Lancaster Connects
Lancaster Connects brings together local charities, local heroes, and local businesses to showcase the best of what Lancaster, PA has to offer so that in 2021 and beyond – our local neighbors and friends may thrive, be more productive, and live happily and generously. The Lancaster Connects Podcast is hosted weekly by Gardner's Mattress & More co-owners Ben McClure & Jeff Giagnocavo, and can be viewed on numerous streaming services as well as listed to on your favorite podcast platforms.
Episodes
If you're ready to see the real heartbeat of Lancaster County - the people rebuilding lives, feeding families, preserving farmland, and opening doors others thought were closed - then this episode is for you.
Join us for the inaugural Lancaster Connecties, where we celebrate the small businesses, nonprofits, and local heroes who didn't just talk about change in 2025 - they made it happen. From fighting homelessness and hunger to tra...
In this episode, we’re joined by Michelle Kime and Kristen Hershey, Co-Directors of Conestoga Valley SEEDS, as they share the heart, vision, and impact of this growing community initiative. Celebrating three years of service as of October 2025, SEEDS was birthed from the passion of CV social worker Katie Reiff and a desire to cultivate a healthy, thriving Conestoga Valley community. Michelle and Kristen ...
In this episode, we sit down with Ruth Polillo, Owner and Certified Adaptive Personal Trainer at Special Strong Lancaster County. A seasoned physical therapist and mom of four—including two children with special needs—Ruth shares how her personal and professional journeys came together to fuel her passion for adaptive fitness. She explains why she launched Special Strong Lancaster County and how she’s he...
In this episode, we sit down with Gabriel Luber, Chief Generosity Officer at Lancaster Gift Box, a mission-driven gifting company rooted in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Gabriel shares how Lancaster Gift Box thoughtfully curates Pennsylvania-made products while championing farmland preservation and strengthening local communities. He discusses the company’s expanding mission—including its new e-commerce platf...
In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Zahn, a key leader in Development at Servant Stage Company, a Lancaster, PA–based nonprofit theater and theater education organization. Andrew shares how Servant Stage has spent more than 12 years bringing high-quality performances and youth arts education to communities across Central Pennsylvania — all through their inspiring pay-what-you-will model that ensures ...
Where Adventure Shines: The Magic & Mission of Refreshing Mountain Featuring Phil True - Episode 222
In this episode, we’re joined by Phil True, Fun Specialist at Refreshing Mountain Retreat and Adventure Center, for an inside look at the mission, magic, and momentum behind one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved adventure destinations. Phil shares how Refreshing Mountain has grown from humble beginnings in 1983—when founders Marlin and Sharon Harnish transformed a run-down horse camp with just two bunkhouse...
In this episode, we sit down with Aubrey Montgomery, Executive President of Referral Partners Plus (RPP)—a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping professionals and business owners grow through meaningful connections. Aubrey shares how RPP has built a powerful network across 11 active chapters in Lancaster and Berks Counties, offering exclusive industry representation and creating spaces fo...
Restoring Purpose: One Veteran’s Journey from Service to Sobriety Featuring Joe Yurick - Episode 220
In this episode, we sit down with Joe Yurick, U.S. Army Veteran and host of This Sober Vet Podcast. Joe served in the Air Defense Artillery, working with the PATRIOT Missile System and deploying during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. After years of self-medicating with alcohol and nearly losing everything, Joe made the life-changing decision to get sober — and has now been sober f...
In this episode, we sit down with Kapp Brown, Owner of Newly Restored, a fast-growing service business based in Elizabethtown. What began in 2014 as a small, two-person operation focused on tile, grout, and concrete cleaning has expanded into a thriving company offering a full range of services — including carpet cleaning, power washing, window cleaning, and even Christmas light installation.
In this episode, we open the door to stories of transformation, growth, and opportunity through literacy. Featuring Cheryl Hiester, President of the Literacy & Learning Success Centers & Bill Morgan, President of Capital Coating, Inc. - this conversation highlights how literacy is strengthening Lancaster’s workforce and enriching lives.
Cheryl shares the mission and imp...
Join us for a milestone celebration as we turn the spotlight on the heart behind Lancaster Connects. For 35 years, Gardner's Mattress & More has been helping Lancaster County families sleep better and wake up happy, but this anniversary episode goes beyond mattresses to explore what it really means to build a business on honesty, expertise, and genuine community care.
Hear the origin story of how Gardner's got its start in Lanca...
In this episode, we sit down with Jaime Santiago, Executive Director and founder of Restart Training Center Ministry (RTCM), to explore how a life rooted in faith and purpose can transform individuals and communities. Jaime launched RTCM in 2015 after more than two decades of serving in addiction recovery ministries like Teen Challenge and Revelations of Freedom.
With a master’...
In this episode, we’re joined by Building Bridges Foundation at Anderson Farm, a nonprofit offering equine-assisted therapy to veterans and their families. Tune in as we discuss the healing power of horses in helping veterans reconnect and recover.
???? Connect with Building Bridges:
✅ Website: https://www.buildingbridgesfoundation.org/
✅ Facebook (Building Bridges Foundation): https://www.facebook.com/BuildingBridgesFoundationander...
In this episode, we sit down with Brad Peterson, Executive Director of Power Packs Project, an inspiring nonprofit dedicated to empowering families with education and ingredients to create nutritious weekend meals—ensuring children return to school fed and ready to learn. With over 30 years of nonprofit experience, Brad joined Power Packs in 2020 and has since led impactful initiatives including forging new partnerships with grower...
In this episode, we’re joined by Erin Conahan, Director of Advancement, and Paige McFarling, Executive Director of Lancaster County Food Hub—a nonprofit with a 75-year legacy of serving the Lancaster community with compassion, dignity, and equity.
Erin and Paige share how the Food Hub is addressing critical needs in the community by providing fresh food, free clothing, and esse...
In this episode, we sit down with the Rev. Dr. Matthew Lenahan—pastor, farmer, and community organizer in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As founder and director of the Wittel Farm Growing Project, Dr. Lenahan shares how this innovative ministry is transforming the land and lives in Lancaster County. The project, a ministry of the Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central PA, is dedicated to re...
In this episode, we sit down with Teresa Richardson, Executive Director of Help The Fight, and Stacey Rife, Manager of Imaging Operations at WellSpan York Hospital, to discuss the vital resources available to individuals fighting breast cancer in our community. Help The Fight is a powerful grassroots organization offering a hand up—not a handout—to those undergoing breast cancer treatment and those in need of essential screening se...
In this episode Ben & Jeff highlight all the ways they serve Lancaster County and use their store as a platform for connection to the community.
From mattress fundraisers, The Dream Room, the Lancaster Connects Show, Gardners Gives Back - food and mattress donations, and sponsoring a student for a new pillow they see their connection to the community as more than just selli...
In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Szalay (pronounced “Sul-lay”), President & CEO of Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity in Pennsylvania. Nicknamed the “Shelter Seeker” by Lancaster News Paper’s Sunday Magazine, Andrew has dedicated his career to supporting first-time homebuyers and advancing affordable housing. An Accredited Mortgage Professional (AMP), he has worked at the settlement table and spent 15 years influenci...
In this episode, we’re joined by Shawn and Maile Smucker, the husband-and-wife team behind Nooks, a charming independent bookshop in Lancaster, PA. Maile is a writer, mother of six, and the day-to-day heart of the store, while Shawn is a seasoned author and ghostwriter with over 30 co-written books and five novels of his own. Together, they’re not only raising a big, beautiful family (including their Lab...
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.