Reelfoot Forward

Merry Brown is a writer, speaker, mediator, philosopher and small business owner. After teaching philosophy for over two decades, Brown felt led to focus on conflict restoration and mediation. In this episode, she shares how she hopes to empower employees and businesses to resolve conflicts swiftly and equitably through her business, Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services.

Brown's background and her children have inspired her to publish eight books. In her latest book, "The Food Addict: Recovering from Binge Eating Disorder & Making Peace with Food," she tells her story of how she overcame an eating disorder and provides tools to help people develop a healthy relationship with food.

For more information about Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services visit https://www.3pconflictrestoration.com/.

"The Food Addict: Recovering from Binge Eating Disorder & Making Peace with Food" can be purchased on Amazon.

Dr. Shawn Pitts, founder of Arts in McNairy, is a chiropractor, cultural planner and community arts advocate. Arts in McNairy was founded in 2001 on the principle that participation in the arts is a cornerstone for the development of a healthy community. In this episode, Dr. Pitts shares how his community’s passion for the arts resulted in McNairy County becoming one of the most active and diverse arts communities in the southeast. Their work has resulted in a vital art scene that includes music, literature, visual arts, performing arts and more. For information about Arts in McNairy, visit https://www.artsinmcnairy.com/.

Roger Sorkin, founder of the American Resilience Project, is an award-winning producer, writer, editor and director. In this episode, Sorkin shares how he uses storytelling to address threats to the future of our planet. In his new film "Farm Free or Die," he is making the issue of climate change more accessible and relatable to everyone with the goal of improving the livelihoods of those living and working in farming communities. "Farm Free or Die" will be shown during Discovery Park’s National Ag Day Celebration on March 22, 2022. For more information on "Farm Free or Die" and the American Resilience Project, visit https://www.amresproject.org/.

Terrence Martin, a University of Tennessee at Martin graduate, is no stranger to the importance of both style and substance. As a part of his personal image, he became known for wearing bow ties to work every day as a school teacher and administrator. After seeing the impact his bow ties had on his students, he decided to begin his own bow tie company he named Impeccable Knots. Through his company, Martin provides customers with high-quality bow ties along with the highest level of service. In addition to his successful small business, he’s still passionate about education. Martin works with the Dekalb County School District in Georgia in school redesign and innovation. In this episode, Martin shares tips to starting and running a small business. Those interested in purchasing his bow ties can visit https://www.impeccableknots.com/.

Storytelling has always been a big part of Dr. Frank McMeen’s life. As a child, he paid special attention to the stories his grandparents shared. Today, McMeen, president of the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, has compiled many of these stories and others in his book, "Let Me Tell You A Story: Finding Hope in a Hopeless World." Through these stories, he also shares examples of God's love and gives readers hope in difficult times. In this episode, McMeen shares some of his favorite stories from the book and reminisces about his fascinating life and career. "Let Me Tell You A Story: Finding Hope in a Hopeless World" can be purchased from Barnes & Noble at: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/let-me-tell-you-a-story-frank-mcmeen/1140518339.

Environmental justice and creation care are passion points for Martha Lyle Ford, the director of the Center of Faith and Imagination at Memphis Theological Seminary. She works with a team who helps faith leaders thrive applying disciplines from Sabbath-keeping, personal finances and mental and physical health to conflict transformation, justice and community building. Ford also shares with others how to connect with God’s creation for recreation, renewal and rest. In this episode, Ford shares how she incorporates her deep connection to nature with her faith by practicing creation care, the belief that we are to be good stewards of the Earth.

For those interested in learning more, visit https://bit.ly/3L2ZOvy or email Martha Lyle Ford at [email protected].

This episode is sponsored by Blue Bank Resort.

Gary Foreman is the owner of Native Sun Productions and an EMMY-nominated producer of around 40 historical documentaries and cultural programming. The story of David Crockett gripped Foreman at a young age, launching him on a journey to documentary production. From the dangerous wilderness in the unexplored Wild West to pirates who roamed the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Foreman hopes that his documentaries and programming push people to discover more about history. His passion for storytelling even led him to produce many of the exhibit pieces Discovery Park of America has on display for American frontiersman David Crockett. In this episode, listeners will discover the fascinating process of producing a documentary and the importance of sharing history through storytelling.

Dixie Locke Emmons enjoyed the unique experience of being the first girlfriend of Elvis Presley. The two met in the youth group of First Assembly of God, Memphis. They were dating in 1954 when the unknown singer stepped in Sun Studio and recorded “That's All Right Mama," now known as “ground zero” of rock ‘n’ roll. Emmons’s daughter, Kristi Emmons Jones, worked closely with her mother on the recently published book, “Unlocked: Memoirs of Elvis’ First Girlfriend.” In this episode, listeners will discover what Presley was like before fame and fortune, how Emmons and Priscilla Presley became close friends later in life and how Emmons and her daughter worked together to create this look back at an important moment in the history of popular culture. “Unlocked: Memoirs of Elvis’ First Girlfriend” can be purchased from Graceland at: https://store.graceland.com/products/unlocked-memoirs-of-elviss-first-girlfriend.

Did you know that the Tennessee River Pearl is Tennessee's state gem and Camden, Tenn. is home to the only freshwater pearl culturing farm in North America? Bob Keast, owner of the Birdsong Resort and Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum, Farm, Tour and Jewelry Showroom, joined us to discuss the fascinating history of the freshwater pearl and how Tennessee began to produce this gem. For more information about the farm and museum, visit https://museum.tennesseeriverpearls.com/.

High school juniors Austin Alexander and Alex Carpenter pull the curtain back and share behind-the-scenes details about their successful podcast, “RebelCast,” that focuses on the teachers and students of Obion County Central High School. Along with a team of friends who help with all aspects of production, they’ve taken their idea from “what if” to a podcast that features interviews with teachers, details about school sports and segments like “hidden gems of OC.” Both will also be part of a group of students that will be participating in an upcoming education-based tour of Europe thanks to a scholarship from the Union City Rotary Club.

You can download and listen to “RebelCast” here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nBGMGmQLPC8lP5VeMcOXY

This episode is sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.