Shows
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNonprofit Schools for Different Gifts: Buzzing about Noah-Christian Academy & Shepherds CollegeOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about two very different nonprofit educational institutions that are sure to tug at your heart, hopefully your wallets, and that nearby box of tissues to wipe away a tear from your eye. Michael talks with two parents from the tiny Noah-Christian Academy in Salem, Virginia that works with PreK through 2nd grade children who have struggled in traditional schools. And he visits with the nonprofit Masterpiece Alliance, which provides community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Masterpiece Alliance has formed a new partnership Shepherds College, a first-of-its-kind college i...
2026-02-1900 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Black History MonthOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill is buzzing about Black History Month. A couple of weeks ago we premiered our newest episode starring Harrison Museum of African American Culture as it moves into its new home at Melrose Plaza in Roanoke. Here we share the audio of that episode hope you’ll go to our YouTube channel to watch it in its entirety. Or better yet, go visit the museum for yourself!Speaking of Black History Month, our next new BUZZ stars the Franklin County NAACP, which recently unveiled a new statue in Rocky Mou...
2026-02-1229 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + Marketing12 BUZZes buzzing! Top 12 moments of 2025Merry Christmas! Yes, yes, we know it’s at least Jan. 3 if you’re listening to this, but in celebration of the 12 days of Christmas, on today’s show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill shares 12 BUZZ highlights from 2025 in anticipation of even more BUZZ here in 2026.We’ve gone back through the nearly 40 BUZZ episodes and BUZZ Live! shows we produced in 2025 and selected these 12 moments that highlight nonprofits that engage in everything from Black history, animal welfare, refugee and immigrant opportunities, Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, poverty, literacy, unplanned pregnancies, and so much more.It’s what we l...
2026-01-0359 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Wicked Festival, Williamson Road, Elimisha KakumaSomething wicked this way comes on today's Buzz4Good. On Nov. 6 Radford University hosts The Wicked Festival in which hundreds of students grapple in public presentations with our world’s wickedest problems. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill chats with Paige Tan, Radford University political science professor and festival director.Michael also share some "sneak listens" to two new episodes of the TV show BUZZ starring the nonprofits Greater Williamson Road Area Business Association and Elimisha Kakuma. Elimisha is the Swahili word for "educating." Kakuma is the name of a refugee camp in Kenya that is home to 300,000 people wh...
2025-10-1759 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about On Our Own mental health nonprofit, and former Virginia Tech football coach Brent PryToday BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about On Our Own of the Roanoke Valley, a nonprofit drop-in center that strives to improve the quality of life of people with mental health/substance use issues. We speak with executive director Robin Hubert, who knows all too well the need for such a place as she struggled for years with depression, alcohol abuse, and attempted suicides. Michael also bids farewell to a real buzz4good, Brent Pry, now former head football coach of Virginia Tech. He was featured in our 2023 BUZZ show starring The Hokie Way. He is a c...
2025-09-2659 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Blacksburg Refugee PartnershipOn today's Buzz4Good, creator and host Michael Hemphill is buzzing live from the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, to feature the inspiring people who serve, and are served by, the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership.Blacksburg Refugee Partnership is an organization run entirely by community volunteers who believe all humans have the right to a safe, peaceful, happy home. They connect displaced families to the resources and ongoing support they need to successfully plant roots here in America.
2025-09-051h 00
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about The Athena Award: Conversations with 3 finalists about women in leadershipBUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about the Athena Leadership Award, given by the Roanoke Regional Chamber that celebrates women who have achieved the highest levels of professional accomplishment while giving back to their communities and actively investing in the success of future leaders.Today Michael chats with the three finalists – all exceptional women who helped build BUZZ – about leadership:Melissa Woodson, executive director of RAM House and the star of one of our first episodes we produced in 2020. Renee Brown, President and CEO of DePaul Community Resources, who has previously appeared on this show.Becky Freemal, who g...
2025-08-151h 00Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Melrose PlazaOn today's Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about Melrose Plaza, Roanoke, Virginia’s new neighborhood center, which held its grand opening on July 31. The project, which began as a community conversation and research study, is now a transformative community initiative led by the nonprofit Goodwill Industries of the Valleys.Hundreds of people from across the Commonwealth of Virginia helped cut the ribbon to the one-of-a-kind Melrose Plaza, which includes a wellness center, grocery store, cafe, adult high school, bank, public library and African-American history museum. Its mission is to revitalize a once-prosperous Black community decimated by ur...
2025-08-0158 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingLiving Better, Dying Better: Buzzing about nonprofits Spirit's Rest and DePaul Community ResourcesOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about two inspirational nonprofits that help people live better and die better. DePaul Community Resources works to improving the lives of children, families, and individuals with developmental disabilities. Meanwhile, Spirit’s Rest offers comfortable housing and around-the-clock compassionate care and support to hospice patients and their families during their end-of-life journey.Here are Michael's conversations with Caroline Stanfill, founder and executive director of one of Spirit’s Rest, and Renee Brown, president and CEO of DePaul Community Resources.
2025-06-181h 00
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Nonprofit Prison Ministry Bears n' StuffBUZZ creator Michael Hemphill isn't buzzing today in his adopted state of Virginia or his homestate of Alabama, but way out in Montana and Washington to highlight a special nonprofit that is connecting prison inmates with the outside world … through art. How they got connected with Buzz4Good way across the country – and more importantly the heart-breaking, soul-healing work they do – is the subject of our conversation with Cyrus Lee.Cyrus already had a heart for prison ministry when his son was convicted of second degree murder and began serving a 20-year sentence in Washington State Penitentiary. Cyrus...
2025-05-3047 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingCreating Art, Creating Life: Buzzing about Art on 1st and Sav-A-LifeWe're buzzing about an incredible and inspiring arts project opening June 1 at a new nonprofit arts space in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It features portraits of 10 of the city’s most iconic citizens, from Dick & Dave of the Q99 Mornin’ Show to Mayor Joe Cobb and former Carilion Clinic CEO Nancy Agee. Today, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with the founders of the nonprofit arts space, Art on 1st, and shares the inspiration behind the exhibit from its creator, Whitney Brock.We also share portions of our newest BUZZ that aired on public television this week starr...
2025-05-261h 00Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNonprofits in the crosshairs of DEI and "Pro-life"Reflecting on our newest shows highlighting nonprofits, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill has to ask:If the Trump administration insists DEI be eradicated, why must it come at the expense of Black history, which is far more accurate than the mythology we've always been taught?If we claim to be pro-life, why are politicians providing fewer and fewer resources and help for that life once it is born?Why is Trump eliminating funding for nonprofits that are working tirelessly to provide the services that government won't provide? We discuss these thoughts and more in today's Buzz4Good as w...
2025-05-191h 00Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Hope to Walk's mission to UkraineToday BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about a Blacksburg, Virginia nonprofit that provides hope to walk for thousands of amputees around the world. Appropriately named Hope to Walk, the nonprofit in May hopes to travel to Ukraine to provide prosthetic legs to some of the estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians, women and children, who are now amputees because of the war. Listen to our recent BUZZ Live! that featured its cause and need for $15,000 to fund its trip.We also share a clip from our newest BUZZ TV show that stars the nonprofit Masterpiece Alliance, which p...
2025-04-151h 00Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about SML Gives and BUZZ Live!In today's episode, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill chats with Lisa Lietz about the upcoming SML Gives Day when 36 different nonprofits hope to raise $200,000 to better serve Bedford and Franklin counties in the Smith Mountain Lake area of Virginia. We also share a recent BUZZ Live talk show that features one of these Franklin County nonprofits, Healing Strides of Virginia, along with Apple Ridge Farm and the inspiring story of a cancer survivor turned internationally touring banjo player.
2025-02-2259 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBUZZ Live! 2.6.25 "The Tonight Show for Nonprofits"BUZZ is proud to present a new 30-minute talk show called BUZZ LIVE! that’s designed to be “The Tonight Show for Nonprofits!"During the show – which we live-streamed to our Facebook and YouTube channels and later broadcast on Blue Ridge PBS – BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill chats with the inspiring people who serve, and are served by, nonprofits in Roanoke, Virginia ... along with a musical guest affiliated with a local nonprofit!February 6, 2025 Franklin County NAACP’s “Raising the Shade”Musical Guest: Bryan “Harvest Blaque” HancockMasterpiece Alliance‘s Scott Habeeb
2025-02-1230 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingRe-Building Black Community at Melrose PlazaTo kick off Black History Month, we are buzzing about Melrose Plaza in the historically African-American community of Northwest Roanoke. It's located in a once thriving Black neighborhood that was decimated in the 1950s and 1960s by discriminatory redlining and eminent domain.Last time on our show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talked with E.B. Smith, the new executive director of the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, which is considering a move from downtown Roanoke, Virginia, to Melrose Plaza.Today Michael chats with Zenith Barrett, vice-president of advancement at Goodwill Industries of the Valleys...
2025-01-3131 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMeet the new Director of Roanoke’s African-American MuseumBUZZ creator Michael Hemphill chats with E.B. Smith, the new executive director of the Harrison Museum of African-American Culture in Roanoke, Virginia. E.B. Smith just started the job at a moment of exciting transformation for the museum, which Is committed to promoting, showcasing, and celebrating the art and history of African Americans for Roanoke Valley citizens and visitors.
2025-01-1730 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingThe Church and Disability: Equipping God’s MasterpiecesToday we're buzzing about Masterpiece Alliance, a Roanoke, Virginia nonprofit with a mission of building community for adults with intellectual disabilities. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill speaks with Scott Habeeb, who founded Masterpiece AlliancA in part to help people like his daughter who struggle to make friends and find social connections once they graduate from high school. One place where assume they can find community is the church. But as Scott shares, that’s often not the case for a variety of reasons, and his organization has created an upcoming conference designed to fix that. Are you a no...
2025-01-0229 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingChristmas Special: Music by nonprofit Smith River SingersIt's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! In this episode of Buzz4Good! creator Michael Hemphill shares the recent Christmas concert by the Smith River Singers of Martinsville, Virginia – an incredible nonprofit community choir that we featured this fall on an episode of BUZZ. On December 9, 2024, the Smith River Singers celebrated its 10th annual Christmas concert by performing "The Messiah" by George Frideric Handel. In celebration of the holiday season we present highlights of the concert, which began with three contemporary Christmas anthems performed by the Smith River Singers' small group, Still Water.
2024-12-201h 00
North Meets South Web PodcastNorth Meets South meets Slightly Caffeinated meets David Hemphill Christmas ExtravaganzaJoin Jake, Michael, David, TJ, and Chris for a merry chat about tech, holiday antics, and the entertaining Wheel of Fortune game!## LinksEngineering Management for the rest of us## SocialXhttps://x.com/northsouthaudiohttps://x.com/JacobBennett https://x.com/michaeldyryndahttps://x.com/davidhemphillhttps://x.com/heytjmillerhttps://x.com/cmgmyrBlueskyhttps://bsky.app/profile/northmeetssouth.audiohttps://bsky.app/profile/dyrynda.auhttps://bsky.app/profile/jakebennett.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/tjmiller.b...
2024-12-191h 01
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about coffee shop served by adults with intellectual disabilitiesBUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about coffee in today's Buzz4Good! Specifically, coffee from a Roanoke, Virginia, establishment that is brewed and served by adults with intellectual disabilities. A few years ago, Beth Woodrum founded Chris’ Coffee and Custard to help individuals like her son, Chris, who has Down Syndrome, find meaningful employment and community. Beth recently announced an exciting new venture for Chris’ Coffee and Custard – and her nonprofit that operates it, LovABLE Services – and so on today’s show we share our inspiring conversation with Beth!Are you...
2024-12-1331 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about diapers?Why would we spend an entire show talking about diapers? Because diapers represent a whole lot more than just keeping a baby dry. So much so that there’s a Roanoke, Virginia nonprofit called Huddle Up Moms that just received among the largest grants ever awarded by the Roanoke Women’s Foundation: $100,000 to create a diaper bank for low-income moms and child caregivers in Southwest Virginia. This cause is near and dear to the heart of BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill’s because one of the first BUZZ episodes produced in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, starred the nonprof...
2024-12-0729 min
Shock Your PotentialThe Power of Authentic Leadership Alicia HemphillIn this enlightening episode, we speak with Alicia Hemphill, a dynamic executive, author, and life coach, who emphasizes the critical role of trust and authenticity in leadership. Alicia shares her insights on leading with integrity and the impact it has on relationships within personal and professional spheres.
The Foundation of Trust:
Trust as the cornerstone of authentic relationships.
The importance of self-reflection for leaders to establish their authentic selves before leading others.
Alicia’s Background:
Overview of her roles as VP of Regulatory Affairs at Oriel STAT A MATRIX and CEO of ‘Beyond the...
2024-11-2929 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBlue Ridge Holler hurricane relief concertOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about the Blue Ridge Holler, a concert series coordinated by the nonprofit FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge to raise funds for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. We share details about the 10-day series and preview the music of some of the 18 different artists and bands who have generously agreed to donate their time and talent for the benefit concert on Nov. 24, 2024, at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, Virginia.
2024-11-1500 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingThe Glencoe SessionsOn today's Buzz4Good, creator Michael Hemphill buzzes about a fantastic musical collaboration between two nonprofits: Friends of the Blue Ridge and the Glencoe Mason and Museum in Radford, Virginia.Called "The Glencoe Sessions," this collaboration is the brainchild of Radford's own Addie Levy, a bluegrass phenom who now splits her time between her hometown and Nashville. The next Glencoe Session is Oct. 4 starring the youthful and exceptionally talented group, Pythagoras, out of Johnson City, Tennessee. Today we chat with Addie Levy about her vision for The G...
2024-09-2722 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNonprofit "leaps" into creating equitable food and farming systemBuzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill checks in with a nonprofit that recently made a giant "leap" – pun intended – by opening a new market stocked with locally grown produce and foods in an underserved neighborhood in Roanoke, Virginia. The mission of LEAP, or Local Environmental Agriculture Project, is to create an equitable food and farming system which prioritizes health and abundance by supporting community initiatives, markets, farms, and farmers. LEAP's newest venture is a standalone market in Roanoke's West End community. Here to talk about the project is executive director Maureen McNamara Best.Are you...
2024-09-1721 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingAdults with intellectual disabilities know No Bounds with nonprofitToday we’re buzzing about the nonprofit No Bounds, which provides educational resources and workforce training for individuals with intellectual disabilities. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with No Bounds' Aaron Hall, who shares the inspiring yet hard work they’re doing to give folks who suffer from autism, Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy the collegiate training and motivation they need to fulfill their professional ambition.We also share a sneak listen to our next new BUZZ television show starring the nonprofit Mountain View Humane, which provides high quality and low cost vete...
2024-08-2759 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingArts BUZZ: Musica y Cultura and Artemis JournalWe get artsy on today's Buzz4Good as BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill features a couple of major upcoming events: an new and exciting Hispanic music and cultural series, and the release of a local literary journal that has international reach and includes work by our country’s past poet laureate.Listen as we share our conversations with The Spot on Kirk's Kat Pascal and John Pence as they discuss "Musica y Cultura" that kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month. And we celebrate the 31st edition of The Artemis Journal by chatting with founder and editor-in-chief Jeri Rodgers.
2024-08-2259 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing for RADAR's 50th Anniversary providing nonprofit transportationSince 1974 the nonprofit RADAR has been providing the Roanoke Valley of Virginia with public transportation for folks who might otherwise be homebound due to disability or inability to own a vehicle. Today BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill chats with executive director Nathan Sanford on the eve of RADAR's 50th anniversary! His first question: what the heck does RADAR stand for?Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode....
2024-08-0519 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about government partnership with nonprofitsMost local governments appreciate nonprofits' work, but keep them at arms' length when it comes to fundraising. Not so in Bedford County, Virginia, where its Parks & Recreation Department creates fantastic community events that directly benefit its nonprofit community.On today's Buzz4Good, host Michael Hemphill talks with Lee Wittekind, Bedford County's Outdoor Events and Outreach Coordinator. On August 3, Wittekind is coordinating the inaugural Hairy Roubaix bicycle race to benefit Friends of the Bedford County Animal Shelter. He's also the driving force behind the Blue Ridge Bee Festival on September 14 in partnership with the YMCA of Bedford County.
2024-07-3118 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about Bryan "Harvest Blaque" HancockToday we are buzzing about nonprofit champion Bryan "Harvest Blaque" Hancock: spoken word artist phenom; hip hop musician extraordinaire; artist-in-residence at Carilion Clinic; youth development leader at Boys and Girls Clubs; writer/producer/director at the Hip Hop Lab at Jefferson Center; church deacon, DJ, and self-proclaimed supergeek.Bryan has starred in three episodes of BUZZ. Most famously he co-wrote and performed the song “It’s Here” that highlights Roanoke’s vibrant arts and culture scene and its importance in attracting new business to the region.On today's episode, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill revisits Bryan's work in...
2024-06-2100 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNonprofit Builds: Cemeteries, Pickleball, Homeless SheltersToday we’re buzzing about three wildly different capital campaigns that received a lot of buzz this week: a new Y that is being built inside shopping mall ... a restoration project in a historic African American cemetery ... and a new shelter to better serve the homeless. What do all three of these projects have in common? There’s all run by nonprofits! On today’s show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with the leaders of these three nonprofits: Mark Johnson of the YMCA of Virginia's Blue Ridge; Ellen Forbes Stick of Friends of Old Lick Cemeter...
2024-06-1059 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing for Cats & Caps: Nonprofits helping strays and high school graduatesToday we’re buzzing about cats and caps:Cats as in the overpopulation of feral cats. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to a Salem, Virginia, nonprofit that works to trap and neuter feral cats and then find homes where their rodent control expertise can be put to good use.And caps as in those worn by high school graduates. Helping them afford the next step in their education journey is a New River Valley nonprofit that provides free community college in exchange for community service. We'll share our conversations with the inspiring folks we're featuring in...
2024-05-1759 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingHonoring America’s first Black Ambassador Edward DudleyBuzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill introduces perhaps the most famous Roanoke, Virginia, citizen you’ve never heard of: Edward Dudley, a pioneering civil rights lawyer who became the first African-American ambassador in United States history. So unknown is Ambassador Dudley’s remarkable life that even Roanoke’s preeminent historian, former mayor Nelson Harris, wasn’t aware of it until he began researching an unrelated book about Roanoke in the 1940s. Here's Michael's conversation with Harris about Edward Dudley’s incredible legacy.Later on the show, we reminisce about our recent BUZZ concert featuring the phenomenal jazz and bluegrass...
2024-04-2059 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing for Nashville’s Addie Levy, Cole Ritter & Luca Chiappara of DominoIn addition to BUZZ, creator Michael Hemphill also works for the nonprofit Friends of the Blue Ridge, which recently introduced him to the multi-talented Addie Levy.Addie headlined Friends of the Blue Ridge’s’ ON THE RISE concerts featuring up-and-coming Bluegrass sensations. After one concert, Addie shared that she’d formed a Nashville-based trio called Domino, and hoped to find a place to perform in Roanoke, Va., on April 14.Well, Michael couldn’t pass up the opportunity to provide some buzz so he reached out to the Taubman Museum of Art, which graciously agreed t...
2024-04-0559 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingThe African American communities that urban renewal killedThere’s a lot of debate surrounding the legacy of slavery and segregation. Some may even question whether there’s still active racism. But if you happen to buzz down to Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art or Harrison Museum of African American Culture, you can see how discriminatory real estate practices from the past continue to impact Black Americans today. And that is due to a remarkable exhibit that both nonprofit museums are co-hosting: David Ramey: Gainsboro Road and Beyond. Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill chats with the curators of the exhibit, and the artist...
2024-03-2359 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingThe Nonprofit TimeBank: Earning interest in connectionWe’re often told that time is money. And in our economy, we value some people’s time more than others. Try paying an attorney or pro athlete the same as a teacher or artist.But in the New River Valley of Virginia, there’s a nonprofit that values everyone’s time equally, regardless of their skills or education or expertise, as a way of building community and fostering human connection. The hour it takes John Smith to chop up a tree can earn him a hour of social media training from Julia Thomas ... or an hour-long bourbon...
2024-03-0259 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingCreating ArtSpace in Roanoke, VirginiaFor Roanoke, Virginia entrepreneur and philanthropist Ed Walker, economic development is as much about building community as it is building business. Walker's latest project is his most ambitious ... and the most transformative in Roanoke's recent history: revitalizing an old 100-acre site comprising 20+ buildings totaling a million square feet just 1.5 miles from downtown into Riverdale.On today's Buzz4Good, creator Michael Hemphill talks to Amy McGinnis, who is part of Walker's team working to redevelop Riverdale. Part of her work involves recruiting the Minneapolis-based nonprofit ArtSpace to transform part of the property into affordable housing and...
2024-02-2525 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingTruth is Marching On: A nonprofit’s ongoing fight against the Confederacy"It's always been like a slap in the face," says Glenna Moore about the Confederate soldier statue in front of the Franklin County, Virginia courthouse.In honor of Black History Month, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with Moore and Cathie Cummins of the local NAACP, who have fought county officials in vain for years to remove the statue. Now they've changed battlefield tactics and are applying for funding from a "Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia" grant that Virginia Tech is coordinating with money from the Mellon Foundation. If successful, the NAACP chapter will create new monuments...
2024-02-1829 min
Mea CulpaYou know who hates you Donald? MAGA Granny Pam Hemphill... and many other!This is a really special interview, Mea Culpa is pleased to welcome Pam Hemphill to our show, the one-time “MAGA Grandma” from Idaho who stormed the Capitol on J6. She later turned herself in and went to prison for 60 days while battling cancer. Along the way, Hemphill woke up and rejected Trump and the MAGA movement. Realizing it was a cult and that she had been brainwashed. Pam even told Trump to stop using her story as a fundraising tool. And has since become an outspoken advocate for Democracy and recovering Trumpers. Hemphill is a self-proclaimed citizen journalist, who once...
2024-02-051h 23Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingIt's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas: Nonprofit holiday performancesWe're starting to celebrate the holiday season! Listen as Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill chats with two arts nonprofit leaders about the importance of Christmas performances for their annual budget: Ginger Poole of Mill Mountain Theatre, and Kim Davidson of the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir.Also, we're buzzing about bringing our TV show BUZZ to Alabama Public Television! In preparation for its premier December 15, 2023, get a "sneak listen" to part of the first episode starring the nonprofit COSPO, or Children of Slain Police Officers, which funds all college expenses for children who had a parent killed wh...
2023-12-0859 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBlue Ridge Jamboree features up-and-coming young artistsWe're buzzing about the Blue Ridge Jamboree: ON THE RISE showcase of up and coming musical talent on Nov. 2 at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, Va. The event is being hosted by the nonprofit Friends of the Blue Ridge, and Buzz4Good is proud to be the presenting sponsor. Today, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to – and enjoys the music of – four of the acts: Addie Levy, a 21-year-old artist who now splits her time between her home in Radford and Nashville; A Mighty Friendly Mountain band, made up of the Hello siblings from Floyd County; aspiring Broad...
2023-10-2059 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingStrolling on Straight Street: Nonprofit helps at-risk youthToday Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill taking a stroll down Straight Street with two leaders of the Roanoke nonprofit that ministers to teenagers who struggle with a variety of challenges, from broken families and disconnected parents to homelessness, even sex trafficking. Through a variety of ministries, the 25-year-old Straight Street nonprofit provides a positive Christian environment for at-risk youth. We’ll talk with director Keith Farmer and volunteer and development coordinator Stacy Boris.Keeping our focus on youth, we also preview an exciting event by Friends of the Blue Ridge: the “Blue Ridge Jamboree: On the Rise” talent...
2023-09-2358 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingCelebrating Our Inner Goddess with Artemis JournalOne of the primary objectives today for NASA is sending American women to the Moon. The name of the mission is Artemis. Artemis was the Greek mythological twin sister of Apollo – the mission name for the original moon landings – and the goddess of the Moon.Here on Earth, we’re celebrating on today’s Buzz4Good a different Artemis, but one just as lofty and inspiring: the 45th anniversary of Artemis Journal, which showcases the artists and poetry of the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond. On Sept. 1 Artemis hosted a release party at the Taubman Musuem in Roanoke...
2023-09-0255 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNIL for Good: Nonprofits that benefit from college athletes' name, image, likenessName, Image, Likeness has transformed college sports into the Wild West. But for some passionate Hokie fans, NIL has been incorporated into Virginia Tech's motto of Ut Prosim, That I May Serve, creating one of the most unique platforms in the country: The Hokie Way. Over the last few weeks, Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill shared conversations with head football coach Brent Pry, head women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks, star center Liz Kitley, Sean Pedulla from the men’s basketball team, and many more. You can listen to these conversations here.Today, we feature the...
2023-08-2559 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingFriendship: Nonprofit senior living communitiesBuzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill introduces a new sponsor to BUZZ whose mission is one that impacts – or will impact – all of us: retirement and growing old.Since 1966, Friendship has provided a friendly, safe, and comfortable place for Roanoke Valley residents to live healthier, fuller lives. Michael talks to Friendship president and CEO Joe Hoff about Friendship’s history and mission in the Roanoke Valley, and its recent acquisition of Richfield Living. They also chat about how the senior living experience has evolved through the decades, and what the future holds for this growing industry that we all ho...
2023-08-2159 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNIL (Name, Image, Likeness) for NonprofitsOn today’s show Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill presents a treat for all sports fans and, in particular, for those who cheer on the Virginia Tech Hokies. College football kicks off in a few weeks, but for nonprofits in Southwest Virginia there’s as much enthusiasm for what Virginia Tech’s football players have been doing off the field as they’re on the field achievements.That’s due to The Hokie Way. The Hokie Way provides NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals and money to Hokie student-athletes, who in turn use their brands to pr...
2023-08-1159 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingDying Well: Nonprofit hospice "is not a scary thing"Nonprofits are often awarded grants for their work contributing to a community’s quality of life.But how about quality of death? Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill features Good Samaritan Hospice, which earlier this month received the largest grant ever given by Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia: $500,000 for the first hospice house in the region.“Hospice is not a scary thing,” says Good Sam CEO Aaron Housch. “Hospice and palliative care is you choosing the way you want your final months to be, and in control of those the best you can, surrounded by the p...
2023-07-2800 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMasterpieces: Nonprofits serving individuals with intellectual disabilitiesThe American Disabilities Act ensures that people with disabilities have access to public facilities in our country. But for our brothers and sisters with an intellectual disability – those on the autism spectrium, those with Down Syndrome, or a traumatic brain injury – when it comes to ensuring opportunities for meaningful employment, independent living, and a community of enriching relationships, that’s unfortunately left to their families and caregivers.And, thankfully, nonprofits. On today’s show, Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill features three nonprofits – Masterpiece Alliance, No Bounds, and Chris’s Coffee & Custard – that serve and inspire adu...
2023-07-2100 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBuzzing about JuneteenthBuzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill celebrates Juneteenth with conversations with Kiana Price Marshall and Abby Hamilton with the United Way of the Roanoke Valley, who are participating in Juneteenth celebrations in Roanoke, Virginia. And he chats with friend of BUZZ Bruce C. Bryan who, as a middle-aged white guy, talks about why his marketing agency 5Points Creative will be closed Monday in honor of a holiday that celebrates Black American independence in the U.S.
2023-06-1659 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingFighting the Pipeline: Nonprofit activist finds power with POWHRHere on Buzz4Good we often feature the nonprofit's mission. But today we focus as much on the life story – and world view – of one particular person who works for a nonprofit, Crystal Mello, a community organizer for Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights or POWHR, which has been one of the most influential opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill's conversation with Crystal highlights POWHR's fight against MVP, which got national attention this week as a controversial addition to the federal debt-ceiling bill that got passed by Congress. But just as i...
2023-06-0256 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMemorial Day Special: Nonprofits Caring for VeteransHere on Memorial Day weekend Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill features four nonprofits that serve veterans: Healing Strides of VirginiaThe Least of These homeless ministryTotal Action for ProgressStop Soldier Suicide. Michael praises the missions of these organizations, which work each day to help veterans with housing, food, transportation and healing and, in the extreme, from harming themselves. Michael also explores why these nonprofits are needed in a country that claims to value the service of those sent overseas to fight our wars. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help pro...
2023-05-2700 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBallet is Good Business: The Arts & Economic DevelopmentWhat does ballet have to do with big business? That’s the question Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill asks in our exploration of the role the Arts play in stimulating a city’s economic development efforts.He talks to Mike Friedlander who leads the Fralin Biomedical Research Intstitue at Virginia Tech; Olivia King, manager of Mast General in downtown Roanoke; Roanoke economic development director Marc Nelson, and many others on today’s show. And we preview the work we’ve been doing on our TV show BUZZ, in partnership with the Roanoke Cultural Endowment, to provide...
2023-05-1958 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingDifference Makers & World Changers: Keeping the flame of idealism alive after graduating collegeCollege can inspire in its students an idealism and desire to “make a difference in the world.” But here in commencement season, as graduates prepare to walk the stage to receive their diplomas, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill wonders if they will also take with them the passion and inspiration they found on campus to continue serving, creating and being a change for good? And so today we talk with nonprofit leader Ginny Ayers, whose nonprofit has benefited from college student volunteers, and entrepreneurial guru Mike Abbott for their advice to college graduates on keeping the flame of idea...
2023-05-0600 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingFrom Greed to Good: How Virginia Tech's unique NIL helps nonprofitsOn today’s show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks Name, Image and Likeness or NIL, which allows college athletes to earn what is estimated to be more than $1 billion in 2023. NIL has transformed college athletics and created a new world rife with cynicism and greed.But not at Virginia Tech … if The Hokie Way nonprofit has a say. What is The Hokie Way? Listen as Virginia Tech alumnus and superfan Jim Petrine shares how The Hokie Way is transforming NILs into vehicles for positive change ... and helping VT fulfill its mission of Ut Prosim, Latin for T...
2023-04-2800 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingPainted Violins: Creative Nonprofit FundraisersToday’s show features the richness of diversity of nonprofits in action. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to the leaders behind a creative “Painted Violins” fundraiser for Roanoke Symphony’s youth programs: a child abuse prevention event; and a rock-and-roll festival helping brain injury survivors. We also provide a sneak listen of our newest BUZZ television show starring Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley!
2023-04-2159 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingTips for Nonprofit Giving DaysWe often relegate nonprofits and our charitable giving to the Christmas season when, perhaps, we ourselves feel more charitable. But the work of nonprofits isn’t confined to just the month of December. It’s year-round. On today’s show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill features two upcoming days when you can learn about — and hopefully support — hundreds of nonprofit organizations that are working daily to enhance the quality of life in our community.To talk up GIVE Roanoke on April 19 and Give Local NRV on June 28-29, we chat with the event organizers: Alison Jorgenson of Council...
2023-04-0800 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingAre Women Better Nonprofit Leaders?Our last Buzz4Good, “Why Women Lead Nonprofits,” was our most popular yet, garnering twice as many downloads as our previous high. On today’s show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill digs deeper to explore not only what makes women good nonprofit leaders but, in some cases, what makes them more effective than men.We feature conversations with:Dawn Sandoval, executive director of The Least of These Ministry, which helps the homeless in Roanoke, and preview our 30th episode of our TV show BUZZ that airs March 29 on Blue Ridge PBS.Karen Pillis, executive director of the...
2023-03-1759 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingWhy Women Lead NonprofitsLast time on Buzz4Good we celebrated Women’s History Month by talking with leaders of two giving circles — the Roanoke Women’s Foundation and 100+ Women Who Care NRV — about “Why Women Give.”Today we continue this conversation by talking to women who lead nonprofits to find out about the nature and nurture that inspired their work. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with:Carol Young of Healing Strides of Virginia Ginny Ayers, Literacy Volunteers of the New River ValleyJodi Judge, Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia Lisa O’Neill, Angels of AssisiMelissa Woodson of Roanoke Area Ministry’s RAM H...
2023-03-1159 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingWomen Who Give: Why nonprofit philanthropy is powered by womenMarch is Women’s History Month and so on today’s show Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill features the work of two women’s philanthropies in Southwest Virginia – the Roanoke Women’s Foundation and 100+ Women Who Care New River Valley. Collectively, through what are known as giving circles, these two organizations are arguably having the biggest impact on nonprofits in the region.One question in partcular we discuss: what is it about women that make them uniquely suited to creating and sustaining these funding organizations? Or put another way … men, where you at?Are you a nonprofit w...
2023-02-1758 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBlack History Month: Celebrating nonprofits that promote African American heritageHere in the midst of Black History Month, Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill revisits nonprofit conversations that highlight three distinct yet common experiences involving Black Americans that tells more than just Black history but the history of all Americans in our United States.From the Christiansburg Institute founded in the aftermath of the Civil War to World War II and the famed Tuskegee Airmen to today's Black Father Family Initiative, our special Black History Month show features three moments in our nation’s history in which Black Americans have had to struggle against and overcome institutional racism an...
2023-02-1000 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingCorrections to Connections: Nonprofits helping inmate familiesDeanna Cox learned too well the financial burden of our country’s correctional system out of her son’s anguished personal story. From $4/minute phone calls, pricey food, snacks and toiletries, the bills rack up quickly for families who want to stay connected, and help, their incarcerated relatives. On today’s Buzz4Good, creator Michael Hemphill shares Deanna’s commitment to helping other families thorough her nonprofit, Inmate Family Assistance of the New River Valley.We also share some of our newest BUZZ television show starring Roanoke City Public Schools arts program. And we look ahead to...
2023-01-281h 00
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBlood Donations & Black American HistoryJanuary is both National Blood Donor Month and when we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So on today’s Buzz4Good, creator Michael Hemphill features nonprofit organizations celebrating both causes. He chats with the American Red Cross of Southwest Virginia in hopes you’ll be inspired to give the gift of life with the gift of blood. And he buzzes about an upcoming event in February celebrating the Christiansburg Institute as we kick off Black History Month. Learn why you should care about this incredibly important — yet still largely unknown — piece of Virginia history. Are you a...
2023-01-1459 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingCould you have helped a Damar Hamlin? Meet the nonprofit Compress & Shock FoundationOn the last Monday Night Football, millions across the country witnessed the horrifying spectacle of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffer cardiac arrest. Saving his life was the quick response of medical professionals on the field who performed CPR and used a defibrillator to shock his heart back into rhythm. On today's Buzz4Good, host Michael Hemphill reshares his conversation with Dr. Karen Perkins of the nonprofit Compress and Shock Foundation so that listeners are better aware and equipped to act as first responders to someone suffering a cardiac event.We also share some audio...
2023-01-0600 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingThe Legend of the Tuskegee Airmen + Happy New YearA found $5 bill in an Iowa field paid for Luther Smith’s first plane ride in the 1930s – a life-changing moment for the Black American teenager that led him to joining the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. His service inspired his son Gordon Smith to become an expert on the fighter group and speak around the U.S. On today's Buzz4Good, host Michael Hemphill talks with Gordon Smith about his upcoming “Legend of the Tuskegee Airmen” presentation on January 6 at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture in Roanoke, Virginia.Are you a nonprofi...
2022-12-3035 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + Marketing#GivingTuesday tips to maximize nonprofit year-end donationsOn today’s show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill learns from two marketing experts how nonprofits can get the most out of #GivingTuesday and year-end contributions. We also showcase the incredible variety of these life-giving and community-building organizations by featuring the likes of:RAMP, a regional accelerator for tech and biotech startupsTheatricus Logos’ upcoming holiday production The Least of These Ministry which helps the homelessAnd a sneak audio peek into our newest BUZZ starring FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge, premiering Nov. 30 on Blue Ridge PBS.
2022-11-1900 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingNovember 12, 2022 - Making the most of your nonprofit's corporate sponsorOn today's Buzz4Good, creator Michael Hemphill previews the new "Construction Zone" exhibit at downtown Roanoke's children's museum, Kids Square, and shares lessons learned about engaging corporate sponsors to help fulfill a nonprofit's mission.Don't just ask local businesses for sponsorship dollars. Align your nonprofit's mission with theirs! In creating its newest exhibit, Kids Square relied on the talent and expertise – in addition to funding – of The Branch Group construction firm and Carter Machinery to build the incredible interactive attraction. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing prob...
2022-11-1130 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingOctober 29, 2022 - Hallowheels & Jamborees: Nonprofit fundraisers that highlight the missionOn today’s show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill highlights two incredible fundraising events that not only benefit two equally incredible nonprofits but perfectly showcase their respective missions: Children’s Assistive Technology Service, whose Hallowheels fundraising kicks off Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 4. FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge, which on Nov. 5 is hosting its first ever Blue Ridge Jamboree with a “Doc Watson sat 100” tribute concert featuring guitar greats Wayne Henderson, Jack Hinshelwood, T. Michael Coleman and Jack Lawrence. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contac...
2022-10-2800 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingOctober 7, 2022 - Compress & Shock: life-saving nonprofits you hope to never useOn today’s show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill features a nonprofit whose services we hope you'll never have to use. But in the unfortunate event that you do, the Compress & Shock Foundation gives you the tools and skills to save a life.Here on our first episode of Season 2 of Buzz4Good, listen now to Michael's conversation with Dr. Karen Perkins, Compress & Shock vice director.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode.
2022-10-0731 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSeptember 22, 2022 - How to start a nonprofit newspaper: Happy Birthday, Cardinal News!Today's show takes BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill back to his first job in Virginia when he was a cub reporter at The Roanoke Times. Michael chats and swaps some war stories with his former editor, Dwayne Yancey, who is now the executive editor of Cardinal News, the nonprofit news source for Southwest and Southside Virginia. On Tuesday, Sept. 27, Cardinal News celebrates its first birthday, so Michael reached out to Dwayne and Cardinal’s executive director Luanne Rife, to learn more about the challenges of launching a nonprofit news site, the impact that Cardinal News has had throughout Virg...
2022-09-2246 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSeptember 19, 2022 - Securing the Corporate Sponsor: A conversation with Freedom First Credit UnionSo many nonprofit leaders who are passionate about their mission get frustrated when they’re unsuccessful attracting businesses to their cause. In today's episode, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to Steve Hildebrand, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at Freedom First Credit Union, among the most philanthropic companies in the region. Steve shares the do's and don't's of pitching a corporation, and offers tips to help nonprofits better position themselves to approach potential sponsors.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fi...
2022-09-1930 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSeptember 15, 2022 - Nonprofits celebrating Hispanic Heritage MonthWe're celebrating the start of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) with an interview featuring the founders of Latinas Network, a nonprofit that provides entrepreneurial resources and support for Hispanic women. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill also chats with Kat Pascal and Iliana Sepulveda about public events happening throughout Southwest Virginia to celebrate Hispanic Heritage, and learns why the celebration spans half of two months. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode.
2022-09-1528 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSeptember 10, 2022 - Nonprofit Grant-Writing 101On today’s show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to his good friend and professional grant writer Lori McAnnally, owner of Write On, who provides invaluable grant writing tips and tools to help nonprofits secure vital foundation dollars. Lori recently secured a grant for Buzz4Good to produce two episodes of the TV show BUZZ featuring Saint Francis Service Dogs and West End Center. Also Buzz4Good co-host Carrie Cousins, director of marketing at LeadPoint Digital, offers up a new installment of “No Budget Marketing Minute.”
2022-09-0959 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSeptember 3, 2022 - Saint Francis Service Dogs & Doc Watson revisitedOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill previews the next new BUZZ television show starring Saint Francis Service Dogs. And he revisits his recent radio show on the Blue Ridge Jamboree, a fundraising concert for the nonprofit FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge, featuring "Doc Watson at 100" as performed by Wayne Henderson, Jack Lawrence, T. Michael Coleman and Jack Hinshelwood.About BUZZ and Saint Francis Service Dogs:For more than 150 year, Virginians with disabilities, dogs are not only best friends, they literally make life meaningful and possible. Since 1996, Saint Francis Service Dogs has provided...
2022-09-0200 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingAugust 20, 2022 - Back to School Special: Nonprofits providing after-school programsIt’s that time of year when millions of children across the U.S. return to school. On today’s Buzz4Good Back to School special, we feature three nonprofits that provide incredible after school programs that help parents by providing a safe, enriching refuge for their kids while they finish their workdays … and help children become better students, better leaders, even better filmmakers!Listen to BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill's conversations with Karen Pillis, executive director of West End Center, and Michelle Davis, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia.And hear...
2022-08-2000 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingAugust 6, 2022 - "Doc Watson at 100" and the Blue Ridge JamboreeOn today’s show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill features the music and legend of Doc Watson as an all-star lineup of musicians – Wayne Henderson, Jack Lawrence, T. Michael Coleman and Jack Hinshelwood, joined by East Tennessee State University Appalachian Studies professor Ted Olson – prepare to perform at the first ever Blue Ridge Jamboree in Roanoke, Virginia, on November 5, and Asheville, North Carolina on March 25. We also introduce you to the nonprofit that has created the Blue Ridge Jamboree – FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge – whose mission is building better community throughout the Blue Ridge region of Virginia and North Carol...
2022-08-0559 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJuly 30, 2022 - Arts Nonprofits that HealToday’s show features nonprofits that use the arts to help people suffering from psychological, spiritual and physical illnesses. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill shares portions of his newest PBS TV episode that focuses on “the healing arts” and connects with two of the leading voices involved who helped envision this show: Shaleen Powell, executive director of the Roanoke Cultural Endowment, and Douglas Jackson, Arts & Cultural Coordinator for Roanoke, Virginia.
2022-07-2957 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJuly 23, 2022 - It's a Jungle Out There: Nonprofits Enhancing Entrepreneurial & Environmental EcosystemsOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to the leaders of VERGE, the nonprofit that houses the Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council and RAMP. These organizations help technology entrepreneurs accelerate their startups and grow their businesses. Interestingly, in a tech space traditionally dominated by men, VERGE's leadership is all women.Co-host Carrie Cousins offers marketing tips for membership-based nonprofits like the technology council.We also revisit Mill Mountain Zoo, the star of Episode 3 of BUZZ back in August 2020. At the time MMZ was experiencing an identity crisis because its leaders felt like the word "zoo"...
2022-07-2259 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJuly 16, 2022 - Why marketing agencies give to nonprofitsOn today's Buzz4Good, host Michael Hemphill talks with Greg Brock, CEO of Firefli digital marketing agency about the company's launch of Firefli Gives, a grant-based initiative aimed at helping nonprofits in Southwest Virginia thrive online.And proof that nonprofits really do everything in our society, Michael previews these two new episodes of BUZZ television show:Airing July 27 on PBS, BUZZ features arts organizations – including Carilion Clinic, Roanoke Symphony, Taubman Museum, 5 Points Music Sanctuary and Roanoke Cultural Endowment – working in "the healing arts." To kick off Season 3 on BUZZ, on August 10 we highlight the Emmy award-winning Grand...
2022-07-1559 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingFourth of July Special: Boys & Girls Club & Brain Injury ServicesOn today's Buzz4Good, host Michael Hemphill celebrates Independence Day with a conversation with former Roanoke City Council member and Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Virginia CEO Michelle Davis. On July 4, the nonprofit hosts its annual fundraiser: Four on the 4th.Michelle shares her reflections from her time on City Council and how it shaped her work today as a nonprofit leader. And she talks about the vital work being done to impact boys and girls for the rest of their lives.Later in the episode we share portions of our newest BUZZ TV show...
2022-07-0100 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJune 19, 2022 - Father's Day Special features Black Father Family InitiativeFor this Father's Day special, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to the leaders behind Black Father Family Initiative: founder Ryan Bell and United Way of the Roanoke Valley president Abby Hamilton. They talk fatherhood and in particular one question: why the initiative's emphasis on Black Fathers? We also offer another sneak peek into our newest BUZZ television show featuring Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia, which debuts June 29 on Blue Ridge PBS.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and...
2022-06-1759 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJune 11, 2022 - Gun Control Nonprofits: Stemming the flow of firearms fatalitiesAs a professor in Norris Hall, Catherine Koebel's father would have been a victim of Virginia Tech's 2007 mass shooting had his class started an hour earlier. Brenda Hale wasn't as lucky: when she was a little girl, her father fatally shot her mother.Now both have teamed up to launch an aspiring nonprofit – Groceries Not Guns – that seeks to stem this cycle of death one household at a time. Groceries Not Guns, along with the Roanoke chapter of the NAACP and Roanoke Quaker Meeting, is coordinating a buyback on June 25. While mass shootings like the trage...
2022-06-1058 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingJune 4, 2022 - Nonprofit's Public Healing ArtsIt can be challenging enough for someone to create an artistic experience. It's something else entirely to secure the marketing and funding support to get the art in the public eye.In today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill visits the Taubman Museum to learn about its "Healing Ceiling Tiles" project, which will be featured in an upcoming episode of BUZZ on PBS. And he attends the Roanoke Arts Commission's announcement of the first ever ART MATTERS award recipients, which provide $3,000 grants to the following public art initiatives:Charlie Brouwer | The Benediction Project
2022-06-0359 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMay 14, 2022 - Great Expectations: Nonprofit helps foster children graduate collegeIn honor of graduation season, we highlight an amazing college graduate ... and the nonprofit that helped her and thousands of other former Virginia foster care children achieve their college dreams. In today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill interviews: Dr. Jennifer Gentry, executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.Dr. Rachel Strawn, Great Expectations Program Director for the Virginia Community College System.And Andrea Laney, a 20-year-old Tazewell County former foster child who graduated Southwest Virginia Community College thanks to Great Expectations.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help p...
2022-05-1357 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMay 7, 2022 - Mother's Day Special featuring Nonprofits Serving MomsWe celebrate Moms on this Mother's Day Special episode of Buzz4Good! BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill shares his conversations with:Huddle Up Moms director of community outreach Kim Butterfield. Huddle Up Moms began in Southwest Virginia with the mission of empowering mothers through education, connection, and support.Blue Ridge Women's Center, which provides resources for women encountering an unexpected pregnancy. BUZZ featured BRWC in April 2021 on Blue Ridge PBS.And accompanying today's show, we play selections from the Roanoke Valley Children's Choir Spring 2022 Concert.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help...
2022-05-0658 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingApril 30, 2022 - Celebrating Cinco de Mayo | Hispanic Nonprofits & 5Points CreativeYes, we know Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is just a minor Mexican holiday that's become Americanized. But on today's show, Buzz4Good creator Michael Hemphill uses the day to:Highlight a slice of Southwest Virginia's Hispanic community with a conversation featuring Kat Pascal and Illiana Sepulveda, co-founders of Latinas Network, which supports Latina Women with business development, professional development, and representation.Catch up with Bruce C. Bryan, president and owner of 5Points Creative. a full-service marketing agency that has helped several nonprofits on BUZZ ... and celebrates 5/5 like no other.And AAF Roanoke president Carrie Cousins offers a Cinco...
2022-04-2900 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingApril 23, 2022 - Earth Day NonprofitsIn honor of Earth Day, today's show features nonprofits whose mission is environmental conservation and outdoor recreation – along with a for-profit business that's helping support their work. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks with:New River Land Trust, which helps landowners preserve the rural character of their property in perpetuity.LEAP (Local Environmental Agricultural Project), which manages farmer's markets, mobile markets, community gardens and a community kitchen in support of local growers and low-income consumers.Southwest Native, which is donating a portion of proceeds in April 2022 to support the environmental work of FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge.Clean Valley Co...
2022-04-2200 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingApril 16, 2022 - Grandin Theatre, GIVE Roanoke, Least of These Ministry, Healing ArtsOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill remembers the tragedy at Virginia Tech that took place 15 years ago on April 16, 2007. He also:Talks with Ian Fortier, executive director of the Grandin Theatre, which is celebrating its 90th birthday. Learns about The Least of These Ministry, which helps fill in some gaps for individuals experiencing homelessness. Explores with Roanoke Cultural Endowment executive director Shaleen Powell the “Healing Arts” — the theme of an upcoming BUZZ episode. And promotes GIVE Roanoke, coming up April 20 and coordinated by the Council of Community Resources. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could h...
2022-04-1559 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingApril 9, 2022 - BUZZing about Walk for Life, RAMP, GIVE RoanokeOn today's show BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill celebrates 5 years of RAMP with director Mary Miller and chats with Blue Ridge Women's Center on its May 7 Walk for Life. Also:We highlight 16 different nonprofits participating in the inaugural GIVE Roanoke on April 20 coordinated by Council of Community Services.We promote our community watch party on April 13 for our new TV episode on Virginia Children's Theatre and Tudor House.And AAF Roanoke president Carrie Cousins shares her latest installment of "No Budget Marketing Minute."Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing...
2022-04-081h 00
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingApril 2, 2022 - People We Serve: Featuring your clients at your next nonprofit fundraiserOn today's show, BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill praises a recent fundraiser he attended in support of Virginia Children's Theatre, which made its clients, rather than its leadership, the stars of the show.Plus:FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge executive director Julie Whalen shares her nonprofit's 2021 pivot to embrace our entire region, which included an inspiring partnership with Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM).We talk up the Blue Ridge Marathon, and its impact on local nonprofits.And AAF Roanoke president Carrie Cousins shares her latest installment of "No Budget Marketing Minute."Are you a nonprofit with an event...
2022-04-0200 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMarch 26, 2022 - Healing through Horror: suicide inspires new nonprofitOn today’s show we feature a nonprofit that was bourn out of incredible tragedy: the 2020 suicide of a Roanoke, Virginia icon, Louis Tudor. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill shares his conversations with Louis’ wife, Jessica, and two of the guiding lights of the nonprofit created in his honor and memory, Tudor House. Michael also features the marketing agency who helped Tudor House create a new website: Nero Digital Design, owned by Michael Craighead.We also share the work of the Council of Community Services, which is busily preparing for the first ever GIVE Roanoke day on April 20. Mark...
2022-03-2600 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingMarch 12, 2022 - Nonprofit Event Marketing in post-COVID(ish) WorldWhile COVID cases are in decline, its impact on in-person events will remain with us for a long, long time. In today's episode, AAF Roanoke president Carrie Cousins and BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill share some marketing tips to help nonprofits more effectively promote their fundraising events.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FOLLOW US:
2022-03-121h 00
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingBUZZing about Building Beloved CommunitiesExcerpted from our Buzz4Good! radio show ...EMPOWERMENT. BADASSERY. INSPIRATION. MENTORSHIP. These are the 4 values of Building Beloved Communities, which provides community-centered solutions for small businesses, delivers expert business solutions for nonprofits, and creates community-minded leaders through training and educational workshops. BUZZ creator Michael Hemphill talks to company founder Bonnie Chavez and and director of operations Shannon Dominguez about how they're building beloved communities across Virginia and the United States.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and w...
2022-02-1428 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingHelp for Hosting Hybrid and Virtual Nonprofit Fundraising EventsAt the start of the pandemic in spring 2020, fundraising events for nonprofits, like everything else, went all virtual. Since then, many if not most events have either stayed virtual or adopted a hybrid model that allows a nonprofit’s friends and fans to attend in person or online. Buzz4Good host Michael Hemphill recently reconnected with Brooke Battle, a classmate at Birmingham-Southern College, who way back in 2012 started Swell Fundraising in Birmingham, Alabama. At the time … well, Swell Fundraising was ahead of its time when it came to helping nonprofits with virtual and hybrid events. Today...
2022-01-1322 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + Marketing3 New Year's Nonprofit Marketing ResolutionsExcerpted from our Buzz4Good! radio show ... digital marketing specialist Carrie Cousins shares 3 New Year's resolutions to help nonprofits attract more donors, volunteers and clients to their cause. Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode....
2022-01-0809 min
Buzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingChristmas Special - Holiday Music by our NonprofitsMerry Christmas! Instead of our usual show featuring marketing tips and tools for nonprofits, today we feature recent musical performances by our region's nonprofit community.So in this hour, we share with you performances from the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Opera Roanoke, Blacksburg Children’s Chorale, Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir, Blacksburg United Methodist Church, Our Lady of Nazareth, Roanoke Catholic School and Patrick Henry High School. We hope you enjoy our nonprofits' sounds of the season as well as a wonderful Christmas, and that we all commit ourselves to being even more of a bu...
2021-12-2355 minBuzz4Good! Nonprofits + MarketingSpinning Your Best Nonprofit WebsiteExcerpted from our Buzz4Good! radio show ... digital marketing specialist Carrie Cousins shares some simple steps to help nonprofits spin better websites to attract more donors, volunteers and clients to their cause.Are you a nonprofit with an event that we could help promote? Or a marketing problem we could help fix? Contact us and we’ll share on an upcoming episode....
2021-12-1824 min