Seasons

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#WorkBootMinistry

One day, Darnel Royal’s co-worker handed him a pair of steel-toed work boots that he didn’t want anymore and told Darnel to make a post on his facebook to give ’em away. This pair was new, the co-worker just didn’t like how they fit. Darnel received 53 messages for these boots. Most were from people in the community needing steel-toed work boots to be able to start their employment. They couldn’t start their job because they steel-toed work boots, but they needed the job to be able to afford the boots in the first place. So, they remained unemployed.

Darnel knew he could help, and started #WorkbootMinistry

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We need your help to continue to tell stories.

Produced by Pablo Korona

Music: Wavetop Productions. (Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye.)

Special thanks to Kendal Miller, and Clark Kelly.

Woodward is a financial sponsor of Our City, Our Story.

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On Reinventing Herself, Carrie Johnson

Carrie Johnson lost passion for what she felt was her direction in life. Little did she know that a change lay ahead of her. With renewed purpose, Carrie sets about to help her community by helping transform the institution that had helped her reinvent herself.

Featured in this piece is FIGHT NIGHT hosted by exhibiting artist (and Golden Gloves boxer) Cheryl Pope. Fight Night featured sparring bouts from Patriots Boxing Club with spoken word intervals by Empower Too. https://www.cherylpope.net/

Produced by Pablo Korona Special Thanks to Cheryl Pope, John Tac Brantley, Kendal Miller, Lenae Weichel, Clark Kelly and the Rockford Art Museum.

Music: Wavetop Productions

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Breaking The Stigma — Our CIty, Our Story — Rockford, Illinois

Vic Rivera is a staple in the B-Boy community. Recently his paths crossed with mental illness when his mother couldn’t sleep.
If you wish to help those who suffer from mental illness in the Rockford Illinois area, please contact NAMI Northern Illinois.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, please contact the national suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Produced by Pablo Korona
Special Thanks to: Kendal Miller
Music: The Latin Giants Of Jazz – Cuero Na’Ma, DJ Surmah – Toalla y Cafe, Brownout – Family Show
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Emily Hurd Christensen — The Norwegian

“I saw really clearly that life was very short, and this was it and I wanted to make a difference or do something with this very short time. This just felt like the right thing to do.”

The Norwegian restaurant is a place that came about by the sheer force of will to make a change in Emily Hurd Christensen’s life and a difference in the community.

Produced by Pablo Korona
Sourced Timelapse: Mark Christensen
Music: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye of Wavetop Audio
Colorist: Daniel Skubal
Special thanks to Clark R. Kelly

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Our City, Our Story : Live – Happiness

The theme of this Our City, Our Story : LIVE storytelling night was “Happiness” and Megan Hastings chose to talk about how love brought her happiness. Megan, a self-proclaimed “play-it-safer” took a chance. She asked a question that changed her life.

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Ivy, the Dumpster Puppy

In 2014, Patrick Karceski found puppies that were thrown away in a dumpster. He brought them to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, Inc. Rockford IL and they rescued them. One of those puppies, Ivy, was adopted by Jennifer Walker, who brought her to training. At training, the trainer said that Ivy has the temperament to be a great therapy dog. She proudly helps out at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.

Ivy was thrown away, and now helps people who need help, brightening their day.

Special thank you to Patrick Karceski for providing photographs. Additional footage graciously provided by WIFR TV

Produced by Pablo Korona
Music by Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye of Mirari Productions

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Bo Chaney – The Adventures of Rob & Rocky

Robert Bo Chaney is dedicated to the cause of helping kids find a path to attainable well-paying jobs, but also bringing diversity to public service for the betterment of the community. After sitting with Bo, and hearing him talk about his vision, we couldn’t help but be inspired to work our hardest to craft his story. Greg Cormier has been helping us out over these past couple months, and this was brought to life by him.

Please take a look at the piece, congratulate Greg on a job well done, and help us share the passion of someone aiming to change our community and other communities across the country.

Produced by Pablo Korona
Shot and edited by Greg Cormier
Music by the inimitable SFC: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey and Jason Kaye

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Resident Officer Community Keeper

Resident Officer Community Keeper is his official title, and this accurately describes what Eric does. The R.O.C.K. program is an initiative where a police officer is designated to a high crime area and is the point person for them. Not only are they a familiar face in dealing with that segment of the city, they also live in the area they are serving. As Eric puts it “Their problems are my problems because I live here.”

See Rockford Police Resident Officer Thurmond as he interacts with the community, and as he tells what he does.

Produced by Pablo Korona
Drone & Second Shooting: Jordan Hardy of FlyGuy Films
Additional Shooting: Greg Cormier

Music by the inimitable SFC: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye.

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“Instead of a Quinceañera, I had a baby.”

Guadalupe Sena turned 15 on March 10th, the next day her daughter Carina was born. This is a look into the day both Guadalupe and her husband Ricardo have been looking forward to “since day one”. Come along and see what a Quinceńera looks like.

Produced by Pablo Korona
Camera Assistant & Macro Photo shooter: Greg Cormier
Music: Zach Staas, Daniel Pingrey, and Jason Kaye of the intimidable SFC