In 1986 the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois officially opened its doors as a way for family members to stay close to their children in the hospital. Program Director Katie Alsup explained how she first got involved with the charity house.

University of Illinois Springfield graduate Kayla Ross traveled back to central Illinois as the new 2019 Miss Black Illinois.

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra is an institution based on inspiring audiences with live orchestral music. A season in the orchestra takes a lot of effort from its donors, members, and 75 musicians.

Michelle Tjelmeland founded the District 23 Boutique and the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation (CIAF). The Foundation helps spread awareness about hearing loss and the use of cochlear implants.

Derek Leonard is the football coach for Rochester High School and has won seven state championships in eight years.

Dr. Larry Golden is a founding member and Director of the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois Springfield, and current Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Legal Studies at UIS. Dr Golden was recently awarded the 2019 U of I Distinguished Service award for his political activism and work with the Illinois Innocence Project.

Earlier this month, there was a series of earthquakes that struck California, but there are also ones that tend to hit closer to home.

The media landscape in the Springfield area is highly competitive, and traditional media such as print and broadcast have faced major challenges in the past few years. Kevin O’Dea, General Manager at Neuhoff Media, has witnessed these changes and challenges first hand.

Raychel Yokem is the human resource business partner at Horace Mann. Her job includes working with the executives in making decisions to help them make their goals.

Last year, Chenoa Alamu, a talented violinist from the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, started a podcast called Black, White, and in Color, to speak about social issues, spirituality, and relationships. I had the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with her about why she chooses to be vocal about what she is passionate about.

Being community-minded comes fairly easily for Bill Legge. He’s the executive director of the boys and girls club, and more recently, the owner of the local coffee shop, Grab A Java.

Shawna Harris is the supervisor of St. John’s Breadline in Springfield, Illinois. Her organization provided over two hundred thousand nutritious meals each year to those who are struggling with hunger within our community. Friends, neighbors, and those facing difficult circumstances depend on St. John’s Breadline to provide a warm meal without shame or stigma.

Karen Witter is a freelance writer for the Illinois Times and the former President of the Rotary Club.

Hello, I’m Josh Gujjarlapudi for NPR Illinois Podcamp 2019.

Hello I’M Evan Klein for the 2019 NPR Illinois PodCamp.

For NPR Illinois podcamp I’m Max Alessia.

Hello, I’m Manu Mamillapalli for NPR Illinois Podcamp

Today I am talking to Molly Hall about her first job, how she became the Executive of the Energy Education Council, or the EEC.

Hello, I am Madelyn Moore for the 2019 Illinois Podcamp.

Hi, I’m Alexander Shapinsky from NPR Illinois Podcamp. Scott Faingold is the new Student Media Director at UIS, and the Editor in Chief of the Activator magazine in Springfield, IL.