April 28, 2025 • 30 mins
This week’s show featured Taylor Ullom and David Mike with Hero’s Encore describing their services for military and first responders, David Frolio and Chris Perry of the Florence Community Theater inviting the public to see their latest production from this nonprofit company that funds preservation of historic buildings, and Kari Lundeen with the Nebraska Community Blood Bank talking about their upcoming May 5th blood drive.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Heats and thank you so much for being a part
of the show. This week. We welcome back to this
program Taylor Olam. This here. She is the executive director
and president of a group called Heroes Encore and Taylor,
it's great to have you back on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Welcome back, Thank you, it's good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Now we should say that you're you're back here on
the program, but it's slightly different. So tell me about
this this charitable arc that you've been on here recently here.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
On ark absolutely well. For nine years we worked with
the national organization called Guitars for Vets, so you know,
we're pretty established in the community under that name, but
we saw the opportunity to expand our impact in our
local community that supporters have been amazing, So we wanted
to expand the program and the reach and thus developed
(01:08):
Heroes Encore kind of through our own personal journey of
self development through music, and so we're very excited to
bring Heroes Encore to Omaha.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So this is something that you guys came up with.
You and we're going to meet David Mike here in
a moment, co founder of this organization. This is something
you came up with. It doesn't exactly it might be
a different name, slightly different direction, but it seems like
it's still the same heart for what this organization is about.
Tell me about that absolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
I mean as a chapter. We came together in twenty sixteen.
David was one of the first well he was the
first volunteer that I suckered into working with me through
music and I just came up and said free guitar
and he dropped everything right. So we came together and
the passion that poured out of all of us. There's
one more co founder, James Hoy He too is a
(01:58):
part of this journey. We we just poured every ounce
of our passion for music, for service, for healing and
honoring our heroes over the past nine years. And you know,
I think it's it's just continuing improvement and involvement. How
can we do better? And in that also just through
(02:19):
experiences of for example, my son became an EMT and
kind of opened my eyes to first responders situations. And
then I'm reading the statistics with our police officers and
I'm like, Okay, we need to do more. We need
to take care of more people in our community.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So we're hearing music, we're hearing about heroes, first responders, military,
everyone here. So what is it that you do?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
David?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
All right, let's all right, what Taylor wants us to bring?
David Mike into the program right now? This is co
founder of Heroes Encore, which I should mention is online
at heroesencore dot org. That's Taylor Olham David Mike, co
founder of this organization. So practically, what does Heroes on
Core do well?
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Our mission is the guide heroes and a transformative journey
from pure to performer using musical expression of foster healing,
self discovery, and a renewed post service identity. When military
change from their career into a civilian community, there's a
culturation aspect where they're really not sure what they're going
(03:24):
to do or how they're going to wind up, and
so we offer them a safe place of music and transition.
Also for the veterans, the veterans who have seen many
things that they don't even want to talk about. They
have a lot of mental health issues, and we don't
want to focus on the aspect of you're broken and
we want to fix you. We want to say we
(03:46):
know you have the issues. We want to show you
another side of yourself that you can develop into and
be a better part of society in your community. And
so we do. We set up a program where's a
nine month program. The old program was a ten week program.
We'll give a guitar, and we would hardly see the
(04:08):
people again, unfortunately, and we never had any follow up.
So now this is an evidence based program which is
totally different, and it's the first part is similar. Instead
of ten weeks, we have a twelve week program where
we give musical instruction and it's one on one and
it's a lot of times it's a counseling session, but
we really get to know the person and you establish
(04:31):
a friendship and then they're able to open up and
so that mental healing starts. The second phase is we
call it finding your voice, and that part is more
of the creative side. We can give them an opportunity
to write songs and even give them a sound engineering
and do anything they want to do in the creative
aspect that will help them develop that personality.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Is it more one on one? Is it small groups?
Is it large groups? Is there a concert at the end?
Is this like School of Rock? How does you've read
our brochure all of the above.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Yeah, we start off as a one to one training,
one to one music just a music room at bellv University,
which has given us validity in an office and just
incredible partnership. So we do one on one training and
we get them to a level of proficiency, and then
the second twelve weeks would be that the creativity in
starting to be in small groups where we have yoga,
(05:26):
resiliency training, just any number of things. And then the
final twelve weeks would be performance where they would get
a chance to well, we have a partnership with the
Omaha Performing Arts Center and then New Tenasca Creative Arts
that which is being built down and that'll be finished
in twenty twenty six, and they contacted us, this is
(05:48):
unbelievable to be a part of that from the ground up,
to perform there, to get classes there, just be a
part of that healing, and that's what we're trying to
do the heal the veterans and give them the hope
that they drastically need.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
How does someone reach out and join up with this organization?
Or if you know someone who might benefit from something
like this, that's David Mike, co founder of Heroes OnCore
online at heroesoncore dot org. We'll get back president and
executive director as well as co founder of Heroes on
Core Taylor olam here Taylor. How does someone who could
(06:25):
benefit from this program meet you guys and join up?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Absolutely, we asked that you go to our website. There's
a form that you can fill out there to be
a volunteer, to be a sponsor, to be a participant
that will put you in contact with us. There's also
an email contact at heroescore dot org and Heroes is
os not Oees. But we also have a social media
presence as well. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
But we are we are.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Also getting out in the community, so look for us
at events, Papillion days and all of the right cool
things we do here Omaha.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Or there's a tremendous opportunity coming up this coming weekend, Saturday,
May third.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Absolutely, so we're opening up our program to the community
to come and check us out at Bellvu University. Like
David said, we want you to come into our facility
see what we're working with me, our program participants, and
our volunteers. We're going to have live music there, We're
going to have some light refreshment. So it's a great
networking opportunity as well. But because so much of our
(07:24):
community has invested in who we are for the past
nine years, like I said, I want them to see
what that support has done. It has provided the ability
to just grow and expand and again reach beyond our
veterans but into our first responder community and go beyond that.
I have an instrument Now what now what? So we
(07:45):
do hope at the end of this nine months that
our program participant, our hero will go from peer to
performer and they will want to get on stage and
tell their story. We've cultivated them through this process now
and they've found a new identity. I'm beyond just being
a person with PTSD. Now I have something I can
communicate and give back and inspire other people. So, you know,
(08:06):
we say from peer to performer and our mission statement,
I also want people to keep in mind We're not
forcing you to perform at the end of this, but
performer to me means am I showing up as a parent?
Am I showing up as a spouse? Am I showing
up as the best person I can be for myself?
Kind of advocate. So it's just helping us find our
voice again and tell our story.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
What are the details about the event? This Saturday May third?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
May third, one to three at the Military Veterans Services Center,
which is located inside the main administrative building, and you
can find that address and information online.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
People know where Bellevue University is or they can certainly
find that when you I mean Bellevue University isn't the
biggest campus ever, but it's big enough where you could
get in there and go. I don't know which of
these buildings will there be signs? Listen for the music?
You know? How do you and for the waterfall? How
do you find where you're going on Saturday between one.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
And three a twelve Bruin Boulevard, I believe. So it's
the big green building that you'll see on campus, the
big administrative building, and as soon as you walk in,
you just you'll hear a waterfall. Aim for the waterfall,
and you're going to see signs everywhere. So we're going
to have people out there just welcoming you and guiding you.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And this sounds like not just for those who might
want to be a part of this group, but also
for people in the community that want to hear some
good music. I'm guessing people who have been through the
program might be some of the live performers on Saturday,
and they're so excited.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
This is what's so great about this program is that
our heroes that have gone through previously, you know that
we're under guitars for vets. Even as soon as they
get an opportunity to perform, they're excited to get up
there and do that. And so the fact that they're
already rehearsing and talking about their set list and they're
so ready to give back, that's that's what we want
to see, and that's what I'm so excited to bring
(09:53):
the community in to witness that.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
The Heroes Encore open house coming up this Saturday, May third,
between one and three o'clock at Bellevue University's Military and
Veterans Services Center. Get all the details about the event
this Saturday, as well as what this organization is does
and whether you can be a part of it at
Heroes encore dot org. That's heroesoncore dot org. That is
(10:19):
Taylor Olam as well as David Mike co founders. And
you said there's another persons, Well let's get James name
in here as well. This is a wonderful organization Heroes
OnCore dot org. Guys, thank you so much for what
you're doing for veterans and first responders here in our community,
these heroes. Thanks for telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
You're listening to Community Matters. And we have a couple
more Florentine players back in the studio. That means that
this wonderful nonprofit theater in our community is out with
another show. There's sixtieth year this year and Ticket to
Ride is opening soon. We've got a couple of the
stars of Ticket to Ride in the studio with us.
(11:01):
We've got the hero playing the part of Roy Rogers.
Chris Perry is here as well as villain Tony the
Wig played by David Frolio. Guys, it's so great to
have you on here. Chris, you're the hero we get
to start with you is this like Roy Rogers, Roy Rogers,
Roy Rodgers. Are you riding a horse? How does this work?
Speaker 7 (11:19):
I mean through parts of it?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
All right?
Speaker 7 (11:22):
Good who plays the part of the horse. His name's
Josh Wow. Well he's got the full on costume.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
He must be parked outside, all right. Tell me about
this show, tell me about Ticket to Ride.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Well, So the show is actually based in the nineteen twenties,
so during the Prohibition Great Depression. The whole process is
I am a farmer myself or a cowboy, but because
of how hard times are, I take a job on
the train as a crew member. My cousin is part
(11:57):
of a three person vaudeville tree group that is out
of work. Their last performance was for five people, so
they're looking for work. They come and I end up
helping them get a job on the train so that
they can also work and perform on the train. But
(12:18):
the heroin ends up joining us on the train as
well with her fiance. And then we have Tony the
Wig here who is actually a famous mobster out of Chicago,
and he gets basically busted here in Omaha and has
(12:39):
to take the train, the Florient Express to Chicago.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
The Florient Express yes, very nicely died. We'll talk more
about the Florentine Players and where you can see this
show in just a moment, but let's talk about when
it's coming up and how we get tickets for it,
because it's only a limited time for the run of
this show, right Chris. It is May one through the
third Thursday through Saturday, first weekend, Thursday, first Thursday through Saturday,
(13:07):
and May and the second weekend and then the weekend
right after that that following Thursday through Saturday, May eighth
through the tenth. And this is going to be at
once again Florence City Hall up and beautiful Florence clear
up north on State Street. Yes, and uh, what's that
theater like to perform in?
Speaker 7 (13:25):
Oh, it's it's great.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (13:27):
It was built by Florence Historical and the Florentine Players
years ago kind of as a as a place for
us to perform instead of a church. And you know,
we had the the acoustics, sound system, everything was actually
put in by you know Rick who we actually just
(13:49):
lost this year, Rick quistad But he designed the entire
sound system everything in there. In the the entire building
has great.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Acoustics, excellent well there's you know, churches provide a wonderful
setting for this, but when people come up for Sunday
services the night after a Saturday show and there's horses
and saddles and trained parts and you know, guns laying
around it, there's a territory issue. It's nice to have
your own space, right. What we're saying here, that is
the hero of this show. Roy Rogers is with us,
(14:21):
played by Chris Perry. Also David Frolios here not only
playing villain Tony the Wig here, but David, you helped
right this show as well.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Right?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
I did yes with Derek and a few of us,
did Me and Derek and our friend Eric Green.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And Luke McGuire. Luke McGuire, according to the details I
have stamped in my memory and also right in front
of me here in this absolute But now I think
it's impressive you're able to do this despite the lack
of talent by Derek Kowall, who I used to work
with in radio and love Dear. Oh yes, yes, yes, yes,
so is this your This isn't the first time you've
(15:01):
written one of these productions.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
No.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
I started with Derek after the first time I had
worked with him. Which was Chris Discovers Florence. And after
that run of that show, he told me he had
this idea for a shipwreck or a ship sinking that
sunk near Florence, but it never actually sunk. The water
just came up to their ankles and they ended up
(15:23):
walking off the boat. And he was like, are you
interested in helping me write it? And I was like, well,
I've never written anything before. My dad was he had
written melodramas over the years, but I'd never really taken
to that. So the way it works, the way that
I look at it is I've become more open as
the years have gone on. But like Derek's like the
band and I'm the producer. So like he comes up
(15:47):
with the plot, the main plot, and I kind of
readthrough it with him, help with dialogue, help with like oh, yeah,
you should really keep this, or maybe add a little
more to this, or maybe take this away. You know,
maybe this is too busy, maybe there's not another here,
you know, things like that. So it's a really good partnership.
And then throughout the years we've just kind of added
a few more people into the process.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, it sounds like a fun process, is it? Hard
to take things away when you're doing a melodrama where
the bigger, the more bombastic and ridiculous it is. We're
only just starting how a melodrama should be, right, right, and.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
It's you kind of start with all of your eggs
in one basket, try to get away with whatever you can,
and then as you go on, you kind of you
have to think of how it's going to look on
the stage, how it's going to make sense to the audience,
how it's going to make sense for the actors, and.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
A lot of that comes through blocking.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
So you have these segments of the show where you
start blocking them and you're like, oh, well, the vision
I had in my head isn't really, you know, going
the way I want it on stage. So there you
can take a few elements away, But you're right, it's
a melodrama is designed to be over dramatic. We break
the fourth wall. The audience is a character in and
of itself, so people can come and hoot and haul
(17:00):
and boo and yay and oh.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So it's like the Minecraft.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Movie, absolutely absolutely is.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
They're a chicken jockey.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
There's no chicken jockey, unfortunately, but a lot of fun
for everybody. I mean, you know, you're not going to
find entertainment like this in the city anywhere, you know,
and people that come you know you're not you know,
it's not a day on Broadway. You know, that's not
what it's designed to be. We take what we do
very seriously, but at the same time, it's like it's
(17:30):
our job to engage the audience and have them have
an experience that they've never had before.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And you you take your character villain Tony the Whig seriously.
Is that I do the characterization we want to go
with here.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
I mean, yeah, you know, being of Italian descent, it's
like it's it's when he had the idea of the character,
I remember telling him, I was like, we got to
make him just ruthless, just a bad boy mobster, you know,
like Michael Corleone, like Tony Soprano sort of thing, right,
And when I had heard about the character, I really
(18:03):
wanted to play him, but I was like, you know,
I'm used to playing like like side characters, like goofy heroes,
you know. I mean, Chris has played the villain for
a number of years and he's so great at it,
so I have a lot to live up to. But
I've always wanted to play a mobster.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
It's always more fun to be the villain.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
It's always more fun. You have so much room to
explore and you don't really have a lot of limits.
And I would say that breaking the fourth wall with
the audience comes a lot from the villain. I mean,
they're just waiting for it, you know, they're waiting to
be picked on, They're waiting to do things like that.
So I'm really excited about doing that, and then obviously
having just a great cast to work off of.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
So talking here with David Folio, he plays the villain
Tony the Wig in the show Ticket to Ride, which
is coming up this coming weekend Thursday through Saturday, May
first through third, as well as the weekend after Thursday
through Saturday, May eight through tenth, and you can get
tickets to see the Florentine Players at Florentine Players dot com.
I'm also going to give you the phone number in
(19:03):
just a moment here you can call the reservation line
and get those tickets too at Florentine Players dot Com
is the website. And David, you've been with the Florentine Players,
a local nonprofit theater group here in this community for
a number of years. But your family's been in it
even longer, explained, Oh.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
Yeah, so it's we kind of grew up with it.
My dad started with the Florentine Players when he was seventeen,
and he was involved before he passed away. He was
involved for he think he was like three years shy
of his thirtieth year with him, and he played all
sorts of characters, and like I said, he wrote numerous
melodramas for them, and my mom was involved for a
number of years as well, cancan girl playing the heroin
(19:42):
and stuff like that. And like Chris had mentioned, they
used to do shows in the basement of Saint Philip
Nary in Florence. So on Saturdays we would go, you know,
we'd have to.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Go to church with Grandma.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
That was just the deal, right, But then we go
downstairs and we would see really are ended family, I
mean everybody was there. We watch them get ready in
the green room. We'd sit up on the floor in
the front with our popcorn.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
We throw popcorn.
Speaker 6 (20:07):
And it was the Saturday of the melodrama and Christmas
Eve were the two days out of the year that
me and my older sister looked forward to the most.
So that's a big family legacy there for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
And sixty years and it sounds like your family's been
there just about the entire time close too. Yeah, Yeah,
that's that's impressive and we hope it's here for several
decades more to come. The Florentine Players are a local
community troupe. Chris, how was it that's David Frolio, Chris
Perry here the hero Roy Rogers with us too, Chris,
(20:43):
how was it that you got a chance to be
a part of this group? And for anyone else saying
I used to act a little bit in high school,
maybe I want to, you know, go and give this
a try. How did they break into your group?
Speaker 7 (20:54):
Well, a coworker of mine invited me to the Florentine Players.
He and and wrote a show and he asked me
to audition, and that first year I was a hero
nineteen years ago. But I mean, we we put up
casting calls all the time on on Omaha Stage, Facebook
(21:18):
page all over, and you know, we love having new
faces all the time. It this is one of those groups.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
I've done theater at quite a few different places, across town.
And you know, when you're in a show, you become
quick friends with everybody. This is one of those few
places that I feel you actually not only become quick friends,
but they're lasting relationships. I mean, both David and I
have met our wives on that stage. So you know,
(21:50):
my my mother in law was the president of the
Florentine Players of my first year and second year I
met my wife. And but it's it's a great group
of people.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
That's so cool, and this show is going to be
just another part of the legacy in the community of Florence.
I'm glad you guys have dodged some severe weather up
in that area recently. He was were you at rehearsal
the night when they said, hey, we're going to want
to go downstairs a little bit here we got a
tornado in our community. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
We were actually in the middle of rehearsal, and it
true Midwestern fashion, handful of us stepped outside to see
what was going on. Yeah, but yeah, we ended up
going to our designated areas and once everything blew over,
right back into rehearsal.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
We tell people who've moved here from outside of tornado
Midwest that if you're wondering when you should be concerned.
When your neighbors come out to look at the sky,
that's when you need to go down to the basement
very much. So that's a bad thing. So I'm glad
that Florence City Hall, twenty eight sixty four State Street
still there and staging this. These performance is of Ticket
(23:00):
to Ride from the Florence Community Theater and the Florentine
Players coming up this Thursday through Saturday, May first through
the third, as well as the following week Thursday through Saturday,
May eight through the tenth. Performance begins at seven, doors
open at six, and there's some live music in there
as well as well as food and drinks that you
can get before the show as well.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Right, yes, the bertrand Banjo Band has been with the
Florentine Players now for about ten years and they they're
amazing the element that they bring with the live you know,
live music is perfect and then you know, you show
up at six, drinks are cheap. They're actually doing an
(23:44):
entire set before the show, so if you show up
at six, you get to watch the band play, you know,
some of their own music, some music from previous years
and really just hang out and enjoy the time.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
And proceeds from this melodrama fund the preservation of Florence's
historic buildings and future community theater productions that I would
not be surprised star Chris Perry and David Folio with
this show. Ticket to ride go to Florentine Players dot com.
That's Florentine Players dot com. Well, here's the number to
(24:17):
call the reservation line four O two four five five
sixty three forty one. Four oh two, four five five
six three four one, And you can also if tickets
are available just go to the door day. But really
always helpful to get that reservation in advance. Four oh two,
four five five sixty three forty one Florentine Players dot com.
(24:40):
Chris Perry and David Frolio, thank you so much for
putting on another great show for our community, and thanks
a lot for telling us about it. Here on Community Matters,
thank you so much. And finally on Community Matters, this
week we welcome the donor recruitment manager with the Nebraska
Community Blood Bank, Carrie Lundine, joins us here in Kerrie.
Welcome to Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I think people have already figured out based on the
fact that we're talking here with someone from the Nebraska
Community Blood Bank, there must be a blood drive coming up.
So Carrie give us all the details.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
We have a lot. We have a big sun blood
drive coming up at the Mid America Center. It's on Monday,
May fifth, and it's from noon to six.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Noon to six Mid America Center Council Bluffs right there
off the interstate, Monday, May fifth. What are the times
on this on that Monday.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
So if you get there at noon, we're going to
be there till six o'clock. And if don't worry about
getting a meal, because we are going to provide a
meal by the Rusty Taco for all the donors.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Oh very nice. So I thought you only just get
a cookie after you give blood.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
There'll be some cookies also, we'll do cookies.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And you said Russy Taco's doing food.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
Yeah, Rusty Taco. It's Sinco to Mayo. So we thought
it might be best just to have a chicken feet a
taco bar for everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Oh my gosh, that's right. Yeah, a week from Monday,
Sinco de Mayo May fifth. Perfect. I mean Star Wars
Day is coming up too, but that's a different conversation,
all right. So obviously, when it comes to giving blood,
some people know exactly what they're doing. They do this
all the time. That's wonderful. What about those who have
never given What do they need to know about how
(26:15):
to prepare and whether they're a good candidate for blood donation?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
Carrie, Actually, that's a great question. We get a lot
of people who might be apprehensive because they just don't
know what it's like. And I think once everybody has
done it, they've always said that was really simple. The
needle is only in your arm for about seven to
ten minutes. Most of your time when you're out of
blood drive is going to be filling out a health
history questionnaire, getting that mini health physical, and of course
(26:41):
spending that time getting some cookies and juice afterwards. It's
a really simple process. Our phlebotomus are great. They love
first time donors. Make everybody feel really comfortable.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Excellent. What about if they say, well, I was sick recently?
What about health concerns when it.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Comes to this, Yeah, the best thing to do is
to give us a call because we have dedicated people
who are able to answer all those questions that involves
also if you're concerned about a medication that you might
be on summer, you might have recently traveled to and
also previous illnesses. Some people who have had cancer in
the path can donate blood. And so if you give
(27:20):
us a call at two four eight six nine four
one for we'll be able to answer all those questions
before you even get to the blood drive.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
And we'll give that phone number again in just a moment.
As we're talking here with Kerrie Lundine with the Nebraska
Community Blood Bag, what about those who say, you know,
I'm sure someone told me at some point in my
life what blood type I am, but I don't have
any idea.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah, we got a lot and a lot of people
actually don't know their blood type. So this is a
perfect way to come and find out what your blood
type is. But we also it does not matter what
your blood type is. We always say that the blood
type that's needed the most is the one that's not
on the shelf already, and everybody can donate matter what
their blood type is. We welcome everyone.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Okay, do they need to make a reservation or give
anyone a heads up that they're coming for this?
Speaker 4 (28:07):
I mean appointments are recommended. It ensures your spot right
then and there are no waiting. But also please walk
in if you don't know what your data is scheduled, like,
it's okay, you can just come to the Mid America
Center and we'll get you in.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Okay. So is this like in the Mid America Center?
Is it in the parking lot? Is it a drive up?
How does it work? That day?
Speaker 4 (28:25):
We're going to be inside the Mid America Center and
there's going to be signage so it'll point you out
to the right direction and where to go.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Excellent May fifth, from noon until six This is a
blood donation event from the Nebraska Community Blood Bank. Where
can people go for more information online? And again give
out that phone number For people with more questions, Carrie Sure,
they can.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
Go to NCBB dot RG backslash mac mac for the
Mid America Center. You can also give us a call
at four O two four eight six nine one four
and that website address is going to tell you a
little bit more about the drive itself. And just to
remind people that when you donate with Nebraska Community Blood Bank,
you're actually helping people right here in our community at
(29:10):
Nebraska medicine at Jenny Edmondson at the other Methodist Health
Hospital System. So it's great to be able to help
our fellow neighbors.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
That is the donor Recruitment manager with the Nebraska Community
Blood Bank online at NCBB dot org slash mac from
Mid America Center for this event coming up a week
from Monday, May fifth, Carrie Lunden, thank you so much
for what you're doing for people in our community, and
thanks so much for telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Thank you so much, Gut.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three Omaha's Greatest Hits ninety nine
point nine, KGr News Radio, eleven ten KFAB Country's Greatest
Hits ninety three three The Wolf, and ninety six one
Kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening and enjoying
the rest of your day.
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Heats and thank you so much for being a part
of the show. This week. We welcome back to this
program Taylor Olam. This here. She is the executive director
and president of a group called Heroes Encore and Taylor,
it's great to have you back on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Welcome back, Thank you, it's good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Now we should say that you're you're back here on
the program, but it's slightly different. So tell me about
this this charitable arc that you've been on here recently here.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
On ark absolutely well. For nine years we worked with
the national organization called Guitars for Vets, so you know,
we're pretty established in the community under that name, but
we saw the opportunity to expand our impact in our
local community that supporters have been amazing, So we wanted
to expand the program and the reach and thus developed
(01:08):
Heroes Encore kind of through our own personal journey of
self development through music, and so we're very excited to
bring Heroes Encore to Omaha.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
So this is something that you guys came up with.
You and we're going to meet David Mike here in
a moment, co founder of this organization. This is something
you came up with. It doesn't exactly it might be
a different name, slightly different direction, but it seems like
it's still the same heart for what this organization is about.
Tell me about that absolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
I mean as a chapter. We came together in twenty sixteen.
David was one of the first well he was the
first volunteer that I suckered into working with me through
music and I just came up and said free guitar
and he dropped everything right. So we came together and
the passion that poured out of all of us. There's
one more co founder, James Hoy He too is a
(01:58):
part of this journey. We we just poured every ounce
of our passion for music, for service, for healing and
honoring our heroes over the past nine years. And you know,
I think it's it's just continuing improvement and involvement. How
can we do better? And in that also just through
(02:19):
experiences of for example, my son became an EMT and
kind of opened my eyes to first responders situations. And
then I'm reading the statistics with our police officers and
I'm like, Okay, we need to do more. We need
to take care of more people in our community.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So we're hearing music, we're hearing about heroes, first responders, military,
everyone here. So what is it that you do?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
David?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
All right, let's all right, what Taylor wants us to bring?
David Mike into the program right now? This is co
founder of Heroes Encore, which I should mention is online
at heroesencore dot org. That's Taylor Olham David Mike, co
founder of this organization. So practically, what does Heroes on
Core do well?
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Our mission is the guide heroes and a transformative journey
from pure to performer using musical expression of foster healing,
self discovery, and a renewed post service identity. When military
change from their career into a civilian community, there's a
culturation aspect where they're really not sure what they're going
(03:24):
to do or how they're going to wind up, and
so we offer them a safe place of music and transition.
Also for the veterans, the veterans who have seen many
things that they don't even want to talk about. They
have a lot of mental health issues, and we don't
want to focus on the aspect of you're broken and
we want to fix you. We want to say we
(03:46):
know you have the issues. We want to show you
another side of yourself that you can develop into and
be a better part of society in your community. And
so we do. We set up a program where's a
nine month program. The old program was a ten week program.
We'll give a guitar, and we would hardly see the
(04:08):
people again, unfortunately, and we never had any follow up.
So now this is an evidence based program which is
totally different, and it's the first part is similar. Instead
of ten weeks, we have a twelve week program where
we give musical instruction and it's one on one and
it's a lot of times it's a counseling session, but
we really get to know the person and you establish
(04:31):
a friendship and then they're able to open up and
so that mental healing starts. The second phase is we
call it finding your voice, and that part is more
of the creative side. We can give them an opportunity
to write songs and even give them a sound engineering
and do anything they want to do in the creative
aspect that will help them develop that personality.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Is it more one on one? Is it small groups?
Is it large groups? Is there a concert at the end?
Is this like School of Rock? How does you've read
our brochure all of the above.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Yeah, we start off as a one to one training,
one to one music just a music room at bellv University,
which has given us validity in an office and just
incredible partnership. So we do one on one training and
we get them to a level of proficiency, and then
the second twelve weeks would be that the creativity in
starting to be in small groups where we have yoga,
(05:26):
resiliency training, just any number of things. And then the
final twelve weeks would be performance where they would get
a chance to well, we have a partnership with the
Omaha Performing Arts Center and then New Tenasca Creative Arts
that which is being built down and that'll be finished
in twenty twenty six, and they contacted us, this is
(05:48):
unbelievable to be a part of that from the ground up,
to perform there, to get classes there, just be a
part of that healing, and that's what we're trying to
do the heal the veterans and give them the hope
that they drastically need.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
How does someone reach out and join up with this organization?
Or if you know someone who might benefit from something
like this, that's David Mike, co founder of Heroes OnCore
online at heroesoncore dot org. We'll get back president and
executive director as well as co founder of Heroes on
Core Taylor olam here Taylor. How does someone who could
(06:25):
benefit from this program meet you guys and join up?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Absolutely, we asked that you go to our website. There's
a form that you can fill out there to be
a volunteer, to be a sponsor, to be a participant
that will put you in contact with us. There's also
an email contact at heroescore dot org and Heroes is
os not Oees. But we also have a social media
presence as well. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
But we are we are.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Also getting out in the community, so look for us
at events, Papillion days and all of the right cool
things we do here Omaha.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Or there's a tremendous opportunity coming up this coming weekend, Saturday,
May third.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Absolutely, so we're opening up our program to the community
to come and check us out at Bellvu University. Like
David said, we want you to come into our facility
see what we're working with me, our program participants, and
our volunteers. We're going to have live music there, We're
going to have some light refreshment. So it's a great
networking opportunity as well. But because so much of our
(07:24):
community has invested in who we are for the past
nine years, like I said, I want them to see
what that support has done. It has provided the ability
to just grow and expand and again reach beyond our
veterans but into our first responder community and go beyond that.
I have an instrument Now what now what? So we
(07:45):
do hope at the end of this nine months that
our program participant, our hero will go from peer to
performer and they will want to get on stage and
tell their story. We've cultivated them through this process now
and they've found a new identity. I'm beyond just being
a person with PTSD. Now I have something I can
communicate and give back and inspire other people. So, you know,
(08:06):
we say from peer to performer and our mission statement,
I also want people to keep in mind We're not
forcing you to perform at the end of this, but
performer to me means am I showing up as a parent?
Am I showing up as a spouse? Am I showing
up as the best person I can be for myself?
Kind of advocate. So it's just helping us find our
voice again and tell our story.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
What are the details about the event? This Saturday May third?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
May third, one to three at the Military Veterans Services Center,
which is located inside the main administrative building, and you
can find that address and information online.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
People know where Bellevue University is or they can certainly
find that when you I mean Bellevue University isn't the
biggest campus ever, but it's big enough where you could
get in there and go. I don't know which of
these buildings will there be signs? Listen for the music?
You know? How do you and for the waterfall? How
do you find where you're going on Saturday between one.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
And three a twelve Bruin Boulevard, I believe. So it's
the big green building that you'll see on campus, the
big administrative building, and as soon as you walk in,
you just you'll hear a waterfall. Aim for the waterfall,
and you're going to see signs everywhere. So we're going
to have people out there just welcoming you and guiding you.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And this sounds like not just for those who might
want to be a part of this group, but also
for people in the community that want to hear some
good music. I'm guessing people who have been through the
program might be some of the live performers on Saturday,
and they're so excited.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
This is what's so great about this program is that
our heroes that have gone through previously, you know that
we're under guitars for vets. Even as soon as they
get an opportunity to perform, they're excited to get up
there and do that. And so the fact that they're
already rehearsing and talking about their set list and they're
so ready to give back, that's that's what we want
to see, and that's what I'm so excited to bring
(09:53):
the community in to witness that.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
The Heroes Encore open house coming up this Saturday, May third,
between one and three o'clock at Bellevue University's Military and
Veterans Services Center. Get all the details about the event
this Saturday, as well as what this organization is does
and whether you can be a part of it at
Heroes encore dot org. That's heroesoncore dot org. That is
(10:19):
Taylor Olam as well as David Mike co founders. And
you said there's another persons, Well let's get James name
in here as well. This is a wonderful organization Heroes
OnCore dot org. Guys, thank you so much for what
you're doing for veterans and first responders here in our community,
these heroes. Thanks for telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
You're listening to Community Matters. And we have a couple
more Florentine players back in the studio. That means that
this wonderful nonprofit theater in our community is out with
another show. There's sixtieth year this year and Ticket to
Ride is opening soon. We've got a couple of the
stars of Ticket to Ride in the studio with us.
(11:01):
We've got the hero playing the part of Roy Rogers.
Chris Perry is here as well as villain Tony the
Wig played by David Frolio. Guys, it's so great to
have you on here. Chris, you're the hero we get
to start with you is this like Roy Rogers, Roy Rogers,
Roy Rodgers. Are you riding a horse? How does this work?
Speaker 7 (11:19):
I mean through parts of it?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
All right?
Speaker 7 (11:22):
Good who plays the part of the horse. His name's
Josh Wow. Well he's got the full on costume.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
He must be parked outside, all right. Tell me about
this show, tell me about Ticket to Ride.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Well, So the show is actually based in the nineteen twenties,
so during the Prohibition Great Depression. The whole process is
I am a farmer myself or a cowboy, but because
of how hard times are, I take a job on
the train as a crew member. My cousin is part
(11:57):
of a three person vaudeville tree group that is out
of work. Their last performance was for five people, so
they're looking for work. They come and I end up
helping them get a job on the train so that
they can also work and perform on the train. But
(12:18):
the heroin ends up joining us on the train as
well with her fiance. And then we have Tony the
Wig here who is actually a famous mobster out of Chicago,
and he gets basically busted here in Omaha and has
(12:39):
to take the train, the Florient Express to Chicago.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
The Florient Express yes, very nicely died. We'll talk more
about the Florentine Players and where you can see this
show in just a moment, but let's talk about when
it's coming up and how we get tickets for it,
because it's only a limited time for the run of
this show, right Chris. It is May one through the
third Thursday through Saturday, first weekend, Thursday, first Thursday through Saturday,
(13:07):
and May and the second weekend and then the weekend
right after that that following Thursday through Saturday, May eighth
through the tenth. And this is going to be at
once again Florence City Hall up and beautiful Florence clear
up north on State Street. Yes, and uh, what's that
theater like to perform in?
Speaker 7 (13:25):
Oh, it's it's great.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (13:27):
It was built by Florence Historical and the Florentine Players
years ago kind of as a as a place for
us to perform instead of a church. And you know,
we had the the acoustics, sound system, everything was actually
put in by you know Rick who we actually just
(13:49):
lost this year, Rick quistad But he designed the entire
sound system everything in there. In the the entire building
has great.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Acoustics, excellent well there's you know, churches provide a wonderful
setting for this, but when people come up for Sunday
services the night after a Saturday show and there's horses
and saddles and trained parts and you know, guns laying
around it, there's a territory issue. It's nice to have
your own space, right. What we're saying here, that is
the hero of this show. Roy Rogers is with us,
(14:21):
played by Chris Perry. Also David Frolios here not only
playing villain Tony the Wig here, but David, you helped
right this show as well.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Right?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
I did yes with Derek and a few of us,
did Me and Derek and our friend Eric Green.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And Luke McGuire. Luke McGuire, according to the details I
have stamped in my memory and also right in front
of me here in this absolute But now I think
it's impressive you're able to do this despite the lack
of talent by Derek Kowall, who I used to work
with in radio and love Dear. Oh yes, yes, yes, yes,
so is this your This isn't the first time you've
(15:01):
written one of these productions.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
No.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
I started with Derek after the first time I had
worked with him. Which was Chris Discovers Florence. And after
that run of that show, he told me he had
this idea for a shipwreck or a ship sinking that
sunk near Florence, but it never actually sunk. The water
just came up to their ankles and they ended up
(15:23):
walking off the boat. And he was like, are you
interested in helping me write it? And I was like, well,
I've never written anything before. My dad was he had
written melodramas over the years, but I'd never really taken
to that. So the way it works, the way that
I look at it is I've become more open as
the years have gone on. But like Derek's like the
band and I'm the producer. So like he comes up
(15:47):
with the plot, the main plot, and I kind of
readthrough it with him, help with dialogue, help with like oh, yeah,
you should really keep this, or maybe add a little
more to this, or maybe take this away. You know,
maybe this is too busy, maybe there's not another here,
you know, things like that. So it's a really good partnership.
And then throughout the years we've just kind of added
a few more people into the process.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, it sounds like a fun process, is it? Hard
to take things away when you're doing a melodrama where
the bigger, the more bombastic and ridiculous it is. We're
only just starting how a melodrama should be, right, right, and.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
It's you kind of start with all of your eggs
in one basket, try to get away with whatever you can,
and then as you go on, you kind of you
have to think of how it's going to look on
the stage, how it's going to make sense to the audience,
how it's going to make sense for the actors, and.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
A lot of that comes through blocking.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
So you have these segments of the show where you
start blocking them and you're like, oh, well, the vision
I had in my head isn't really, you know, going
the way I want it on stage. So there you
can take a few elements away, But you're right, it's
a melodrama is designed to be over dramatic. We break
the fourth wall. The audience is a character in and
of itself, so people can come and hoot and haul
(17:00):
and boo and yay and oh.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So it's like the Minecraft.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Movie, absolutely absolutely is.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
They're a chicken jockey.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
There's no chicken jockey, unfortunately, but a lot of fun
for everybody. I mean, you know, you're not going to
find entertainment like this in the city anywhere, you know,
and people that come you know you're not you know,
it's not a day on Broadway. You know, that's not
what it's designed to be. We take what we do
very seriously, but at the same time, it's like it's
(17:30):
our job to engage the audience and have them have
an experience that they've never had before.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
And you you take your character villain Tony the Whig seriously.
Is that I do the characterization we want to go
with here.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
I mean, yeah, you know, being of Italian descent, it's
like it's it's when he had the idea of the character,
I remember telling him, I was like, we got to
make him just ruthless, just a bad boy mobster, you know,
like Michael Corleone, like Tony Soprano sort of thing, right,
And when I had heard about the character, I really
(18:03):
wanted to play him, but I was like, you know,
I'm used to playing like like side characters, like goofy heroes,
you know. I mean, Chris has played the villain for
a number of years and he's so great at it,
so I have a lot to live up to. But
I've always wanted to play a mobster.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
It's always more fun to be the villain.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
It's always more fun. You have so much room to
explore and you don't really have a lot of limits.
And I would say that breaking the fourth wall with
the audience comes a lot from the villain. I mean,
they're just waiting for it, you know, they're waiting to
be picked on, They're waiting to do things like that.
So I'm really excited about doing that, and then obviously
having just a great cast to work off of.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
So talking here with David Folio, he plays the villain
Tony the Wig in the show Ticket to Ride, which
is coming up this coming weekend Thursday through Saturday, May
first through third, as well as the weekend after Thursday
through Saturday, May eight through tenth, and you can get
tickets to see the Florentine Players at Florentine Players dot com.
I'm also going to give you the phone number in
(19:03):
just a moment here you can call the reservation line
and get those tickets too at Florentine Players dot Com
is the website. And David, you've been with the Florentine Players,
a local nonprofit theater group here in this community for
a number of years. But your family's been in it
even longer, explained, Oh.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
Yeah, so it's we kind of grew up with it.
My dad started with the Florentine Players when he was seventeen,
and he was involved before he passed away. He was
involved for he think he was like three years shy
of his thirtieth year with him, and he played all
sorts of characters, and like I said, he wrote numerous
melodramas for them, and my mom was involved for a
number of years as well, cancan girl playing the heroin
(19:42):
and stuff like that. And like Chris had mentioned, they
used to do shows in the basement of Saint Philip
Nary in Florence. So on Saturdays we would go, you know,
we'd have to.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Go to church with Grandma.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
That was just the deal, right, But then we go
downstairs and we would see really are ended family, I
mean everybody was there. We watch them get ready in
the green room. We'd sit up on the floor in
the front with our popcorn.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
We throw popcorn.
Speaker 6 (20:07):
And it was the Saturday of the melodrama and Christmas
Eve were the two days out of the year that
me and my older sister looked forward to the most.
So that's a big family legacy there for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
And sixty years and it sounds like your family's been
there just about the entire time close too. Yeah, Yeah,
that's that's impressive and we hope it's here for several
decades more to come. The Florentine Players are a local
community troupe. Chris, how was it that's David Frolio, Chris
Perry here the hero Roy Rogers with us too, Chris,
(20:43):
how was it that you got a chance to be
a part of this group? And for anyone else saying
I used to act a little bit in high school,
maybe I want to, you know, go and give this
a try. How did they break into your group?
Speaker 7 (20:54):
Well, a coworker of mine invited me to the Florentine Players.
He and and wrote a show and he asked me
to audition, and that first year I was a hero
nineteen years ago. But I mean, we we put up
casting calls all the time on on Omaha Stage, Facebook
(21:18):
page all over, and you know, we love having new
faces all the time. It this is one of those groups.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
I've done theater at quite a few different places, across town.
And you know, when you're in a show, you become
quick friends with everybody. This is one of those few
places that I feel you actually not only become quick friends,
but they're lasting relationships. I mean, both David and I
have met our wives on that stage. So you know,
(21:50):
my my mother in law was the president of the
Florentine Players of my first year and second year I
met my wife. And but it's it's a great group
of people.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
That's so cool, and this show is going to be
just another part of the legacy in the community of Florence.
I'm glad you guys have dodged some severe weather up
in that area recently. He was were you at rehearsal
the night when they said, hey, we're going to want
to go downstairs a little bit here we got a
tornado in our community. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
We were actually in the middle of rehearsal, and it
true Midwestern fashion, handful of us stepped outside to see
what was going on. Yeah, but yeah, we ended up
going to our designated areas and once everything blew over,
right back into rehearsal.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
We tell people who've moved here from outside of tornado
Midwest that if you're wondering when you should be concerned.
When your neighbors come out to look at the sky,
that's when you need to go down to the basement
very much. So that's a bad thing. So I'm glad
that Florence City Hall, twenty eight sixty four State Street
still there and staging this. These performance is of Ticket
(23:00):
to Ride from the Florence Community Theater and the Florentine
Players coming up this Thursday through Saturday, May first through
the third, as well as the following week Thursday through Saturday,
May eight through the tenth. Performance begins at seven, doors
open at six, and there's some live music in there
as well as well as food and drinks that you
can get before the show as well.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Right, yes, the bertrand Banjo Band has been with the
Florentine Players now for about ten years and they they're
amazing the element that they bring with the live you know,
live music is perfect and then you know, you show
up at six, drinks are cheap. They're actually doing an
(23:44):
entire set before the show, so if you show up
at six, you get to watch the band play, you know,
some of their own music, some music from previous years
and really just hang out and enjoy the time.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
And proceeds from this melodrama fund the preservation of Florence's
historic buildings and future community theater productions that I would
not be surprised star Chris Perry and David Folio with
this show. Ticket to ride go to Florentine Players dot com.
That's Florentine Players dot com. Well, here's the number to
(24:17):
call the reservation line four O two four five five
sixty three forty one. Four oh two, four five five
six three four one, And you can also if tickets
are available just go to the door day. But really
always helpful to get that reservation in advance. Four oh two,
four five five sixty three forty one Florentine Players dot com.
(24:40):
Chris Perry and David Frolio, thank you so much for
putting on another great show for our community, and thanks
a lot for telling us about it. Here on Community Matters,
thank you so much. And finally on Community Matters, this
week we welcome the donor recruitment manager with the Nebraska
Community Blood Bank, Carrie Lundine, joins us here in Kerrie.
Welcome to Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I think people have already figured out based on the
fact that we're talking here with someone from the Nebraska
Community Blood Bank, there must be a blood drive coming up.
So Carrie give us all the details.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
We have a lot. We have a big sun blood
drive coming up at the Mid America Center. It's on Monday,
May fifth, and it's from noon to six.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Noon to six Mid America Center Council Bluffs right there
off the interstate, Monday, May fifth. What are the times
on this on that Monday.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
So if you get there at noon, we're going to
be there till six o'clock. And if don't worry about
getting a meal, because we are going to provide a
meal by the Rusty Taco for all the donors.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Oh very nice. So I thought you only just get
a cookie after you give blood.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
There'll be some cookies also, we'll do cookies.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And you said Russy Taco's doing food.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
Yeah, Rusty Taco. It's Sinco to Mayo. So we thought
it might be best just to have a chicken feet a
taco bar for everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Oh my gosh, that's right. Yeah, a week from Monday,
Sinco de Mayo May fifth. Perfect. I mean Star Wars
Day is coming up too, but that's a different conversation,
all right. So obviously, when it comes to giving blood,
some people know exactly what they're doing. They do this
all the time. That's wonderful. What about those who have
never given What do they need to know about how
(26:15):
to prepare and whether they're a good candidate for blood donation?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
Carrie, Actually, that's a great question. We get a lot
of people who might be apprehensive because they just don't
know what it's like. And I think once everybody has
done it, they've always said that was really simple. The
needle is only in your arm for about seven to
ten minutes. Most of your time when you're out of
blood drive is going to be filling out a health
history questionnaire, getting that mini health physical, and of course
(26:41):
spending that time getting some cookies and juice afterwards. It's
a really simple process. Our phlebotomus are great. They love
first time donors. Make everybody feel really comfortable.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Excellent. What about if they say, well, I was sick recently?
What about health concerns when it.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Comes to this, Yeah, the best thing to do is
to give us a call because we have dedicated people
who are able to answer all those questions that involves
also if you're concerned about a medication that you might
be on summer, you might have recently traveled to and
also previous illnesses. Some people who have had cancer in
the path can donate blood. And so if you give
(27:20):
us a call at two four eight six nine four
one for we'll be able to answer all those questions
before you even get to the blood drive.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
And we'll give that phone number again in just a moment.
As we're talking here with Kerrie Lundine with the Nebraska
Community Blood Bag, what about those who say, you know,
I'm sure someone told me at some point in my
life what blood type I am, but I don't have
any idea.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah, we got a lot and a lot of people
actually don't know their blood type. So this is a
perfect way to come and find out what your blood
type is. But we also it does not matter what
your blood type is. We always say that the blood
type that's needed the most is the one that's not
on the shelf already, and everybody can donate matter what
their blood type is. We welcome everyone.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Okay, do they need to make a reservation or give
anyone a heads up that they're coming for this?
Speaker 4 (28:07):
I mean appointments are recommended. It ensures your spot right
then and there are no waiting. But also please walk
in if you don't know what your data is scheduled, like,
it's okay, you can just come to the Mid America
Center and we'll get you in.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Okay. So is this like in the Mid America Center?
Is it in the parking lot? Is it a drive up?
How does it work? That day?
Speaker 4 (28:25):
We're going to be inside the Mid America Center and
there's going to be signage so it'll point you out
to the right direction and where to go.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Excellent May fifth, from noon until six This is a
blood donation event from the Nebraska Community Blood Bank. Where
can people go for more information online? And again give
out that phone number For people with more questions, Carrie Sure,
they can.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
Go to NCBB dot RG backslash mac mac for the
Mid America Center. You can also give us a call
at four O two four eight six nine one four
and that website address is going to tell you a
little bit more about the drive itself. And just to
remind people that when you donate with Nebraska Community Blood Bank,
you're actually helping people right here in our community at
(29:10):
Nebraska medicine at Jenny Edmondson at the other Methodist Health
Hospital System. So it's great to be able to help
our fellow neighbors.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
That is the donor Recruitment manager with the Nebraska Community
Blood Bank online at NCBB dot org slash mac from
Mid America Center for this event coming up a week
from Monday, May fifth, Carrie Lunden, thank you so much
for what you're doing for people in our community, and
thanks so much for telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Thank you so much, Gut.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three Omaha's Greatest Hits ninety nine
point nine, KGr News Radio, eleven ten KFAB Country's Greatest
Hits ninety three three The Wolf, and ninety six one
Kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening and enjoying
the rest of your day.
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