Dear Villagers! We’re back! After a summer sabbatical, It Takes a Village is on the air again, and this season is already bursting with incredible conversations.
A note before you listen: In this conversation, Dave speaks openly about experiences with suicide, addiction, and self-harm. These are tender topics, and you may wish to listen with care. If you or someone you love is struggling, know that you are not alone. Help is available—call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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This episode touches on experiences of suicide, addiction, and self-harm; please listen with care.
We’ve lined up an amazing calendar of guests, including Rev. Juan Carlos from First Plymouth in Lincoln, Rabbi Ben Sharff from Temple Israel, Omaha-born artist Jean Mason, Chef Jamil with the House of Bah Foundation and more!
We kicked off the season with the amazing Dave Wingert. Dave brings so much love and light to this community. He shares openly and honestly about himself and his experiences of the world around him. A theatre, media, and radio star, he now anchors Omaha’s morning commute on Boomer Radio with his signature mix of positive vibes and great music. He is a delight, and we are so thankful to have him as a member at Countryside.
I asked Dave to bring his full self to our conversation, and he did not disappoint! From his earliest memory as a 2-year-old to his college visit at Ohio University in Athens, he knew he was meant to bring people joy—on the stage, on the air, in real time—and he has been doing it for over 50 years. Just a few weeks ago, he was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. You can read more about that honor here: https://hof.ne-ba.org/dave-wingert/.
Dave’s life, however, wasn’t always filled with light and love, nor did he always wear the smile that brightens his face most days now. He shared stories of challenges he faced throughout his life, including addiction, struggles with self-image, and the shadows that convinced him his life was not worth living.
Thankfully, as a person grounded in community, Dave reached out for the lifelines available to him in “his village,” and he has not turned back since. We talked about the importance of belonging—how telling our stories, both the painful and the joyful, keeps us connected.
As people of faith, we have hope in a love that comes from God. Whether one names that God as the God of Abraham or Ishmael, the source of life, or divine energy, it is a God of LOVE.
Unfortunately, we are living in a time when people are increasingly isolated from one another, more independent from communal life, and thus more vulnerable to feeling “unloved” or apart from love.
Research points to a decline in mental health across the age and diversity spectrum, especially among adolescents and young adults. In our conversation today, Dave spoke about his 12-step program, participating in a faith community, and the power of friendship and relationships.
What’s clear for those struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and grief of all kinds is that belonging to a community—having a safe place to share, to be known, and to build mutual relationships—is essential for human thriving.
As we continue to build bridges of trust and understanding at Countryside, on the Tri-Faith Commons, in our city, our schools, and our homes, may we never forget that we belong to each other—because in the end, it takes a village, and we are that village for one another.
With light and love, Jenny
If today finds you struggling, remember that you are not alone. Support is always within reach—call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
