The Mark White Show

On this Make a Difference Minute, Maria Singleton, senior loan officer with First South Farm Credit in Cullman, shares why supporting local events and businesses matters. After learning more about The Butcher - Meat Co. and the The Butcher's Smoke and Flames Barbeque Cookoff, Maria says the Smith family’s commitment to agriculture, farm-to-table food and their community made the event a natural fi...

A child should never have to miss school because they don’t have a pair of shoes. During my conversation with Lynn Worley, she shared that this is a reality her family has learned about through their work with Sole Sisters AL. Tonight, Lynn will share how a conversation with her three teenage daughters became a family effort to provide new shoes for young people across Alabama. We’ll talk about th...

A child should never have to miss school because they don’t have a pair of shoes. During my conversation with Lynn Worley, she shared that this is a reality her family has learned about through their work with Sole Sisters AL. Tonight on The Mark White Show, Lynn will share how a conversation with her three teenage daughters became a family effort to provide new shoes for young people across Alaba...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Lynn Worley shares how Sole Sisters AL is helping provide new shoes for young people in need. Children can outgrow shoes in a matter of months—or even weeks—and that expense doesn’t end when they leave elementary school. Lynn explains why middle and high school students, often wearing adult sizes, can face an even greater need as the cost of properly fitting shoes...

Multiple myeloma is personal to me. My granddad, who raised me, battled this disease, and it took his life in 1998. He was 69, & I was 18. Tonight, I’m joined by Tara, a nurse practitioner who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018, and Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Director of Myeloma Research at the HonorHealth Research Institute. Tara shares her experience of becoming a patient while having a backgr...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Director of Myeloma Research at HonorHealth Research Institute, as he helps us better understand multiple myeloma. Dr. Mikhael explains how this blood cancer develops in plasma cells within the bone marrow, how it can affect the body, including the kidneys, and what doctors mean when they describe multiple myeloma as “relapsed” or “refra...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Coach Gene Stallings shares what his son, John Mark “Johnny” Stallings, brought to his family and the lasting impact his life continues to have on others. Coach Stallings remembers the joy Johnny brought into his life and reflects on the many ways his legacy has been honored - from football facilities and playgrounds bearing his name to recognition from organizati...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m coming to you from Decatur, Alabama, at Mel's Sweet Treats with owner Melissa Cook. Melissa shares the mindset that helped her through the early years of building her business: if you’re going to do something, give it everything you have so you can look back knowing you truly tried. She also remembers one of those early customers who would stop by each morning...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Army veteran Michael Matthews shares what he wants others to understand about veterans returning home after experiencing combat. After being injured in Mosul, Michael says some of the biggest changes involved a heightened sensitivity to certain things and learning to live with the person he had become through those experiences. His message for families and friends...

Tonight, Melissa "Mel" Cook of Mel's Sweet Treats joins me on The Mark White Show! A heartfelt post from Melissa about the challenges facing small businesses caught my attention and led to this conversation. For nearly 25 years, her shop has helped people celebrate special occasions, say thank you, and bring a little sweetness to someone’s day. We’ll share the story behind Mel’s Sweet Treats, the...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks shares why documenting the lives and contributions of nurses matters. Nurses are often reluctant to talk about themselves or believe what they’ve done deserves recognition. As Dr. Hendricks puts it, though, if we don’t tell those stories, they can be lost. That belief helped lead to the book Alabama Notable Nurses, preserving the stor...

Tonight, U.S. Army veteran Michael Matthews shares a story of service, survival, isolation & the connection that helped change the direction of his life. Michael served three deployments to the Middle East. During a mission in Mosul, Iraq, he was severely injured in an attack. He awoke two weeks later in a hospital in Germany with a broken jaw, severe burns & injuries that required months of physi...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Dr. Gennifer Horton Moon joins me at the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guard State Conference in Cullman to talk about preserving the stories and traditions of nurses for future generations. For families who still have a loved one’s nursing cap, pin, lamp or other piece of their nursing history, Dr. Moon has a message: “Write it down.” She explains that preserving...

Tonight, I’m sharing more conversations from the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guards State Conference in Cullman, with Dr. Gennifer Horton Moon and Dr. Constance Hendricks joining me on The Mark White Show. Dr. Moon shares why her grandmother initially questioned her decision to become a nurse and how she eventually followed the family tradition of teaching, too. We discuss the difference simply...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m continuing to share stories from the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guard State Conference in Cullman. Amanda Simmons, founder and president of the Nurses Honor Guard of East Central Alabama, shares the story of Eunice Johnson, a nursing home nurse whose tribute reminded Amanda why this work matters. Not every nurse receives recognition for the work they do. So...

Tonight, I'm taking you to Cullman, Alabama, for the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guards State Conference, where nurses and families share why a lifetime of caring deserves to be remembered. Joining me is Kala McClendon Lash, conference emcee and founder of Quietus Nurse Honor Guard. Kala shares what inspired her to establish a chapter and how these tributes recognize the sacrifices of nurses and...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Frank Dillman shares what it meant to watch the Nurse Honor Guard pay tribute to his wife, Dorothea Anne Dillman. I spoke with Frank at the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guard State Conference in Cullman, where he described watching nurses who had barely known, or had never known, Dorothea honor her with genuine love & respect. This Make a Difference Minute is bro...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m coming to you from the inaugural Alabama Nurse Honor Guards State Conference in Cullman, Alabama, with Kala McClendon Lash, founder and chapter leader of Quietus Nurse Honor Guard. Kala shares what moved her to establish a Nurse Honor Guard in her area and the meaning behind the name Quietus, representing a nurse’s final discharge from this life. Her message t...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Meesha Emmett with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alabama Chapter, sharing encouragement for anyone who is struggling. Meesha reminds us that our lives and stories matter, that we aren’t alone, and that reaching out for help is a step we can take. If you or someone you love needs support, call or text 988 to connect with someone who will li...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Chase Woods, founder of Rocket City Adapted Athletics. Born with muscular dystrophy, Chase remembers reaching a point when he could no longer keep up with other kids in sports and began feeling isolated. At 15, an invitation to play wheelchair basketball gave him an opportunity that would ultimately help shape what he’s doing today. Now, through Rocket City...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Buffy Loveday with the Sumner County, Tennessee chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Buffy shares from her own childhood what it means to grow up without a bed and why providing one can mean so much more to a child than simply having somewhere to sleep. A bed can become a place of comfort, security and something that belongs to them. It’s why one reaction fr...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have JoHelene Patrick with the Alabama Kidney Foundation. As a former kidney patient herself, Jo Helen understands the importance of support, awareness and recognizing kidney disease before it progresses. She shares why people with diabetes or high blood pressure should talk with their healthcare provider about kidney health and the two simple tests—a blood test...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m sharing a thought about some of the decisions we make about ourselves when we’re young and why it may be worth revisiting them years later. You’ve changed & you’ve grown. Does that old conclusion still fit the person you are today? This Make a Difference Minute is brought to you by Athens Bible School, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our com...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I want to share a personal thought for anyone who has ever looked at what they’ve been through and wondered why life had to be so difficult. Some experiences are unfair & burdens are heavier than anyone should have to carry. We can acknowledge what happened & recognize how deeply it affected us without allowing it to determine everything that comes next. Our time...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have Kinsey Grace Canerday as she shares about Avie Gail's Adorning and the support they provide to families grieving the loss of a child. Through floral arrangements, financial assistance for funeral services and care packages, Avie Gail’s Adorning reminds grieving parents that they are seen, their children are remembered, and they do not have to walk through l...