Doug's Front Porch

In this episode I welcome Frank Resek up on the front porch. We discuss his 20+ year career as a youth mental health counselor. We talk about the rise in mental health issues among youth in America, how he deals with his clients and their families, and the value of building relationships.

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In this episode I welcome former student, Katelyn W., on to the Front Porch. We discuss her love of planes, having co-piloted with her father before she was 6 years old, to her time at the United States Air Force Academy.  We close the conversation talking about how she achieved her life-long goal of becoming a fighter jet pilot in the USAF.

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In this episode I sit down with Lisa Bahr, the Executive Director for Centre County PAWS. We discuss her job as the director of an animal shelter, the benefits and challenges associated with rescue animals, and what a life with animals has taught her.
[Originally aired January, 1, 2021]

To learn more about Centre County PAWS, please visit their website:  https://www.centrecountypaws.org/

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In this episode I get to interview a life-long friend, Dustin Shirk. I've known Dustin since Kindergarten and we've been close ever since. We get to get talk about his relationship with his brother, his journey to becoming a music teacher, and his love of both jazz and  running. I felt there was no better person to get the inaugural interview. Enjoy the show! 
[Originally aired on May 1, 2020]

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In this episode I welcome Hiram Smith up on the front porch. Hiram is a professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Bucknell University here in central PA. We discuss his youth as an "Army Brat" and the various places that he lived growing up. We also discuss African-American-English and its history within the American story as well as an honest and enlightening discussion on the "N-Word." We close the interview with our normal 10 quick questions which get sidetracked by a quick discussion on the black perspective in movies.

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In this episode I welcome Bradley Smith up on the front porch. We discuss his journey from a kid loving history movies to being a curator at the Pennsylvania State Museum. We also discuss just what an archivist does as well as why learning history is so important.

Visit the Pennsylvania State Museum

Visit the Berks History Center

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In this episode, I welcome six of my graduating seniors up on the front porch. They tell us about their feelings as they prepare to graduate, what they believe is the number one issue facing teens today, how Covid impacted their high school experience, and what their future plans are. Listening to these teens will restore some of your faith in our future.

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In this episode I welcome Ashley Snyder up on the front porch. Ashley is is a high school German teacher at Conrad Weiser School District. We talk about her journey from her own high school days to her time spent in Germany to eventually having her own classroom. We also discuss just what it means to be PA Dutch to her and how she connects to the language and culture of her ancestors.

Click here to learn more about the Pastorius Haus!

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In this episode I welcome Josh Brown up on the front porch. Josh and I co-authored a textbook on Pennsylvania Dutch, but that isn't what we chat about. We discuss his life journey through languages including his time studying and researching at Penn State for his PhD and his various field work among the Amish and Mennonite peoples. We tells us just a few of the things that the plain people have taught him about life and also debunks a few stereotypes and myths about the Amish.

To listen to the Ephrata Cloister music referenced in our interview, check out: Voices in the Wilderness.

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On this episode, Pete Ruggieri joins me on the front porch. We talk about his time as a 911 dispatcher in Chester County, PA and then we discuss his various charity work. Pete is the brains behind the annual Santa Stumble held in Lancaster each that has raised thousands of dollars to benefit the Lancaster mounted patrol and K-9 units. We close our discussion with stories about his involvement in fostering Doberman Pinschers.

Learn more about Delaware Valley Doberman Pinscher Assistance! 

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