Plugged In Podcast
Plugged In Podcast
Episode 21.1 - The Episode with Chris Molinaro, PART ONE
Have you ever wondered how the unpredictable weather in New England could spice up your Halloween? Our latest episode kicks off with a humorous and lively conversation about just that, peppered with a charming tale of Mackenzie and her newfound obsession with the "happy birthday fart song." We touch on the serious matter of the upcoming election, discussing the importance of peace and unity amidst political differences and the church's role as a beacon of compassion and grace.
We're thrilled to welcome our special guest, Chris Molinaro from the Massachusetts Music Department of The Salvation Army. Chris shares insights from his journey into the music community, adding depth to our discussion with his unique experiences and perspective.
Our exploration of vibrant music and youth programs showcases the dedication and achievements of young talents like Mason and Meadow from Fall River. We celebrate the flourishing initiatives in Haverhill and Fall River, highlighting personal connections and the unique impact of The Salvation Army’s programs tailored to each community. With stories of personal growth, community engagement, and the joy of music, this episode is sure to leave you inspired and grateful for the meaningful relationships that enrich our lives.
Stay tuned for PART TWO with Chris Molinaro!
welcome back everyone. We are here with episode number 21 of the plugged in podcast, how you guys doing today good, how are you?
Speaker 2:full of fake energy I'm channeling it it's a beautiful day live off of my coffee live fresh. It is nate, it is a beautiful day. Live off of my coffee Live Fresh, it is.
Speaker 1:Nate, it is a beautiful day, so we're in. Well, I was going to say November. I guess the drop date is November.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's actually Halloween. It is, I just took my skeleton earrings off. Happy Halloween.
Speaker 1:But it's supposed to be. You told me when you came in 78 degrees today.
Speaker 2:I can't. I can't keep up. This is why all of our children are sick, because it's like crazy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Friday it's going to be like 54, 53.
Speaker 2:Oh, my Atlanta it keeps going.
Speaker 1:There's like huge swings in the weather and I guess that's like a normal fall thing for New England, but it's like dramatic.
Speaker 2:Our first October here. It snowed, yeah, and now we just broke out shorts today, nice what.
Speaker 1:Well, 78 degrees, that'll match perfectly. Mackenzie is going for trick-or-treating tonight as a little beautiful butterfly, Nice. So she's got her wings and she's all about that, and Caleb is the rainbow skeleton that he's going as.
Speaker 2:I forgot about the rainbow skeleton. Yeah, so I don't have a rant today, but I do have a Mackenzie story.
Speaker 1:If we have time for it, yes, go for it. Okay, so a couple weeks ago was Caleb's fourth birthday and I don't know what possessed me to do this, but we were in the car and I was looking up on Spotify happy birthday songs and then there's this track title that says the happy birthday fart song. Oh gosh, I'm like of course I got to play it.
Speaker 2:Classic dad move.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So we play this fart song and the kids think it is the funniest thing they have ever heard. So the entire drive to daycare Caleb is just like repeat, play it again, play it again, play it again. So we played it like 30 times and it's exactly what it sounds like it's happy birthday in the version of farts. Yes, so super mature. So his birthday passes and we don't play this again, we don't talk about it, don't even mention it. I would say 10 days later. So Mackenzie's really into. She's trying to sing right now. That's part of her communication. So all the time, literally all the time, she's like Twinkle, twinkle, and then it gets interchanged with Mommy, mommy. So she'll just be singing Twinkle all the time. Well, so we're like driving to church a couple Sundays ago and we're in the car and again this song has not been referenced for like 10 days like nothing.
Speaker 1:And so Mackenzie, just in the back seat and this is, you know, again, pretty usual for her, and we just hear Twinkle Twinkle and like, so we just hear twinkle twinkle, and so we just like died. We like died laughing, and then she absolutely hammed it up.
Speaker 2:So then she was just like she's like I have an audience, the more reaction I'm going to keep going, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's so funny. But like little baby Mackenzie, she thought that was just the funniest. It was the funniest thing, it was incredible.
Speaker 2:It's awesome oh, I love her so much. She's hilarious. She has such a little personality she does have a personality.
Speaker 1:She's so cute. I feel like she, uh, she gets it from uh, not from her so much from her daycare but when she comes home from daycare she's got her hair in a bun or it's like neatly braided. Like I feel so bad because I sent something like I sent her to daycare and she her hair kind of looks like a rag doll. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry girl. I tried my best I tried my best.
Speaker 1:I gotta learn how to do that, yeah, yeah, I gotta learn how to do the the hair, because I'm not.
Speaker 3:I'm not up to par yet you'll get there watch some youtube videos. Oh, that's my life.
Speaker 2:I'm, I'm in it, yeah pretty soon I'll be doing the french braid master breeder and like, yeah, twists and bows and and barrettes, all of it, yeah, yeah, so at the time this episode drops, uh, we have probably eclipsed election day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's hard to say right now, before the election. Obviously it's razor close right margin and and, uh, one of the things with the Salvation Army is the organization remains apolitical, so we don't have anything to say on either side of the aisle. But I think it's really important for all of us to keep the country as a whole in our prayers. I think, again, this episode will drop on the other side of the election, but I think on the front side of it we're all kind of wondering what's going to happen in either direction. We just hope that everybody is within themselves and staying safe and just kind of you know all the I don't know, do you guys want to keeping their witness intact?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I just, you know it's. It's really easy to allow political conversations and arguments to divide us, but we, we are called to be peacemakers, you know, agents of peace in a world full of chaos. And so people are watching us, the church, a little closer than they would be watching network news, you know, and they expect something different from us. And so we have a responsibility to pray, a responsibility to live like Jesus and to model compassion and grace, and so that's what I'm trying to do, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's. Maybe this I mean strongest. Uh, outward witness of a christian is not anything they say yeah it's not any invitation to church, it's not any powerful prayer. It's how someone observes you from afar yeah like they. They can notice if you're a person, uh, filled with the fruit of the spirit, yeah, and that is evident to the world, right? So, as we're in the other side of the election, we're just yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:What Nate said, all the things that Nate said. We are a witness to the world, yep. Well, moving past the election, so we've got a couple things coming up on today's episode. A little bit later we're going to invite the newest member.
Speaker 2:Yay Of the.
Speaker 1:Massachusetts Music Department. We've been Where's yeah, yeah yeah, so chris molinaro is going to be coming on the show he started last uh, february. Yeah, so the year is is rolling through. He's now kind of in the second program season with us and uh, I have a billion great things to say about chris. Maybe you guys want to chime in first.
Speaker 2:I love Chris. Chris is Jen used to say at camp. If she could copy and paste Chris as a staff member, like that's what she would do, because he was just always so versatile when there was a cabin that needed to be filled in. He went from being, you know, creative arts director to the Woodchucks counselor. Or you know, he was just so versatile. He understood the, the mission, he understood the impact and was just like whatever you need me to do, let's go Um. And always did it with a smile on his face.
Speaker 2:If he needed to mow the lawn like he was just doing whatever he needed to do and he's just, he's just, and that's who he is in life. He's just, he's just a kind hearted, go with the flow, passionate person and we just love Chris.
Speaker 3:The word that comes to my mind when I think of Chris is genuine.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:Because what you see is what you get. Yeah, he's relatable. He deeply cares about the things that you care about, and every conversation you have with him, you walk away knowing that you, like you, were listened to and truly valued what was on your heart, and so that's the type of person he is and continues to bless us and also bless this division, using his gifts and the opportunities God has given him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when you said the word in my mind was very close to authentic, mine was genuine. You said authentic, right, I said genuine.
Speaker 3:Okay, speaking of listening to the conversation. Okay, I was like what's happening Listening to the conversation.
Speaker 2:Both words fit.
Speaker 1:I think they go hand in hand when you watch Chris teach music really teach anything you can just see right away that he is invested in that person, Not only learning but having a good time Feeling valued. It's been a pleasure to have him come into the department and just see kind of the direction we're heading. So we're going to hear his story here in a little bit. I just wanted to tease that Chris Molinaro coming up later in the episode. Before we get to that, so in kind of the season of election and casting a vote, we're going to play a quick game of Family Feud. Ooh.
Speaker 2:Da-dun-dun, da-dun-dun. Is that the song? Yeah, yeah, that's it. Oh, I instantly second-guessed myself.
Speaker 1:No, no, I was thinking, maybe I would add it in post.
Speaker 2:Were you going to harm it?
Speaker 1:No, but then I was wondering no, we'll probably of knowledge for copyright law. And there is nothing that I think.
Speaker 2:I hate, more or am less interested?
Speaker 1:in than copyright law.
Speaker 2:It's important. I've seen your annual emails go out.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, it's important, but there's nothing less interesting to me, but anyways. So Family Feud let's do it. Okay, so mine is boring, so I'm just going to go first.
Speaker 2:All right, go ahead. I doubt it's boring. No, no, no, no.
Speaker 1:So it's kind of Thanksgiving. No, it's actually boring.
Speaker 2:So it's legitimately boring. Let me set the standard.
Speaker 1:Okay, I read through like a hundred different questions and I like had analysis and you arrived at the boring one. Yeah, yeah, all right, so are you ready for this? Okay, let's go Nate and Loretta name a popular Thanksgiving tradition.
Speaker 2:Can I go first?
Speaker 3:Go first, yeah, Watching football.
Speaker 2:Yeah, good answer good answer.
Speaker 1:That's the number one answer. Yay, that was 32. People said watching football. Wow, okay.
Speaker 3:Nate Number one answer wow.
Speaker 1:Name a Thanksgiving tradition. I'm sorry, I really apologize.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 3:Eating food Eating Thanksgiving dinner.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm going to say yes. Okay, that's the third answer. Having a big family dinner, 22 people, alright, so Loretta, name a Thanksgiving tradition.
Speaker 2:There's only two more answers on the board I like I have no idea besides food and football. Uh, cooking good answer good answer.
Speaker 1:Good answer.
Speaker 2:Good answer one x good try, good try okay, nate name a thanksgiving tradition.
Speaker 1:Thanksgiving tradition.
Speaker 3:Tradition um getting ready for black friday shopping that's a good one, but that's two x's.
Speaker 2:All right, so, and back to lorita a boring one, but clearly I can't think of anything else. All right, so we've said football you said. You said having a big dinner and watching football is what you said but family is included in that dinner one right, because I was going to say getting together with family. That's what I'm going to say.
Speaker 1:I'll accept it for the point of the podcast, but taking a family photo is on there, so that's number four. All right, one more answer 28 people said this Tradition Nate, it's what your dad or your grandpa makes you do around the table.
Speaker 2:Oh. Thank you, share what you are thankful for share what you are thankful for how this is gonna go.
Speaker 3:I wouldn't have got that matt all right name up.
Speaker 2:Oh don't look. Please drop my ipad.
Speaker 3:You really panicked like I was actually going to, not not lorita, there's no losers anyway okay, name a place where you would never want to hear someone say, oops, the bathroom.
Speaker 2:Okay, name a place where you would never want to hear someone say oops. The bathroom In line with Mackenzie's fart story Nope not one, oh wow.
Speaker 3:I'm going to say the dentist Doctor.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll give you operating room. That's number one answer operating room operating room.
Speaker 1:Yep, okay, so we got one. He's gonna say like your wedding vows, like I take the rachel.
Speaker 2:Oops, that's not one okay, uh, a pilot on an airplane. That's good.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:That's good.
Speaker 1:We're flying an altitude of three, oops, oops.
Speaker 2:Can you imagine? One is a place you could work.
Speaker 3:Hmm.
Speaker 2:Okay, that narrows it down.
Speaker 3:So, like an animal cage. What like an animal cage Like?
Speaker 1:what Was that? The first thing that came to your mind when you were like a place I can work An animal cage I was thinking like someone accidentally let out the lions at the zoo.
Speaker 3:What's? In your brain Someone I don't know. They released the animals.
Speaker 2:No, tiger King, I don't know. No, you're so far off.
Speaker 3:Okay, never mind, I'm so far off.
Speaker 2:This is going to give it away.
Speaker 3:Well, I gave all of them to you.
Speaker 2:Chernobyl.
Speaker 3:Oh, a nuclear reactor, oops. Far stretch from letting the lions out and then Animal Cage.
Speaker 2:In.
Speaker 1:I told you I'm good for one idea A place someone works Animal cage.
Speaker 2:I'm just gonna give you the last one, so I can't yeah, it's fine. And then the last one Is during a job interview. Okay, yeah, those are the ones.
Speaker 1:So we're gonna take A quick break On the Plugged In Podcast so Nate can revisit His animal cage. Yeah and no, the next segment coming up is our interview with Chris Molinaro, also later in the podcast. So we talked about this in our last episode, but if you are following along with us in the book the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, we are into the book this week that talks about the solution. So, coming back from the break, we'll have Chris Molinaro. All right, welcome back to part two, episode number 21 of the Plugged In Podcast. And, like we prefaced earlier, we are happy to have special guests with us today. The newest member of the Massachusetts Music Department in the Salvation Army, welcome to the show Chris.
Speaker 1:Molinaro, happy to be here. I love it. I got it, you only have four there, I think.
Speaker 4:when I've been watching the podcast I assumed you got like a whole thing.
Speaker 2:Oh no, it's much and they're really tiny. Well, I guess the tension.
Speaker 1:So by the time this drops, the previous episode will have aired. But I made a huge mistake because I pressed the wrong button, so we introduced the guest and then. Huge mistake, because I pressed the wrong button, so we introduced the guest and then.
Speaker 3:I was mortified. I was absolutely mortified. It was great.
Speaker 2:It was like we know I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, but it was really funny.
Speaker 1:Well, chris, all of us around the table, we know you and now we've been working with you for the past several months. But, chris, you are a listener of the Plugged In podcast and maybe one of our earliest listeners from the very beginning. Uh, not that that matters, but, um, it's good to have you on the show.
Speaker 4:Finally, we've I think you're probably the most like mentioned name on the podcast that hasn't been on the show yet I remember saying to nate like right away, when I saw the first podcast, I was like hey, if hey, if you need someone to talk about camp, like bring me on, because I love camp and I think that's a great way to bring people in. And then you know, things have. Things have happened since, so I'm not here to necessarily just talk about camp, but I will talk about it if you want me to.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, well, it was so funny because early on we were like we need to get Chris on. But then like we need to get Chris on, but then you had you were working in this in the school system. We were like, oh, and you guys don't want to record after you know. Well, we tried that once and we had like kids and pack and plays it just was not great, but now we're here for all the listeners out there.
Speaker 1:This is, this is your handbell guy, okay so this is this. Oh, I'm gonna talk about that so no, chris, for all the listeners out there, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your story you came from, kind of. What has brought you to this point today, where you're at?
Speaker 4:Well, I'll start right away by just saying, if you didn't know, I didn't grow up in the Salvation Army. I did grow up in church. I was a part of the Methodist Church growing up in New Hampshire all the way through high school and went off to Gordon College you know it's a Christian school but lots of denominations there Started to sort College you know there's lots of. It's a Christian school but lots of denominations there Started to sort of, you know, figure out my own faith. And then, after Gordon College, I kind of struggled to find my own church Until just the last year I started going to the Quincy Corps and feel very welcome and comfortable there. But you know, as far as my music history, like I said, I grew up in the church and I was very grateful that my church had a lot of musical offerings.
Speaker 4:My dad was actually my first church music director. He did the children's choir. So for as long as I can remember I started singing with him and then around third grade joined the youth choir and was a part of that through middle school and then into high school, joined the adult choir. So I'd been singing in church for a very long time and I often my sister, corinne, is also singing in that choir for a long time and I often, hey, do you remember this song we sang, because we have such fond memories of that experience and working with that music director. But I also, in that same church, fell in love with handbells. Yeah, and there was actually two choirs.
Speaker 3:There was a yeah there we go.
Speaker 4:There was a children's handbell choir, then there was also an adult choir, so same thing. I kind of was playing in both. Uh, but what was great about the children's uh, the the young adult, sorry, the children's handbell choir was it wasn't just for children. Our parents came along, my mom was there with me, my sisters were there, it was awesome and it's a great way to access music. If you don't love to sing, can't play a brass instrument, handbells, I think is a great way to have accessible music, a great way to just be introduced to notation as well. Like our first choir director, our handbell choir director would highlight our notes. If you're assigned to G and A, she would highlight those two for you so you knew which notes, because sometimes handbell sheet music can have a lot of notes on the same staff. So very accessible and making music with others right away was awesome.
Speaker 4:I also had a wonderful music experience in the public schools, very, very strong music department in Rochester, new Hampshire, very inspired by all the music teachers I had from elementary through high school, and that kind of led me to want to, you know, be a music teacher myself and give back to kids what I got. So went to Gordon College for music ed graduated and stayed here in Massachusetts, was in Dedham Public Schools for almost six years and loved it very, very much. Got a lot out of that experience and along the way, was also involved in Camp Wonderland. I got involved back in 2016,. Never left still there you know, with this job.
Speaker 4:But I think along the way through those eight years at Camp Wonderland met a lot of wonderful people, strong connections in the Army and, you know, looking back now I can see that God was encouraging me to be a part of this, because my next step was coming here and kind of bring both my worlds together, this idea of church music and music teaching, and I think since I've been in this job since February, I've really enjoyed piecing those together again and I think this is where I'm supposed to be. So that's kind of what's brought me here, very appreciative of everyone that has supported me along the way to get to this point, and I'm loving what I'm doing. Everyone asks me how's the new job, how's it working with Matt? And same response every time living the dream.
Speaker 3:And some people are like oh, some people say that sarcastically.
Speaker 4:Absolutely not. No ounce of sarcasm in that I am living the dream.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Can you tell us you've had a lot of different jobs at Camp Wonderland? Oh yeah, and that's awesome. Can you tell us you've had a lot of different jobs at Camp Wonderland?
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, and different names too, like Pioneer Chris. Tell us a little bit about that. Actually, just yesterday at Fitchburg a team Emmy walked around the corner at the core and was like hey, you're at camp.
Speaker 3:And I was like yeah, why are you here?
Speaker 4:Well, now I'm teaching music, so just another camp job. But I started out as pioneer director and that's just enough. I mean, having this job is an act of god, like he opened this door for me. But but starting at camp as pioneer director, only god could be that funny.
Speaker 4:Because, friends, I've never been an outdoorsy person until I started working at camp and I was just. My friend went the year before and he encouraged me to join. So I was like like, all right, let's see what I can do. And I actually I was 19 at the time, I think 1920. I had, I had decided I was going to be a junior counselor, because I didn't know what that meant, but I was way too old to be a junior counselor. And then got on the phone with Elizabeth and Elizabeth said actually, I think, because you're a teacher or want to be a teacher, I think a program director would be great for you, which I agreed, and Pioneer Director was the available one. So I said sure. And then little did I know I'd be sleeping outside two nights a week with bugs, and the Pioneer site is such a great, great place.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's beautiful, great place, but putting up tents and taking them down.
Speaker 1:Really force that one out there.
Speaker 4:It's funny because, as I've had different jobs, I actually haven't been out to the Pioneer site in like a couple of summers.
Speaker 3:That's awesome, yeah, some PTSD.
Speaker 4:But anyway, um, love the Pioneer director, love that program and and, uh, that opportunity for kids to camp out, it's, it really is a great program.
Speaker 2:It's just not my favorite thing but it's so funny because I mean, up until the last summer you worked. Last summer it was like Chris was the resident fire builder. Right, right, it was like where's Chris?
Speaker 4:Even the next job after Pioneer Director. Halfway through my second summer I became a unit leader. And it was like, oh well, you still got to sleep out, because those are your boys out there. Oh, come on, I can't get away. And then the next summer I was still unit leader and I'd still fight Elizabeth, hey, it's going to be storming tonight.
Speaker 4:You think we could not go. No, get out there. You know there was one time where we left in the middle of the night due to a storm and that was insane, but anyway. So pioneer director, unit leader and then archery director, which is a lot of people, because I did that, I think, for three summers. A lot of the people I see remember that. So they call me Archery Chris. Someone called me Range Daddy Chris.
Speaker 1:I don't like that one Range Daddy. Chris, I just put that out there.
Speaker 4:Maybe we can cut that out.
Speaker 1:No, no, no. That's going to be on your employee evaluation now.
Speaker 4:Range Daddy, chris, and that was great too, because that's another new skill that I actually did not know until I signed up for that job and like a month before I started that summer I got certified and during that that was like a one eight hour course to get certified, to teach kids how to use weapons. I never touched a bow or an arrow in that certification. It wasn't until I got there the week before camp started that I was like, can I set up the range? Because I got to practice and I was pretty good at it and I really enjoyed doing it and just this idea of doing the same lesson over and over again for every group got a little mundane but they enjoyed it. So much.
Speaker 4:And it was nice that so many of them said that was their favorite part of the week, not for me, but to give them that opportunity to work on that, to, to, to work on that skill. And you know, every that last summer that I did, I was like all right, you're really good at this. Hey, in a couple of years you should come do this so I don't have to do it anymore.
Speaker 2:That's how we do it right.
Speaker 4:Just keep going back and then along the way I also was the creative arts director, which was pretty cool. That got me into writing the skits for Morning Disco, which has been one of my favorite jobs. I've had Just that creative outlet, but also it's a way to preach to the kids and I really appreciated that.
Speaker 3:I've also filled in, oh, and I was also the canteen queen with my friends in St.
Speaker 4:Katie. That was incredible because it wasn't like most canteen queens. Canteen Queens have, like that's been their job, like they just they do canteen. They go out and shop and have some of the roles. But I was also doing archery at the time, so I'd go like do archery and then quick book it to the canteen while Katie's getting things set up. I'd open the windows and you know whatever. And um, and Katie did all the shopping. Thankfully I didn shopping, thankfully I didn't have to go out and do that. Um, but uh, that was a learning experience too. It just and patience, you know, with those kids and with those counselors, um, but really fun and, like I said, I filled in for and then I've also been counseling um.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 4:It's great my experience it's awesome because I counseled for two teen camps. One this uh one, two summers ago, on the summer before that, and such a unique opportunity to develop the relationship with those kids. But I think a week is enough for me and teen camp is a deuce anyway.
Speaker 4:So that's my experience at camp and now I get to run the music camp and the music conservatory every summer and that was an incredible experience this summer to kind of you know I'd been a part of music camp but to see it from this perspective was incredible. Summer, and that was an incredible experience this summer to kind of I. You know I'd been a part of music camp but to to see it from this perspective was incredible so your current title is now a divisional music program manager.
Speaker 1:So for listeners of the podcast, can you walk us through now? I know no week is the same, no two days are the same, but in general give us a kind of a overview of what your week in the Massachusetts division might look like.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so on any given Tuesday, wednesday or Thursday, you might find me in your core. You know, teaching lessons. I'm going to about eight or nine core on rotation. When I started in the spring, I was only going to a few, so there were a couple that I was going to every week, which was wonderful, going to a few, so there were a couple that I was going to every week, which was wonderful. Um, but because you know, I were able to start up some programs that weren't happening in the spring. I'm usually going to a core every other week, um, and the officers are typically filling in that that, uh, that week that I'm not there and doing some great things, like in haverall, when I go, I'm doing singing and some brass, and when I'm not there, uh, lynn ann's doing mage, mage is doing timbrels and some other worship arts, which is great.
Speaker 4:Yeah, um and uh. You know the fall river core. They have a great program and honestly they don't need me. Majors Castillo are doing a great job there. But when I'm there, I'm able to kind of supplement what they're doing and they're able to do a little bit more, yeah, uh. And then when I'm not there, they're just, you know, still killing it and they're doing a great job there.
Speaker 4:But along the way, if I'm not in a core teaching, I'm thinking about these other programs such as YAM, star Search, music Camp, music Conservatory and preparing for that. We're still ways out from the finale of YAM and Star Search, but I'm already starting to think about what those events are going to be like and hoping that every year we'll get more people involved and every year it'll be more impressive and more fun and all this stuff. So I really enjoy that idea of looking forward to the future and preparing for those events.
Speaker 1:We had a segment all the way back in well, I say season one, but we kind of dropped. We don't really have seasons, but there's a segment called so Stinkin' Proud Of, and we went around the table and we just like to share. At the beginning it was youth-based, but it can really be open to the whole division. So the people that you're working with or just things that are going on in your life, is there someone or something that you're just so stinkin' proud of that you have to share?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I could have to share.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I could absolutely talk about this forever so please tell me to shut up if I go too long, um, but I'll try to narrow it down a little bit. I'll start big um, the, the, the youth that came out to music conservatory. Uh was incredible. I um, really, really enjoyed. I knew a lot of them already, but getting to develop that relationship over the course of two weeks was incredible and I'm so proud of everything that they accomplished. I mean, giving up two weeks of your summer like that is a sacrifice, you know. And then most of them also came out to music camp. That's the third week and I think Naomi Ross came to like five sessions this summer.
Speaker 4:So like you know it's a lot, but I appreciated their sacrifice and their dedication to what they're doing so I was so stinking proud of them. But if I could narrow it down a little bit, I would say I'm really stinking proud of Mason and Meadow Helly yeah, their dedication to improving their talents and being involved in everything they can. They're coming to YAM, coming you know their weekly, I think twice a week core programs in Fall River and came to Music Conservatory and Music Camp and participated in Star Search. They actually their singing company in Fall River was able to go to Hershey's and they were there for that, and I think Meadow was also part of the Timber Brigade there.
Speaker 4:So they're so involved and I'm so proud of them. And I'll also say I'm just again so proud of the Fall River Corps. They have regularly 20-plus kids coming every every week like twice a week and it's just. I love it so much. I mentioned this at YAM. But when I walk into the core and they're all like, yeah, chris, I'm like thank you, that was the boost I needed.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 4:When I'm feeling like I don't know if I'm you know they give me the boost I need and I really love going down there. But yeah, so stinking proud of mason and meadow and again, I could go on and on about the different programs and the kids and I'm so stinking proud of, but I think the one thing that I'll say, one last thing I promise that I'm so proud of is that you know, every core's program, that, every core program that I go to um is so unique, yeah, and it's unique to the, to the community that's there.
Speaker 4:it's unique to their needs, to their desires, and I'm so happy that I'm not doing the same. Archery lesson no it's so true.
Speaker 4:I'm programming and the officers are programming to what they want and what skills they have, and that's so great that we get to, just, you know, learn about that community, those kids, those adults because I'm teaching a lot of adults too, which is wonderful. So when I go to Lynn, it's that after-school program of young kids, like 25 first graders. I love that. And then I go to Boston Central after that and it's like some young kids to adults. It's awesome, it's so unique, and so I love that about our core programs.
Speaker 1:I remember a long time one of the best pieces of advice that I got from Captain Jay Nags at the time. I think many of us will know, captain Jay, but he said to me if you're ever kind of feeling weighted down by whatever you want to nitpick in the Salvation Army, whether it's the bureaucracy or divisional headquarters or all those things, captain Jay said if you need to pick me up and this is I, was just you sparked this. He's like get in the Corps, get back on the frontline ministry, do some teaching, be with the kids, be with the people and you'll quickly remember like why we're here what we're doing.
Speaker 1:And it's like an antidote for the soul. So we have a few I don't want to say silly. Well, we have some silly. We have a few more questions for chris. We're going to take a quick break here on the plugged in podcast. Can you stay with us, chris? Absolutely okay, so we're gonna take a break. We'll be right back with more with chris molinaro. Thank you.