WBGL Community Matters

For Christians, Easter is a sacred time to remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. For many children, however, the Easter story can be quite confusing. Days are spent decorating eggs and shopping for the perfect Easter outfit, but often only an hour on Sunday morning is spent explaining the importance of Jesus' sacrifice and the real reason we celebrate. Is it any wonder our kids are confused? As parents, we have the privilege of teaching our children the important truths of Easter, ultimately encouraging them to join God's family. But the task can be overwhelming. Jesse Florea, editor of Focus on the Family's Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, offers advice for parents wanting to make the true significance of Easter a reality for their children.

Michael Evans is the President for the Jasper County Farm Bureau in Illinois. He and his wife Tina also run a family farm. Michael shares some of what farmers are doing right now as they're preparing for planting season and discusses current events going on at the local Farm Bureau.

DeAnna Clark discovered she had Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 40. A few years later she suffered a stroke. She felt God had allowed these things in her life and asked Him what she should do to help others. DeAnna now serves as a Volunteer and District Leader for the Multiple Sclerosis Association, where she works to provide advocacy and help for people with MS and other disabilities.

Today we talk with Lt. Michael Palumbo, Commanding Officer and Mid-Shipman Michael Palumbo Jr. about exciting opportunities for youth in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

Adam Holz is a movie critic and director of Plugged In. He shares ideas parents can keep in mind when helping their teens navigate through decisions regarding what they watch and listen to. Adam talks about several movies the team at Plugged In would recommend for families.

Preborn is a ministry dedicated to helping life affirming Pregnancy Clinics all across the nation. Joyce Im Bartholemew is the national spokesperson who shares about her personal journey that led her to have a passion for the work of Preborn. She'll talk about their goal to save lives through prayer initiatives, equipping pregnancy clinics and evangelism training.

Cliff and Sue Parrish are today's guests. They founded and lead a ministry called, "Freedom From Within," which currently enrolls around 250 individuals in prisons throughout the state of Illinois.

Timothy Sanford, Clinical Director of Counseling Services at Focus on the Family, talks about how to discern whether or not our child is struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Paule Wappel is our guest on today's show. He's a Public Information Officer with the Illinois Department of Transportation. We discuss the clearing of Illinois roadways during the winter months, general thoughts on safety while traveling in inclement weather and employment opportunities within IDOT.

Have you ever been interested in donating blood and learning more about the experience? January is National Blood Donor Month and Brian Williamsen from the American Red Cross discusses the reasons behind there being a great need for blood donors this month. He also shares how the Red Cross has helped families who've lost their homes and possesions due to house fires.