The Movement

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What happens to veterans after military service ends? From the lasting effects of combat and PTSD to finding friendship, healing, and a sense of belonging, two veterans share their powerful stories of service and life after the military.

In this Veterans Day episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Vietnam War veteran Mike Angel and retired U.S. Army veteran Ken Bennett at the Bonner Springs YMCA to discuss military service, mental health, the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, and the importance of community for veterans.

Despite serving in different generations and facing different challenges, Mike and Ken have found something familiar at the Bonner Springs YMCA: a community built on friendship, mutual support, and shared experiences.

For Mike and Ken, the YMCA is much more than a place to exercise. It's where friendships are formed, stories are shared, and veterans can find people who understand what they've experienced.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas City supports veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families through Operation Salute, a program offering membership discounts and opportunities to connect with their communities.

Learn more about the YMCA of Greater Kansas City and its programs at: https://kansascityymca.org/

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0:00 Introduction: Honoring Veterans and Finding Community 1:52 Meet the Veterans: Mike Angel and Ken Bennett 5:20 A Day at the Bonner Springs YMCA 11:50 Why the YMCA Is More Than a Gym 16:18 Military Camaraderie and Finding Connection at the Y 19:25 Coming Home from Vietnam: A Veteran's Experience 22:55 Agent Orange and the Lasting Effects of Military Service 27:15 Combat Memories, PTSD, and the Battles Veterans Carry Home 37:44 Finding Healing Through Faith, Friendship, and the YMCA 41:25 Helping Veterans Find Support and Belonging

Flag football is exploding across the country—and for a group of young Kansas City athletes, what started at the YMCA has turned into opportunities they never imagined.

In this episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet explores the growth of youth flag football with YMCA Senior Sports Director Kayson Mathews and three standout athletes who came through the Y's flag football program: Quinn Miles, Kate Mikuls and Jordan Garcia.

Kayson shares how a group of 10 basketball players helped spark a competitive flag football program that has grown into tournaments attracting teams from across the Midwest. He also explains how the YMCA has created recreational, intermediate and advanced opportunities so athletes can learn the game, compete and continue developing.

Then, Quinn, Kate and Jordan share where flag football has taken them.

Quinn went from learning the sport at the Y to earning a Team USA U15 selection and becoming one of the top young wide receivers in the country. Kate started playing quarterback and receiver alongside boys before girls flag football had its own local teams and is now competing in sanctioned high school flag football at Mill Valley. Jordan has developed into one of the country's top young wide receivers while pursuing opportunities to play college flag football.

For these athletes, flag football started as something fun to try. Now, the sport offers opportunities to compete nationally, earn college scholarships and potentially represent the United States on the Olympic stage.

Learn more about youth sports and flag football through the YMCA of Greater Kansas City at t https://kansascityymca.org/

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0:00 Welcome to The Movement 1:46 How the YMCA Flag Football Program Began 5:50 Building a Competitive Flag Football Pipeline 7:32 The Rapid Growth of Girls Flag Football 12:40 Meet Quinn, Kate and Jordan 17:36 Team USA and the Olympic Flag Football Pathway 20:51 High School and College Flag Football Opportunities 27:26 Leadership, Coaches and Lessons From the Game 31:03 Advice for the Next Generation of Flag Football Players 33:11 The Future of Flag Football at the YMCA

For 20 years, the YMCA Challenger program in Kansas City has created a place where kids and young adults with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities can play sports, build confidence, make friends, and experience what it means to belong on a team.

In this episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Raegan Scherr and members of the Schnacker family – Janet, Daniel, and Adam – to look back at the people, relationships, and experiences that have shaped Challenger since its beginning in 2006.

Raegan shares how the program has grown from a small adaptive sports offering into a year-round community featuring baseball, basketball, bowling, soccer, flag football, swim lessons, social activities, and more. She also explains how Challenger's buddy system helps athletes participate with the level of support that works best for them.

For the Schnacker family, Challenger has been part of life for more than 15 years. Janet reflects on watching Daniel grow in his communication, confidence, and relationships, while Adam explains how volunteering as his brother's buddy eventually helped inspire his career as a physical therapist working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

And Daniel shares what Challenger means from the athlete's perspective – from playing baseball and bowling to becoming a leader who welcomes others, gets teammates excited, and reminds everyone why this community continues to matter.

For families exploring special needs programs, volunteers, coaches, and anyone who believes in the power of the YMCA community – learn more about the Challenger Adaptive Sports Program: https://kansascityymca.org/programs/adaptive-challenger

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

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00:00 - Welcome to Challenger: Everyone Plays 02:07 - What is Challenger? Raegan's Story 04:16 - How Challenger Grew: Sports & Social Activities 07:20 - The Heart of Challenger: The Buddy System 10:45 - Meet the Schnacker Family: 15 Years in Challenger 11:50 - Daniel's Growth & The Power of Parent Community 17:16 - Adam's Story: From Buddy to Physical Therapist 20:40 - Supporting Challenger: Fundraising & Community 29:26 - Daniel's Leadership & Award for Inclusion 35:33 - Future of Challenger & How to Get Involved

In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet visits the Atchison Family YMCA/Cray Community Center in downtown Atchison, Kansas, to explore a YMCA story that stretches back more than 150 years.

Mark is joined by Atchison natives India Webb Bolton, an attorney and member of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors, and Atchison Mayor La Rochelle Young. Both grew up with the Y as part of their lives – India through preschool and swim lessons made possible in part by the generosity of others, and La Rochelle through swimming before landing her first job at the YMCA as a swim instructor and lifeguard.

India and La Rochelle also reflect on the history of Division Street and the community-led effort – driven by local high school students – that resulted in its renaming as Unity Street in 2020. For both guests, the change represented something they had experienced at the YMCA for years: a place where differences did not have to become divisions.

Learn how an investment in one child can create an impact that lasts for decades – and how the YMCA continues to provide a place where people can find belonging, develop their potential and eventually become the people who invest in the next generation.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

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00:00 Welcome to The Movement Podcast 00:40 More Than 150 Years of the Atchison YMCA 03:58 How One Person's Generosity Changed India's Life 05:54 Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Atchison 06:34 How the YMCA Became La Rochelle's First Job 07:57 Why Swim Lessons Teach More Than Swimming 11:28 From Division Street to a Place of Unity 14:20 How Atchison Mentors Invest in Young People 16:06 India's Journey from Atchison to Law and Leadership 18:30 La Rochelle's Path to Public Service 21:01 Coming Back to the YMCA Through Service 22:50 The Importance of Paying It Forward 24:35 What It Means When Someone Invests in a Child 26:46 Why India Joined the YMCA Board 29:01 Why La Rochelle Became Mayor of Atchison 30:51 How Division Street Became Unity Street 34:44 What the YMCA Means to Atchison 35:37 How Investing in One Child Creates a Legacy 37:31 Closing: More Than 150 Years of Community Impact

In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet visits Sunset Valley Elementary School in the Lee's Summit School District, where campers are learning about the digestive system by building it themselves with straws, paper, tape and other materials.

Richard Irwin, STEM educator with the Missouri AfterSchool Network, explains how the STEM Mobile Lab brings hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math activities to after-school programs across Missouri. He also discusses why STEM education supports more than career readiness – it helps young people develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and confidence.

Mark is also joined by YMCA Youth Development leaders Darcy Swan and Andi Gilbertson to explore the bigger picture behind YMCA summer day camp, before- and after-school care, social-emotional learning, financial assistance and the YMCA's growing STEAM Alliance with Kansas City-area engineering firms.

Learn how the YMCA of Greater Kansas City creates safe, engaging experiences where kids can build relationships, discover new interests and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

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00:00 Welcome to The Movement Podcast

00:40 Inside YMCA Summer Day Camp

01:44 What Is the STEM Mobile Lab?

03:38 Why STEM Education Matters

07:42 How the Hands-On Activity Works

09:16 Why STEM Continues to Grow

10:51 Debunking Myths About STEM

13:11 The Bigger Picture of YMCA Youth Development

13:55 What YMCA Summer Day Camp Looks Like

14:54 What Makes YMCA Camp Different

18:30 A YMCA Camper's First Camp Experience

19:21 YMCA Before- and After-School Programs

25:42 How Kids Grow Through YMCA Programs

27:25 Financial Assistance for Families

29:17 Recruiting and Training YMCA Camp Staff

31:52 Introducing the YMCA STEAM Alliance

35:38 What's Next for YMCA Youth Development

38:21 How to Get Involved with the Y

What if healthcare didn't begin in a doctor's office, but in the places where families already gather, play, and build community?

In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hewlett sits down with Will Franklin, President and CEO of KC Care Health Center, and Doug Day, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, to explore how healthcare organizations and community partners can remove barriers to care by meeting people where they are.

The conversation begins with KC Care's participation in the YMCA of Greater Kansas City's Healthy Kids Day, where a mobile health unit provided dental screenings and wellness services directly to families attending the event. From there, the discussion expands into the broader mission of community health centers, the importance of whole-person care, and why trusted community spaces like the YMCA play such a vital role in improving health outcomes.

Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, camp counselor, or simply someone who wants to better understand others, this conversation will challenge the way you think about empathy and community.

Will and Doug share how KC Care has evolved since 1971 into one of Kansas City's leading providers of accessible healthcare, offering medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, HIV care, care coordination, and insurance navigation regardless of a person's ability to pay. They also discuss how early intervention for children, strong community partnerships, and innovative approaches developed during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape the future of healthcare.

This episode is a reminder that healthier communities are built when organizations work together to make care more accessible, more personal, and more connected.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:37 Healthcare Meets Community

01:43 What Is KC Care

04:08 Barriers to Access

05:31 How FQHCs Work

09:36 Everyone Belongs

12:06 Healthy Kids Day Partnership

16:00 Prevention and Active Living

19:24 Why Partnerships Matter

22:27 Biggest Impact Opportunities

25:35 Immunizations Partnership

26:30 Behavioral Health Access

27:20 Stress And Choices

29:38 Breaking Barriers Tactics

34:08 Clearing Up Misconceptions

38:00 Defining Partnership Success

42:39 Equity And Reimbursement

44:41 Hope After COVID Lessons

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What Would You Do If a Single Bite of Food Could Kill Your Child?

In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Mandi Kearns, COO of Just Like You Films, and Genevieve Muncy, the YMCA's Senior Behavioral Health Director, to talk about empathy, inclusion, food allergies, and the emotional realities many children face every single day.

They discuss the film May Contain My Life, which brings audiences into the daily realities of children and families living with life-threatening food allergies, and how storytelling – and a VR experience that shows both the child's and a friend's perspectives – can deepen understanding and inclusion. The conversation explores invisible needs, the burdens families carry, how kids learn empathy through social-emotional learning and conflict resolution, and why adult modeling matters in creating safe, inclusive spaces in camps, schools, and community programs.

Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, camp counselor, or simply someone who wants to better understand others, this conversation will challenge the way you think about empathy and community.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:00 Welcome to The Movement

00:36 What Is May Contain My Life?

02:33 Storytelling Builds Empathy

03:41 Invisible Allergy Realities

04:33 The Burden on Families

06:13 Inclusion and Small Tweaks

10:15 Reactions After the VR Headsets Come Off

13:45 Empathy Into Action

16:05 Teaching Empathy to Kids

18:00 When Adults Are the Obstacle to Modeling Empathy

19:18 Impulse Control Skills

22:12 Modeling Invisible Needs

24:57 Life Is Not Fair Talk

27:43 Inclusive Spaces Without Spotlight

30:14 Why YMCA Partnership Works

33:10 Empathy Engine Program

35:54 Closing Thanks And Call To Action

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In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet records from the North Kansas City YMCA during Healthy Kids Day – the YMCA's national initiative that has been championing healthy development for kids and families since 1992.

He's joined by Blue KC leaders Michaela Stevenson and Miranda Coffey to discuss why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City partnered as presenting sponsor, how community health extends beyond clinics into walkability, food access, and social connection, and how events like Healthy Kids Day make resources more accessible for families. They highlight the importance of youth behavioral and mental health, including Blue KC's Shut Out the Stigma partnership with the Kansas City Royals, and emphasize belonging and community partnerships. Families and kids share excitement about activities like STEM/STEAM, planting seeds, sports, and the greenhouse.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:00 Welcome to The Movement

00:38 Healthy Kids Day kickoff

01:42 Why Blue KC partnered with YMCA

03:17 Health beyond the clinic

04:57 Kids discover new passions

07:41 Healthy habits start young

08:50 KC Wolf surprise visit

09:39 Kids share their favorite activities

11:14 Youth mental health focus

14:10 Belonging as wellbeing

15:51 Power of partnerships

21:14 Meeting families where they are

22:46 Invitation to join the YMCA

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In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet is joined by Kevin Holmes, evening news anchor at KSHB 41 Action News, and Gerald, a YMCA swim instructor who went from non-swimmer to certified swim instructor. Together they share their personal journeys with water – their fear, the avoidance, the turning points, and ultimately the confidence that comes from taking that first step into the pool.

Kevin candidly shares how he's always managed to get by – standing in shallow ends, wearing a life vest on boats while friends jumped in, laughing it off – but underneath it all, realizing he wasn't alone. Millions of people across Kansas City and beyond don't know how to swim. Gerald's journey is equally powerful: after traumatic childhood experiences near the water and years of being told to "stay away," he turned to water aerobics on a doctor's orders, then quietly began teaching himself to swim; half a lane at a time. The transformation didn't just improve his physical health, it changed his whole life.

This episode also dives into pool safety, the importance of YMCA swim lessons for all ages, and how the YMCA of Greater Kansas City offers financial assistance so that cost is never a barrier to learning. Whether you're looking for infant swimming lessons, children's swim lessons, or adult beginner classes, local swim lessons at your YMCA are closer and more accessible than you think.

We wrap up with an in-pool demonstration where Kevin – in his very first lesson – learns to blow bubbles, do a back float, and how to safely reach the edge of a pool.

If Kevin can do it, Kansas City can too.

To learn more about YMCA swim lessons and pool safety programs, visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:00 Welcome to The Movement

00:36 Swim Safety at the Linwood YMCA

01:25 Meet Kevin Holmes and Gerald, YMCA Swim Instructor

02:52 Kevin's Honest Story: Avoiding the Deep End

05:43 Gerald's Journey: From Pushed In to Pool Instructor

07:39 The #1 Barrier to Swimming

08:07 Pool Safety and Why Kids' Swimming Lessons Matter

09:20 Advice for Adult Beginners: Be Patient, Don't Give Up

10:07 YMCA Scholarships and Financial Assistance

11:30 Kevin's First Swim Lesson Begins

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In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II to reflect on 20 years of the Cleaver YMCA and its impact along historic Troost Avenue.

Often described as Kansas City's dividing line, Troost was shaped by segregation, redlining, and decades of disinvestment. Congressman Cleaver shares his personal journey – from moving to Kansas City during a deeply segregated era to serving as mayor and later in Congress – and the lessons he learned about leadership, equity, and community healing.

He discusses his childhood experiences with poverty, his mother's civil rights activism, early marches connected to national leaders, and how access to the YMCA helped shape his understanding of belonging and opportunity. Cleaver also reflects on efforts to "erase" the Troost boundary, address funding disparities, and build a more unified Kansas City.

The conversation highlights the vision behind placing the Cleaver Family YMCA on Troost – creating not just a facility, but a bridge that brings people together across neighborhoods and backgrounds.

To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:00 Welcome to The Movement

00:36 Truce Avenue Divide

00:57 2006 YMCA Bridge Vision

02:17 Meet Emanuel Cleaver

02:52 From Texas to KC

05:43 Growing Up Poor

07:39 Quiet Heroes and Race

10:59 Civil Rights Awakening

13:21 Finding the YMCA

14:18 Call to Ministry

16:40 Remembering Jesse Jackson

18:08 Lessons as Mayor

20:27 How Troost Was Drawn

23:25 Cleaver YMCA as Bridge

27:44 Legacy and Closing

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