May 21, 2025 • 29 mins
Austin England with WE Inc of Birmingham explains how they give purpose and dignity to people with disabilities. Then Robert M. Edsel highlights stories of some men from Birmingham who gave it all for America. Finaly Linsay Mondick with the YMCA talks about water safety.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Giving people with disabilities the ability to contribute and find purpose. Hello,
I'm Job Mounts and this week on Viewpoint Alabama on
the Alabama Radio Network, I'm talking with Austin England. He's
the director of marketing at WE Incorporated of Birmingham. Austin,
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Now we Incorporated. It's new to me, but it's not
new to Birmingham. How long have you been around.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Correct Workshops Empowerment. We've been around since nineteen hundred so
this is actually our one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So and always in the same place.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yes, we've been in the same place for a pretty
long time. I don't know if it's been the entire
one hundred and twenty five years. It's been hard to
find some of that research, but at least for most
of it.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
So what do you guys do?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So we help people living with disabilities and any other
barrier of entry to the workforce find jobs out in
the community. So you come to us and you kind
of start with some job readiness job development courses. We
help you get an internship, whether it's in our cafe
or working with our baking mixes. Or something else in
our building, and then we help you find a job out.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So when you say, is that both physical disabilities like
say you know they're paraplegic, or mental disabilities like say autism,
or all the above?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
All the above?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And what are some of the things that you're involved
when you say helping them find a job? What is
it just straight up job placement or do you actually
does does we incorporate it actually do some stuff on
its own? We do both.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So the main goal is not to have people work
with us forever, because we want people to be able
to have competitive employment, you know, not be stuck at
the same place, be able to not only get a
job once they're done working with us, but then find
another job after that on their own. So you'll come
to us, you'll work with us for a little bit
for about four weeks. We call it an internship. It
is paid, of course, but the interurn really emphasizes that
(01:45):
it's a temporary thing. And then from there we help
you get placed in a job, whether it's there are
connections we have in the community, or you know, if
you're looking for something super specific that we don't have
a connection with yet, will even help you you know,
sit down, look at your resume, help you apply on indeed,
just like anybody else would.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And the people you help are they all adults? Are
they teenagers or what age you usually start.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
With, So it's anyone from fourteen years of age and up.
For the most part it's adults. But like for instance,
the summer, we have our summer JET program that's about
to kick off and that stands for Job Exploration Training.
We're looking at about seventy kids the summer that are
going to work with us, and that's helping them find
summer jobs with kids that might not necessarily be able
to get one on their own. So we'll send out
kids to about nine different places we have out in
(02:29):
the community, everywhere from YMCA to Highlands golf Course to
last year, we even know we're at Regents Field, so
we'll send the kids out there as well as with
some teachers to actually watch them and be the ones
that train them as well.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So there is some training that you guys provide in
addition to I guess on the job training when they're placed. Yes, correct,
And the people who work with you your operations with
five oh one C three right yes, And so the
people who work there, they get a paycheck, but there
it's still it's a charity. So how do you guys
get funding?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yes, so we are a United Way foundation, so we
do get some money from United Way. We get some
money from grants, you know, things out in the community.
We work with ADRs, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services,
and then we also, of course do have some individual
donations and things as well.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
And the donations that you get, I imagine you have
fundraisers and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yes, So back in april's not too long ago, we
had our annual fundraiser, the Great Birmingham Bakeoff, So we're
looking for you know, get ready for it for next April.
You take one of our baking mixes, which I guess
we'll talk about a little bit later from we made,
and you do your own spin on it. So you
might take our corn bread and our pound cake mix,
mix it together and make some orange citrus muffins, which
is actually what the winner was this year. So it's
(03:43):
a great way for the community to come out, get
to try some delicious food and also donate to a
great cause.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So in other words, the products that are created there,
you then use those to help the proceeds to fund
the operation.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yes, so it's twofold. You know, it helps fund us,
It helps get our name out in the community. You know,
there's no way that you'd hear about workshops and power
and ink at Pickli wig Leak without us having some
baking mixes on the shelf. But it also is a
great training opportunity for people. You know, it's another avenue
of things because you have to get your food handler
certificate before you can work with this.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So let's talk about some of the things that you
make there. Specifically at the do you have like was
it like a restaurant, a kitchen, what do you call it?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, we just opened in February, the Empower Cafe, so
it's our newest venture. So we're really looking for people
to come out and interact with us there a lot
more because we've always been open to the public. But
of course unless you had a reason to come in,
you weren't going to come in and take a tour.
But now that you can interact with us at the cafe,
it's a great way for you to come out and
see some people. So that's one way we train people.
(04:40):
Both front of house and back of house we have
a delicious menu with some vegan and gluten free options
as well as all kinds of other things. And everything
is made pretty fresh there, you know, with no frozen chicken.
It's all hambreaded right there by chef Gary and the
people he's working with.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And where is this located.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It's at four four two four four Third Avenue South.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Third Avenue South. And are you open seven days a week? Sure,
We're open Monday through Friday seven to two, Okay. So
it's so it's basically like breakfast slash lunch. Yes, And
you said all manner of food, and I guess when
people come in, they're greeted. It's like a regular restaurant, yes,
like a cafe. Probably a lot of people don't even
realize that what it's tied to. It's more they're coming
in for good food.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
And then once they're there, you kind of get to
see a little bit more about what we do. Because
we have some posters on the wall talking about Workshops Empowerment.
We try to make sure it's no secret that we're
there to help people.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
What are some other things that Workshops Empowerment does.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
So, like as mentioned earlier, with we Made. That's another
one of our product lines. We have fire starters, baking mixes,
and our sprays. So that started in twenty eighteen is
Avondale Mercantile and then eventually it became we Made because
we stands for workshops, empowerment to kind of tie it
all in together. Each person that makes their product gets
to write their name on the back, really take ownership
of that, and then we're in one hundred and twenty
(05:51):
seven stores at this point across twenty three states. We're
in the local pigli Wigglies Alabama Goods, and we've gotten
a lot of people coming into our programs because as
they heard about it through We Made.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And I'm assure you guys have a well I've been
there a website and on the website you can purchase
some of these products correct and they're you know, one
of the things I've seen this is more popular, is
a Bama basket. I don't know if you've seen these before,
where somebody, if you have relatives outside the state of Alabama,
you create a little like gift basket for them and
you include stuff that is implicitly Alabama. So it might
be a Vulcan bottle head or some Wickles pickles, or
(06:24):
some Kanneka sausage or some you could probably use some
stuff from your place as well.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Correct And speaking of Wickles Pickles, that's another thing that
we actually work with. We have are a firmative business enterprise,
So what that means is it's another way that we
train people. We have some things like industrial assembly where
people are working on making things for cane manufacturing, or
putting together nuts and bolts, putting together pieces that will
go out to air duct engineers and things like that,
as well as things we've done for Blue Cross Blue Shield.
(06:50):
You know, if you get a new insurance packet in
the mail, most likely that was put together by us
on campus. And we actually work with some other people
in terms of fulfillment like Wickles Pickles.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
This is Due Point Alabama on the Alabama Radio Network.
My name is John Mountsin speaking with Austin England. He
is with WE Incorporated at Birmingham or that stands for
the wei IS Workshops and Workshops Empowerment of Birmingham. And
we're talking about some of the things that they do there.
You've been with them how long?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I started there in December twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, so you've been there a couple of years. Do
you have a story you don't have to give any names,
but a story of some something you've seen, somebody who's
been through the doors there at we Incorporated and gone
on to do, you know, become a very successful member
of a productive member of our Birmingham economy.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yes, one that I really like to point to. It
really exemplifies something that makes us different. You know, we
talk about our classes and things that we have, but
there's a lot of places that have classes. But I
think the thing that really sets us apart is our
internships that we have on campus. So we had someone
that was working with us, and like you said, I
won't reveal names, but he's kind of been in a
little bit of each department trying to figure out what
he fits into, not just in terms of ability, but
(07:59):
also in terms of desire. You know, we don't want
to just place someone somewhere because oh they can work
at publics, go work there. We want them to enjoy
what they do as well. So he kind of tried
a little bit of everything until we've finally opened up
the cafe placed him there and that was something that
he really enjoyed and he really excelled at and so
right now we're in the process of getting him moved
(08:20):
on to the next step.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
It does seem like one of the things that lacks
in education these days is vocational training. A lot of
people in high school, they're automatically trained to go on
to college, and after college go on to grad school,
and after grad school go on to something, you know,
like a doctor or a lawyer. But not everybody can
be a doctor or lawyer. We still need people who
can do trade stuff. We need people who can fix
our air conditioners and our roofs and stuff like that.
Even doctors need the roofs and air conditioners fixed. So
(08:44):
in a way, this is great because it's a vocational
training program for people who might otherwise not be able
to participate, and then we have them. Not only it
helps them and it helps us correct.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And one of the next things we're working on actually
is a construction classroom as well. You know, we want
that on campus. People can learn a lot more hands
on things with us in our more warehouse situation. You know,
we have a lot of different certificates you can get
with us, like forklift certification that you might not be
able to get elsewhere with the disabilities.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
You might have.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
The UH. Do you have any We talked about the
different disabilities you work with, especially those that are maybe
physical limitations like UH blindness, or or maybe you're you know,
you don't have full use of your limbs, that sort
of thing. Do you have any doctors or anything like
that that work with with the people you're you're trying
to place to kind of help them transition into function
(09:34):
within a workplace.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We do not have doctors on campus, but we do
work with a lot of other nonprofits in the area.
We recognize that, you know, we're one piece of the puzzle.
We don't want to be a one size fits all
for everybody. We want to be able to, you know,
do the part that we can and then refer them
out to other places they might need to go.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So we've got that, we've talked about we may, We've
talked about the UH, the empower Cafe. What's next for
we Incorporated?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Well, that's a good question. We have a lot of
things in the works, So I think the next big thing.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I don't want to let you make you spill any beans,
but you know, just anywhere you're going.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
In general, I think the expansion of our Empower Pathways
an Empower Horizons program is where we're heading. Those both
have really kicked off this year, and that's that more
detailed classroom aspect, you know, it's breaking down things into
more specific cases for people, you know, coming in and
being able to learn a little bit more on the computer.
One thing that we've really seen a lot of is
(10:26):
people talk about literacy a lot, but there's a lot
of computer literacy that people need to work on things
that most people take for granted, you know, learning how
to use an email and learning how to type things
like that. So we're really trying to expand those kinds
of skills, and.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I imagine the way AI is exploding all over the place,
there's there's going to be even more applications where AI
is able to assist people who otherwise might not be
able to and teaching them how to interface with that
AI to get the most out of it will be
a big part of the future for We Incorporated and
really for every business.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, we definitely want to utilize the newest technology that
we can and really take advantage of the things that
are becoming more and more possible for people.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Is there a way for people to volunteer to help
a WE Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yes, especially as we continue to expand. One of the
things that I think is the most impactful thing that
you can do to volunteer is a day in the
life where you come and you just work alongside people,
get to know them and kind of see, you know,
how people that live differently than you, how their day
to day might be.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And I bet a lot of the program, if they
graduates of your program go on to be very self sufficient,
maybe even able to completely support themselves on their own
without assistance of somebody else.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yes, that's the goal.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Not everybody's going to be able to be like that.
We recognize that as well, but we work with you
on whatever those limitations might be.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
So, are there any thoughts about because we're talking to
an Alabama audience statewide and we're talking about your location
is in Birmingham, are there any thoughts about expanding we
Incorporated to other places, maybe open the Brandson Huntsville at
Brandson Montgomery or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Maybe at some point in the future.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
I'm just saying because it seems like it's a very
needed thing and there's a lot of there's a lot
of people out there who could be served by this
that are not just you know, bound to Birmingham.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, I'd like to thank you so much, Austin. One
more time, we incorporated for people if they want to
find out more about it. The website is.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
We incal dot org. So that's we I n c
AL dot org and we're workshops in Powerment.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Ink And you can also type that into Google and
Google will point you right there in case you didn't
exactly write that down. Austin, thank you so much for
joining us this week on Viewpoint Alabama.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You're listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program from
the Alabama Radio Network.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Joining us now Robert Edzel, who is the author of
Remember US American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and I Forever Promise
Forged in World War Two. Robert, what a pleasure it
is to have you. Thank you so much for being
with me.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Thanks j T.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Great to be here well on this Memorial Day weekend. Boy,
I'll tell you my father in law recently passed away
in February and he's retired army and I think nine
times out of ten. When I would go visit him,
he would have a World War Two movie on, and
it got to the point where his wife, my mother
in law, kept saying, I say, what do y'all watch?
(13:09):
And she'd look at me, go, what do you think?
We're watching World War two films? And he was so
locked in and so proud to be in the army
for so long and retired army that he couldn't get
away from it. He just had so much to do.
And this book I wanted to talk to you about,
first of all the book, and then we'll get into
the the blockbuster film, of course, But what got you involved?
(13:34):
What enabled you to come into this direction and write
this book?
Speaker 7 (13:38):
Well remember Us, which is the title of the book,
as the result of eight years of research and its
somewhat of a coincidence that a young lady who I
mentioned very passing and at the end of the Monument's
Men book mentioned to me one day I happened to
meet her in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
I didn't know her when I wrote the Monuments Men book.
I knew of her, and I frankly figured she was dead.
But I found out she was alive, and I went
to go meet her and she lived in the Netherlands
when the German invasion took place in May nineteen forty,
and she was fifteen years old, kissed her adolescence goodbye,
living under occupation, and then she was there and told me.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
When I met her, she was eighty eight. I knew
her the last eight years of her life. I delivered
her eulogy. She told me when she was eighty eight,
with tears streaming down her face, the same tears that
she had when she was nineteen, that when I saw
the first American tank pair over the hill to liberate us,
I said to my dad, look, Poppy, these American boys
have come all the way across the ocean to save us.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Unreal.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
And that memory stayed with her until her dying day.
I met another woman that I knew for really, I
feel like I've done her all her life. She died
in nineteen seventy, but her name was Emily. She was
the mom of twelve, and she kept these immaculate diaries
all during the war that her daughter, who's ninety two,
and induced me too. And it's really through the experience
(15:02):
of these two women that I tell the lives of
twelve American combat soldiers, paratroopers, tankers, and a grave digger
a story about the war we don't know about. That's
an essential part of war. And their lives converge in
the southern part of the Netherlands near where this American
cemetery is that at the end of the war had
seventeen eight hundred boys, including one hundred and thirteen boys
(15:28):
from Alabama that are buried there today.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
Wow, how about that? And there are people here in
Alabama that you know, your reference in Vincent and Sammy D.
Vincent who was a sergeant you know here from Birmingham,
and also William Elmer Yarborough also from Birmingham, Alabama, born
in nineteen twenty and was a part of this as well.
(15:51):
And the movie, of course, this turned into a blockbuster
film with a great cast George Colooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray,
Kate Blanchett. It starts back in nineteen forty and you
follow the lives of what is it, a dozen or
so folks in their journey through this era.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
I had to pick out of you know, seventeen eight
hundred Yeah, boys and women that are there. You know,
which stories do you tell?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And that was challenging and trying to figure out.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Well, it's part of the reason it took eight years
to understand what the right characters were. But you know,
they're really fascinating people. One was a airborne paratrooper who
dropped into D Day on dropped into France on D Day.
He trained with Eisenhower when he was a young soldier.
Eisenhower loved him, and he's straight out of Hollywood Central Casting.
(16:44):
We learned about a pair of brothers that were co
pilots in a bomber that in nineteen forty three, the
Army allowed them to fly together, which seems crazy. Now
Jewish immigrant who goes back as an intelligence officer to
the country he fled. They're just really fascinating rich characters.
And we have the story of one of the Grave Diggers,
(17:07):
a black a black soldier from Dothan, Alabama, whose earliest
memory at six years old was a group of klu
klux Klan guys with a burning cross outside his house
there to try and hang his dad for selling a
bail of cotton. And his grandma always told him, if
you can ever find a way to get out, take it.
And he lied about his age and he was sixteen
(17:30):
and a half and went into the army, thought he
could prove himself worthy as a white soldier and ends
up digging graves. It's a horrific task, a horrific job
during the war, very tactile because there's no coffins, there's
no wood. All these boys were buried in bedsacks, so
they had to be lifted up and lowered down. And
(17:50):
it was just a horrible part of war that we
need to know about to appreciate those freedoms which people
like your father fought to preserve in this country. And
then of course that sets up this transcendent, uplifting story
that we tell about the Dutch and their efforts and
creating this grave adoption program and promising to watch over
(18:13):
all these boys there like their own forever, and here
eighty years later, without any interruption, they have watched over
all ten thousand men and four women that are buried there,
including as I said, the one hundred and thirteen sons
from Alabama.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Yes, it's an amazing book. And you know I've seen
some of your other work. You mentioned the Moments or
the monuments Man rather that turned into the film and
just like that, remember us your latest book here back
into World War Two as it began in nineteen forty
and walking through and following these twelve main characters over
(18:51):
this four to six year span.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Here. You know, when I talked to authors.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
A lot of times, I'll ask them, especially in a
nonfiction piece where you're talking about real life and almost documentary,
if you will, what is it that came out at
the end of your writing the book that you didn't
realize going into the first page of writing. It that
stuck out to you, that you learned or found out
about or just became something that really this is something
(19:19):
that touched my heart and really got to me more
than anything. The one thing in this Remember Us book
that on the back end you feel that you found
out after you finished.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Well, of course, the treasure that freedom is. I mean,
we treat freedom in this country like our health. We
don't think about it till we're sick. When we're sick,
it's the worst day of our life. When we get better,
we don't think about our health anymore.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
And that's kind of how we treat freedom.
Speaker 7 (19:43):
We just figure it's going to be there, but it
isn't there for free.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
There are people that paid horrible prices for.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
It like Sammy Vinson, who was a pow after he
was shot down in is B twenty four, who was murdered,
but I mean, you know, he survived his plane crash
and then he's captured and murdered by the Germans. But
the thing that rose above all of it was the
humanity of the Dutch, the fact that during the war,
while it's going on, they're trying to find an answer
(20:10):
to the question how do you thank your liberators if
they're no longer alive to think? And I find it
so uplifting that there are people anywhere in a world
where people say I'll call you for lunch and they
never call. And we don't even think anything about the
fact that they don't call. We just kind of knew
that they weren't going to do. And half the marriages
that begin with I do end up with I don't.
(20:30):
And so the idea that the Dutch would make this
promise and eighty years later not only have continuously done
exactly what they said they're going to do, but there
are a thousand people in the Netherlands on a waiting
list to become adopters. And that's why we created this
Forever Promise.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Project.
Speaker 7 (20:48):
People can learn more about it at Forever Promise dot org,
where we have a searchable database of all the people
that are buried there, including one hundred and thirteen boys
from Alabama, so that family members can go and see
if they have a relative there and if they want
to be connected with their Dutch adopter, answer a short
questionnaire and we'll put them in touch with their adopter.
(21:09):
Many cases they have photographs or unsent letters from the
family members that were the boys that were in their homes.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Well.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
The book is called Remember Us.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
We're speaking with Robert Edsel, the author of this book,
and what a great piece it is as we remember
all those that gave their lives for us here in
our country.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Robert, a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 7 (21:29):
Thanks JJ, thanks for your family service to the country.
Speaker 5 (21:32):
You're listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program from
the Alabama Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
My name is John Mounts and to finish out our
Memorial Day weekend program. May is National Water Safety Month,
which means it is the perfect time for parents and
their caregivers to contact their local why and sign the
child up for the Safety around the Water program or
a swim lesson. The YMCA Safety Around the Water Program
provides children with all ages and backgrounds the tools they
need to be confident around the water. Joining us today
(22:00):
is water safety espert Lindsay Mondix. She is here to
discuss the YMCA's new Phones Down, Eyes Up campaign and
its annual Safety around the Water Program. Lindsay, welcome to Viewpoint.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I think once you become a parent, you become a
chronic worrier about a lot of things that will likely
never happen. But one of the problems that is likely
to happen is drowning. In fact, drowning is one of
the leading causes of death of children under five years
of age. And that's the reason why the YMCA has
programs like this, right yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Swimming is one of those skills that's not just a
recreation skill, but it's actually a life skullic and learning
to swim can save your life and it is really important,
especially as we head.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Into summer, and you don't have to wait until they're
in grade school. How early should you start your child
learning how to swim?
Speaker 4 (22:44):
So at the why we tap swimming lessons starting at
age six months, where we have the parent and the
child obviously in the water together, but it's never too
late to learn to swim. So we also have adult
swimming lessons to ensure that our communities are safe.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
And that's true because a lot of people I think
they know how to swim, but you get them in
water that where their feet can't touch the bottom, and
all of a sudden you realize that, well they don't.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Yeah, yeah, you know, not everybody had the chance to
have swimming lessons either do to access and or financial
needs to take swimming lessons. And so our YMCAA is
really the YOCA is really focused on teaching our communities
essential survival skills to help them be safer around the water.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
And the things you can learn at the why not
only are swimming, but other important things like first date
and CPR.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah, so we really focus on kind of three key areas.
One swimming skills, but the second is how you can
help others by doing CPR as one of them, but
also rescuing somebody if you find somebody in trouble, but
also how to keep yourself safe in that water safety
knowledge that you need to have to know how to keep.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yourself safe and Lindsay, I was certified in CPR thirty
years ago, and I have to be honest, I haven't
gone back and revisited that things have changed in the
last few years, haven't they.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yeah, I mean research and science continues to evolve and
we learn how to best help somebody if they're in
need with CPR and first aid, and so YMCA's offer
CPR and first aid classes for families, for parents, for
babysitters who are learning, so you can also take CPR
and first aid lessons at the Why.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
One of the things I've heard and I guess, like
I said, I really need to get the training again
is they no longer practice the recue breathing rather now
is just all chest compressions because they think that that's
probably more important even than the breathing part.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Research has really shown that for people who aren't trained
and really doing CPR and providing care at that level,
that chest compressions can be an effective way to keep
the blood flowing. Oxygenation is still important with doing those breasts,
but the number one thing we can do to bridge
between MS arriving and taking over is keeping that blood circulating.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
And lindsay, another thing that you that the campaign that
the YMCA has is really focusing on is the idea
that a lot of people, adults go to the pool
with the kids or the beach and then they kind
of turn them loose and then they look down at
their phone and a lot of bad stuff can happen
while you're not paying attention.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, we have launched at the way a new national
public service campaign called Phones Down, Eyes Up, and it's
really focused on exactly what you said, to reinforce the
importance of cutting distractions and keeping yourself focused around water.
When you have children near, you can designate a water
watch is kind of our recommendation, and that is somebody
(25:37):
who is totally distruction free and responsible for supervising.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Kids around the water, because the reality is, you know,
you do always see those signs that no lifeguard is
on duty at almost every pool I go to. It's
rare that I see a lifeguard anymore.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Yeah, I mean, lifeguards continue to be a layer of protection, right,
but they aren't the only line of protection. Supervision is
key and one of those biggest risks is adult distraction.
And so whether you know we are we are distracted
by phones, whether it's checking a text, you know, talking
to somebody scrolling social media. We need to be vigilant
(26:12):
and we know evidence shows that drowning happens within ten
feet of safety with an adult nearby, and so the
more we can advocate for constant and active supervision, the
more the more we'll keep our family safe.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
And also it's important to know these signs of what
drowning looks like because a lot of people think that
when somebody's drowning, they're going to be yelling out, help, help,
I'm drowning, But the reality is a lot of times
when somebody's drowning, they're not saying anything at all because
they're drowning.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, drowning is fast and silent. Of person can drone
and as little as thirty seconds, and it doesn't look
like it's often portrayed on television or movies.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
And that's the reason why it's it's so important to
be up on everything, not only making sure your kids
can swim, making sure that you're able to save them
in a situation where they're in trouble, and being able
to recognize when they're in trouble and if you have
saved somebody, what you need to do after the fact.
And then that's when you use that phone you've got
there to be able to call for help if you
(27:12):
need ems or something like that, because you know it's
very important. You used to be you know there's always
a phone around the pool, but there's not. But everyone's
got a cell phone supposedly, so they can make the call.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Gather's multi leaders to keeping everybody safe, right, But the
number one thing is to remember that simple, powerful message
of a phone's down, eyes up, put your phone down,
sail or never assume you'll hear somebody if they're in
trouble again, because droning is fast.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
And silent, and lindsay, although we spend a lot of
time talking about safety around the pool, there's a lot
of people going to the beach, and we have a
real problem whether you're going to Orange Beach, your golf shores,
or anywhere along the Panhandle with our beaches have these
rip currents well where you'll be swimming along, you think
you're fine, and before you know it, you start getting
pulled out. What you want to do, what your instinct
says is let's swim in. But you can't just swim
(27:57):
straight in. That'll carry you further out. You can't overcome
the current. So you're supposed to swim along parallel with
the beach until you're out of the rip current. And
that's not something that's intuitive. You have to have training
so that it's almost second nature to know what to
do when you're caught in one of those situations, so
that that training can kick in before you're in a
(28:18):
real situation.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, yeah, you nailed it. Natural water in ocean and
even large lake currents in some of the larger lakes
we have have rip currents, and so many people think
they have to swim towards shore, which often the current
is pulling you out further, and so swimming parallel to
shore to get out of the rip current is the
(28:40):
first thing to do.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
And for information on any of the things we've talked
about today, including where you can sign up for some
of those classes at the YNCA, we just need to
go to the wise website. What's that website?
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Yeah, so our current campaign website is phones downiyesup dot org.
You can download free water watter tools, you can take
a water safety pledge to be vigilant this summer, and
of course you can also check out theymcaa dot org
to find out about swimming lessons for all ages fifty
around water programs, and other activities like camp and youth
(29:13):
sports to keep families safe and active this summer.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
So the YMCA is more than what it used to be.
It's certainly more than danced by the village people. It
actually has a whole host of activities and services that
it offers to the community.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Absolutely, creating connected communities is that we're about.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Lindsay Mondik from the YMCA, thank you so much for
joining us today on Viewpoint Alabama.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
You've been listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program
from the Alabama Radio Network. The opinions expressed on Viewpoint
Alabama are not necessarily those of the staff, management, or
advertisers of this station.
Giving people with disabilities the ability to contribute and find purpose. Hello,
I'm Job Mounts and this week on Viewpoint Alabama on
the Alabama Radio Network, I'm talking with Austin England. He's
the director of marketing at WE Incorporated of Birmingham. Austin,
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Now we Incorporated. It's new to me, but it's not
new to Birmingham. How long have you been around.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Correct Workshops Empowerment. We've been around since nineteen hundred so
this is actually our one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So and always in the same place.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yes, we've been in the same place for a pretty
long time. I don't know if it's been the entire
one hundred and twenty five years. It's been hard to
find some of that research, but at least for most
of it.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
So what do you guys do?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So we help people living with disabilities and any other
barrier of entry to the workforce find jobs out in
the community. So you come to us and you kind
of start with some job readiness job development courses. We
help you get an internship, whether it's in our cafe
or working with our baking mixes. Or something else in
our building, and then we help you find a job out.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So when you say, is that both physical disabilities like
say you know they're paraplegic, or mental disabilities like say autism,
or all the above?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
All the above?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And what are some of the things that you're involved
when you say helping them find a job? What is
it just straight up job placement or do you actually
does does we incorporate it actually do some stuff on
its own? We do both.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So the main goal is not to have people work
with us forever, because we want people to be able
to have competitive employment, you know, not be stuck at
the same place, be able to not only get a
job once they're done working with us, but then find
another job after that on their own. So you'll come
to us, you'll work with us for a little bit
for about four weeks. We call it an internship. It
is paid, of course, but the interurn really emphasizes that
(01:45):
it's a temporary thing. And then from there we help
you get placed in a job, whether it's there are
connections we have in the community, or you know, if
you're looking for something super specific that we don't have
a connection with yet, will even help you you know,
sit down, look at your resume, help you apply on indeed,
just like anybody else would.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And the people you help are they all adults? Are
they teenagers or what age you usually start.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
With, So it's anyone from fourteen years of age and up.
For the most part it's adults. But like for instance,
the summer, we have our summer JET program that's about
to kick off and that stands for Job Exploration Training.
We're looking at about seventy kids the summer that are
going to work with us, and that's helping them find
summer jobs with kids that might not necessarily be able
to get one on their own. So we'll send out
kids to about nine different places we have out in
(02:29):
the community, everywhere from YMCA to Highlands golf Course to
last year, we even know we're at Regents Field, so
we'll send the kids out there as well as with
some teachers to actually watch them and be the ones
that train them as well.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So there is some training that you guys provide in
addition to I guess on the job training when they're placed. Yes, correct,
And the people who work with you your operations with
five oh one C three right yes, And so the
people who work there, they get a paycheck, but there
it's still it's a charity. So how do you guys
get funding?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yes, so we are a United Way foundation, so we
do get some money from United Way. We get some
money from grants, you know, things out in the community.
We work with ADRs, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services,
and then we also, of course do have some individual
donations and things as well.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
And the donations that you get, I imagine you have
fundraisers and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yes, So back in april's not too long ago, we
had our annual fundraiser, the Great Birmingham Bakeoff, So we're
looking for you know, get ready for it for next April.
You take one of our baking mixes, which I guess
we'll talk about a little bit later from we made,
and you do your own spin on it. So you
might take our corn bread and our pound cake mix,
mix it together and make some orange citrus muffins, which
is actually what the winner was this year. So it's
(03:43):
a great way for the community to come out, get
to try some delicious food and also donate to a
great cause.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So in other words, the products that are created there,
you then use those to help the proceeds to fund
the operation.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yes, so it's twofold. You know, it helps fund us,
It helps get our name out in the community. You know,
there's no way that you'd hear about workshops and power
and ink at Pickli wig Leak without us having some
baking mixes on the shelf. But it also is a
great training opportunity for people. You know, it's another avenue
of things because you have to get your food handler
certificate before you can work with this.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So let's talk about some of the things that you
make there. Specifically at the do you have like was
it like a restaurant, a kitchen, what do you call it?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, we just opened in February, the Empower Cafe, so
it's our newest venture. So we're really looking for people
to come out and interact with us there a lot
more because we've always been open to the public. But
of course unless you had a reason to come in,
you weren't going to come in and take a tour.
But now that you can interact with us at the cafe,
it's a great way for you to come out and
see some people. So that's one way we train people.
(04:40):
Both front of house and back of house we have
a delicious menu with some vegan and gluten free options
as well as all kinds of other things. And everything
is made pretty fresh there, you know, with no frozen chicken.
It's all hambreaded right there by chef Gary and the
people he's working with.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And where is this located.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It's at four four two four four Third Avenue South.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Third Avenue South. And are you open seven days a week? Sure,
We're open Monday through Friday seven to two, Okay. So
it's so it's basically like breakfast slash lunch. Yes, And
you said all manner of food, and I guess when
people come in, they're greeted. It's like a regular restaurant, yes,
like a cafe. Probably a lot of people don't even
realize that what it's tied to. It's more they're coming
in for good food.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
And then once they're there, you kind of get to
see a little bit more about what we do. Because
we have some posters on the wall talking about Workshops Empowerment.
We try to make sure it's no secret that we're
there to help people.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
What are some other things that Workshops Empowerment does.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
So, like as mentioned earlier, with we Made. That's another
one of our product lines. We have fire starters, baking mixes,
and our sprays. So that started in twenty eighteen is
Avondale Mercantile and then eventually it became we Made because
we stands for workshops, empowerment to kind of tie it
all in together. Each person that makes their product gets
to write their name on the back, really take ownership
of that, and then we're in one hundred and twenty
(05:51):
seven stores at this point across twenty three states. We're
in the local pigli Wigglies Alabama Goods, and we've gotten
a lot of people coming into our programs because as
they heard about it through We Made.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And I'm assure you guys have a well I've been
there a website and on the website you can purchase
some of these products correct and they're you know, one
of the things I've seen this is more popular, is
a Bama basket. I don't know if you've seen these before,
where somebody, if you have relatives outside the state of Alabama,
you create a little like gift basket for them and
you include stuff that is implicitly Alabama. So it might
be a Vulcan bottle head or some Wickles pickles, or
(06:24):
some Kanneka sausage or some you could probably use some
stuff from your place as well.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Correct And speaking of Wickles Pickles, that's another thing that
we actually work with. We have are a firmative business enterprise,
So what that means is it's another way that we
train people. We have some things like industrial assembly where
people are working on making things for cane manufacturing, or
putting together nuts and bolts, putting together pieces that will
go out to air duct engineers and things like that,
as well as things we've done for Blue Cross Blue Shield.
(06:50):
You know, if you get a new insurance packet in
the mail, most likely that was put together by us
on campus. And we actually work with some other people
in terms of fulfillment like Wickles Pickles.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
This is Due Point Alabama on the Alabama Radio Network.
My name is John Mountsin speaking with Austin England. He
is with WE Incorporated at Birmingham or that stands for
the wei IS Workshops and Workshops Empowerment of Birmingham. And
we're talking about some of the things that they do there.
You've been with them how long?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I started there in December twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, so you've been there a couple of years. Do
you have a story you don't have to give any names,
but a story of some something you've seen, somebody who's
been through the doors there at we Incorporated and gone
on to do, you know, become a very successful member
of a productive member of our Birmingham economy.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yes, one that I really like to point to. It
really exemplifies something that makes us different. You know, we
talk about our classes and things that we have, but
there's a lot of places that have classes. But I
think the thing that really sets us apart is our
internships that we have on campus. So we had someone
that was working with us, and like you said, I
won't reveal names, but he's kind of been in a
little bit of each department trying to figure out what
he fits into, not just in terms of ability, but
(07:59):
also in terms of desire. You know, we don't want
to just place someone somewhere because oh they can work
at publics, go work there. We want them to enjoy
what they do as well. So he kind of tried
a little bit of everything until we've finally opened up
the cafe placed him there and that was something that
he really enjoyed and he really excelled at and so
right now we're in the process of getting him moved
(08:20):
on to the next step.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
It does seem like one of the things that lacks
in education these days is vocational training. A lot of
people in high school, they're automatically trained to go on
to college, and after college go on to grad school,
and after grad school go on to something, you know,
like a doctor or a lawyer. But not everybody can
be a doctor or lawyer. We still need people who
can do trade stuff. We need people who can fix
our air conditioners and our roofs and stuff like that.
Even doctors need the roofs and air conditioners fixed. So
(08:44):
in a way, this is great because it's a vocational
training program for people who might otherwise not be able
to participate, and then we have them. Not only it
helps them and it helps us correct.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And one of the next things we're working on actually
is a construction classroom as well. You know, we want
that on campus. People can learn a lot more hands
on things with us in our more warehouse situation. You know,
we have a lot of different certificates you can get
with us, like forklift certification that you might not be
able to get elsewhere with the disabilities.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
You might have.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
The UH. Do you have any We talked about the
different disabilities you work with, especially those that are maybe
physical limitations like UH blindness, or or maybe you're you know,
you don't have full use of your limbs, that sort
of thing. Do you have any doctors or anything like
that that work with with the people you're you're trying
to place to kind of help them transition into function
(09:34):
within a workplace.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We do not have doctors on campus, but we do
work with a lot of other nonprofits in the area.
We recognize that, you know, we're one piece of the puzzle.
We don't want to be a one size fits all
for everybody. We want to be able to, you know,
do the part that we can and then refer them
out to other places they might need to go.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So we've got that, we've talked about we may, We've
talked about the UH, the empower Cafe. What's next for
we Incorporated?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Well, that's a good question. We have a lot of
things in the works, So I think the next big thing.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I don't want to let you make you spill any beans,
but you know, just anywhere you're going.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
In general, I think the expansion of our Empower Pathways
an Empower Horizons program is where we're heading. Those both
have really kicked off this year, and that's that more
detailed classroom aspect, you know, it's breaking down things into
more specific cases for people, you know, coming in and
being able to learn a little bit more on the computer.
One thing that we've really seen a lot of is
(10:26):
people talk about literacy a lot, but there's a lot
of computer literacy that people need to work on things
that most people take for granted, you know, learning how
to use an email and learning how to type things
like that. So we're really trying to expand those kinds
of skills, and.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I imagine the way AI is exploding all over the place,
there's there's going to be even more applications where AI
is able to assist people who otherwise might not be
able to and teaching them how to interface with that
AI to get the most out of it will be
a big part of the future for We Incorporated and
really for every business.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, we definitely want to utilize the newest technology that
we can and really take advantage of the things that
are becoming more and more possible for people.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Is there a way for people to volunteer to help
a WE Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yes, especially as we continue to expand. One of the
things that I think is the most impactful thing that
you can do to volunteer is a day in the
life where you come and you just work alongside people,
get to know them and kind of see, you know,
how people that live differently than you, how their day
to day might be.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And I bet a lot of the program, if they
graduates of your program go on to be very self sufficient,
maybe even able to completely support themselves on their own
without assistance of somebody else.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yes, that's the goal.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Not everybody's going to be able to be like that.
We recognize that as well, but we work with you
on whatever those limitations might be.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
So, are there any thoughts about because we're talking to
an Alabama audience statewide and we're talking about your location
is in Birmingham, are there any thoughts about expanding we
Incorporated to other places, maybe open the Brandson Huntsville at
Brandson Montgomery or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Maybe at some point in the future.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
I'm just saying because it seems like it's a very
needed thing and there's a lot of there's a lot
of people out there who could be served by this
that are not just you know, bound to Birmingham.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, I'd like to thank you so much, Austin. One
more time, we incorporated for people if they want to
find out more about it. The website is.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
We incal dot org. So that's we I n c
AL dot org and we're workshops in Powerment.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Ink And you can also type that into Google and
Google will point you right there in case you didn't
exactly write that down. Austin, thank you so much for
joining us this week on Viewpoint Alabama.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You're listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program from
the Alabama Radio Network.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Joining us now Robert Edzel, who is the author of
Remember US American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and I Forever Promise
Forged in World War Two. Robert, what a pleasure it
is to have you. Thank you so much for being
with me.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Thanks j T.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Great to be here well on this Memorial Day weekend. Boy,
I'll tell you my father in law recently passed away
in February and he's retired army and I think nine
times out of ten. When I would go visit him,
he would have a World War Two movie on, and
it got to the point where his wife, my mother
in law, kept saying, I say, what do y'all watch?
(13:09):
And she'd look at me, go, what do you think?
We're watching World War two films? And he was so
locked in and so proud to be in the army
for so long and retired army that he couldn't get
away from it. He just had so much to do.
And this book I wanted to talk to you about,
first of all the book, and then we'll get into
the the blockbuster film, of course, But what got you involved?
(13:34):
What enabled you to come into this direction and write
this book?
Speaker 7 (13:38):
Well remember Us, which is the title of the book,
as the result of eight years of research and its
somewhat of a coincidence that a young lady who I
mentioned very passing and at the end of the Monument's
Men book mentioned to me one day I happened to
meet her in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
I didn't know her when I wrote the Monuments Men book.
I knew of her, and I frankly figured she was dead.
But I found out she was alive, and I went
to go meet her and she lived in the Netherlands
when the German invasion took place in May nineteen forty,
and she was fifteen years old, kissed her adolescence goodbye,
living under occupation, and then she was there and told me.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
When I met her, she was eighty eight. I knew
her the last eight years of her life. I delivered
her eulogy. She told me when she was eighty eight,
with tears streaming down her face, the same tears that
she had when she was nineteen, that when I saw
the first American tank pair over the hill to liberate us,
I said to my dad, look, Poppy, these American boys
have come all the way across the ocean to save us.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Unreal.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
And that memory stayed with her until her dying day.
I met another woman that I knew for really, I
feel like I've done her all her life. She died
in nineteen seventy, but her name was Emily. She was
the mom of twelve, and she kept these immaculate diaries
all during the war that her daughter, who's ninety two,
and induced me too. And it's really through the experience
(15:02):
of these two women that I tell the lives of
twelve American combat soldiers, paratroopers, tankers, and a grave digger
a story about the war we don't know about. That's
an essential part of war. And their lives converge in
the southern part of the Netherlands near where this American
cemetery is that at the end of the war had
seventeen eight hundred boys, including one hundred and thirteen boys
(15:28):
from Alabama that are buried there today.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
Wow, how about that? And there are people here in
Alabama that you know, your reference in Vincent and Sammy D.
Vincent who was a sergeant you know here from Birmingham,
and also William Elmer Yarborough also from Birmingham, Alabama, born
in nineteen twenty and was a part of this as well.
(15:51):
And the movie, of course, this turned into a blockbuster
film with a great cast George Colooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray,
Kate Blanchett. It starts back in nineteen forty and you
follow the lives of what is it, a dozen or
so folks in their journey through this era.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
I had to pick out of you know, seventeen eight
hundred Yeah, boys and women that are there. You know,
which stories do you tell?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And that was challenging and trying to figure out.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Well, it's part of the reason it took eight years
to understand what the right characters were. But you know,
they're really fascinating people. One was a airborne paratrooper who
dropped into D Day on dropped into France on D Day.
He trained with Eisenhower when he was a young soldier.
Eisenhower loved him, and he's straight out of Hollywood Central Casting.
(16:44):
We learned about a pair of brothers that were co
pilots in a bomber that in nineteen forty three, the
Army allowed them to fly together, which seems crazy. Now
Jewish immigrant who goes back as an intelligence officer to
the country he fled. They're just really fascinating rich characters.
And we have the story of one of the Grave Diggers,
(17:07):
a black a black soldier from Dothan, Alabama, whose earliest
memory at six years old was a group of klu
klux Klan guys with a burning cross outside his house
there to try and hang his dad for selling a
bail of cotton. And his grandma always told him, if
you can ever find a way to get out, take it.
And he lied about his age and he was sixteen
(17:30):
and a half and went into the army, thought he
could prove himself worthy as a white soldier and ends
up digging graves. It's a horrific task, a horrific job
during the war, very tactile because there's no coffins, there's
no wood. All these boys were buried in bedsacks, so
they had to be lifted up and lowered down. And
(17:50):
it was just a horrible part of war that we
need to know about to appreciate those freedoms which people
like your father fought to preserve in this country. And
then of course that sets up this transcendent, uplifting story
that we tell about the Dutch and their efforts and
creating this grave adoption program and promising to watch over
(18:13):
all these boys there like their own forever, and here
eighty years later, without any interruption, they have watched over
all ten thousand men and four women that are buried there,
including as I said, the one hundred and thirteen sons
from Alabama.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Yes, it's an amazing book. And you know I've seen
some of your other work. You mentioned the Moments or
the monuments Man rather that turned into the film and
just like that, remember us your latest book here back
into World War Two as it began in nineteen forty
and walking through and following these twelve main characters over
(18:51):
this four to six year span.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Here. You know, when I talked to authors.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
A lot of times, I'll ask them, especially in a
nonfiction piece where you're talking about real life and almost documentary,
if you will, what is it that came out at
the end of your writing the book that you didn't
realize going into the first page of writing. It that
stuck out to you, that you learned or found out
about or just became something that really this is something
(19:19):
that touched my heart and really got to me more
than anything. The one thing in this Remember Us book
that on the back end you feel that you found
out after you finished.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Well, of course, the treasure that freedom is. I mean,
we treat freedom in this country like our health. We
don't think about it till we're sick. When we're sick,
it's the worst day of our life. When we get better,
we don't think about our health anymore.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
And that's kind of how we treat freedom.
Speaker 7 (19:43):
We just figure it's going to be there, but it
isn't there for free.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
There are people that paid horrible prices for.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
It like Sammy Vinson, who was a pow after he
was shot down in is B twenty four, who was murdered,
but I mean, you know, he survived his plane crash
and then he's captured and murdered by the Germans. But
the thing that rose above all of it was the
humanity of the Dutch, the fact that during the war,
while it's going on, they're trying to find an answer
(20:10):
to the question how do you thank your liberators if
they're no longer alive to think? And I find it
so uplifting that there are people anywhere in a world
where people say I'll call you for lunch and they
never call. And we don't even think anything about the
fact that they don't call. We just kind of knew
that they weren't going to do. And half the marriages
that begin with I do end up with I don't.
(20:30):
And so the idea that the Dutch would make this
promise and eighty years later not only have continuously done
exactly what they said they're going to do, but there
are a thousand people in the Netherlands on a waiting
list to become adopters. And that's why we created this
Forever Promise.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Project.
Speaker 7 (20:48):
People can learn more about it at Forever Promise dot org,
where we have a searchable database of all the people
that are buried there, including one hundred and thirteen boys
from Alabama, so that family members can go and see
if they have a relative there and if they want
to be connected with their Dutch adopter, answer a short
questionnaire and we'll put them in touch with their adopter.
(21:09):
Many cases they have photographs or unsent letters from the
family members that were the boys that were in their homes.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Well.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
The book is called Remember Us.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
We're speaking with Robert Edsel, the author of this book,
and what a great piece it is as we remember
all those that gave their lives for us here in
our country.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Robert, a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 7 (21:29):
Thanks JJ, thanks for your family service to the country.
Speaker 5 (21:32):
You're listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program from
the Alabama Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
My name is John Mounts and to finish out our
Memorial Day weekend program. May is National Water Safety Month,
which means it is the perfect time for parents and
their caregivers to contact their local why and sign the
child up for the Safety around the Water program or
a swim lesson. The YMCA Safety Around the Water Program
provides children with all ages and backgrounds the tools they
need to be confident around the water. Joining us today
(22:00):
is water safety espert Lindsay Mondix. She is here to
discuss the YMCA's new Phones Down, Eyes Up campaign and
its annual Safety around the Water Program. Lindsay, welcome to Viewpoint.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I think once you become a parent, you become a
chronic worrier about a lot of things that will likely
never happen. But one of the problems that is likely
to happen is drowning. In fact, drowning is one of
the leading causes of death of children under five years
of age. And that's the reason why the YMCA has
programs like this, right yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Swimming is one of those skills that's not just a
recreation skill, but it's actually a life skullic and learning
to swim can save your life and it is really important,
especially as we head.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Into summer, and you don't have to wait until they're
in grade school. How early should you start your child
learning how to swim?
Speaker 4 (22:44):
So at the why we tap swimming lessons starting at
age six months, where we have the parent and the
child obviously in the water together, but it's never too
late to learn to swim. So we also have adult
swimming lessons to ensure that our communities are safe.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
And that's true because a lot of people I think
they know how to swim, but you get them in
water that where their feet can't touch the bottom, and
all of a sudden you realize that, well they don't.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Yeah, yeah, you know, not everybody had the chance to
have swimming lessons either do to access and or financial
needs to take swimming lessons. And so our YMCAA is
really the YOCA is really focused on teaching our communities
essential survival skills to help them be safer around the water.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
And the things you can learn at the why not
only are swimming, but other important things like first date
and CPR.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah, so we really focus on kind of three key areas.
One swimming skills, but the second is how you can
help others by doing CPR as one of them, but
also rescuing somebody if you find somebody in trouble, but
also how to keep yourself safe in that water safety
knowledge that you need to have to know how to keep.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yourself safe and Lindsay, I was certified in CPR thirty
years ago, and I have to be honest, I haven't
gone back and revisited that things have changed in the
last few years, haven't they.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yeah, I mean research and science continues to evolve and
we learn how to best help somebody if they're in
need with CPR and first aid, and so YMCA's offer
CPR and first aid classes for families, for parents, for
babysitters who are learning, so you can also take CPR
and first aid lessons at the Why.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
One of the things I've heard and I guess, like
I said, I really need to get the training again
is they no longer practice the recue breathing rather now
is just all chest compressions because they think that that's
probably more important even than the breathing part.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Research has really shown that for people who aren't trained
and really doing CPR and providing care at that level,
that chest compressions can be an effective way to keep
the blood flowing. Oxygenation is still important with doing those breasts,
but the number one thing we can do to bridge
between MS arriving and taking over is keeping that blood circulating.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
And lindsay, another thing that you that the campaign that
the YMCA has is really focusing on is the idea
that a lot of people, adults go to the pool
with the kids or the beach and then they kind
of turn them loose and then they look down at
their phone and a lot of bad stuff can happen
while you're not paying attention.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, we have launched at the way a new national
public service campaign called Phones Down, Eyes Up, and it's
really focused on exactly what you said, to reinforce the
importance of cutting distractions and keeping yourself focused around water.
When you have children near, you can designate a water
watch is kind of our recommendation, and that is somebody
(25:37):
who is totally distruction free and responsible for supervising.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Kids around the water, because the reality is, you know,
you do always see those signs that no lifeguard is
on duty at almost every pool I go to. It's
rare that I see a lifeguard anymore.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Yeah, I mean, lifeguards continue to be a layer of protection, right,
but they aren't the only line of protection. Supervision is
key and one of those biggest risks is adult distraction.
And so whether you know we are we are distracted
by phones, whether it's checking a text, you know, talking
to somebody scrolling social media. We need to be vigilant
(26:12):
and we know evidence shows that drowning happens within ten
feet of safety with an adult nearby, and so the
more we can advocate for constant and active supervision, the
more the more we'll keep our family safe.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
And also it's important to know these signs of what
drowning looks like because a lot of people think that
when somebody's drowning, they're going to be yelling out, help, help,
I'm drowning, But the reality is a lot of times
when somebody's drowning, they're not saying anything at all because
they're drowning.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, drowning is fast and silent. Of person can drone
and as little as thirty seconds, and it doesn't look
like it's often portrayed on television or movies.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
And that's the reason why it's it's so important to
be up on everything, not only making sure your kids
can swim, making sure that you're able to save them
in a situation where they're in trouble, and being able
to recognize when they're in trouble and if you have
saved somebody, what you need to do after the fact.
And then that's when you use that phone you've got
there to be able to call for help if you
(27:12):
need ems or something like that, because you know it's
very important. You used to be you know there's always
a phone around the pool, but there's not. But everyone's
got a cell phone supposedly, so they can make the call.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Gather's multi leaders to keeping everybody safe, right, But the
number one thing is to remember that simple, powerful message
of a phone's down, eyes up, put your phone down,
sail or never assume you'll hear somebody if they're in
trouble again, because droning is fast.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
And silent, and lindsay, although we spend a lot of
time talking about safety around the pool, there's a lot
of people going to the beach, and we have a
real problem whether you're going to Orange Beach, your golf shores,
or anywhere along the Panhandle with our beaches have these
rip currents well where you'll be swimming along, you think
you're fine, and before you know it, you start getting
pulled out. What you want to do, what your instinct
says is let's swim in. But you can't just swim
(27:57):
straight in. That'll carry you further out. You can't overcome
the current. So you're supposed to swim along parallel with
the beach until you're out of the rip current. And
that's not something that's intuitive. You have to have training
so that it's almost second nature to know what to
do when you're caught in one of those situations, so
that that training can kick in before you're in a
(28:18):
real situation.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, yeah, you nailed it. Natural water in ocean and
even large lake currents in some of the larger lakes
we have have rip currents, and so many people think
they have to swim towards shore, which often the current
is pulling you out further, and so swimming parallel to
shore to get out of the rip current is the
(28:40):
first thing to do.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
And for information on any of the things we've talked
about today, including where you can sign up for some
of those classes at the YNCA, we just need to
go to the wise website. What's that website?
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Yeah, so our current campaign website is phones downiyesup dot org.
You can download free water watter tools, you can take
a water safety pledge to be vigilant this summer, and
of course you can also check out theymcaa dot org
to find out about swimming lessons for all ages fifty
around water programs, and other activities like camp and youth
(29:13):
sports to keep families safe and active this summer.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
So the YMCA is more than what it used to be.
It's certainly more than danced by the village people. It
actually has a whole host of activities and services that
it offers to the community.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Absolutely, creating connected communities is that we're about.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Lindsay Mondik from the YMCA, thank you so much for
joining us today on Viewpoint Alabama.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
You've been listening to Viewpoint Alabama, a public affairs program
from the Alabama Radio Network. The opinions expressed on Viewpoint
Alabama are not necessarily those of the staff, management, or
advertisers of this station.
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