The Heart of Morton: JoLynn Weiler on Volunteering, Community, and Making a Difference

Ever thought about volunteering but didn’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re curious about the impact volunteers have on Morton? In this episode of Morton MUSE & News, I sit down with the incredible JoLynn Weiler—lifelong Morton resident, community champion, and self-proclaimed volunteer expert (seriously, is there anything she doesn’t volunteer for?).

JoLynn shares why volunteering is the secret ingredient to Morton’s strong community spirit, how anyone (yes, even the busiest among us) can get involved, and the personal rewards that come with giving back. We cover everything from the Pumpkin Festival to St. Jude Runs, CASA advocacy, and even some behind-the-scenes stories that will have you ready to jump in and help.

If you’ve ever wanted to make a difference but weren’t sure how, this episode is your sign to take that first step! Tune in now, and let’s celebrate the people who make Morton the “Best Town Ever.”

🎧 Listen now and get inspired to get involved! #MortonMuse #MortonNews #Volunteering #CommunityMatters

Transcript

  

Welcome to Morton Muon News, where we bring you events, highlight the voices, and celebrate the unique charm of our community from local happenings and business spotlights to heartfelt interviews with people who make Morton special. This is your go-to source for staying connected with all things Morton. 

Tune in and let's discover what makes our town truly remarkable. One story at a time. 

All right. All right. I'm so excited today to be talking about volunteering in Morton. I have a guest here in front of me, Joly Weer of Morton, grew up in Morton, Morton Night. And you're gonna share with us hopefully some of the stories and things that motivate you about volunteering, where you volunteered before in the past, and and other ways for maybe other people to get involved in volunteering.

Welcome to Morton Music News. 

Thank you for having me. 

I'd like to start out with, a couple of quick rapid fire kinds of questions. Okay. And then get into a little bit of bio. So anybody who may be listening who may not know you well enough, you can kind of, tell them a little bit about yourself.

Okay. Rapid fire questions. Ready? Yes. Coffee or tea? Coffee. Coffee. Hot coffee. Hot coffee. Iced coffee in the summer? Nope. Always hot. Always hot. Got it. 90 degrees, 95 degrees. Okay. 

And I prefer Eli's. Okay. My favorite is Highlander. Alright. Except for in the winter. It's that Nutcracker. Have you ever had that 

Nutcracker?

Probably. I mean, I've had everything Eli's so taste like 

Christmas. It's so good. 

Yeah. I love those kinds of flavors that make you think of a season. Yes. And I think there's no other, like a Christmasy flavor. 

Yes. 

Let's go beach or mountains. Where do you wanna go?  

Both. 

You wanna go to both? 

I think they both have just really neat experiences.

Okay. But probably, oh,  I like the beach. If it's in the wintertime. Ah, yeah. Yeah. It depends on where you're in the year. Yeah. The mountains. That's a good answer. Offer more things to do. 

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Cats. That's a pretty quick answer. 

Like cats. I like cats. I have, we have four of them.

Okay. We have four. But if you had to pick four too, I would pick a dog. 

Lots of animals at home, right? Yes. Okay. Yes. Books or movies.  

Oh,  this is terrible. 'cause I was an English major. 

You're gonna say movie. I'm 

gonna say movie. 

Why? Why? 

You know?  Because it's quicker. I know that is Oh, books do grind.

Yeah. But I do enjoy an audio book. Yeah. Where I can listen and do something else. It's hard. It's hard to just sit and any more these days. Mm-hmm. 

Sure.  Introvert or extrovert? 

I think I'm a little bit of both. 

Okay. 

I really love people. Yeah. But I also really love just being with my family. 

I can relate to that. 

I love people just not all the time. 

Yeah. 

And I guess I don't, to be honest, love all people. 

You know? I love being around people who have the same kind of energy, who are just excited about doing things. They wanna encourage other people. I struggle with you know, complainers victim mentality. People working everything.

Yes.  Yours. Yeah. Yes. 

Yeah. It's tough to be around more than one EO  

or a chronic, 

or Yeah. Yeah. Chronically having to meet up with the same EO person. Yeah.  Well, that's our rapid fire questions. Now is the little segment about a quick background bio. Zip. Zip. Okay. Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Okay.

Well, I well, my family came to Morton before, you know, before I was born. Mm-hmm. My grandpa.  Bought a a Ford dealership here, Bob Murphy Ford. Oh. And then he passed away. But my grandma and mom and her brother and sisters stayed here in Morton. And  then my uncle actually bought my grandma sold the car dealership.

Okay. And then she inherited it? She, yes. Okay. And then my uncle bought it from the gentleman, bill Cason. Okay.  And so is today at Mike Murphy Ford? It is still Mike Murphy Ford. It's still Mike Murphy Ford. 

Cool. 

Yeah. So that's pretty, pretty cool. And then 

where's your dad come into the picture then?

So, my dad my, my parents met at a horse ranch in Pekin. 

Oh, that sounds romantic. 

Yeah. So my mom, my mom boarded there and my dad did trail guides and oh, and whatnot. And so, then so we went to, my brothers and I went to Blessed Sacrament School. Okay. From, well we started at pumpkin Place.

Oh. Which, um, is what it used to be across the street from Jefferson School. Okay. Now it's on Detroit Street. Right. And then so we went to preschool there, and then we went to Plus Sacrament and Morton High School and, I went to ISU Yeah. And was an English major. And you're a red bird. I'm a red bird, which I, that was the best choice for you mascot.

Oh no. I probably, oh, didn't love it there, but, but I was a blessed sacrament tar and then a Morton High School potter.  Yeah. So explain those in your lifetime when people are like, yeah, what were you guys, yeah. What's your mascot? 

Yeah. Less explanation the better. Yeah. 

Yeah. And then,  um, so yeah, being a red bird was like, yeah.

More of the norm. That was mascot. Yeah. And then  I was a teacher for a while and then I, you know, I've had various jobs over the years, which are fun. But I always said, but after ISU 

you came back. 

I did. To the 

area. 

Yep. Um, somewhere 

in here you're gonna meet your husband. 

Yeah. I actually met my husband at the same horse ranch.

So I had gone same 

horse ranch as, 

as my parents. 

The one that your mom and your dad worked at mm-hmm. And met at? 

Yep. 

You met him at 

I did. What? Yeah. So that's fun because I actually, we had horses when I was younger and then moved to town, so we let them go. But I always knew that wasn't the end of the country for me.

Mm-hmm. Just because I love it. Yeah. So I actually through volunteering for, I worked at a young life camp in North Carolina Okay. For when I was in college and I got to be a trail guide through the mountains. Oh, so fun. Which, I mean, it's volunteering in the sense we're. Like it was free room and food.

So you, I mean, you got paid just not 

right. You got paid room and board, right? Yeah. Compensated. Yeah, sure. And meals and Yeah. All that 

good. Meals too. You Oh, man. Camps have, you're making me jealous. 

I know, right. Trail Mountain, got up in the mountains, right? That's pretty cool. 

So when I came back from that summer then I  volunteered out at this horse ranch in Pekin as a trail guide, the 

one where your mom and your dad met.

And that's where I met Ryan. Oh, what? So yeah, 

you said Ryan, right? Mm-hmm. Okay. Yep. And then kiddos, 

we have three kids. Three kids, 14,  13, and 12 are their ages. So they're fun, they're awesome. 

And tell me a little bit about your current status as far as a business owner, right? Because you are part of a business here in town.

Yeah. Yep. Um, tell us a little bit about that. 

Rye opened a or started a hardscaping company, which would be like retaining walls. Paver patios. Okay. Sidewalks edging. Okay. He doesn't do like softscape, which would be planting plants. Yeah. But he does the architectural cool elements of hardscape and has some really neat projects around the area.

I bet, I bet. Yeah. There's a, he did a really neat thing and it's in Seaco. So when I was going to Lake Geneva last weekend with, is that a place 

Seaco? Did you just make that up? 

Seaco? No, it's a town. Oh, okay. It's a town. Sounds like some from a book to 39, but I can't remember the, is it Eureka? Okay.

It's like right outside of Eureka maybe. Okay. But on the way there is this wall and patio that he did. And I'm like, oh, there's where dad? There's daddy's. Yeah. Oh, dad did that. I so it's just funny 'cause when you pass things Yeah. I'm like, oh, you guys dad did that. They're little 

like pins in your memory of like, this project.

That project. Okay. Yeah. 

And our boys help a lot. Sometimes it's a pillar that, or a patio or a wall that they, that one of the boys helped. They helped with too. Family project. Yeah. They're really. They, I mean, our boys know how to drive equipment. Oh, 

cool. 

Do all the things. So, so you, at 

some point in time, you got out of education, you got into the business.

Yeah, I just, yep. I just decided I didn't wanna do that anymore. And 

all right. I hear you have an expertise also in volunteering. I 

love volunteering, which is 

kind of what brought you to the show, I think. Yes. All right. I didn't ask out on Facebook. Your husband popped in and said, you know, talk to my wife and you'll learn a thing or two about volunteering in Morton.

So where does that story, where does that journey start with you for volunteering? 

So when we were little, I think my first memory of volunteering was they did a, i what would it be called? Not a telethon, but maybe a marcha on Okay. Where we would go, my Aunt Jerry, I think my grandma had started it, but then my Aunt Jerry took it over.

It was a fundraiser for St. Jude, and we had these little envelopes. Remember what film used to come in? Like you'd go get your pictures developed 35 millimeter 

film. 

Yeah. But then you'd put it in that envelope and then they'd return it to you in a, in 

photograph paper form. 

Like an envelope?

No, yeah, just the envelope. So we would go to the, yeah. Different, we'd just knock on people's doors and be like, would you like to donate to St. Jude? Yeah. And they would give you money. Oh, wow. And you put it in the envelope and then you return it to the headquarters was at Mike Murphy Ford. Before. 

And this is your first memory of volunteering? Yes. Okay. How old were you? You a little kid? 

Yeah. Okay. I mean, we were probably like six. Okay. I, that's when I learned what no soliciting  meant on people's doors. No signs. I think people probably have those signs. More now than they did then. Yeah. But, 

um, you think so? 

Possibly? 

Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. I guess I don't really door 

to door. You don't, don't go door to Yeah. Cold call. Right? Right. Just knock, knock, cold, knock. Like, hello, 

here I am all, give me your money, please. Would you like to give us money? But people are very generous. Yeah. Um, so that was my first It's a, it's a feel good.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Especially when people come to knocking on your door and they're little kids and Oh, you know, you get the cuteness 

factor in there. Yeah. 

And I don't think there were door to door solicitors like there are maybe now. Yeah. And people weren't.  Necessarily, I don't wanna say that they're afraid to open their doors. 

Ah, yeah. But to a stranger maybe. Yeah. 

Different world back then. Yeah. We're talking early nineties, late eighties. I was, yeah. 

Late eighties. 

Late eighties. Okay. Yeah. So what other give us a little bit of a snapshot of the things that you volunteer for currently, or  like within the, like the last five years?

Yeah. Here in Martin. Yeah. 

Okay. So I I am a Chamber of Commerce ambassador. Okay. Which I love doing. Yeah. It is so fun. We have gotten to go to all kinds of different businesses to cheer them on. Oh. The ribbon cuttings are great. They used to do, this is like when a 

business first opens up in Morton, right?

Yep. Okay. Yep. They used to do a business after hours, which was, um, I remember those. Yeah. They were really cool. That's pre covid though. Yeah. I think a lot of things were pre covid changed, and then they kind of had a change. Because I also did a program called Leadership Morton. 

Okay. 

So 

also volunteering  

that you pay 

for.

Okay. But you volunteer to go through your business? Or just 

this is partnered with the high school, right? 

That is not, that's a Morton mentor. Oh. Which I actually do that too.  

Is there a thing that you don't volunteer for? 

Well, you know, I said in college. Yeah. Is there a way that you could volunteer to be a professor or can you major in professional volunteering?

Yeah. Because then you just kind of get a little taste of everything. Yeah. The Morton Mentor Program is fun. I enjoy that too. You can volunteer to be a mentor in your kind of area of expertise. Okay. So, interestingly enough, I, my, area expertise is I have the girls, I have two girls that are gonna be ve they would like to be veterinarians.

And that's your area 

of expertise? No. Oh,  but you're volunteering for it. But I know 

a lot of people. Okay. Okay. And I have, we have we have two ponies and a big horse and some goats and some pigs and a bunny. So maybe 

not like professionally, but Right. Anecdotally, right. This is your life experience.

Gotcha. 

Yeah, I was like, she said, no one has volunteered in the vet area. Would you be willing to fill that, to kind of do that and make some connections? And so, but then there's also, I. We as Morton Mentor and the mentees, we got to go to Midwest Food Bank and do a project there. I think tomorrow we're gonna tour precision planting.

Okay. Which is really neat because I've toured the new building, the new structure. Yeah. Mm-hmm. We got to do that with the ambassador group. Okay. So I love that you get kind of some inside scoop with the ambassadors. You get to see the inner workings of behind the curtain stuff. Yes. We went to the water tower or the water treatment plant.

Yeah, the new one. Okay. 

Have you ever been inside the water tower? 

The, no. 

Believe it or not, it's not filled from bottom to tower with water. Water. You can go in 

what? Are there like offices in there 

or? No, it's just like a big structure. Oh. And then at the top, 

yeah. 

Is. 

Did you go all the way to the top?

Were you able to look out? No, I'm afraid that's what I would like. Oh, okay. We won't do that then. 

But I got to go inside, which I thought was so cool. Yeah. And we got to go. Not many people can 

say that they've probably done that. 

Right. We got to go into the water where it gets treated to. Okay. And I made a post about it on my Facebook page and I said, all of the women in Morton should be very thankful for the water treatment plant, because otherwise we would have lots of wrinkles and orange hair.

Oh. 'cause our water, our aquifer Oh. Is very iron heavy. Civical iron. Okay. Yeah. So they have to, you know, get that, get, get that out outta there or else. And that 

stuff makes you orange 

iron. Yeah. 

Oh, okay. 

Yeah. We live in the country, so we have well water, which is but same aquifer. Right, right.

We to treat ours for Okay. That too. Otherwise it starts getting a little 

Right. So what I'm just I mean, I know for me and probably for each person individually, like. Bringing them to the doorstep of volunteering is a unique and personalized experience. What is it for you? Like, what inspires, motivates you to, I mean, 'cause you're volunteering in, I mean, count on your fingers, right?

Like in the fast last five years, what do you think? 

Um, I did St. Jude Prize five. I was a casa, which is a court appointed special advocate. Okay. Which I loved. That was very cool. 

Two, um,  chambers three. 

Chambers three. Um, 

the Morton Mentors four.  

I took some of our Blessed Sacrament school eighth graders to Sophia's Kitchen last year.

So five so that they could have that. That's a really neat volunteer experience. Is that 

feeding the needy? Yes. Is that right? Okay. Yes. 

They make two meals a day for the food compromised community and mm-hmm. There's no questions asked. You just come in and you can get a hot meal and you can, you still 

volunteer for St.

Jude? 

Um, the last couple years I wasn't able to because we go. On the same vacation every year. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And they, the dates change every so often mm-hmm. Due to the Olympics. Oh. Um, but this year, the St. Jude Morton run, well, it's the Memphis Run. Oh. But there's all these different satellite runs Yeah.

That you can be part of. So if you, you can sign up now. Oh. You can go to St. Jude runs and I, everything really you can find on Facebook and then get a link to. Right. But it is such a neat experience because it's more than just the day of the running. Mm-hmm. There's kids' Muddy madness. Oh, that's fun.

I've had that,  yeah. With my kiddos. It's so cool. And the it's neat because  I find that  different organizations will. So like if you, maybe you're a baseball team. Yeah. Or maybe you're a soccer team. They'll get a group together and they'll either volunteer to run in that muddy madness. Okay. Or they'll volunteer to help in a significant way for it, 

like preparing for the race and breaking it down and stuff.

Um, clean up. Okay. Serving food. Yeah. Okay. So I always think there's so many different opportunities within different events Yeah. That  people can bring. They can bring what they have to the, so you're 

saying that if you're, you know, get a family of a couple kids, you guys are involved in some events and activities throughout the course of the year.

You go to one of these events and you're like, wow, that was really, really neat. To keep your eyes open and to maybe find somebody inside of that organization to, to possibly get your foot in the door to volunteering. Yeah. And you can probably find that on Facebook really easily, right? 

Yep. I think so.

Okay. 

Is that's your go-to source is like hop on the Kids' Money Madness Facebook group or page? 

Yeah, I would say for that specifically. Okay. Probably go to the Morton satellite run. Okay. And then it'll link you to it, but it'll link you to the people too. Okay. So for St. Jude Morton specifically, you would contact I.

Tracy Bachman or Deb Harris. Perfect. Dropping some names. I like that. Yeah, they're awesome. Tracy's done it for a really long time. Okay. It's she does an excellent job. And with the chamber, if you don't wanna be an ambassador, because that I think is it's a commitment. You commit to do it for two years.

Okay. Through your business. That's a 

commitment. 

Yeah. And it's once a month for an hour. And then the extras are not mandatory, but if you can come to a ribbon cutting or if you can come to business after hours, which I, we, 

that once a month isn't a terrible amount. Right. That's great. That's manageable.

But the Chamber also hosts my favorite event. Ah, the Morton Pumpkin Festival. 

Oh, I heard that. They need volunteers. They always need volunteers. They always need volunteers, right. 

Yes. And you know what's really cool is that. You don't necessarily have to miss the pumpkin festival to volunteer. I think think people think that you have to volunteer the whole time.

Oh. And you don't. They do need a chairperson. For a couple of different aspects of it. Okay. So that's something that maybe your kids have grown and they're  not here. Maybe they they're gonna come back for the pumpkin festival. Yeah. I 

gotcha. But they're more independent. 

Yeah. But you have time on that Wednesday and Thursday to maybe 

oversee, 

oversee the food tent.

Okay. Or take a shift at the food tent. 

Yeah. Yeah. Or, 

I know the library handles the information tent, but they could utilize their volunteers to mm-hmm.  Be a part of that. Okay. So there's lots of different there's lots of different opportunities there. One thing that I love is they,  so for the setup. 

The, I believe it's the junior high PE classes. Okay. Come over and set the chairs up. 

Oh yeah. 

So it gives some of our students that an opportunity for, for many of 

the first opportunity Yeah. To volunteer to be part of something that's community wide. 

Yeah. Because it's not 

pretty cool, 

you know, volunteering doesn't have to be Right.

It's not your job. Right. You know, it's not your every day, all day. Right, right. And so you get to just experience what, being a small part of something big. Yeah. Because many hands, that's what I always say, many hands make light work. Oh yeah. If we all help, we've all heard that. It just goes by quickly. 

I wanna, I wanna go back to a question though, like, for you what is it that brings you to, to volunteering in the first place? Is it some sort of obligation? Is it obligatory? Is it a curiosity? Is it something that your mom did when you were little? And it's just something that reminds you of family, community?

I mean, all of these things. 

I think just being able to create, to be part of the creation of that like  feeling of goodness. Mm-hmm. You know, when people okay, so I plan, I helped plan our high school reunion. Mm-hmm. And I, one of the girls that lives here had mentioned that you know, like, well I don't know if she was having just hurt feelings or what, but we were talking about  the difference between like when you leave and, you know.  Or whether you stay, you mean after high school? Like after high school. Like, gotcha. So she, you know, I said, but if no one ever stayed and made that like magical feeling uhhuh for Morton, there wouldn't be that feeling. Oh. You know? Yeah. The people that are here love it here. Yeah. And love  making our community full of goodness.

Mm-hmm. And I think when people come home for the pumpkin festival or for the homecoming football game mm-hmm. Or whatever, there's all those like little unique things that they love mm-hmm. About Morton. 

And you're saying they wouldn't be there, 

they wouldn't be there otherwise, if there weren't people who maybe 

stayed 

and carried on the tradition of, you know, knowing what that, that goodness feels like.

I think you said it right there. Carried on the tradition. Yeah. Like if there's nobody there to fill the space between. Maybe say generations or families or whatever, then that torch, that tradition isn't passed on. Right? Right. It's more likely and susceptible to just like suddenly be dropped and changed and or maybe removed entirely.

Right? Yes. 

That is perfectly stated. 

Okay. And so that, is that part of it for you then is to make sure that these traditions stay so you, like, you continue to volunteer and, yes. Okay. And a little 

bit of it is curiosity. Okay. Because you 

did say something about seeing behind the curtains and, 

right.

Yeah. But also because Okay. Did you,  when you were in high school or college or junior high, did you ever take a career assessment? 

Yeah. Everybody, yeah. Take that little test, that questionnaire kind of thing, right? Multiple choice stuff. And it says you're gonna be, 

you're would be great at this. Yeah. Okay.

But you can't be your top 10. You can be one of 'em or two of 'em. I mean, you 

can't be all of them. 

You cannot be all of 'em. 

Right. 

And oh, 

I know where you're going. 

So you can get a taste of each of them though. Yeah. If you volunteer. 

Mm. So 

like for example, maybe you wanted to run a restaurant. Mm. Maybe that was part of your thing, but that just wasn't in the cards for you.

Yeah. Sophia's kitchen.  Boom. Because you get to see, I mean, well, it's like to run a restaurant. Yes. Yeah. Even though there's not like ordering and whatnot, but there's all the food prep, there's all the health department stuff. 

So would you dare to say that it's more advantageous to volunteer at a younger age?

Like it opens you up and exposes you to more ideas about career? I think so. I had never thought about that. 'cause I don't know too many kids who are like,  oh, I don't know, super inspired and motivated to do volunteering. And there are groups and sectors I'm sure. But I don't see it as I.

Like Morton Pumpkin Festival, I guess I see more of an adult led thing. Probably has to be, right? 

Yeah. I think that there, yeah. You do probably have to have a grownup Yeah. That is willing to help 

Right. But make those executive decisions. Right, 

And just oversee for safety. I mean there's, 

but it sounds like there's a pretty considerable advantage then for a kid to be able to get into more volunteering.

'cause then it kind of opens them up to  more, more possibilities. Yeah. 

I was I think I said that I was a casa a court Yeah. Appointed special advocate. And one of my career cruising things was social worker.  Oh. And so that, 

that's akin to that, right? 

Yeah, I, I think so. But you, you also get a taste of  the court system.

What social workers do, what foster parents do. Mm-hmm. The way that like, education fits into all of it. Okay. Yeah. And so it's, I mean, you have to be 18 to be a casa. Right. But but the experience and the knowledge that you gain 

very valuable. 

It's so valuable. 'cause I mean, it  maybe you don't, maybe you think that social workers is something that you would like to do, right?

But then that 

answers the question. Yeah. 

Once you get into it, you're like, oh, maybe this is more mm-hmm. Difficult than I thought, or, yes, I absolutely want to do this.  

How on a broader picture, like volunteering wise, like how what is its value in the community as a whole? I, I, I can imagine that like some communities maybe have a smaller size or maybe less organized that don't have as many volunteers.

What effect do you think on the whole, do you think volunteering does for the broader sense of the community?  

I think it brings people together. 

Okay. 

When people move into a community,  if it's a younger family, and maybe they're not tied into the school or sports system yet, I think volunteering is a great way to meet other people and meet other people with the same or similar, at least, right?



Curiosities. Yeah. Yeah. 

Or just excitements, you know? Mm-hmm. Morton has a, uh, what is it called? Morton Fine Arts Association. Okay. So they do the the music things. What is that? What do you mean? Is that called? Oh, no, it's at Ewood Park on like the Thursday. Oh, those concerts. Those summer concerts.

Yes, the summer concerts. Yeah. So they host those. Oh, I think in partnership with the Park district. Okay. Now don't,  that's maybe not entirely accurate. Not exactly accurate. Something close to that. I'm like, I'm like, mm. Yeah. 85% sure. Okay. The Park District and the Morton Finance, well, it's a park district facility, so there's gotta be some Right, 

right.

Communication there. Yeah. 

But if you love music, maybe you were in the band as ah, a high school or Yeah. You know, junior high kid, and then after that your music  experiences kind of ended because there wasn't a set right. Thing that you could be part of. Right. But this is a way that you can share that, be part of that.

Okay. I mean, if anything, it ties you in with other people who have the same schedule as you. If you're volunteering, you're new to the area and you're like, Hey, I want to get my kids involved. I think I'd like to be involved, see what this community's about. Right. And then you show up on day one and they're like, Hey, this is our schedule.

This is what we're gonna do. You're at least in it with people who have the same availability as you. And if they've got kids and you've got kids, then suddenly there's opportunities there to do play dates at the park or, you know, go get ice cream afterwards or whatever. 



Yeah.  

And I think that people can cre create their own. 

They can create their own I don't wanna say like nonprofits, but they could, they could if they're interested in that Yeah. And they causes, yeah. Yeah.  You know, which then  lends to volunteering. I do think sometimes it's difficult to get volunteers. Maybe because people don't know about, or are not sure like what opportunities there are out there.

Right. 

Let's talk about that. Yeah. I mean, you do, you seem to be doing a very good job of getting yourself informed. So what would a person need to do? I mean, you did mention Facebook earlier, is that Yeah. That's gotta be a leading way. 

I think it's a great way. Mostly because there's always a link.

But now  I would say that maybe I am a, I don't wanna say the older generation. Yeah. But I.  Some of the younger kids are like, no, Facebook is not. Oh, it's dead. I don't know. Oh, they, I think they use the Gram. The Gram and TikTok and, but I don't think Facebook is the,  what was that one thing called? The Facebook is not Becoming MySpace.

Oh, whoa, man. What was his name? Tom. That Tom was looking at you over the whiteboard and he was all like, yeah, I'll be your first friend.  Yeah. Oh, Tom, I wonder what Tom's up to now. 

I know. 

Yeah. Probably living it up. Probably somebody bought my space. Right. Does my space still exist? I 

don't know. 

Oh, it's got to, 

okay.

We'll have to deep. It's, it's in the back corner with a 

OL just kicking it, playing checkers. 

Right. What happened to all the people with a OL? Did they not have emails anymore? I don't 

know. I still have a Hotmail. I don't know that I've ever used it though. I don't know if I have a Hotmail. Yeah. Microsoft owns that one I think.

Okay. Yeah.  Yeah. 

So if not Facebook and you're a younger generation, I mean, how are you gonna go try and get involved or informed.  Dunno, I don't know. Okay. 'cause you, you don't, you don't go that route. I don't go that route. They're just have to gonna, they're gonna have to pull up their big kid pants and go to Facebook.

Go to Facebook, but also just go to Yellow Pages and look at page 14. Right. 

As a, as an adult though, I think that  when you personally ask someone, Hey, I'd be like, Hey Ben, do you think you and Katie and your kids would be able to, or be willing to come to, this and do this for an hour.

When I ask you one, I'm making a connection with you and your family. And  also maybe you didn't know about that opportunity right before sharing 

information as well. Right. 

Right. So like for example, Ryan and I are the chairpersons of the family fun patch during the Morton Pumpkin Festival. 

Another volunteer thing.

Yes. Which if you do not know where that's at, it is in, it's called Church Square. 

The old parking lot of the AC church. Yep. Yeah. 

Okay. And it, it's just got, it has some free activities for families. Oh, okay. It's nice because it's a little bit quieter over there. Oh. Slid up. You can do the Libby's tent where you, it's like low stimulation area, I think.

Yes. Okay. There's a tractor that we bring and Oh, climb on and take pictures and get your photo op in Yeah. For the gram. And there's the local spotlight, which is different businesses that are just showcasing the different things they have. They usually have free giveaways. Okay. A little swag stuff.

Yeah. And then there are two non-profit booths that all trust financial hosts. Okay. And they always have volunteer opportunities. Oh, okay. So it's great because. Events like that you may be volunteering at. Mm-hmm. 

Or 

you know, just a bit.  But you also learn about other opportunities for volunteering. 

What about somebody who has convinced themselves that they just don't have the time?  

Is that a poor excuse? I think so, yeah. Because you make time to,  you know, scroll on your phone. I was just gonna say it, but then I thought, oh gosh. 

I get my weekly little report card on my phone that says, Hey, you were on your phone for an average of X number of hours a day.

And I'm like, oh, are you kidding me?  

Okay. But  if you listen to podcasts 



Or like Morton Music  News or like Martin Mu News. You know, if it's 45 minutes Yeah. You might have to have your phone like on. Oh yeah. Yeah. I gotcha. So that's where I'm like, I, right. I think that the data is skewed. Okay. 'cause I listen to a lot of podcasts.

Well, thank you. 

That makes me feel a little bit Yes. 

Better. Yes. If you're doom scrolling. 

Yeah. That's different. 

Although I have learned a lot on TikTok.  Oh, just like skills. Oh really? Or if you don I to YouTube for that, how to do something. Probably the 

same thing, right? 

Yeah. Okay. If you don't know how to do something, somebody else does and there's so much information right out there are just right at your fingertips.

People are ready and excited to share. Their skills or their niche, and I think that that is great. Yeah. They're willing to share a lot of other things too, but I'm, my algorithm more goes towards DIY stuff. Helpfulness and positivity. And gratitude, so, Aw. 

Yeah. So make sure that you're entering in your curiosities mindfully so that you're filling out your algorithm with intention. 

I don't think I've ever put all those words together like that, but it makes sense.  Um, I'd like to zero in just for a brief second on like a, a little bit of a microscope, like turning that little black knob to look closer at a single event, something that has happened to you maybe in the last five years or so.

I want you to fill in the blank. You know, I volunteered for this organization and I think the memory of it will stay with me. You know, what was something that you noticed was just like, wow, that hits me hard.  

Ooh,  that's a good one.  



I would say like, maybe you 

saw its impact or. You met somebody there who told you a story or, 

Probably the St.

The St. Jude run. Okay. Just to see the amount of people. Oh. And to hear the stories. Oh. And 'cause they're, I mean, a lot of the stories are right, live in person. And so just knowing that  your small part is really making an impact. I don't know if you know, but St. Jude patients and families never receive a bill, not a 

dime.

And so it's significant. You said, I don't 

know if you know, I mean, if there's a person on the planet or in America that doesn't know that right now. 

You 

gotta, yeah. 

So that I, that is an impactful Right. An impactful day. 

Yeah. Um, we're not talking a sum of a couple of a hundred dollars and Hey they paid for your night at a hotel or something.

We're talking. Tens, if not maybe even for some families, hundreds of thousands of dollars Yeah. Worth of lodging and food and dining and multiple trips throughout the year and yeah. Yeah. That's a lifesaver in so many ways for more than just a life that's at the hospital. Mm-hmm. I can see how that one sticks with you. It's beautiful. Mm. 

It really is. And just to just to see how it's, you know, impacted our own community in Morton because we do each leg of the run is dedicated to a different Morton. Oh. Either current or former St. Jude patient that's very micro.

And so it's pretty I didn't know that. Yeah. Okay. It's really neat. Yeah. It's something really special to be a part of. Yeah. Yeah, I've really enjoyed, I've really enjoyed that. 

Let's start working our way towards like upcoming opportunities. 'cause I mean, you have your pulse, you have the, your thumb on the pulse of so many different kind of volunteering organizations and maybe in the background, other organizations that maybe you're not directly involved with.

Mm-hmm. But. What are some upcoming opportunities? Some places where you feel like there might be a need somebody could check in with? Yeah. And maybe drop a couple of names. 

Okay. Place Pumpkin Land community events. 

P-L-C-E-P-L, 

small a capital ce. Okay. Isn't that fun? Yeah. I think it's so cute and catchy.

They do, they are in charge of the banners that you see throughout the town 

that hang off the poles. Yeah. Okay. Like the businesses, so, okay. Like, 

as a business, if you wanna be a small part, you can get yourself a banner. 

Okay. 



It's, and that's through some sort of financial contribution to what?

I think it's $350. Okay. And I think it co it covers the cost of the banner and the production. Yeah. But then also gives to those additional proceeds go to place. Right. Which does what? They host lots of different events. If you go onto their Facebook page, they have a calendar of events. And  so  they do the holiday  tree lighting Oh, okay.

In Morton. Okay. Which I think is wonderful. Yeah. The parade is so fun. I think it just brings, that's relatively new, isn't it? Such goodness. Like just in 

the last couple of years. 

Yeah. I think we've been doing it for three years now. Okay. Mm-hmm. And it's grown each year. Yeah. Which I think is wonderful.

But then they also host the farmer's market.  

Oh, I love the farmer's market in the summer. 

Yes. And if you are a business or if you're an organization,  you have an opportunity to host the farmer's market, which is just welcoming to people. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And answering. People greeters tough small questions.

Yes. Okay. Okay. Yes. So I think that's a great opportunity because you also get to benefit by it because you're getting your business or organization name out there. Yeah, yeah. But you're also helping. It's a little bit of a trade. Yeah. Scratch your 

back. My scratch my back kind of thing. Yeah. Okay. And 

I think that those are, sorry.

Ooh. I think that those are 

you were quick. 

I forgot to put that on silent, which I should have realized when it jingled earlier. Yeah. I, sorry about that. It's okay. But I do think that people look for, I think people often look for, what am I gonna get from this experience? Yeah. That isn't just, you know, filling my heart with goodness.

So I, I do think that, that yeah. Maybe is helpful. So the Pumpkin Festival does that also. They do a community give back. So if you're a nonprofit and you bring, people to volunteer at the food tent or maybe, yeah. The football team does, I don't know if you know this, but the Morton High School football team does the cleanup for the Fun Festival.

Yeah. 

I do see Cub Scouts troops sometimes too. 

Yes. The Cub Scouts and Jefferson School, PTO pick up all the garbage. Wow. Yeah. That's a 

lot of garbage. 

It really is. And the Cub Scouts, they do shifts Yeah. Throughout the whole entire pumpkin festival. They're there the whole time. They are always pulling shifts.

Yes. That's pretty cool. Yeah. So it, yeah, it is really neat. And I love that  it's, it  the scouts and their parents helping Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Leader, because I best way  we, you know, we talked about how do you get kids involved in volunteering and I think the best way is for you as the parent to be a 

role model there.

Do it yourself. Yeah. 

Yes. And bring them along. Yeah. 

Give up a little bit of Netflix time and 

Yeah. One of the things that Ryan and I did, scott Tig with Morton Community Foundation Head. Hi Scott. Hi. I know, I love Scott isn. He's so great. Yeah. And the Morton Community Foundation just ugh. Does so much good in our community.

Yeah, it does. They have the tree, the, 

He must be walking around with a heart that's like five times bigger in his chest. 

I know. 

You know, like the Grinch whose heart grew. 

Yeah. And he loves Morton so much also, which I, you know, it's just wonderful. Yeah. We did redid the mulch one year for, or maybe two years.

Yeah. Just for the, but we brought our kids so that they, you know, so that they understood the value of like, why is because now in 

their future they're going to be volunteering as hopefully as a parent or a community member. 

And there's lots of opportunities within schools and churches. Okay.

So if you are dialed into a church or a school, I think, you know, you would just go ask somebody in the office. Or look at your, I don't know. Our church has a bulletin. 

So you mentioned Place. Mm-hmm. And you mentioned Pumpkin Festival. Pumpkin Festival is always looking for volunteers.

Have they started to open that up yet? Whether it's like more specifically Hey, we need you for this, that, 

so I looked on their website. Um, or is it like April? Well,  they do need, they have done a call out for um, members of the cha, um, the chairman team.  Okay. So  I think if you want a larger role.

Okay. Then that would be an they, there's just a form you fill out. And so we're at 

stage one with pumpkin festival and stage two matriculates down to the other volunteers. To the volunteer staff. Open up. Yep. Okay. But if 

you know specifically what you would like to do, I would contact Bridget Wood at the, um, perfect paper.

So there's. I would say three. Go-to gals Kim Lit Weiler is the CEO. Hi Kim. Hi Kim. I know Kim was on here. She did such a great job. And then Carrie Gillette is the master events coordinator. She is so good. Okay. She's so good. 

And these ladies can be reached at the chamber. At the Chamber's office website.

Yep. Okay. 

Or just call. Or just call. Yeah. I think you can probably stop by too. 'cause they're open like a business. Right, and then, um, Bridget actually, if you, 

she's like the social media coordinator, right? She's so great. Yep. 

She hi Bridgette is the voice of Libby on the commercials for Oh, the Pumpkin Festival during, look at that, that time.

It's so good. It's so good. 

So if you wanna get involved in Morton Pumpkin Festival stuff, I. Which, what you said earlier doesn't have to be a huge thing, right? Like it doesn't have to be a big commit. Like you don't have to be committed for all of the, what is it, four days, right? You can just commit to one day.

Right. A part of that day, an hour, just like you said, many hands makes for light work. Yeah. Okay. Okay.  

Yeah. And there's all kinds of DI mean you and if you don't wanna be involved during the actual pumpkin festival right. There's lots of setting up and tearing down opportunities. Yeah. 

I'd also say buddy system, like if you're, like, for me, I'd be a little bit like if I didn't have a family in tow or if the family in tow is too busy to do some of these things, I'd be like, you know, hey, a buddy of mine let's you.

And I go, this is a chance for me to develop some relationship with a friend and be like, how about you and I? We go sit in a booth and take tickets and trade out tickets for money and yes, let's do that. I sat in a booth with Ed Re Bird. Did you? Oh my, yeah. And we took, you know, for Rotary? Yes.

But that was fun. We had some toons in there. We're just drinking a lot of soda and getting all hyper and you just, there's no shortage of like stimulation. Right? Because a new person standing in front of your face every three seconds, Hey, how are you? Like your jacket. I would love to have tickets.

Yeah. 25 tickets. You got it. Tickets, you know? Yeah. Other than a little bit of mental math, which was hard for me, it was great.  

Now how, what does the Rotary, how do you get involved in Rotary? 

That's opportunity. Um, I was asked actually by Ed. Okay. So it's usually an invite basis, but it doesn't have to be, okay.

Somebody could go to the rotary meetings on Thursday or probably go to a website like, you know, Facebook, find Rotary, Morton Rotary and just start a, just drop the question, you know, just that one little tiny five word question, like, how can I get involved? How can I get involved? Would open up the door to all those opportunities and it's usually like a local business or an individual who wants to be connected with other local businesses.

And that's what Rotary does in a small part, but it's also got a lot of volunteering and. Philanthropic kinds of opportunities established within itself. A lot of polio related kinds of things as, as well as like other things. Not only community wise, local, but like globally. 



Yeah. 

I've been to a couple of Rotary.

I'm supposed to be inviting people in the month of March and April. You should come to Rotary lunch. 

I would love to. Yeah. I've been to a couple of lunches when I was in high school. I think my uncle wanted, my uncle Mike wanted just for, you know, yeah. Us to all  experience what  

your stoneworks, hardscaping business should be part of Rotary.

We could be, and there's lots of people there that, you know, Scott and Alyssa. Yes.  Director at the library. Yes. Yeah. Scott was 100 

years for the library. Yeah. Also, the library is a great place to learn, to volunteer too. You can volunteer there and learn about different community volunteer opportunities.

So you're, you were saying earlier, if you've got an interest, like for me, I'd be like, I really like football. Mm-hmm. You know, maybe there's a way to get involved with either JFL mm-hmm. Local organization. Mm-hmm. Maybe even the park district and get involved with some sort of a football related or other sport related kind of camp.

Yes. Get in touch with something that you already have an interest in Yes. Or experience with. 

Yes. Alright. And I would contact, I mean the, oh yeah, gimme some more names. The high school has the Grid Iron Club. Okay. Which I believe Paul gre.  Yeah. Hey, Paul is is the head of that? I think so. Yeah. I'm pretty sure.

Yeah. 

He was proud of that. He was bragging Yeah. About new uniforms and paying for pork chops and Yeah. Yeah. Anything that the kids need. 

That's so great. That's so awesome. Yeah. And he's a lifer, a Morton lifer. 

What's that mean? Like grew, like born and raised? Born and raised. Oh yeah. Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.  

I'm not sure if we bleed orange or cherry and gray. You know, it's a toss up. It's 

a little bit of both, maybe you know, all of that. Right, 

right. Um,  okay, so the chamber and place. Yeah. St. Jude. I, you've got some notes in front of you. I wanna make sure 

you cover your bases. 

Well, Casa, i i, court 

appointed special advocate.

Yep. And if you go to it's called Casa of the 10th Judicial Circuit. Whoa. Casa 

of the 10th. Judicial. Judicial Circuit. Circuit. 

So as a casa, you work for the judge  and kind of oversee and just  check in, make sure everybody, the welfare of a kid, everything's going okay. 

Everybody's, so if you have a soft spot in your heart for kids who are going through trouble times Yep.

And they're, um, usually court related things, it's, we're talking like custodial things. Yeah. Mostly 

I would say kids that are in the foster system currently. Okay. They are starting a training, so the training is a bit extensive. 

Okay. Only because it's important and needed. Yes. Yeah. 

And it's for safety.

Yeah. You know, of yourself and not physical safety. Just 

an emotional wellbeingness. There's a large responsibility there. You're dealing with a vulnerable person at a vulnerable time in their life. That's like double vulnerability. Yes. Right. We can't just have somebody going in there, you know?

I don't know, just shooting from the hip. Right. 

And there are, you know,  

but tell us about the training again, things that you have to a little bit or who to get in contact with. 

So if you go to casa of the tenth.org you can click on just the button that says. Tell me more about volunteering.

Yeah. Yeah. They have informational meetings usually once a month. Okay. But if you know that's something you wanna do, if you contact Ryan at Casa he can set you up with, 

does Ryan have a last name?  No, 

he does. 

He does. You bet. He does. Bet he does.  Just one of the Ryan's there. I know. What are the chance of this too, Ryan?

Oh my gosh. Oh, you got it? Yes, I did. Well done. I 

kept thinking okay. In my head. Yeah. What is his last name? Wow. You pulled it out. Yeah, I was looking like in my phone, in my head.  Neck. The 

Rolodex edition? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, 

And then if you are into the arts Okay. Or the music. Susan Pyles. Hi, Susan.

Yes. Hi Susan. She is just a wealth of information about Morton and the different ways that you can volunteer for several different organizations. Yeah. She, you're, she'd be a good head on that. Yeah. If you have a group that.  You'd wanna kind of introduce them to volunteering? I think Midwest Food Bank is a pretty easy place to volunteer.

Okay. It's easy to sign up. You just go to their website. Right. They have open volunteering on Fridays. Mm-hmm. Um,  maybe 11 to three.  That's something a person would be interested in. Right. Right. They should maybe confirm that on the website. Right, right. But it's pretty easy to 

I'm thinking classroom teachers.

Yes. 

Yes. You know, could take like a fifth grade class mm-hmm. Or a sixth grade class and get them involved with packing some, oh, what do they call those? Tender mercies. 

Tender mercies. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Those are really cool. What a good name. Yeah. Yeah. We got to, pack up like noodles. It was cool. Okay.

Like from a huge, it's just, it's, it's a 

supply chain. Yes. Kind of sorts of grace.  Yes. I mean, if you could manufacture grace and assemble it. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It's 

really, yeah. It's really neat. Just some other ideas if you're animal person. Oh, central Illinois Riding therapy. It's part of the Fond Lac Park District, but it's just right on the other, right at the border there.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. They, um, help kids with special needs, um mm-hmm. With horseback riding and then farm Park up there also is, oh, I haven't been Farm Park in a while of a lot of volunteering there too. I've done a lot of volunteering through Young life. Okay. Their office is in Morton right now, but I'm not really sure  the extent of what they have available.

Okay. Currently. And then you, I. 

And if somebody doesn't know who, what young life is, it's like a church related for youth, right? Yeah. Church activities for youth. 

I would say it's a non-denominational youth group. 

Christian though. Christian, yeah. 

Christian Youth group. Okay. But there's always Salvation Army.

The mission art at the end of town. Yeah. And upscale resale. Yeah. They're a volunteer run like business. Business, yeah. They sell secondhand clothing. Right. But then all of their proceeds go to WeCare, which is transports. Yes. Around right town. You're talking people 

who can't get to their own doctor appointments and stuff like that.

Veterans. Yep. You know, people who don't have the ability to be able to do it themselves. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's what we care. That is what we care does. Right? Yeah. So I wanna finish up with two things. I'd like your call to action. If I was to ask you to like. Motivate a group of kids or a group of adults.

You know, the, we've talked about the who to contact. Mm-hmm. But the why, you know, like we've talked a little bit about what inspires you and motivates you. Bigger picture, like what  is the call to action? Why should somebody go and volunteer? In what way? Is it critical,  do you think?  

Without volunteers, a lot of organizations can't exist.

Yeah. They would just freeze up, wouldn't 

they? Yeah. 

Yeah. Because there's not people to help and  one person can come up with a great idea, but they can't be every single part of that organization. 

There's a little bit of a stigma out there about help  sometimes, you know, like about asking for help. 

You know, it's not so much about giving help, but there's a little bit of a stigma out there in regards to asking for help. 

Yeah. 

And, and, you know, there's also people challenging the stigma. Mm-hmm. It's okay to ask for help if you're leading an organization if you got a cause mm-hmm.

That you want to kind of like steer,  ask for volunteers. Right. And 

I would say and make your cause and your rationale, like this is why this is important. Yeah. So for a nonprofit, if you are gonna a, if you do need volunteers,  say why. Yeah. Say why your mission is important to Right. The community or to this group of people.

Mm-hmm. 

Um.  But I would encourage people like my co I would say this week, assess in your head. 



What are the things that you wish you knew maybe a little bit more about? And then there's your curiosity. Find the opportunity. Yeah. Commit to it. So here's a homework assignment, folks.

Yes. Find the opportunity, commit to it, and go, yeah, go do it. 

Give yourself till whatever today is plus 10 days, or just, you 

know, by Friday. 

Yeah.  

Make it fast. 

Yeah. 

You know, because 

if you sit in it for too long, it kind of slides to the back. 

Right? Yeah. Right. So 

put a reminder in your phone. Yeah. I gotta contact so and so, I gotta research this before this day.

Because volunteering is deeply gratifying, you know, there, there is a reward there at the end. That is somehow, at least in my opinion, more than the part of what you, I.  What you contributed. Mm-hmm. You know, there's the benefit of that. But the benefit to yourself as well is to know that you're part of a community and that you've played part in something that otherwise wouldn't be able to take off and launch if it weren't for, in a small way, your contributions.

And I don't know if there's one syllable word for that,  but it is a feeling. Yeah. For sure. 

It's just goodness. Yeah. It's, I'll take that two syllables out. Goodness. Pouring out goodness. Yeah. But then also  getting,  you inadvertently get to receive. Right. That same goodness. 

It's like gratitude for somebody else's benefit.

Yeah. 

Yeah. I love that. 

Yeah. 

I think there's a word in there for I'm gonna, I'm a word nerd. I gotta find that one. 

Okay. You find it and let me 

know. Yeah. Being grateful for somebody else you know, you didn't benefit at all. In fact you've made a sacrifice, you've given up time, money, energy,  and you're not gonna get anything back  except me.

Like your name and a thank you.  Simple. 

I think 

it's lovely. Simple. Yes, yes. 

You know, I oftentimes, I think nonprofits try to overcompensate with Yeah. Things, but I think the volunteers mostly are just doing it  out of their goodness because of goodness. Yeah. They don't, they're not thinking, oh, I'm gonna get this at the end of this.

Right, 

right, right. My business is gonna get recognized or, right, right. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

And all that stuff's bonus. Yeah. If you do get some recognition 

Yeah, definitely. Thank your volunteers. Yeah. Because you would want them to come back. Right, right, right. But I think a lot of times just acknowledging that they, you know, their currency of time Yeah.

Was spent on you. Yeah. Which 

is currency of time. I like that. Mm-hmm. 

Yeah.  

We're, we're wrapping things up. I wanna make sure you got some cheat sheet notes over there. You got everything covered? 

Yeah, I think I did. 

I love that this is something that's really passionate to you and I think it's a really good example of.

Like the length to which a person can get themselves involved in a community, you know? Yeah. To get involved in one way is like, you know, I gotta take my kids to their sports and I'm involved. Yeah, sure. I go to the school functions and stuff like that, but this is like next tier. And I think you're a really good example of what that looks like to be involved in that.

And I have to thank my husband. Yeah, definitely. Because without him, I mean, I wouldn't be able to do all of this. Right. That's smart of 

you to recognize. I mean, that's a team effort, right? Yeah. Kids too, you know, kids have to do without mom some nights when you're going off volunteering or you take them with you and they usually take Yeah.

Oh, good. Or, 

And Ryan is a huge  advocate for volunteering too. Right. So this is a family thing. It's neat because we get to do it as a family. Yeah. 

But go Wilders. 

Yeah. Thanks. Yeah, well done guys. We love doing it. But without him, I wouldn't be able to do this, 

vice versa, 

because I get to stay home, you know?

I mean, I work for, right. I work for RW Stoneworks, but Right.  It's not all day, every day. The way that the way that he, 

so that allows you the affordability Yeah. The availability. Yeah. To be able to be in, in this volunteer capacity. Mm-hmm. A multifaceted person. 

Right, right, right. Yeah. So I'm just grateful for that and I'm grateful that, you know, he just cheers me on Yeah.

Makes me feel so good all the time. 

Here's a question that I can delete if you don't wanna share, you know, come post-production or whatever. Okay. But somebody's sitting there listening to this and they're like, yeah, I've kind of had this like chimney cricket on my shoulder of good consciousness telling me that I should probably get more involved and I should volunteer for something, but I just dunno what to volunteer with.

And I'm listening to this podcast and I hear a person who's, I mean, if you can be an expert in this, a person who's as close to that as they can be for this town, how could they get ahold of you?  Like, are you willing to give up a little bit of your, I dunno, email address or something like that?

Yeah, yeah. 

Call me, text me.  Email me,  drop it. Drop it here. So my my email is well I have two, so it can either be Jolyn Weiler, I know. Super original, right? 

Yeah. 

J-J-O-J-O-L-Y-N-N-N, Weiler, W-E-I-L-E-R. Okay. At Yahoo. Yahoo.  Or Jay weer@rwstoneworks.com. Okay. Or my phone number is (309) 642-0396. Hey I just wanted to have 

The, the easiest most available Yeah.

Call to action right here. They've heard something that you said that piqued their interest and they were like, Hey, I'm gonna go ahead and shoot this stranger at text real quick. Yeah. Hi, my name is Stephanie. My name is, is Steve. Yeah. And I, and I heard your podcast. Yeah. And I'm curious, you know, can you gimme a little bit of direction in.

You know, volunteering for a place or volunteering for Yeah. You know, that horse that riding Yeah. The riding therapy place, you know? Yeah. Those kinds of things. I would be happy. Awesome. 

To connect with anyone. I have a Facebook page. It's and an Instagram? Yeah, both. Both. Just my name. 

Okay. So the younger generation.

Who's on Graham. On 

the Graham, yeah. Find me at Jolen. Weiler. 

Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. 

Yeah. 

I appreciate you coming to the show. Yes, thank 

you for having me. I actually brought you a sticker for your door. 

Oh, those people who don't know I have a door just littered with a billion stickers over here.

This is the 2025 Morton Pumpkin Festival. Our theme is, oh, so cool. Party of the Century, pumpkin Party of the Century, celebrating Nestle Libby's 100th anniversary. And that's for my door. Thank you. And that's for your door. We can 

trade gifts. 'cause I have a pen here for you too. 

I love pens. 

Zebra, serasa pen.

Those are like better than a G two. 

Ooh. I think that a pen that writes well Yeah. 

Can change your mood. 

There's like nothing better. 

Yeah. And it doesn't smudge, like I like the G two, the weight of it. Mm-hmm. The diameter of the pen itself and the gel. But sometimes, every once in a while I get a smear. This one's, uh, gonna stop that and 

I enjoy a ultra fine tip.

Sharpie, but it bleeds through Yeah. To the other side. And I'm not sure that you're supposed to use those on everything. This is a beautiful color too. Yeah. Rose gold. Rose gold. Yeah. My middle name is Rose, so. 

Oh, there you go. Yeah. That way the kids can't use it. Right. I just tell 'em, no, that's my bed. Keep 

it with me. 

Uh, one last question for you, Jolyn. Sure. Who should I have on the show next? 

Oh,  I think,  well I have a friend named John Il and he, I. I've met him through the Ambassador program. Okay. At the chamber. He is, he's so willing to always volunteer. I think that he's currently running for the village board.

Okay. Okay. So that election, I think is April 1st. Okay. But he  is just a phenomenal human, and I think he just would have a lot to say about like a, like  

Storywise. Does he have,  

I think he probably has some story, some stories. All right. And just what he sees for the growth of Morton. The future of Morton.

Ah, good. What he thinks makes it, you know, great here. All right. Yeah. I think he would be awesome. 

I gotta get this episode over to him. Yeah. Yeah. 

He's awesome. You could have Mike Murphy. You 

got another one. Okay. 

Mike Murphy. Of Mike Murphy. Ford. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I like that one. I think he would be great.

Yeah. Just he would have a substantial history. He's been 

established for a pretty long time. Yeah. He could tell us what what's changed in the last 30 years. 

Definitely 

40 years, 50 years 

for sure. Definitely. 

Awesome. Well, uh, closing thoughts.  

Thank you for having me. Oh, 

absolutely. Yeah. 

I love an opportunity to brag about 

Morton, your Yeah.

Best town ever. That's how I address. 

Thanks to Ryan too. He's the one who kinda, you know, put your name in the, yeah, in the pot, in the hat, the sorting hat of sorts. 

When I address things to one of my friends, I'll write my name. Yeah. And then our address, and then I'll write Best Town Ever, comma Illinois.

6 1 5 5. Oh.  Like that's the name of the town. Like that's the name of the town. Best Town ever. I like that. I like that. So that's our little, uh,  joke between us that she's like, oh my gosh, you just love it so much. I was like, I do, it's great here. 

And it's, it's very evident and yeah, I'm, I'm thankful that you were able to come in and, and kind of share with us some of the volunteering opportunities that Morton has for it.

Yeah. Appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Signing up. Oh, by the way too, if you were listening to the podcast and you were hearing all that background fuzz noise. We just got through a pretty tremendous, did you hear that downfall? Yes. Of rain. It was like pounding thunder on outside for the first time 

in months.

Yeah. 

Yeah, 

yeah. So do you sleep well in that situation too?  

Like rain overnight?  

Alright, when I close my eyes. That's it. You're out. Me. I'm out.  

All right. Thank you. Morton Muon news listeners. Please head on over to the show notes if you're interested in any of the other episodes that we have. Recently finished an episode with uh, Tom Van Ness.

If you're interested in Tom's story Katrina Fitzpatrick and Bob Hornsby also have a great episode about the Morton Band Program. And then Scott Wittig name was mentioned, Alyssa Williams, Kim Tweer, all of those are individuals who have all been interviewed. So you can head on over to wherever you get your, your local podcasts and um, check in on any of those episodes.

Jolene, thank you so much for coming to the show. Thank 

you.  

Have a good rest of your day. 

Tell who.  

Hey, this is Ben. Thanks for listening to this episode of Morton Muon News.  I'm excited to share more stories with you, but I need your help to keep the content growing and engaging.  If you know someone in our community with an interesting story to tell or who's making a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Maybe it's a local business owner, maybe a community volunteer, or even a neighbor with unique hobby.  Send us their names and a little bit about why you think they'd be great for the show. You can find us by searching Morton Muse and News on Facebook, or by emailing me at B van D twelve@gmail.com, B-V-A-N-D-E one two. 

Additionally, if you're interested in sponsoring our show or supporting our effort to highlight our wonderful community, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsorship not only helps us continue to produce quality content, but it also provides great exposure for your business and your organization.  Thanks for being part of the community and the show.

Together, let's continue to celebrate the people and the stories that make Morton special.  Until next time, keep making Morton matter.