The Mark White Show

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Andrea Barnes, manager of the new Food City in Athens, AL, as she shares how the company’s Friends in Need program helps fight food insecurity right here in our community.

Each holiday season, Food City invites customers to purchase a bag of groceries at a reduced price. Once the campaign ends, those grocery bags are ordered by the pallet and donated to local organizations that help families facing food insecurity.

Andrea says it’s one of the many ways Food City gives back to the communities it serves, ensuring that neighbors helping neighbors becomes more than just a slogan.

As we talked, I shared that my own family once stood in line for commodity food assistance. Those experiences stay with you. They teach empathy and remind you that many hardworking families still struggle to put food on the table. That’s why programs like Friends in Need matter. They give all of us an opportunity to help someone who may be going through a difficult season.

To learn more about Food City and its community initiatives, visit FoodCity.com.

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Tonight on The Mark White Show, I’m honored to welcome Ron Adams and Tabitha Ridlehoover of the Rising Courage Foundation.

After surviving cancer himself, Ron turned one of the hardest chapters of his life into a mission to encourage others who are walking the same road. Along with Tabitha, he is helping provide Courage Kits to chemotherapy patients, offering practical items, comfort, and a reminder that no one has to face cancer alone.

I also want to thank James Spann for using his platform to shine a light on this incredible effort. When we see people making a difference, we have an opportunity to take the next step by sharing their story and helping their mission reach even more people.

Join us as we talk about the inspiration behind the Rising Courage Foundation, the impact these Courage Kits are making, and how you can become part of this growing effort.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Ron Adams, founder and president of the Rising Courage Foundation, as he shares how his own cancer journey inspired a mission to encourage others facing one of life’s toughest battles.

Ron was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2014 and underwent surgery before entering active surveillance. Eight years later, he heard those life-changing words once again: “You have cancer.”

As he sat through chemotherapy treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors weren’t allowed. Day after day, he spent hours in the treatment chair with only nurses, doctors, and other patients who were facing similar fears and uncertainties. It was during those quiet moments that Ron realized how desperately people battling cancer need hope and encouragement.

He made a promise that if he made it through, he would use his own pain to help others.

That promise became the Rising Courage Foundation, whose Courage Kits are designed to bring comfort, encouragement, and practical support to individuals undergoing cancer treatment, reminding them they are not alone in the fight.

To learn more or support this mission, visit RisingCourageFoundation.org.

The full interview will air at 9p CST/10p EST tonight.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, we continue our three-part series highlighting the family behind Aubrey's Love Foundation. After hearing from Aubrey’s dad, Allen, and her mom, Amy, today we hear from Aubrey’s sister, Abby.

Abby shares what it was like in the days and months following the accident that claimed Aubrey’s life. She remembers wanting to be alone, but says her parents refused to let her face her grief in isolation. Looking back, she’s grateful they stayed by her side through one of the darkest seasons of her life.

Abby says Aubrey’s Love Foundation gave her family something they desperately needed: purpose. By carrying on Aubrey’s legacy of kindness and service, they found a way to give Aubrey a voice while bringing hope to others.

Today, Aubrey’s Love Foundation continues to award scholarships, support schools, invest in teachers, and meet needs throughout the community, ensuring Aubrey’s love continues to make a difference.

Learn more at AubreysLove.com.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Stokes Kasmeier from Killen, Alabama, as he shares his lifelong journey with hydrocephalus and why raising awareness is so important.

Born prematurely after complications during his mother’s pregnancy, Stokes spent months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Huntsville Hospital as doctors worked to save his life. Along the way, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition many people have never heard of until it affects someone they love.

Stokes explains that while hydrocephalus affects thousands of children and adults across the United States, there is still no cure. Many people living with the condition endure repeated brain surgeries and ongoing medical challenges throughout their lives.

Today, Stokes is determined to use his story to educate others, increase awareness, and help fund research that could one day change the future for those living with hydrocephalus.

If you’d like to support Stokes’ efforts in the Walk to End Hydrocephalus, visit walk.stokeskasmeier.com.

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Imagine being born 11 weeks premature, diagnosed with hydrocephalus as an infant, and undergoing approximately 30 brain surgeries before adulthood. For Stokes Kasmeier of Killen, Alabama, that’s his story.

A Brooks High School graduate, Stokes has faced challenges that most of us can hardly imagine. Most recently, a shunt failure and infection led to a month-long stay in the Neuro ICU. Instead of allowing those experiences to define him, he’s chosen to turn his journey into a mission of hope.

Listen in as Stokes shares what it’s like to live with hydrocephalus, the battles he’s fought, the people who’ve stood beside him, and why he’s leading Team Stokes in this year’s Walk to End Hydrocephalus to raise awareness and support research for the more than one million Americans living with this condition.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Katie Humphres-Cagle with Barking Cow Farms as she shares the heart behind a special community event honoring Maddie Bishop while supporting Cooper Terry and his mother as they continue their battles with cancer.

Katie encourages people to visit Fight with Maddie and learn about a young girl whose smile never seemed to fade, even through the hardest days. She says Maddie’s story isn’t defined by sadness, but by courage, joy, and the example she left behind. Those who knew her remember a warrior whose positive spirit inspired everyone around her.

The event will also benefit Cooper Terry, who was diagnosed with cancer as a teenager. During his treatment journey at MD Anderson Cancer Center, his mother received devastating news of her own—she, too, had cancer. Today, the fundraiser is helping ease the financial burdens both families continue to face through medical treatments, travel, and everyday expenses.

The Back to School Jeep Jam will be held Saturday, August 8th, from noon until 8p at Barking Cow Farms, located at 17446 Highway 278 in Brilliant, Alabama. The day will feature family activities, entertainment, and an opportunity for the community to come together in support of two remarkable families.

This MADM is brought to you by J. Calvert Farms, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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Over the years, The Mark White Show has walked alongside families facing some of life’s toughest battles. Tonight’s show is about two of those journeys and a community determined to make a difference.

I’ll be joined by Katie Humphres-Cagle, Marketing & Business Strategist for Barking Cow Farms (owned by Maegan Adrian), to talk about the upcoming Back-to-School Bash and Benefit in Brilliant, Alabama.

What started as a community event has become something much bigger. The benefit will honor the life and legacy of Maddie Bishop, whose courageous battle with Ewing’s sarcoma inspired so many, while also supporting Cooper Terry and his family as they continue their own fight against cancer.

We’ll talk about the heart behind the event, why it was important to honor Maddie’s legacy, how the community has rallied around both families, and how you can be part of making a difference.

I hope you’ll join us tonight as we share another story of compassion, resilience, and a community coming together when it’s needed most.

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On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Paul Bruyneel, better known to many as Santa Paul, as he shares about his recovery following his third shoulder replacement surgery.

After decades of physically demanding work, degenerative arthritis took a devastating toll on Paul’s shoulder. Finding a surgeon willing to perform such a complex revision surgery wasn’t easy, and by the time the procedure could be done, additional damage had occurred, making the operation even more challenging.

Now facing more than two months away from work, Paul is focused on healing while relying on the unwavering support of his wife, Sandy. He says she’s been his rock through every surgery, helping with even the simplest daily tasks during recovery.

For someone who has spent years bringing joy to children and giving back to others as Santa Paul, this season has required him to accept the kindness of the community he’s worked so hard to serve.

If you’d like to support Paul and his family during his recovery, you can give through GoFundMe by searching “Taking the Weight Off His Shoulders.”

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Tonight, I’m coming to you from J. Calvert Farms!

Most people know him as Santa Paul. Tonight, you’ll meet the man behind the beard.

Paul Bruyneel has spent years bringing joy to others. Now, after a third shoulder replacement surgery, he’s facing financial hardship while he and his wife, Syndee, continue caring for their three grandchildren.

Join me for “The Heart Behind the Beard” as Paul shares his story, his heart for serving others, and why it’s sometimes the people who give the most who need our support the most.

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