Category: The Morning Thing

Experience Mount Vernon hosts their annual Investor & Awards Breakfast

On Friday, 1/31/25, Experience Mount Vernon handed out the 2024 Investor Awards.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart and Eric Brown talked with the winners.
Click HERE to hear the conversations.

Congratulations to:
Janis Stone – Walter Rudin Award
Paragraphs Bookstore – Small Business of the Year
TD Landscape – Mid-Size Business of the Year
Park National Bank – Large Business of the Year
Mount Vernon Arts Consortium – Non-Profit of the Year
Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau – Community Pride Award
Emily Morrison – Spirit of Heritage Award

This prestigious Walter Rudin Award honors an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and impact on the Downtown Mount Vernon community. Janis Stone’s unwavering commitment
to enhancing our city’s vibrancy through the performing arts and fostering a spirit of collaboration has made her a cornerstone of our community’s growth and success.

Janis Stone has played a transformative role in shaping our cultural landscape through her remarkable dedication to the arts and tireless efforts to enrich Downtown Mount Vernon. Her unwavering commitment to downtown Mount Vernon and various arts initiatives has made high-quality, accessible arts programming a cornerstone of our community. Janis’ leadership and vision have brought unforgettable performances to Mount Vernon’s heart and fostered a deeper connection to the arts for residents and visitors alike.

Janis Stone’s influence extends beyond her work with MTVarts. She has actively engaged with local businesses, collaborated with fellow arts organizations, and passionately contributed to Experience Mount Vernon events, all while advocating for the vibrancy of our downtown area. Through her leadership, countless individuals have been inspired to explore the arts, and Downtown Mount Vernon has become a cultural hub that draws people together through shared creative experiences.

In addition to the Walter Rudin Award, Experience Mount Vernon awarded six additional business and community awards at its Annual Investor & Awards Breakfast on January 31st:
● Small Business of the Year: Paragraphs Bookstore, for its outstanding service to the community and dedication to fostering connections in Downtown Mount Vernon.
● Mid-Size Business of the Year: TD Landscape, for its exemplary work in enhancing vibrancy in Downtown Mount Vernon.
● Large Business of the Year: Park National Bank, for its long-standing commitment to outstanding leadership, community involvement, and a commitment to fostering local partnerships.
● Non-Profit of the Year: Mount Vernon Arts Consortium, for enriching the cultural fabric of our city through innovative programming and tireless advocacy for the arts.
● Community Pride Award: Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau, for unwavering commitment to enhancing the beauty and pride of Mount Vernon and for promoting Mount Vernon as a top destination in Ohio.
● Spirit of Heritage Award: Emily Morrison, for her selfless volunteerism and a deep passion for capturing our community’s spirit through her photography.

Experience Mount Vernon extends heartfelt thanks to the sponsors who made these awards possible: The Mount Vernon Grand Hotel for the Small Business of the Year Award; Dumbaugh Insurance for the Mid-Size Business of the Year Award; Flappers Bar & Grille for the Large Business of the Year Award; Kidwell & Cunningham for the Non-Profit of the Year Award; Griffin Insurance for the Community Pride Award; CES Credit Union for the Spirit of Heritage Award; and Park National Bank for the Walter Rudin Award. Their generosity and dedication to supporting our community’s leaders and businesses help make this recognition possible.

“Each of these award winners exemplifies the best of what Mount Vernon has to offer,” said Lacey Filkins, Executive Director of Experience Mount Vernon. “Their collective efforts contribute to the ongoing transformation of our community into a thriving and inspiring place to live, work, and visit.”

Experience Mount Vernon is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the vibrancy of Downtown Mount Vernon through events, programs, and partnerships that celebrate its unique charm and foster community pride.

For more information about Experience Mount Vernon, visit experiencemv.org.

0

WNZR talks with Russ Lee from Newsong about WinterJam 2025

It’s WinterJam Week on WNZR. Each day, we are sharing conversations with the artists that are taking the stage for this year’s tour. We talked with Russ Lee of Newsong. Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

He talks about why Newsong decided to start WinterJam and he even talks about the formation of the group and his experiences! Russ mentions all of the amazing artists that they get to share the stage with this year and how the concert feels like a family reunion. He also reveals that Newsong will be sharing a couple of new songs at the concert!

Russ also touches on what he is thankful for and what keeps him and the band going and touring after so long. He also lets us know how we can pray for him and the rest of the band!

0

WNZR talks with John Cooper from Skillet about WinterJam 2025

It’s WinterJam Week on WNZR. Each day, we are sharing conversations with the artists that are taking the stage for this year’s tour.
We talked with John Cooper from Skillet. Click HERE to hear the full conversation.
He talked about growing up to become a rock musician in a house where rock music was not allowed. He also discusses Skillet’s creative process to blend hard rock and biblical truth.

John shares about the band’s history on the WinterJam Tour. He also talks about their new album “Revolution”.

After 30 years of writing, recording and touring, John breaks down what keeps him and the band going.

0

Sunday is the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday! Join WNZR to celebrate Starting Point!

On Friday’s show, The Morning Thing shined the spotlight on the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and the ministry of Starting Point Pregnancy and Family Resource Center.
We talked with Jenn Furay, Executive Director of Starting Point.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or watch the Soundcloud link below.
She shared with us how the celebration of life happens throughout the month of January.

She also shared some amazing stats:

  • Fingernails start to develop at 12 weeks gestation
  • the heart beats 54 million times between conception and birth
  • a baby that is delivered at only 24 weeks gestation has a 60-70% chance of survival
  • a baby delivered at 28 weeks (12 weeks pre-mature) has an 80-90% chance of survival with only a 10% chance of having any long-term health problems

Jenn also talked about the option of abortion pill reversal. Starting Point’s Medical Director, Dr. Hardin is part of a network that has saved over 1,200 lives with this method.

Jenn also shared how knowledge is power.
Starting Point offers:

  • an informational video for churches or online sharing
  • speakers for small groups or churches
  • tours of the Starting Point facilities
  • training for volunteers

For more information about Starting Point Pregnancy and Family Resource Center, go to www.FriendsofKSP.com

Here is a video with more facts.

0

Would you like to be more creative? It’s not too late!

We honored International Creativity Month this morning on The Morning Thing. There is something about being creative that gives you a certain boost of confidence and it is never too late to become more creative in your lifestyle!

We shared some tips from Phil Cooke’s article How To Jumpstart Your Creativity. Phil says, “This is as good a time as any to take your creativity to the next level.”

Here are a few of our co-hosts favorite tips for becoming more creative:

  • Don’t be afraid to daydream
  • Stop working randomly
  • Value intuition and the power of hunches
  • Be open to new ideas
  • Be different

If you want to read more about these and check out the rest of the 10 then click HERE!

If you’d like to learn more about International Creativity Month click HERE!

0

The Morning Thing Talks about Ways to Celebrate Life!

It’s a new year, and many people think about resolutions like losing weight, getting healthier and improving finances.

However, January is Celebration of Life Month where you want to focus on the great things in life. On the Morning Thing, we talked about the ways you can pause, reflect, and become a better Christian and thus a better person in 2025!

Some of the topics covered included remembering who you, taking time to spend with your family and friends and laugh.

Remembering who are helps you re-focus on making sure to separate work with your life. Work is one way to pass the day, but you should leave work concerns at work.

You should also take time to spend with family and friends with a dinner and movie, just a simple lunch date to catch up or a weekend getaway.

You should laugh…..a lot! Tell a silly “dad” joke, watch your favorite sitcom or comedian.

BTW…One great comedian to check out is Tim Hawkins who is coming to MVNU on Saturday, March 22 for two great shows.

Click HERE for more information on Celebration of Life Month.

Click HERE for 50 simple ways to celebrate and enjoy life.

0

Are you tired? Here are some easy ways to jump-start your energy levels for the new year!

Heading back to school and work can be exhausting! That’s why we wanted to share some ways you can stay engaged and energized in 2025!

The Guardian found 31 effective ways to help boost your energy levels! There is a variety of tasks from what to drink in the morning to getting a musical boost!

Click HERE to check out the full list!

Here are some of our favorites that we shared on the show:

  • Bend like a banana
  • Ban the snooze button
  • Time your coffee right
  • Aim for less than 90 minutes a day on social media
  • Fill up on fibre
  • Try exercise snacking

Adopting even 1 or 2 of these tips can make your day better and brighter!

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑