Latest / The Rhett Palmer Show / Serving Those Who Served: Mission United and the Power of Community

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Serving Those Who Served: Mission United and the Power of Community · The Rhett Palmer Show

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Tell all the world.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Here we are.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Tell the Well, we have some important news when it comes to United Way of Indian River County.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: We have Meredith here.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Meredith is the CEO.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: What's your last name, Meredith?
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Egan.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Nice to meet you.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Nice to meet you.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Originally from New Joycey.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so now United Way used to just be United Way.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now you have a new program called Mission United.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: What happened to caused that?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: So the Veterans Council of Indy River County, which I'm sure you're familiar with, was around for about 40 years.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Strong legacy, strong foundation of serving uh veterans in this community.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: But as United Way knows, many of our nonprofits, sometimes sustainability can be difficult in this climate.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: So they came to us to talk about what it could look like to bring the programs underneath United Way to create some more sustainability, long-term planning, strategic planning, and really give some of that back office administrative infrastructure support uh to ensure that the programs could sustain themselves.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: Wonderful.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: So on October 1st, we we merged and um it's been great.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's now called Mission United.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh legacy programs all remain intact.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Other board members are coming over to United Way to serve as the Mission United Advisory Council to help oversee the programming.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: All the staff moved over.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: So really not much has changed, public facing except the name.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, wonderful.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: And uh people you presume, you know, when it came to town, people presume that you know it United Way.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: What is United Way?
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: You keep most of the money that's donated to you remains local, right?
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it all remains local.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: All of it.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: All of it remains local.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we aim to raise about three million dollars a year, and all of that goes out into community programs in the areas of education, financial stability, health, and community resilience.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of the names that you know around town, we support 45 different programs at 33 funded partners.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: So crossover mission, boys and girls club, senior resources association, mental health collaborative.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of the familiar nonprofits um we help support through their programs that align with our goals.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, and what are the let me ask you this are you do you stay away from religious non-for-profits like uh this what's the Samaritan House where they think?
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: Samaritan Center is one of our programs.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: Wonderful.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Isn't that coming up soon?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: The uh the the soup?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: Soup bowl, yes.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's in two weeks.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: Next week.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: Next week.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: I woke up this morning going, I wonder if it's soup day because it's because it the the weather did it make you think of soup?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Today would be a good soup day.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the day that we're we're doing this live, we're on Facebook, of course, and some other places, but uh uh uh this will all be on the radio a little delayed.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so um anyway, so uh who started United Way and what was its uh original vision and how did this all get going?
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: So our United Way started uh 65 years ago.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: We this year we're celebrating our birthday in River County, but United Ways across the country started um in the late 1800s.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um it sounds like a bad joke.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: It was a a nun, a priest, and uh a pastor, I think, walked into a bar in Denver, Colorado.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Seriously.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: And and they none, a priest and a pastor walk into a bar.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and they um were individually trying to raise money for their different causes, the charities that either their institutions, their faith-based organizations, whatever it was, that they were trying to help the community.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: And they said, Hey, wouldn't it be better if we just pulled all our resources?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: And that became the community chest, which eventually evolved into United Way.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's really a way uh to support with a multiplier effect of one gift can support many.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: So that's how the United Way concept started, and of course has evolved over the years, but essentially that's still what we do.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, do you specifically as the CEO, do you decide where those funds are going, or does you have a group that uh decide makes that decision?
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: I have zero say, which is great.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Zero, that's which it well, it's by design.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: So you're the administrator.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: So we help convene about 80 to 100 volunteers every year that have a say.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: So they go on those site visits, they re review grant applications, dive into financials and 990s, and you name it.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and talk with the programs, and those volunteers convene and come to a consensus and bring those recommendations to the other.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's a wild and new idea.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not just the board, it's the volunteers.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: So you're giving the power back to the people.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's quite wise because in today's world, you know, I had wanted to start a non-for-profit when I was younger about feeding kids, you know.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I said, I don't have administrative skills.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: We will a man's got to know his limitations.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Remember Ken Eastwood said that?
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, so I said, you know, in this day and age, you don't want to be handling people's money unless you're we unless you're capable of dotting the i's and crossing the t's.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm glad we have that accountability because, you know, there have been some some unsavory things that have happened in the past.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you are the CEO, so you're originally from New Jersey.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: So you went to college.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: What did you study?
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I went to college and I studied international service and development.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I went international service and development.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I feel under that umbrella.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh basically doing nonprofit work overseas in developing countries.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: So I worked in Jamaica for a while, um, working with um an abused women's shelter.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um worked in South Africa for a little while.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: So I was kind of all over the place.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: And then ended up uh working for a Jewish camp back in New Jersey because they hired me to run their their a summer camp for a little while.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then was offered a position at the local United Way.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, Catholic girl working at a Jewish camp, it was it was a great experience.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: Why did you why then why the attraction to the non-for-profits?
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: Uh this is this conjecture on my part.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: I would think that it's much more rewarding to work for an organization, whatever whatever it is, whether it's a Jewish camp to help kids.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you can't you send a kid to camp.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it's like you can take the child out of the farm, but you can never take the farm out of the child.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I know going to camp Wawa Sagoya when I was a boy, you know, you'll never forget it, even if it's just for one week.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I think it's great to take inner city kids.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: So anyway, the question is for you.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: So am I right about that?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: That you you that motivates you more?
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: I was really kind of called to service uh as I knew I always knew I was gonna do something to give back to my community.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, for a while, I just thought it was gonna be in other countries and really just help people in any way that I could.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: So really stumbled into the United Way work, and now 20 years in, this has really been my career.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: So now did you grow up as a Catholic?
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: I do.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: I did.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I mean, Jesus always said, the greatest among these shall be the servant of the rest.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, and you obviously caught wind of this as a as a young lady.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it took me being coming into adulthood, uh, to realize it is a privilege to serve others.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I can't believe that I actually didn't, I mean, I always liked people, but it was almost like I had an epiphany uh as I said, oh, it's a service, and I felt uh a touch of the Lord, and I went, wow, this is really cool.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so it continues to grow.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: So um now let me ask you this.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: So it started off with it started off with a priest.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody says it's a priest and a priest and a nun, and who?
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: A pastor.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: A pastor, yeah.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: A priest and nun and a president.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: They walk into a bar, and they actually did walk into a bar.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: It was in Colorado.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: That's a funny story.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, do uh I I'm not trying to I never um you you don't know me, but I never try to, I'm not trying to do anything wrong.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to know if it's true.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Are you reticent in today's world?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: There seems to be kind of a resistance towards faith-based non-for-profits.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Do you resist those or not necessarily?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: So, like I said, Samaritan Center is one of our funded partners.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um how about the w the center for the women?
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um Caring a caring center uh refuge.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: So they are not a funded partner.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: It and not because of their faith-based, they just haven't come to us yet.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: What's the other one you just mentioned?
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: Oh uh Catholic Charities is a a caring center for women, yes.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: Caring center for women.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: No, I don't know about that.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Where's that?
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: That is over by the hospital.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: And what do they do?
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um prenatal care, um, maternity care.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Oh great.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so no, we we do not discriminate based on if it's a faith-based organization.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um we only Salvation Army is another one that is a funded partner of ours.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: They were we were in lockstep with them during hurricane recovery efforts.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_01: So oh no, we we we will fund faith-based organizations.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it just can't be mandatory for someone to receive services.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I don't understand what that means.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I see.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: We said like if okay, yeah.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it's Salvation Army, they're food bank.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: So if it can't be mandatory for you to have to be a certain of a certain faith in order to access the food.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Right, and they're not, right, yeah.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I was very pleased about them because I know on a national level, there are organizations where you've got a CEO making a couple of million bucks a year, and I know the CEO of Salvation Army, and this is important for people to know, makes a maybe a hundred grand a year plus a housing, and that's not just for him, that's for him and his wife.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's crazy good.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And uh so uh people need to, like I said, in this day and age, you know.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: So uh what are some of the other qualifications?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, before we say that, who else, uh whether faith-based or not, who who are some of the um names that we would recognize that United Way helps?
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Boys and Girls Boys and Girls Club, uh Senior Resource Association, Meals on Wheels, Mental Health Association.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, you help the males on wheels.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, you don't run it, but you help them.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: No, sometimes I volunteer and do a ride-along, which is always fun.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: My wife always thinks that I should do that.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: You should.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_01: Every March they do um March for Meals and they invite community people to come for a ride-along.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'd like to do that.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's great.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I bet you a lot of people would recognize you when you showed up at their door.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: What the heck?
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: What's he doing?
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: They I bet you they listen to you.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: I thought about doing Uber and then I thought, well, I don't know.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it doesn't pay much anymore, though.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: I guess they they're about getting ready to have no no humans run those things, the Uber.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: The self-driving cars are terrifying.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: They are terrifying.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, they're getting better, you know.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: So you they have a ride along for that.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's cool.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: So uh so you were mentioning I interrupted you.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So you meals on wheels, um, the the the um boys and girls club, uh, that's that's important.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'll tell you a little story if you don't mind.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: I have a friend of mine, he is a billionaire, lives up at Johns Island.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: Well, when he was younger, uh he was orphaned and he lived at uh at the boys and girls club in um in uh Connecticut.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, uh he he I don't know how this all happened, but he managed to save money and bought some rickety old gas station uh at the age of twenty.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And uh he said by the time he was thirty, he owned the guy ended up uh he sold it a few years ago, but uh he ended up owing hundreds and hundreds of these uh gas stations and is very very active at giving.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure he's given to your your organization.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: So uh but anyway, it's it's uh but he he only has an eighth grade diploma and he always jokes with me.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh he says, Well, Rhett, can you imagine what I could have done if I went to ninth grade?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: Pulled himself up by the bootstraps.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: He did it.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: And you might wonder why I bring that up, and I bring it up as often as I can, because I too only graduated eighth grade.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I got an eighth grade diploma.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: I went back, of course, later and got my GED.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: I did go back to college here, and a little, you know, cot of college.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: But IRC, they when during COVID, you could go if you were over 65 at complimentary.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I went for two semesters.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: You knew?
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I yeah, and you know, I never got an A when I was a kid.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: I was on the dean's list both semesters, and yeah, I'm boasting about it.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's pretty cool.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: That's fantastic.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: 68 years of age.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: I think it keeps to mind.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: So, um, what else that I'm not had not what subject have I not broached or what questions have I not asked you, Meredith?
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: Meredith, by the way, in case you just tune in, she's the CEO of uh Mission United and uh which falls under United Way of Indian River County.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yes and you collect about thir three million dollars we aim for it.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Aim for it.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yes and that is all spread out among different organizations.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: And what's really cool that I never I don't know if this is new or not, but it's not even the board of directors now that decide, you know, because that can be political, who gets that dough.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's the volunteers, the power back to the people.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, is that something new?
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: No, that's that's been our process forever.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: We've always utilized volunteers.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: It's called the citizens review process because decisions made by the citizens of this community um so that we have their buy-in.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: They don't even need to be donors of United Way.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: So, like people, anybody could participate.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: They don't need to be a supporter, they don't, we're not a member organization, just you know, I want to ask you this.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, we're we're at an age where uh labor intensive can be, you know, a lot of restaurants are we don't have enough servers today, or this is going on.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: I have found running this, I've been in the radio this radio station that this section that I own for 32 years.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: I have found when I hire seniors, they're more reliable than the young people because like I went back to school because I wanted to be there when I went to Indian River Community College here.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: I I I went back because I wanted to be there.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so when somebody gets a job with us and they're over 65 or 70, they want they're not here for the dough.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: They're here because they want to be there.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely, makes all the difference in the world.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: Do you find that to be true in your organization?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: I think that is absolutely true.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: You make me think of so in Mission United, we do transportation.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: We took over the contract uh to take uh veterans down to West Palm for their appointments.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: They can also go to the local VA clinic.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all of our drivers are probably over 60.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: All of them do it because they want to do it.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: They just want to hang out with veterans every day and give back.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: They're not doing it for the paycheck.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they're doing it because they love giving back to the community.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: They get to see those veterans at 5-6 in the morning when they pick them up for their appointment, make sure they get safely down.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: Who wants to drive down 95 at 8 o'clock in the morning to West Pump?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: These guys.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, these guys do it because they love to serve.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's our generation, too, getting up early.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the early bird catches the worm and all that stuff.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: It does.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: So that did play out.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I thought so because I'm I wonder if these people that buy franchises, business franchises, whether it's a McDonald's or a Burger King or or a Chick-fil-A, whatever.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: I was thinking, I uh now Chick-fil-A, I know they do hire uh seniors in there, at least greeters.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but um and Walmart is known for their greeters.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it does make all the difference in the world because you know you go into a business, you might you might not be feeling that happy and not even be aware of it.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: I remember I went to a meeting about two years ago, and there was a young lady there as I walked in and greeted me.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: It just felt so warm.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: I almost was tickled to cry a tear because it just felt like I guess I was feeling isolated and didn't know it.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes just a little higher hello and a little act of kindness can change your whole day, right?
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_01: I completely agree.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's wonderful.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: Just a smile can change your whole morning.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me ask you this, Meredith, as the CEO of United Way in Vaniver County, are you looking for more volunteers?
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Always.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, always, always, always.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: We could utilize volunteers for office work, for the citizens' review process.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, this past weekend we did day of caring.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: We had 600 volunteers all over the county.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: 600, doing what?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: Anything and everything, you name it.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: Day of caring.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a senior or you're poor, uh maybe you're a widow, or maybe you're a single mom or a single dad, and you need some work done on your house, and uh times are tough financially, they what they do, call united away?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: All manner of things, absolutely.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: This is great.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I've learned a lot today.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: Good.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I really like the idea that the that's the volunteers that decide where the money's gonna go.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, uh, is there anything else you wanted to say?
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: No, thank you for letting him e join you today.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, what a sweet, nice lady you are heading you up.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: I I used to know, of course, Kent for years.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, Michael Kent was amazing.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and uh and uh looks like you're doing an amazing job so far.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm following in his footsteps.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: He laid the foundation for me.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now you're originally from New Jersey.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: How long have you been in Florida?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I've been in Florida 11 years.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: How do you like it so far?
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I love it.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: I I married a local boy and now it's home.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have children yet or not?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: I do not.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Dog.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you have a lot of children, actually.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, the whole community.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: Really?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: The whole community of children.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: What kind of dog do you have?
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he's a mutt.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: Oh.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: Blue tick, coon hound.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: I know.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_01: Crazy boy.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I tell you what, I think dogs are angelic beings in disguise or something.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: Incognito.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: You are right, they're angels.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: They are.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: The only thing is, you know, they don't have the longest lives.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: And boy, I tell you.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: It'll tear you up really bad until it happens.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: My sweet angel.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: I got dogs I still think about, and maybe they'll be in heaven.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: You never know.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_01: They'll see them someday.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: I hope so.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Meredith, great to meet you.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_01: Great to meet you.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: God bless you onward and upward to the higher calling United Way of Indian River County.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And uh volunteer and also make a donation, okay, folks?
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, of course.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: Tell all the world about Jesus.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: Tell them his love is true.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: Tell all the world about Jesus.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: Tell them he loves them too.