!

Good morning! We had lots of fun Superbowl facts sports and great music this morning to get you going! Check them out below!

Superbowl Did You Knows…

• The Patriots’ last-second victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49 was the most watched telecast in television history. The 49th Super Bowl was viewed by 114.4 million viewers. Katy Perry and the infamous Left Shark’s halftime show at Super Bowl XLIX drew more viewers than the game itself. Her performance was watched by 118.5 million people.
• The NFL might be an American sport, but Super Bowl Sunday is worldwide. The big game is broadcast around the globe in 34 different languages.
• Back in 1967 and 1968, the big games weren’t broadcasted live, and the only known footage of them was thought to have been erased. Luckily, a single fan was found to have recorded the events, preserving the Super Bowls for posterity.
• Although many games have been close, there has never been a Super Bowl to reach overtime.
• Super Bowls are known for their commercials, and in 2014, a 30-second ad cost $4.5 million!
• The Lombardi Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Super Beach each year. It is made by Tiffany & Co. and weighs seven pounds, stands 21 inches tall and is worth $25,000, and players on the winning team take home $97,000 per person, while each losing player pockets $49,000.
• After his Colts defeated the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, Tony Dungy became the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl.

Chase Daniel is the backup quarterback for the Philidelphia Eagles, and he’s doing some really incredible things for his team. Chase hosts a Bible study for couples weekly, there’s a weekly Bible study that happens at the practice facility, as well as prayer sessions among the teammates the night before they play a game. Daniel told ESPN: “This is by far the most spiritual team I’ve been on.” You can read the whole story from Relevant Magazine here! 

Bethany Hamilton is another brave athlete taking on the world, and Hamilton has overcome quite a lot. When she was 13, she lost her arm to a tiger shark and thought her career as a surfer was over. In 2007, she realized her dream of surfing professionally and since then her story has been told in a New York Times best-selling autobiography and in the 2011 film, SOUL SURFER. Read more about Bethany Hamilton here!

Tim Tebow is also another athlete who is making a difference. Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older. On one night, February 10, 2017, churches from around the world will host Night to Shine for thousands of honored guests and we want you to be a part of it! If you’d like to learn more about Night to Shine, click here!

Our Morning Thing Game of the Day today was Name that Artist! 
Our clue today was: This band is originally from Portland, Oregon, and their original name was ‘Call Box’.The band was Kutless, and congratulations to our winner Karstyn of Mt. Vernon who guess correctly! She received a $5 gift certificate to Southside Diner!