By Joe Riley

For more than nineteen years now (twenty in July!), KWBU has brought National Public Radio to greater Waco. Prior to 2000, McLennan County had been the largest metropolitan market in the country without National Public Radio service. Since then, Waco has grown, and KWBU has grown with it, enhancing its schedule with the highest quality news, talk, entertainment and music from around the world. Also, with the help of volunteers, the station provides more locally produced programming than ever (including Act Locally Waco!). And KWBU now has the largest audience in its history. Every week, some 15,000 faithful listeners tune in to learn about our world and our community. That’s up 50% from just five years ago.

Some of the growth in audience is due to the relocation of the station’s transmitter in 2014, providing a clearer, more consistent signal to previously unreached parts of the county. Another factor has to do with politics and the news. During the last presidential election season, many new listeners came to KWBU to keep track of the rapidly changing political and cultural landscape. Trustworthy journalism is essential to a healthy democracy.

KWBU brings this service to Waco – every hour of the day, every day of the year – with a staff of six and a cash budget of about $750,000. Some might think the station is taxpayer funded; in fact, KWBU receives only about 15% of its annual budget as a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. All the rest of the funding is local. About half comes from Baylor University (the station is licensed to the Brazos Valley Public Broadcasting Foundation, a subsidiary of Baylor); another portion comes as program support from local businesses; the remainder is donated by individuals – financial support from listeners is the most important source of revenue for Waco Public Radio.

But here’s the odd thing: while listenership is higher than it’s ever been, the number of donors has actually declined. Some have moved away, some have passed away, others have seen changes in their financial situations. Now fewer than five out of one hundred listeners support the KWBU financially. And, as with all organizations, expenses continue to increase every year.

In calculating what this means for the station, here are a couple of important facts:

• First, the money KWBU receives from the CPB and from Baylor provides a consistent foundation of support, with the expectation that those who use the service will donate money on an annual basis to assure the on-going health and growth of the station. There is no expectation that funds from CPB and Baylor will increase.
• Second, station expenses go up, on average, about 3½% per year.

To keep up with increases in expenses, funding from individuals and local organizations must grow at an even higher rate – about 7½% per year. This will require a broader base of support – more individuals joining in with the 5% who already give.

Build the Base is a new initiative to strengthen KWBU/Waco Public Radio’s base of support by adding at least six new donors per month.  That doesn’t sound like a lot, but over time it will reverse the trend of declining membership. And it’s catching on – since the beginning of the fiscal year in June, more than thirty first time donors have signed up. Your support will help maintain the momentum toward a truly sustainable base of support.

So what can you do? Here are a few ideas:

• Pledge your support! Choose an amount that fits your budget and call (254) 710-1033, or pledge online here:  https://www.kwbu.org/become-member#stream/0 .
• The average first-time pledge is about $120, but there is no minimum – the amount is up to you.
• If you’re already a member, consider increasing your pledge, or making an additional gift.
• Are you a Baylor employee? Sign up for payroll deduction: https://www.kwbu.org/payroll-deduction-form#stream/0 .
• Donate your old car: http://kwbu.careasy.org/home .
• If you’re a businessperson, join our Program Sponsorship Team: https://www.kwbu.org/become-kwbu-program-sponsor#stream/0 .
• Talk about the station with your friends, and encourage them to become members!

KWBU is a vital part of the Waco community, providing compelling, trustworthy journalism and intelligent cultural programming and entertainment. Your support really does make a difference. Thank you!

Joe Riley has been President and CEO of the Brazos Valley Public Broadcasting Foundation/KWBU since 2009. Prior to coming to Waco, he worked many, many years in broadcasting in Maine, Tennessee, Alaska, and the Carolinas. He holds a BA (in English!) from Furman University. 

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Hermann Pereira

The start of a new school year is an exciting time for students and educators alike. As educators we are focused on making this school year better than the last because we know our students are depending on us. The HOT P-20 council is equally focused and excited about making the 2019-2020 school year better than ever. There is a contagious feeling of collaboration and growth in our city and we are seeing this in our P-20 council as well.

The HOT P-20 works to bridge the gap and create partnerships between K-12, institutions of higher education (IHE), the business community and the community of Waco.  The council is a collective impact think tank that brings together representatives from the independent school districts (ISD), institutions of higher education (IHE), Region 12 Education Service Center, industry and government across six counties: Bosque, Hill, Falls, Limestone, Freestone and McLennan to work towards this goal.  Among the higher education representatives are McLennan Community College, Texas State Technical College, and Hill County with representation from both Tarleton State University, Texas Tech through MCC’s University Center.

The P-20 goals are to :

• Promote college and career readiness for all students in the network
• Build bridges and partnerships among school districts, higher education, government and industry
• Promote promising and best practices and models
• Provide educational and support resources to member institutions

We have seen lots of growth in our group and that is due to everyone’s collaborative spirit they bring to each and every meeting. I had a mentor once say that “there is power in showing up”. I am proud of the work we have accomplished and that is due to the community that “shows up” and rolls their sleeves up for the success of all students in our area.

You are invited to join our meetings that take place at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

October 1st 8:00 am

December 3rd 8:00 am

February 4th 8:00 am

April 7th 8:00 am

If you would like to be a part of our newsletter please email [email protected]

Hermann Pereira is the current chair of the HOT P 20 council and the Principal of Connally Career Tech P-Tech Early College High School. He is a Houstonian who roots for all Houston sports teams but has called Waco home for over a decade. He is married and has two children.

By Inez Russell

This month Friends for Life is celebrating 30 years of serving the elderly and people with disabilities.  We are having an Open House on September 24^th from 5 to 7 and we are saying thank you to other agencies, organizations and individuals who have helped us take care of people in need. 

In September of 1989, Friends for Life began in a tiny one-room office, with one unpaid employee, and a budget of nothing.  Now, by the grace of God, Friends for Life has grown and now resides in a wonderful 28,000 square foot facility at 5000 Lakewood Drive with offices in six other cities, eighty-five paid employees and a budget this year of three million dollars. 

In the beginning, Friends for Life visited elderly people who were alone in hospitals and nursing homes.  Those visiting programs have grown into Quality of Life Programs that include adopt a grandparent, telephone reassurance, Gifts for Grannies & Grandpas, too, and Friends for Thanksgiving.  We look for ways to let people know we care and that they have someone they can call if they need help.  When we were asked to visit people in their own homes, we learned that many needed more than a visit.

We found one lady living in the dark.  She moved from room to room as the light bulbs burned out in her house and when the last one burned out, she was living in the dark.  We started a light bulb changing program.  Another agency asked us to help an elderly man whose porch was so rickety they thought volunteers might fall through if they brought him meals.  We started a minor household repair program.  An elderly woman became wheelchair bound and was stuck in her house for five years because she did not have a ramp.  We started a ramp-building program.  These programs grew into Independent Living Programs where volunteers are recruited and trained to help the elderly and people with disabilities live in their own homes as long as possible.

Each time we discovered a need, we tried to find another agency that provided that service so we could connect them to the person who needed their help.  If we could not find another agency to provide the service, we figured out how to do it ourselves. 

When he was found unconscious, an elderly man needed someone to sign for him to have medical care and Friends for Life was appointed to serve as his legal guardian. 

Thirty years later, we are serving about 500 clients in 50 counties in Texas.  Friends for Life has the third largest guardianship program in the state behind Harris County and the State of Texas.  This program provides protection from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and insures these vulnerable people have food, clothing, medical care….someone to advocate for them and someone to care.  When possible, we work with our guardianship clients to help them build capacity and return to court to request that the judge restore his or her rights.

In 1995, Friends for Life began a Money Management Program when asked to take care of an elderly widow who was about to be evicted because she had not paid her rent in a year.   Most of the clients served through this program have been exploited.  We make sure their bills are paid and that their money goes to their care.

Friends for Life took over the adult day care program in 2000 that was scheduled to close.  Open 7:30am to 6pm, Monday through Friday, the Friends for Life Adult Day Care Center provides nursing care, activities, meals, transportation and more.  Taking 4 field trips a week and celebrating holidays most people do not know exist (National Jelly Bean Day, Macaroni Day, National Cheesecake Day – they are big on food holidays).  The clients are having a lot of fun….so much fun, in fact, that the facility is almost always at full capacity which is 120 people.

Two years ago, Friends for Life started a new program training adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities to learn skills that will help them be more independent.  Working one on one with them everyday for 2 hours made all the difference in the world.  The overarching goal of the program is to help people move out of the nursing home and four of our clients have moved out of their nursing homes and back into the community.  We are working with two more to do the same.  And, all seem to have benefited so much from this individual attention.

I interviewed a Life Skills Training professional once who was not sure she could figure out how to help these clients.  She prayed about it and the answer came to her.  ‘Start with love’.  In everything we do at Friends for Life, we try to start with love.

To learn more about Friends for Life, to volunteer or to make a donation to support this work, please visit our website at www.friendsforlife.org, call 254-772-7600 or come by our office at 5000 Lakewood Drive in Waco and we will give you a tour.

Inez Russell is the founder of Friends for Life and has served as its Executive Director for the last 30 years.  She is certified in guardianship on a state and national level and is President of the Board of Directors of the National Volunteer Caregiving Network.  Inez has lived in the Waco area most of her life.  She is married and has four children and eleven grandchildren. [email protected], 254-772-8100 ext. 106

Applications for Campustown Connect Fall 2019 are open until September 20. Click here to apply!

By Lexy Bishop, Research & Project Manager at the Greater Waco Chamber

The beginning of a new school year can bring all sorts of emotions for students. College juniors and seniors have some especially deep and looming questions: What am I doing after college? Where do I want to put down roots? What jobs do I apply to? We at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce understand those concerns and believe that the Waco community just might be the answer those concerns.

CampusTown Connect was birthed out of the CampusTown initiative, whose mission is to connect Waco area students in higher education to the opportunities available to them in the community. Through the six-week program, CampusTown Connect offers students the ability to explore the ins and outs of the Waco community and be introduced to the ways that they can take root in the city after graduation.

“CampusTown helped me understand the people and places that make up Waco’s identity and its culture,” Baylor senior Isaiah Scott said. “Understanding how the Waco community operates interconnectedly can give you a great appreciation for the city, especially as a college student.”

From the history of Waco to its budding entrepreneurial scene to learning the city government structure, students will dive into the community of Waco beyond their campus. The goal at the end is for students feel connected to their peers in other area colleges, connected to the community, and connected to the right people and job opportunities as they begin their career. “CampusTown Connect gave me access to really good connections in Waco,” second-year TSTC student Ashley Fullerton recounts. “It showed me different areas to give back to the community and confidence to get more involved on my own campus.”

Students who are interested in staying in Waco or even just exploring the option are encouraged to apply! The class is a two-hour a week commitment for six weeks beginning on October 1. For more information or to download an application, please visit wacochamber.com/Campustown-Connect.

Lexy Bishop is the Project and Research Manager for the Economic Development team at the Greater Waco Chamber. She considers herself a Waco Enthusiast and loves supporting local entrepreneurs. You can find her sipping on a Pinewood coffee or working on her new home in Dean Highlands.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Shaun Limbers

Baylor University, nestled on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution.  Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas, and in fact, is older than the State of Texas itself.  In 1977, Baylor became one of the first universities in the nation to create a Center for Entrepreneurship.   Within the highly ranked Hankamer School of Business, the Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise (the “Baugh Center”) is the focal point for entrepreneurial development at Baylor.  At its core, the purpose of the Baugh Center is to develop entrepreneurs outside the walls of the Baylor classroom and help catalyze and grow business ventures.

Baylor’s mission is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.  Since its founding over 174 years ago, Baylor has continually maintained a tradition of extending its mission outside the halls of academia into the local community.  As an active participant in the Waco small business community, Baylor and the Baugh Center observed a need for business and entrepreneurship training, particularly among small businesses that exhibit potential but that may lack fundamental business knowledge to achieve that potential. 

The Baylor Community Entrepreneurship Program (the “Baylor C.E.P.”) is a faith-based community business and entrepreneurship training program created for small businesses, hosted by local churches or community centers, and facilitated by local successful entrepreneurs and executives.  Each Baylor C.E.P. course is comprised of a total of 8 sessions held weekly at local community churches or community centers, with each session running for 2 hours.  The Baugh Center provides the Baylor C.E.P. with best-in-class business and entrepreneurship content developed by some of the brightest minds in business.  Unique to the Baylor C.E.P., best-in-class business and entrepreneurship content is delivered in an environment that is openly faith-based, welcoming small business participants from all faith backgrounds to learn in a caring, faith-based environment, with an emphasis placed on business excellence achieved through ethical business morals and execution.  While core program content makes the Baylor C.E.P. unique, so too does its format insomuch as it relies less on traditional classroom lecturing and instead focuses on business fundamentals delivered through engaging core content provided in conjunction with interactive classroom exercises, peer problem solving discussions, real world case studies with facilitator explanations, and Baylor student collaborations – all facilitated by successful entrepreneurs and executives.  This unique format is designed to achieve maximum impact, particularly with small businesses who thrive in this type of learning environment. 

In addition to core business fundamentals and training, the Baylor C.E.P. is also designed to architect a network of additional business and entrepreneurship resources available to small business participants.  This network of additional business and entrepreneurship resources include, among other items, QuickBooks accounting training and access provided in partnership with Intuit (a $1,000 value), opportunities to be matched with mentors and business leaders in the community, funding and loan assistance for small businesses, as well as networking opportunities. 

Two Baylor C.E.P. courses were successfully conducted in Spring 2019 with large community churches based in Waco.  A Baylor C.E.P. course will be offered at Highland Baptist Church in Waco beginning on September 23, 2019 and will be comprised of 8 sessions, with each session held on Monday nights from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Highland Baptist Church campus.   While the Baylor C.E.P. provides thousands of dollars in value to small business participants, the cost is only $40.   

The goal of the Baylor C.E.P. is to empower small business participants with the opportunity to achieve economic transformation, rooted in faith-based business and entrepreneurship.  That economic transformation in turn provides small business participants with the opportunity to positively impact and transform the lives of their own families, friends, churches, and communities – representing a catalyst for the Waco community at large.    For participants of the Baylor C.E.P., it’s an opportunity to empower themselves with business fundamentals and resources designed to help them achieve their goals.  “Taking the CEP class was one of the best decisions I have made as a small business owner,” says Tonja Carpenter, owner and founder of a local small business specializing in caring for expecting and new mothers. 

The next Baylor C.E.P. course will begin on September 23, 2019, and will be hosted by Highland Baptist Church.  Enrollment is currently underway and is open to small business owners and their employees.  Scholarships are available for those who are unable to meet the $40 enrollment fee.  For more information and to enroll, please email [email protected] or send “TEXT” to Arnold Reyes at (214) 476-5456. 

Shaun Limbers currently serves as Program Manager for the Baylor Community Entrepreneurship Program, having recently relocated to Waco with his wife and children from Scottsdale, Arizona.  Shaun’s career has spanned numerous facets of private venture finance and investment, with an emphasis in private equity.  Shaun can be reached at [email protected]. 

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Katie Galgano 

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

The Nineteenth Amendment is short yet strong. It encompasses over 60 years of struggles, enveloping many setbacks and hard-fought victories, by suffragettes, uniting both famous leaders, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and every day women, such as Kate Heffelfinger and Frances Harper. This year, 100 years after the passage and 99 years after the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment into the U.S. Constitution, we remember and commemorate the efforts of these courageous women who fought valiantly in the face of mockery, ignoration, and even violence. 

The fight for women’s suffrage began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention. At this Convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the delegates created the Declaration of Sentiments, a document modeled after the Declaration of Independence, declaring that all men and women are created equal. Though the press mocked this declaration, it did not deter the efforts of the suffragettes. Despite the loss of momentum during the Civil War, the movement persisted. In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association, focused on amending the federal constitution to allow women to vote, and Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell formed the American Woman Suffrage Association, focused on amending state constitutions. These two organizations merged in 1890, becoming the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Within six years, four territories and states adopted amendments to their state constitutions allowing women to vote. Between 1910 and 1918, under the leadership of Carrie Chapman Catt, the National American Woman Suffrage Association succeeded in gaining voting rights for women in seventeen additional territories and states. 

During this same time, Alice Paul founded the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, which later became the National Woman’s Party. As chairwoman, Alice Paul planned demonstrations and led her members in picketing the White House, an act uncommon during this time but virtually unheard of for women. These demonstrations continued for five months until finally the public and the Administration reached a breaking point. Many women were arrested, charged, convicted, and jailed for obstructing traffic. 

The struggle continued. President Wilson, first an opponent of women’s suffrage, became a supporter and lobbied Congress to pass the amendment in 1918. The amendment was first drafted and introduced to Congress in 1878 by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Every year between 1878 and 1919, this amendment was introduced in the Senate, but every year it failed, until finally on June 4^th, 1919, the Senate passed the amendment and sent it to the states to be ratified. The amendment was ratified narrowly, with one vote breaking the tie in Tennessee to reach the required two-thirds of states on August 18^th, 1920. On August 26^th, 1920, U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the Nineteenth Amendment, officially amending the U.S. Constitution to allow women the right to vote. On November 2^nd of 1920, over 8 million women voted in elections for the first time. Despite this hard-fought victory, it took over sixty years for the remaining states to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment, with the final ratification occurring on March 22^nd, 1984, in Mississippi. 

In a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1971, led by Congresswoman Bella Abzug, Women’s Equality Day was established on August 26^th to commemorate the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. Since then, however, Women’s Equality Day has expanded to celebrate the work of organizations across the country working to provide women with equal opportunities. So, today as we look back and remember those who led the fight for women’s right to vote, let us also look forward. Just as we cannot forget these courageous women in history, we cannot forget the struggles of women today. Although more women have voted in every presidential election since 1980, women are far less represented in government than men. Despite 2018 being dubbed “The Year of the Woman”, only 20 percent of Congress is comprised of women. In terms of the percent of women in national parliaments, the United States is ranked 75^th. Statewide, women constitute 25 percent of state legislators and 24 percent of executive offices, with female governors making up a mere 12 percent. So on this day of Women’s Equality, let us celebrate the achievements of the suffragettes, while also continuing their legacy and carrying on their fight for equality. 

Katie Galgano is a recent Baylor graduate, receiving her B.A. in International Studies. She currently works for the Twenty First Century Group and is pursuing a career in foreign policy. She previously worked with the U.S. Department of State in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues where she helped progress U.S. policies and the advancement of women. 

Nominations for the 2019 ATHENA Leadership Award are open now!

By Samantha Baker, Marketing & Communications Specialist, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce

In 2018, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce introduced a new event called Leading Waco Women, a three-part summit series designed to celebrate women across Waco’s business community with a focus on the three components of leadership: serving, empowering and mentoring.

A part of the inaugural Leading Waco Women summit, which was held in November of 2018, was the presentation of the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award®, an internationally recognized award administered by ATHENA International, is presented to leaders across professional sectors. The ATHENA Leadership Award® has a rich history and international scope and is distinguished as one of the most prestigious leadership awards one can receive.

The ATHENA Leadership Award® celebrates women who achieve excellence in their professions, serve the community in a meaningful way, and help other women reach their full potential. Over 7,000 recipients in over 500 communities in the U.S. and around the world have been honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award® since the program’s inception in 1982. Nominations are given by the community and the recipient is selected by a diverse group of local community leaders based on the ATHENA criteria.

Last year’s ATHENA Leadership Award® recipient was Jill McCall, executive director of Compassion Ministries. Ms. McCall is intensely dedicated to the Waco community and is passionate about making positive changes for women and children through her work at Compassion Ministries. She’s served our community in various capacities for decades, and under her leadership, hundreds of Central Texas parents have created stable home environments for their children and found full-time employment and permanent housing. Thousands of children have benefited from the training their parents received through Compassion Ministries; this is due, in large part, to her leadership and vision.

Waco, we need your help to identify and nominate potential ATHENA Leadership Award® recipients for 2019. Within your organization and circle of influence, there are undoubtedly individuals who are most deserving of this honor.

You can help us find the next deserving ATHENA Leadership Award® recipient by nominating one (or a few!) of the exemplary female leaders in your life. Nominations are due by Friday, August 30 and can be submitted online at WacoChamber.com/Leading-Waco-Women. Criteria for the ATHENA Leadership Award® can also be found on that website, as well as a link to purchase tickets to the Leading Waco Women Summit held on Thursday, November 7 at the Phoenix Ballroom, with special guest speaker Dr. Linda Livingstone, president of Baylor University, and guest emcee Ann Harder, news anchor at KXXV Channel 25.

We are looking forward to a successful ATHENA celebration and Leading Waco Women, and thank you for your help in nominating the potential next recipient of the ATHENA Leadership Award®.

Samantha Baker is a born and raised Wacoan currently serving as a marketing and communications specialist at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. She has been involved in the Waco community her whole life and has enjoyed seeing the way Waco has developed and grown in recent years. She and her boyfriend Michael have four cats and enjoy live music and trying all the new restaurants that are constantly popping up around town.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.