Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #301 – Team Ringgold and the Joy of Serving

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Ep #301 – Team Ringgold and the Joy of Serving · Our Community, Our Mission

0:00
SPEAKER_00: Father, we just thank you.
0:01
SPEAKER_00: We thank you for just another day.
0:05
SPEAKER_00: God, even though it's uh colder out, and um, Lord, that there seems to be so much need.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, and honestly, there there seems to be so much brokenness around us in in so many different areas.
0:19
SPEAKER_00: Um, Lord, what what remains true is you.
0:22
SPEAKER_00: And um thank you for um just sending your son uh to die on the cross so that um one day when our life is done here, uh Lord, that a new life is just beginning and it's the best life.
0:36
SPEAKER_00: Thank you that uh we can spend our days on earth um on purpose, uh loving uh families and friends and even strangers like we do at TRM.
0:48
SPEAKER_00: Lord, thank you for volunteers, thank you for donors, thank you for the guests we get to serve, thank you for um the unsheltered neighbors, thank you for our staff, Lord, because we know um life is precious and we know people are made in your image.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: And uh just thank you for entrusting all of us um with all of our flaws to do such important work and for being the anchor of it all.
1:10
SPEAKER_00: In your name we pray.
1:11
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
1:18
SPEAKER_04: Hello, everybody.
1:19
SPEAKER_04: Thank you for joining us for our community, our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission.
1:23
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Barry Feeker, here on January the 20th of 2026, and this is episode number 301.
1:30
SPEAKER_04: Lamanda, we broke the barrier last week.
1:32
SPEAKER_00: We did, we did.
1:33
SPEAKER_04: So 300 now 301.
1:35
SPEAKER_04: Can you believe it's January 20th already?
1:37
SPEAKER_04: No.
1:37
SPEAKER_04: I mean, we're almost ready for February.
1:39
SPEAKER_04: Correct, yes.
1:40
SPEAKER_00: Well, I was just talking to someone about um I said something like, yeah, well, we can discuss that in quarter two, and then I was like, oh great, we're less than two months away from quarter two.
1:49
SPEAKER_00: Um okay, maybe quarter three.
1:51
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it's gonna be a good one.
1:52
SPEAKER_04: Well, it's a chilly one today in Topeke, it's gonna get up to 40, I think.
1:56
SPEAKER_04: And it's it's really haven't had winter to per se.
1:58
SPEAKER_00: But do not jinx it if we believe in jinxing.
2:02
SPEAKER_00: And the sun is out, so we're thankful for that.
2:04
SPEAKER_00: We're thankful for little wind.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: All the things.
2:07
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
2:07
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna get a little cooler, but it's just not what we've had the last three years.
2:11
SPEAKER_04: So but still people are unsheltered and people are sheltered, and there is phenomenal need.
2:17
SPEAKER_04: And we uh we're just thankful that we just don't have some of the severity of the weather that we have had.
2:22
SPEAKER_00: And this time last year, we were thick into the second warming center.
2:26
SPEAKER_00: Yes, the third one started in February.
2:29
SPEAKER_00: Um and I would say, you know, on a serious note too, we are watching the weather for this weekend.
2:35
SPEAKER_00: Um so we did mention it's January 20th.
2:38
SPEAKER_00: Um so two weeks ago I noticed that there was a potential in temperature drops and some snow this coming Sunday.
2:45
SPEAKER_00: In the last 24 hours, that has changed.
2:48
SPEAKER_00: Looks like we could come in on Friday.
2:50
SPEAKER_00: So we are monitoring it.
2:52
SPEAKER_00: Um TRM has a great uh partnership with the National Weather Service, and so we get briefings when things are gonna get close and if it is gonna be pretty severe.
3:01
SPEAKER_00: Um, so we're watching it.
3:03
SPEAKER_00: Um, the team has been working, I joke and say, since December of 22, the first warming center, um, working on being prepared.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: Um, I also want to thank partners because we have a lot of partners right now.
3:16
SPEAKER_00: A special shout out to um Dr.
3:19
SPEAKER_00: Crow, Matt Baldwin, and all of the volunteers with Street Dog Coalition.
3:23
SPEAKER_00: Um, we are gonna try something new this year where we're having two warming centers, um, one for individuals who need to cohabitate with animals.
3:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, and Street Dog is gonna run that, and then we're gonna run um a warming center with people that do not have animals.
3:39
SPEAKER_00: So they're ready.
3:41
SPEAKER_00: Uh Matt was, if he's listening, thank you, Matt, for always keeping me on my toes.
3:45
SPEAKER_00: But Matt was texting me last weekend, making sure I was watching it.
3:49
SPEAKER_00: But um, yeah, a lot of amazing community partners ready to uh stand in the gap if the weather was too.
3:56
SPEAKER_04: So there is a plan in place if the weather gets to that point where you gotta pull the trigger because people can still come into TRM if there's room.
4:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, bring their animal in.
4:04
SPEAKER_04: Correct.
4:04
SPEAKER_04: That's one of the challenges with the with the population at uh Topeka Rescue Mission, but uh as long as there's room and it doesn't get to that life-threatening uh place that people can come in.
4:14
SPEAKER_00: And we've been running um, you know, those are called cold weather exceptions.
4:19
SPEAKER_00: Um and when did you start doing that?
4:22
SPEAKER_00: That was before me.
4:23
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, decades.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: Um so there is, you know, a safety net in place for our community um for most individuals um for that can be taken care of with TRM.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: Uh those warming centers really open up when it's life or death, and when you're talking severe wind chills and severe temperatures and severe precipitation, that's when we really call on the community to do more than what TRM can do.
4:49
SPEAKER_00: So we're ready if it's needed, but honestly, I'm secretly praying that it just stays 40.
4:55
SPEAKER_04: So you can pray out loud too.
4:58
SPEAKER_04: We're trying.
4:58
SPEAKER_04: We're trying.
4:59
SPEAKER_04: Well, we have a special guest today, but before we get to our guests, we want to uh go through what the research and development department of the Topeka Rescue Mission has come up with for January the 20th every year.
5:09
SPEAKER_04: And so we want to run down those because I know that some people really listen to this podcast because they want to know what's very special about today.
5:16
SPEAKER_04: So, Amanda, did you know that January the 20th is National Cheese Lovers Day?
5:21
SPEAKER_00: No, but I agree with it.
5:22
SPEAKER_04: I thought every day was National Cheese Lovers.
5:23
SPEAKER_04: I know, I love cheese.
5:25
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
5:25
SPEAKER_04: So anyway, uh don't really know exactly when that was started, but they think around 5,500 BC B C E.
5:33
SPEAKER_04: B.
5:33
SPEAKER_04: C.
5:34
SPEAKER_04: E.
5:34
SPEAKER_04: Uh-huh.
5:34
SPEAKER_04: Right.
5:35
SPEAKER_04: That was a long time ago.
5:36
SPEAKER_04: Uh-huh.
5:36
SPEAKER_04: Um and uh there are how many varieties of cheese do you think there are?
5:40
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I have no idea.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: I didn't read it.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: I didn't cheat the sweet.
5:43
SPEAKER_04: Do you have a favorite cheese?
5:44
SPEAKER_00: Um I do.
5:45
SPEAKER_04: Uh-huh.
5:46
SPEAKER_00: Sharp cheddar, but I prefer white sharp cheddar instead of the yellow.
5:51
SPEAKER_04: Is it like on peanut butter?
5:53
SPEAKER_00: On peanut butter.
5:54
SPEAKER_04: Well, I don't know.
5:55
SPEAKER_04: Do you like cheese that well?
5:56
SPEAKER_00: I pretty much.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: You know, that might not be actually I'm sitting here trying to think that might not be bad with the Ritz cracker.
6:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, sure.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: I love peanut butter too.
6:04
SPEAKER_04: Sometimes they get collided, and we're going to talk about a collision of something that's national about this today.
6:08
SPEAKER_04: But first of all, it's also National Dis Jockey Day.
6:12
SPEAKER_04: DJs.
6:13
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
6:13
SPEAKER_04: National Dis Dock.
6:14
SPEAKER_04: That started in 1909.
6:16
SPEAKER_04: Um, I guess they had music and they were spinning the something.
6:20
SPEAKER_04: Uh 1909 is where that started.
6:22
SPEAKER_04: Um, there was a guy named Charles Doc Harold at uh Harold College of Engineering.
6:31
SPEAKER_04: Oh.
6:32
SPEAKER_04: Anyway, um, that's where it started.
6:34
SPEAKER_04: So somehow, so we have DJs today.
6:36
SPEAKER_04: There's a lot more about that.
6:37
SPEAKER_00: Well, and remember I used to be one.
6:39
SPEAKER_04: What?
6:40
SPEAKER_00: Did I ever tell you that?
6:41
SPEAKER_04: No.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: I think so.
6:42
SPEAKER_00: I think we talked about it on the podcast.
6:43
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
6:44
SPEAKER_00: Um, so it's kind of not necessarily changing like records, but yeah, I worked at KTCS um when I was in college, and I was a radio DJ.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: Um, it was a country music station, and I did now.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: I was Mandy in the morning.
7:00
SPEAKER_04: Mandy in the morning.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: And I I remember.
7:03
SPEAKER_04: I remember hearing this now.
7:04
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
7:05
SPEAKER_04: It was fun.
7:05
SPEAKER_04: I guess that's yeah, okay.
7:06
SPEAKER_04: So that was called a DJ.
7:08
SPEAKER_00: That's why I tell people I have a face for radio.
7:11
SPEAKER_04: That's why we do podcasts without the video.
7:14
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
7:14
SPEAKER_04: Well, finally, it's also National Butter Crunch Day.
7:17
SPEAKER_04: Butter Crunch Day.
7:18
SPEAKER_00: You know what butter crunch is?
7:19
SPEAKER_00: I have no idea.
7:20
SPEAKER_04: Well, here it is.
7:20
SPEAKER_04: It's a combination of toffee covered with chocolate.
7:24
SPEAKER_04: It has a crunchy texture and a caramel flavor.
7:27
SPEAKER_04: You've probably had it before with your cheese.
7:29
SPEAKER_04: Um peanut butter.
7:30
SPEAKER_04: Peanut butter.
7:31
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: So I'm trying not to do sugar though, remember?
7:34
SPEAKER_04: So I have one recommendation for our research and development department.
7:37
SPEAKER_00: Start having these so that we can taste them.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: Let's try them out.
7:40
SPEAKER_04: Let's try them out.
7:41
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
7:41
SPEAKER_04: He's writing it down right now.
7:42
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
7:43
SPEAKER_04: You know, especially when it's food.
7:44
SPEAKER_04: Let's do that.
7:45
SPEAKER_04: Sam skins out samples.
7:46
SPEAKER_04: Uh Mandy, in the morning, we can have a little, you know, try out at that sometime.
7:52
SPEAKER_04: Country Western.
7:52
SPEAKER_00: But not too.
7:53
SPEAKER_04: Change up the theme music for our community or mission.
7:55
SPEAKER_00: Not until 2027, though, because all those ingredients are not in the budget.
8:00
SPEAKER_04: So maybe 2027.
8:02
SPEAKER_04: We'll have to put out a newsletter for uh requests.
8:04
SPEAKER_04: So anyway.
8:05
SPEAKER_04: Well, Amanda, uh getting into uh our guest today, one of the things that we've said over and over and over again, and we really mean it, you can't do it without great partners.
8:15
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
8:15
SPEAKER_04: Topeka rescue mission would not be here.
8:17
SPEAKER_04: Uh we were just having a conversation about food last night in a meeting I was in.
8:22
SPEAKER_04: And talking about Topeka Rescue Mission's meals that it serves and the volume and the cost of food today, and what does it really cost to serve the meals?
8:33
SPEAKER_04: There's a cash lay outlay and then there is the in-kind donations.
8:38
SPEAKER_04: And probably conservatively, Topeka Rescue Mission gets pretty close to two million dollars worth of donated food every year to be able to feed people.
8:46
SPEAKER_04: That would mean that conservatively you'd have to raise two million dollars if you had to buy all the food, but other people buy it for you.
8:52
SPEAKER_04: Or it is donated from distributors, grocery stores, and whatnot.
8:57
SPEAKER_04: And of course it takes people that uh do drives and um you know whether it's in their in their uh office drive or whether it's a community drive, maybe in their social service, their church or whatever, just a lot of people.
9:11
SPEAKER_00: And so um And then to make sure the food is organized so we can pull from it, making sure the bags are packed for the distribution days, and then all of the cooking that takes place in our kitchen for hundreds of people every day.
9:29
SPEAKER_00: Um, it takes a village just to run our food operations alone, not to mention the other 12-ish departments we have.
9:37
SPEAKER_04: And some of these some of these groups and volunteers you get to meet, some you don't even ever get to meet.
9:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh they help, and some become very personal friends.
9:44
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
9:45
SPEAKER_04: And so talk about our guest today and how you met Cindy and uh what has happened uh in this journey um with uh Cindy Ringold and uh team Ringold.
9:57
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
9:58
SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, I think one of the things that stands out to me when I think about John and Cindy is just don't ever underestimate relationships.
10:08
SPEAKER_00: Um, and that so often when we truly um love people and respect people, um then those relationships carry over into so many different areas of your life.
10:21
SPEAKER_00: Um and so it was approaching um probably nine to ten years ago when I first met John and Cindy.
10:29
SPEAKER_00: And um I was needing a realtor at that time, and um he was recommended, and um so then started um talking with John, and of course, I feel like if you do it right with your realtor, um, you really get to know them on a personal level um and they know you, right?
10:48
SPEAKER_00: Um you're being honest about finances, you're being honest about dreams, you're being, in my case, I was also being honest about limitations and trying to process.
10:57
SPEAKER_00: Was God going to at that time keep me and my family in Topeka?
11:01
SPEAKER_00: Or were we going to be moving back home to Arkansas?
11:04
SPEAKER_00: There's just a lot of dialogue that I guess people can choose just to have a very closed-off, you know, interaction with someone.
11:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but that's just not, I don't think that's how God intends things.
11:16
SPEAKER_00: And so um moving forward, um, you know, John would show us houses and Cindy would come.
11:22
SPEAKER_00: And so I think just became friends with Cindy.
11:25
SPEAKER_00: Um, there were times where um I wouldn't like something, she'd be like me neither.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: Um and so it just kind of became like my house buddy.
11:34
SPEAKER_00: Uh at that time, too.
11:36
SPEAKER_00: Um, my big girls now were not so big.
11:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, and they would like to run out the doors of houses and they wanted to fight because they're less than two years apart.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: And so there were times too when um John and Cindy were both just babysitters for us because we didn't have family here.
11:53
SPEAKER_00: Um so it wasn't like we could leave them and go do this adult stuff, right?
11:58
SPEAKER_00: They were right there in tow.
12:00
SPEAKER_00: And John and Cindy were just never annoyed with that.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: They they loved kids and grandkids and I think kind of just took them on like they were their own every time we were together.
12:10
SPEAKER_00: And so that just continued to evolve and you know, keeping up on social media and that kind of stuff.
12:17
SPEAKER_00: And um then after I was all a principal at this time in 501, and then uh coming here um early on, just having conversations about what we were doing as I was trying to learn.
12:30
SPEAKER_00: And the next thing I know, if anybody knows Cindy Ringold, it to know Cindy is to love Cindy.
12:37
SPEAKER_00: Um, but you better be ready to rock and roll.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: Uh when she sees a need, when she sees things that could be made better for people, when when all of that, watch out because uh she's got the heart and the smarts.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: And that paired with John, who John is such a thinker and processor.
13:00
SPEAKER_00: He is so stinking logistical and amazing.
13:04
SPEAKER_00: I wish I thought like that.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, and and I don't.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: But you put those two together and it's um a package for impact, and that's what they've done personally but also professionally with their business.
13:17
SPEAKER_04: Well, Cindy, thank you for uh joining us for the podcast today.
13:20
SPEAKER_04: John would be here, but he is doing his civic duty, we understand.
13:23
SPEAKER_04: Right, serving our jury duty.
13:24
SPEAKER_04: Couldn't get him out of it.
13:26
SPEAKER_04: And so uh we'd already scheduled to come in, but thank you for being here this morning.
13:30
SPEAKER_04: Um Cindy, you uh Lamanda kind of set it up how she met you guys and uh was around a real estate transaction and it became uh uh more than that a friendship.
13:40
SPEAKER_04: And so uh you uh learned that Lamanda was coming to speak a rescue mission.
13:45
SPEAKER_04: And uh what uh what has changed uh in regards to anything in your guys' lives of of knowing that Lamanda was coming to TRM?
13:58
SPEAKER_03: When I first met Lamanda, as she said, she was a principal at the school, uh and I loved her.
14:07
SPEAKER_03: She was just like full of life and kind and a nice person.
14:13
SPEAKER_03: And then, as you guys said, she went she came to TRM.
14:19
SPEAKER_03: And our team, the real estate team, you know, we were looking for something to do.
14:28
SPEAKER_03: We were looking for something to give to or volunteer at because we all believe that's what we should do.
14:34
SPEAKER_03: We should give back because you know we're doing well and we need to give back.
14:40
SPEAKER_03: So I wanted to talk to Lamanda about Topeka Rescue Mission, and I did.
14:47
SPEAKER_03: John and I came and talked with her, and the way she talked about Topeka Rescue Mission uh just blew me away.
15:00
SPEAKER_03: It touched my heart, it made me want to be a part of it.
15:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh and I mean just with a few words from Lamanda, we started to be a part of it.
15:14
SPEAKER_03: And that's when our relationship, you know, just first started.
15:19
SPEAKER_03: And from there, our relationship with Lamanda and TRM has just grown.
15:24
SPEAKER_04: Do you remember in that first meeting what it was she that she said?
15:28
SPEAKER_04: Um was it about the services of the rescue mission?
15:31
SPEAKER_04: Was it about um the people that uh are served and the needs, or do you remember uh because it sounds like it was kind of a pivotal moment for you guys?
15:40
SPEAKER_03: Aaron Ross Powell Well, it I don't I don't remember the exact words.
15:44
SPEAKER_03: I just remember the way she spoke and the kindness that she showed, and that she truly believed in Topeka rescue mission and what it did for people, and it just whatever she was feeling just came to me and I felt the same way.
16:04
SPEAKER_03: And I don't know what the words were, but the feeling got to me somehow.
16:08
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, she has the ability to do that.
16:10
SPEAKER_04: It's a gift.
16:12
SPEAKER_04: So um talk about Team Ringold.
16:14
SPEAKER_04: What is Team Ringold?
16:16
SPEAKER_04: It's uh you you're it's a team, obviously.
16:18
SPEAKER_04: Um sounds like it's has something to do with real estate.
16:20
SPEAKER_04: Talk a little bit about that.
16:21
SPEAKER_03: Team Ringold is a real estate team uh that is uh their broker is KW One Legacy Partners here in Topeka.
16:31
SPEAKER_03: And uh it's a team of five agents, I believe, and two staff.
16:40
SPEAKER_03: And if John is the team leader and they sell houses and help, you know, help people buy houses and they do a lot of work and they're very busy.
16:55
SPEAKER_03: Um the entire team believes in what we're doing here at Topeka Rescue Mission because I spoke with them last night and like, do you like doing this and why?
17:09
SPEAKER_03: And they all like doing it and they all have their reasons why.
17:13
SPEAKER_03: And I don't really need to know why, but they were willing to tell me, you know, just for me, it was nice to hear that yeah, we all love going there and we all love helping.
17:26
SPEAKER_03: And you know, part of Team Ringold's core values is volunteer or giving.
17:35
SPEAKER_03: And we do that through TRM.
17:38
SPEAKER_04: What do you do?
17:39
SPEAKER_04: What kind of activities has Team Ringold done?
17:42
SPEAKER_04: Um, we talked a little bit before we started recording here today, but what are some of the things that you have done in regards to helping TRM out?
17:51
SPEAKER_03: So we have volunteered for the community food distribution that like takes place on Tuesday and Thursdays.
17:59
SPEAKER_03: So, like just getting the food together and giving it out to uh the people who drive up in line.
18:06
SPEAKER_03: Um on more than one occasion, we have organized a warehouse where all the furniture and stuff like that is stored.
18:15
SPEAKER_02: That's fun.
18:16
SPEAKER_03: And I'm like, why do we keep organizing the same warehouse?
18:20
SPEAKER_03: And they're like, because we keep getting more donations and they gotta go somewhere.
18:25
SPEAKER_03: Um we have done the shopping for Christmas.
18:32
SPEAKER_03: So when you get your bag and you go through the center and you collect what uh is on the list that the people need or want for Christmas, uh, we've made phone calls regarding that Christmas program.
18:44
SPEAKER_03: Um we've helped getting organized for the back to school event.
18:49
SPEAKER_03: Uh and then personally, I have I volunteered right before Christmas uh to do the holiday food bags.
18:58
SPEAKER_03: And I love that.
19:00
SPEAKER_04: You said something before we started recording uh this morning that you love your kids, you love your grandkids, and TRM is in that same lineup?
19:09
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
19:09
SPEAKER_04: How how so?
19:10
SPEAKER_04: I mean, uh a lot of people want to do a good thing, they want to help, they fit it into their schedule, it's part of maybe their core values as a family or an organization, as their church, their business, whatever.
19:20
SPEAKER_04: Uh to put TRM in the same lineup of helping TRM as your kids and your grandkids, that says something.
19:29
SPEAKER_03: So when I when I talk about my kids and my grandchildren, those are things or people that bring me joy.
19:38
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
19:39
SPEAKER_03: And when I come to when I know I'm coming to Topeka Rescue Mission to volunteer, or when I'm here, I am so happy and it brings me joy.
19:51
SPEAKER_03: It's like I I want to call Susie and say, okay, what can I do next?
19:55
SPEAKER_03: And I mean, it's that's a great feeling to feel that happy.
20:00
SPEAKER_03: That full like fulfilled.
20:02
SPEAKER_03: So it just it's in my top, I guess, you know, my top three, five things that bring me a lot of joy.
20:11
SPEAKER_04: That's that's it's this great when we can do something that's important and also enjoy what's important.
20:17
SPEAKER_04: Uh Lamanda, as CEO, you um you uh you get a chance to look at the whole system here and you see the ups and the downs.
20:26
SPEAKER_04: What does it mean to you when you have somebody like Cindy, John, others?
20:31
SPEAKER_04: Uh this is what Cindy said, that this brings her joy to be a part of this.
20:35
SPEAKER_04: What what does that what does that mean to you?
20:38
SPEAKER_00: I think the first reaction that I have is it's just encouragement.
20:42
SPEAKER_00: Um you know, when when you're the CEO, you see everything in a very different way, I think, than anyone else in the organization.
20:52
SPEAKER_00: Um the the worries and the planning and the uh stuff set on the scanner pages, and uh you know what what staff are going through personally, and they they pause that in order to be able to take care of other people.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: And you just you see um all of the tender things that are also really big challenges.
21:19
SPEAKER_00: And um it causes me to really stretch my own understanding of the Lord.
21:25
SPEAKER_00: And sometimes I'm like, God, why, why doesn't everybody care about everything that's going on at TRM, right?
21:33
SPEAKER_00: Or God, why, why didn't we meet that budget?
21:36
SPEAKER_00: Why why didn't we have enough donors for this?
21:39
SPEAKER_00: Those kinds of things.
21:41
SPEAKER_00: So to hear something so pure from Cindy of like, this is a major part of her life, it's kind of encouraging for me, but it's also a little bit of a reality check that the Lord's kind of just winking at me saying, Lamanda, more people are about this work than what you realize, and you have more supporters than you realize and those kinds of things.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: So it's encouraging to me as a CEO, but then I think it's also a little bit of a of a conviction check of Lamanda, don't don't feel like your team's alone or don't always look at the challenges that you don't know how they're gonna be met, um, because there's a lot of amazing things that happen every day here, too.
22:24
SPEAKER_04: You know, it reminds me of a passage in in the book of Acts where the Apostle Paul was getting ready to go preach to the Gentiles, and uh an angel woke him up in the middle of the night, says the angel of the Lord, um, which uh may have been God himself, and and said, Do not be afraid.
22:41
SPEAKER_04: Um be bold, um, go do your thing, paraphrase, uh, because I have many people in the city already for you, where he was gonna go.
22:52
SPEAKER_04: So apparently Paul was afraid, didn't know that until we read that.
22:56
SPEAKER_04: He was concerned about going to at this point, going away from the Jewish to talk to the Gentiles, as it was known.
23:03
SPEAKER_04: And um he was concerned.
23:05
SPEAKER_04: Um and the angel of the Lord said, Don't be afraid, because I already got people there backing you up.
23:11
SPEAKER_04: When I think of Cindy, I think of John, I think of Team Ringold, I think of so many others, you know, you're over here duking it out as CEO, your staff are duking it out every single day.
23:20
SPEAKER_04: Is it gonna freeze this weekend?
23:21
SPEAKER_04: Are we gonna have to open up warming centers?
23:23
SPEAKER_04: Are we gonna have enough of this?
23:24
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna have enough of that.
23:26
SPEAKER_04: And you have Cindy's who are already in the city who uh been touched and um in a special way that can't quite remember all the words of what happened, but here she puts it in the same lineup as her own kids as this place that gives her joy.
23:41
SPEAKER_04: Cindy, what does it uh feel like to you to know that you are really not only just helping people in need with a food line or people who are sheltered, but you're helping someone like Lamanda who's the leader.
23:55
SPEAKER_04: I throw a lot of wild questions at people that they're not prepared to answer.
23:58
SPEAKER_04: So TikTok.
24:00
SPEAKER_03: I guess I mean that makes me feel really good.
24:02
SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm I'm sure I know that her job is very stressful.
24:09
SPEAKER_03: I know she's got so much going on.
24:12
SPEAKER_03: But if mmming here and volunteering, or if John and the real estate team coming here and volunteering and helping out touch her in such a way to make her feel better and make her stronger and make her say, you know, good things are happening and be positive, then that's wonderful if I can help.
24:34
SPEAKER_04: Well, apparently that is actually what's happening.
24:36
SPEAKER_04: And so uh I want to thank you for that.
24:38
SPEAKER_04: Um it's uh it's kind of a bigger system than we can all put together ourselves.
24:43
SPEAKER_04: Uh that's why we call it a God thing a lot.
24:45
SPEAKER_04: Um and so um um for saying yes and then you get blessed back.
24:50
SPEAKER_04: And so what would you well before I ask you the question, what you're gonna say to potential listeners here?
24:55
SPEAKER_04: Um your team.
24:56
SPEAKER_04: You mentioned to your team, you asked them um uh the other day, um, do you enjoy coming to TRM?
25:03
SPEAKER_04: And if so, why?
25:04
SPEAKER_04: What kind of feedback did you get from your team members?
25:08
SPEAKER_03: So I got very basic to very basic answers.
25:18
SPEAKER_03: I believe that everyone needs to give back.
25:21
SPEAKER_03: And of course, we all believe that.
25:23
SPEAKER_03: Um of course, my answer that I put in there was it brings joy to my heart.
25:29
SPEAKER_03: And uh one person said that it was a good way for team building for us, for our team to come in here and to to Pika Rescue Mission and to do something together.
25:43
SPEAKER_03: So um there was uh an employee who said that he was homeless at one time in his life for almost five years, and he feels like that he can relate to what's going on with the homeless now, and he wants to be here to help because he's been there.
26:05
SPEAKER_03: Um and then, of course, they said it makes them feel good.
26:11
SPEAKER_03: They're proud of themselves for doing it.
26:14
SPEAKER_03: And another one was he likes to volunteer for TRM because you don't have to be religious or be a Christian or follow any special rules to get help, to get, you know, food or to get help at Christmas time or things like that.
26:39
SPEAKER_03: And that he liked that about Topeka Rescue Mission.
26:45
SPEAKER_04: Has um, and I think you've kind of answered this, but I'm gonna ask it in maybe in a different way.
26:49
SPEAKER_04: Um, has the team Ringold coming together to help Topeka Rescue Mission helped Team Ringold be a better team?
26:59
SPEAKER_04: Or we're already a great team, a perfect team.
27:01
SPEAKER_04: Couldn't improve it at all.
27:03
SPEAKER_03: Um that's probably a better question for John, but I mean you you get although I mean the team gets along really well.
27:17
SPEAKER_03: They get along well in the office, but I believe it would really be good for any team or any employer to get their people together and get them out of the office and do, you know, come and volunteer for a day.
27:34
SPEAKER_03: I mean, because just because of how it makes the people that are doing it feel.
27:40
SPEAKER_03: So if we're coming here and we're having a good time doing what we're doing and it's making us feel good, it's gonna help you.
27:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
27:51
SPEAKER_03: You're gonna go back to work and you're gonna just feel good about yourself and feel positive and I'm sure too better at your job.
28:01
SPEAKER_04: Laman, what does it uh say to you um in these uh about four years as CEO here coming up and that you've learned about um not only do you need Team Ringold uh and others like them to come along and help, but that providing a space for them to come and help also speaks to them.
28:23
SPEAKER_04: What does that mean?
28:24
SPEAKER_04: Because that that's that's a that's a um a benefit um for them, but it's also a benefit for Topeka Rescue Mission.
28:34
SPEAKER_04: When you hear what Cindy's talking about, how some of the feedback that she got from the folks there, um do you ever stop and think about how not only are they here to help fulfill the mission to help the people who are struggling, but it also helps them personally.
28:49
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think um, you know, if we had enough time for another what, 365 days, we could talk just ourselves, Barry, at what TRM has meant to our own journey.
29:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, right.
29:02
SPEAKER_00: Um I think you had no idea why God was calling you to TRM.
29:06
SPEAKER_00: I've still been asking an answer.
29:07
SPEAKER_00: Correct, uh 40 years later, right?
29:09
SPEAKER_00: Um, and myself, uh a lot less tenure than that.
29:14
SPEAKER_00: But um, you know, there is a component where it's where you, whether it's a volunteer or it's a job, you come here and I think the first thing is what can I do for TRM?
29:26
SPEAKER_00: And and I love that posture because that's the whole point of volunteering or answering the call to ministry, that kind of thing.
29:33
SPEAKER_00: But I think what's incredible is um how quickly God shows you, hey, while you're there doing this for others, watch what I'm gonna do in you.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: And um, whether it's people um healing from trauma that they had that they didn't even know could get better by helping others in this way, um, being able to relate to those things.
29:58
SPEAKER_00: Um, I think it's incredible to know that God would use TRM to, gosh, I hope this comes out right, but a place that has so much brokenness and need is what Cindy is saying brings her joy to be a part of it.
30:14
SPEAKER_00: She's not just a part of everything that's great.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: She's also seeing when maybe we didn't get as much food as what we had hoped for, or she's also seeing where um, you know, she sees how many coats we have and man, that's going to be given out in one week and and those kinds of things.
30:30
SPEAKER_00: Yet the work still brings her joy.
30:33
SPEAKER_00: So I think it is something that um is pretty near and dear to my heart just because of my own walk to TRM.
30:41
SPEAKER_00: You know, I was thinking, like, okay, Lord, use me and help me to be the leader they need me to be and all that.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: And before long, the rug just is pulled out from you.
30:49
SPEAKER_00: And then you're like, oh, I needed TRM.
30:52
SPEAKER_00: And here's what I'm learning about myself.
30:55
SPEAKER_00: The other thing that I'm not sure, um, you know, confession time, I'm not sure I've done a good enough job um as CEO to tell that part of the story.
31:05
SPEAKER_00: And so now I'm looking at Alec because I depend on him for other parts, right?
31:11
SPEAKER_00: But I shaking his head, Cindy does bring up a good point as um it really is a ripple effect that if people come here and they serve, yes, they're getting the team building, yes, they're doing all of this.
31:24
SPEAKER_00: But what changes in their life that then changes the posture and the atmosphere of those around them?
31:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, and so that's, you know, I think something that I'm not sure I've dug too deep into.
31:36
SPEAKER_00: We hear about individual change and that kind of thing, but then to think about how that changes offices or teams.
31:44
SPEAKER_00: Um, it's incredible.
31:46
SPEAKER_00: Now, not to bird walk too much, but one of the things that I've noticed, and I'm gonna be talking more about this in the upcoming weeks when we do the podcast designated to annual report and stuff.
31:55
SPEAKER_00: But one thing that I noticed, um, and we're waiting on final numbers, of course, from um everything, but our business donations are down over 50,000, 2025 from 24.
32:10
SPEAKER_00: And so the last couple of days, as I was looking at that, um, there was a part of me that was bummed where we had received$50,000 more from businesses in 24 than we did 25.
32:22
SPEAKER_00: Um, and again, we've talked about this before the faith versus what God's gonna do, also trying to be strategic, those kinds of things.
32:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, but then I thought of the ring golds.
32:36
SPEAKER_00: And so just yesterday I was in a meeting, and yes, we're having to look at numbers and we're having to look at where we were down financially and stuff.
32:44
SPEAKER_00: But then I was like, but there's so much that we also can't measure at TRM.
32:50
SPEAKER_00: And a lot of it boils down to transformation of maybe people we never know, but then also the transformation that occurs when groups like the Ringolds come in and volunteer their time and do so much good, yet then their lives are impacted.
33:08
SPEAKER_00: How many people has Cindy talked to about just about TRM?
33:12
SPEAKER_00: People that may have never heard me or you speak, but they're hearing Cindy talk about it.
33:16
SPEAKER_00: And so those kinds of things are a reminder to me that it is my responsibility at CEO to track the dollars and to understand, yep, we're down.
33:24
SPEAKER_00: Businesses gave us less money, and and I need to look into that and pray.
33:29
SPEAKER_00: Yet there are businesses like the Ring Golds who there is no telling um how much money just their own um business saved us by the volunteer hours that they did.
33:40
SPEAKER_04: And then also spreading that around to maybe some other businesses, which we understand you've kind of put that out there.
33:45
SPEAKER_04: You've uh presented yourself in some banks with uh uh food collection boxes and those kind of things.
33:52
SPEAKER_04: Cindy, there's something we haven't talked about here today, and that is um we've talked about volunteering, we've talked about the why, we've talked about some impact that you've made um on TRM and some impact that it's made on you.
34:04
SPEAKER_04: We haven't talked about the person we're helping.
34:07
SPEAKER_04: And uh the person who drives up to the distribution center on that Tuesday or Thursday, who is probably not in the greatest spot in life, they've got to wait in line to get some food, or the people who are um being served at Christmas time, they don't have any money to buy gifts, or the person every single day that needs a place to live.
34:26
SPEAKER_04: Um have you been able to think about your impact on their lives?
34:39
SPEAKER_03: I don't think I don't believe I think about the impact that I have on other people's lives.
34:48
SPEAKER_03: I mean what we do personally and what we do as a team.
34:56
SPEAKER_03: I know it means a lot, but it's not a lot.
35:04
SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
35:06
SPEAKER_03: Volunteering quarterly, you know, I wish I could volunteer every month, you know, doing the Christmas drive.
35:13
SPEAKER_03: I wish I could do another drive, which I do have one in mind.
35:18
SPEAKER_03: Um so I don't really think about the impact I'm having on the people in need.
35:24
SPEAKER_03: I'm just there helping and happy to be there.
35:31
SPEAKER_04: Well, let me encourage you uh with this is uh take some time to think about that because there is an impact when you and your team and others show up.
35:43
SPEAKER_04: Uh people in their desperate time of need, while they may not be able to say, thanks for being here for me today, you were there for them the day they needed you.
35:53
SPEAKER_04: And I think to all of our listeners is that sometimes we think about systems, we think about organizations, we think about what we can do individually or corporately together to do something good.
36:04
SPEAKER_04: But that good translates into hope for people who wonder, does anybody care?
36:09
SPEAKER_04: Does anybody care?
36:10
SPEAKER_04: Is anybody there for me?
36:12
SPEAKER_04: And Cindy, your team, uh you and John and what you've done with Team Ringold is speaking in ways that we can't measure.
36:20
SPEAKER_04: We can't measure, just like one of your team members was experienced homelessness for five years.
36:25
SPEAKER_04: He probably has another bigger part of his story about who was there for him, what encouraged him, why is he not homeless any longer?
36:32
SPEAKER_04: Why is he part of your successful team, right?
36:35
SPEAKER_04: It was probably because there were some team wrinkles there for him before.
36:39
SPEAKER_04: Um and uh they didn't know it.
36:41
SPEAKER_04: They didn't know what they were doing, they were just helping.
36:43
SPEAKER_04: Uh, but the impact is significant of what you're doing in people's lives because um after about 40 years, uh, I can say that there are so many people that said and asked the question, why are people doing this?
36:56
SPEAKER_04: Why does anybody care?
36:58
SPEAKER_04: Why why why do people keep showing up to the to to uh serve meals?
37:02
SPEAKER_04: Why do people show up at the distribution center?
37:04
SPEAKER_04: Why do they pack food baskets?
37:05
SPEAKER_04: Why why are they doing this?
37:08
SPEAKER_04: And uh we can say, well, two reasons, because um somebody much greater than all of us loves you, and so do the people around you love you.
37:18
SPEAKER_04: So I hope that you can receive that um because you are making an impact, not just on the organization, this is not on a CEO, um, but a lot of other people that we're here for.
37:28
SPEAKER_04: Cindy, is there anything else you'd like to say to our listeners today about um um team Ringold, um volunteering, anything that you would like to share?
37:41
SPEAKER_03: Really, I would just like to encourage people to volunteer.
37:47
SPEAKER_03: I mean, if it's not at TRM, volunteer somewhere where you can help others.
37:52
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I would like it to be at TRM.
37:55
SPEAKER_03: There's other options.
37:56
SPEAKER_03: There are other options.
37:58
SPEAKER_03: And um just consider just consider giving.
38:04
SPEAKER_03: Either give your time, give donations, do whatever you can do.
38:10
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I've talked about how good it makes me feel to be involved in this organization, and I think other people would feel the same way I did.
38:24
SPEAKER_03: So if you've got time and you need to pick me up, come volunteer.
38:30
SPEAKER_03: And it's gonna fill your heart and your heart's gonna be full of joy, and you'll want to come back and do it again.
38:38
SPEAKER_04: Cindy, thank you for saying yes, and thank you for that encouragement to others who um, you know, might be wondering, what could I do?
38:44
SPEAKER_04: You know, and and and just know that uh if you've heard anything that Cindy said, it could come back right at you uh in a very, very positive way.
38:51
SPEAKER_04: Thank you for being here.
38:52
SPEAKER_04: Uh Lamanda, thank you for inviting your incredible friend here and also a great partner with Topeka Rescue Mission.
38:58
SPEAKER_04: If you would like to uh learn more about Topeka Rescue Mission, you can go to the website at trmonline.org.
39:05
SPEAKER_04: That's TRMonline.org.
39:08
SPEAKER_04: And there's also a place uh that you can sign up to volunteer, maybe get a tour, possibly financially support.
39:14
SPEAKER_04: Maybe you're a business out there, you'd like to help make up some of that deficit of$50,000 and just chip it in.
39:19
SPEAKER_04: It's all for helping our community.
39:22
SPEAKER_04: And we just thank you for being a part of the mission.
39:25
SPEAKER_04: Thanks for listening.