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No shock jock

This week I got to do something I have never done before – be a guest on a radio show with my husband. I have done plenty of interviews but never with my spouse. We were interviewed on a local station WCOM-LP as an “interesting wife and husband team.” Ted is a radio show host himself and currently president of the board at this particular station. I was of course speaking as president of NCCF. 

The overlap was our relationship  ̶  but we were really there to talk about two very different topics, all in under an hour. The host was intrigued with NCCF and really amazed by the Foundation’s generosity and reach, but also wanted to hear from Ted about priorities and future plans for the radio station itself.  Prior to the interview I kept thinking I was not sure how he was going to weave these topics together, but our host was incredibly talented and did a great job guiding us through the hour.

What emerged was actually a very common thread. Both of us talked about our passions. The topics were the seemingly disparate subjects of philanthropy and radio, but as we talked it was clear that we both shared a passion for community. 

Ted talked about the radio station as one community reaching out, bringing together many communities. I spoke about the power of philanthropy to transform and bring together people and places. There is an intimacy that our work shares. Radio listeners share an intimacy with show hosts and announcers. This station is a community radio station. The very nature of philanthropy is based on building relationships with our communities and donors. All require a partnership of sorts.

Yes, he is my husband but it was really heartwarming to hear Ted talk about his passion and sense of community.  You know the feeling you get when someone is talking about their work and they describe it as something they know they were meant to do? You can just feel their passion and excitement, and it’s contagious.

That is just my favorite thing. I hope people feel that when they hear me talk about our work at NCCF. I felt it this week. I was really grateful to be a guest on a show that allowed me to share that passion. And it was also a joy to witness my husband’s excitement about his work.

We both love what we do, and that is no surprise.