Episode 7: Pocket Change Podcast
Do you know an outstanding individual or group that is making a difference in your community? Leaders has partnered with WBBJ-TV to honor these volunteers for the impact they are making.
"We're recognizing people just doing good things in their communities, people who are volunteering, giving back, not asking for recognition, just doing it out of the goodness of their hearts."
Summary
On this episode of the Pocket Change Podcast, Teri Jelks, an evening anchor for WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News, talks about the Community Champion initiative, a program that recognizes and honors people who volunteer and give back to their communities without asking for recognition. This program is through the combines efforts of WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News and Leaders Credit Union to honor the unsung heroes of the community.
"Somebody is going to see this and somebody's going to be inspired and they're going to want to give back in their communities as well. And I think that's what it's all about."
Key Takeaways
- The Community Champion Award recognizes individuals or groups who volunteer and give back to their communities without asking for recognition.
- The award aims to highlight the work of those who serve behind the scenes and inspire others to give back.
- Being involved in the community can have a positive impact and encourage others to do the same.
- There are many organizations that people can be involved with if they want to get help, donate, or volunteer within the community.
Listen and Follow
Full Transcript
Shea:
Hey, this is Shea.
Mary Helen:
This is Mary Helen.
Shea:
Welcome to the Pocket Change podcast.
Mary Helen:
Where you'll learn better ways to spend, save and invest and take control of your financial journey.
Shea:
Excited for this episode today where we'll talk about our community and those unsung heroes that really serve behind the scenes. Don't ask for recognition and they need to be highlighted.
Mary Helen:
They deserve it.
Shea:
Exactly. They probably don't want to be in front of the camera, don't want to have the recognition, but it's always good to, you know, provide some light on those people that are really making a huge difference in our community.
Mary Helen:
And it's cool to hear the heart behind the stories of other people and why they do the things they do and how they're impacting others.
Shea:
Exactly. So we'll talk about a few of those people today and a great program that highlights those folks.
Mary Helen:
Absolutely. Today, we're so excited to have you. Teri Jelks, who's the evening anchor for WBBJ 7 eyewitness news.
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, I'm so glad to be here. Thank you guys for having me.
Shea:
Welcome to the podcast.
Mary Helen:
How'd I do on my intro?
Teri Jelks:
It was great.
Shea:
She’s trying to be a news anchor.
Teri Jelks:
The key is low voice.
Shea:
So I need to go, like, down here. Like low voice.
Teri Jelks:
Like, Yes, Lower speech, Low voice.
Shea:
(lower voice) This is Shea: Brown. Pocket Change podcast. Evening news anchor.
Teri Jelks:
There you go. A natural.
Mary Helen:
So, Terry, tell us a little bit about how you got to WBBJ and your background.
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, well, I grew up in Jackson. I'm a hub city girl through and through. I went to Union University and then I got my first big girl job here in Jackson at WBBJ reporting. Then, I became, you know, evening anchor.
Shea:
So what was your favorite? Did you like reporting or anchoring better?
Teri Jelks:
Oh, that's a hard question. So obviously anchoring, especially during the summer, you don't have to go outside and you can stay inside in the cool air. So I love that part. But reporting will always have like a special place in my heart because when you're reporting, you get to go out into the community, you get to meet the people, talk to them, shake hands with them, you know, kind of have that kind of heart to heart.
Teri Jelks:
And so nothing beats that, of course.
Shea:
Yeah, absolutely. I can see how part of my position here is going out to, you know, visit with others and kind of take the credit union outside the four walls. So it's always good to be able to do that with whatever organization you're working with.
Teri Jelks:
Oh, definitely.
Mary Helen:
So tell us about the Community Champion initiative that we've got going on in West Tennessee right now.
Teri Jelks:
So Community Champions is very similar to something we've done in previous years with the Jefferson Awards and Multiplying Good, but those were more on a, you know, national level. The Community Champions is here in West Tennessee between WBBJ and Leaders Credit Union. And we're recognizing people just doing good things in their communities, people who are volunteering, giving back, not asking for recognition, just doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.
Teri Jelks:
And it's so rewarding to be a part of it.
Mary Helen:
Because they're nominated. And so it's not something that they see within themselves that they kind of call out and draw attention to. But it's other people then going out, seeing what they're doing and wanting to recognize that, which I think is cool.
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, exactly. And fun fact. Normally when I call someone to tell them that they’ve been nominated and that we're choosing them to be our honoree for the month, they're like, “No, no, no, not me, please. No, I'd rather stay behind the scenes. I don't really want the recognition.” And I think that's why they're even more deserving of it, because they're doing it out of the goodness of their heart.
Teri Jelks:
They're not doing it to be recognized.
Shea:
Yeah, you know they're doing it for the right reasons. And there's so many people doing things like that that we don't know about.
Teri Jelks:
Exactly.
Shea:
So many great organizations that people can be involved with if they just knew, you know, how can I get plugged in or how can I donate or how can I volunteer. So I think it's great to be able to share those stories and get others involved in the community. And that's what hopefully the Community Champion program does.
Teri Jelks:
Definitely. And I always tell them one of my best selling points is that somebody is going to see this and somebody's going to be inspired and they're going to want to give back in their communities as well. And I think that's what it's all about, is kind of, you know, I don't want to say multiplying the good, but it's kind of just creating more good in the community.
Shea:
More community champions you could say. Champions for Jackson, champions for West Tennessee. Wherever you live, be a champion for your neighborhood and for the causes you care about. So you mentioned the Jefferson Awards. That was a great program that we hosted with WBBJ and honored other community champions. What was your favorite part about hosting that event?
Teri Jelks:
Well, my favorite part is at the end of the year, after we've done the 12 nominees for the year, we would get together for an awards ceremony and they would all be together in one room. And the impact is really seen then, because you really - you can really have a collection of all the good that's really being done here in West Tennessee.
Shea:
We got everyone together for a little reception. Got to meet all the recipients and the big announcement of who was going to be representing West Tennessee in Washington, D.C. at the national awards. So that was really great to be able to hear those stories and and rewatch their videos and their news stories on that. So we appreciate you helping us in that way.
Shea:
And also now with the Community Champion Award.
Teri Jelks:
It's an honor for me. It really, truly is.
Mary Helen:
So what do you find to be the most rewarding about honoring these champions? I know we've kind of touched on their impact that they're making. For you personally, what is like this is the most rewarding part about talking to these people and getting to sit down with them.
Teri Jelks:
Honestly, it's the way that they're helping others. It's seeing how, you know, they're doing good, but they're good is impacting other people, you know what I mean? And so it's seeing how people are really being fed into and, you know, it really inspires you. You see a lot of, especially working in the news, you see a lot of bad every day.
Teri Jelks:
And then this is kind of highlighting the good. Showing that there's so much good in the world.
Mary Helen:
And it only takes one person with an idea or a concept and then enough drive to make it happen. And then it can impact all throughout the community, West Tennessee and beyond.
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, that's how it grows.
Shea:
We are all trying to make West Tennessee a better place. To live and work and enjoy life.
Mary Helen:
Teri, who qualifies to be nominated for a Community Champion award?
Teri Jelks:
So pretty much anyone qualifies. It can be an individual. It can be a group. It doesn't matter their age. It can be a student that's doing good in the community, in their classroom. Actually, in March, we honored a student named Rhea Patel, who is doing good in the community. The options are endless, pretty much.
Shea:
So how can someone nominate an individual for the Community Champion Award?
Teri Jelks:
Oh, it's so easy. It's so easy to do. So you just go to our website, WBBJTV.com and at the very top of the homepage there is a tab that says “Community Champions”. And you just fill it out. You put out your nomination, your information as the nominator, and then you put out the nominees information and then you'll write a little paragraph about them and why they're so deserving.
Teri Jelks:
And then we have a team that goes through those nominations and will pick them out. It’s super easy.
Shea:
So it’s just WBBJTV.com. The link is right on the main menu. Community Champions, click there and it takes you right to the application and it's a short application. Just fill it out with the information and why that person is so deserving and we'll go from there.
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, that's it!
Shea:
That's great to know. And then I know we've already had a few nominees for the Community Champion Award and we've done stories on them and you've interviewed them. So is there a place we can find the previous stories to look back on the winners in our area?
Teri Jelks:
Yeah, actually, pretty much the same place you go to nominate someone for the community champions. You just go to our website - we make it very easy for you - WBBJTV.com. You can just type in community champions and it’ll pop up and you can watch those videos.
Mary Helen:
On a past episode, Luke Pruett on his episode, he talked about how if you see good in somebody, you need to call that out because you don't know how it's going to impact them either. They're doing good for other people, but also they need to be encouraged. And you know, it's good to extend a helping hand and a couple of encouraging words to other people anytime you can.
Teri Jelks:
And that can also motivate them to keep going as well, for sure.
Mary Helen:
Absolutely. Okay. So I have a fun question for you Teri. If you had spare pocket change, what would you use it on?
Teri Jelks:
Oh, I'm putting it in the nearest gumball machine for sure. I can’t resist! If I have a quarter near a gumball machine, it's going in there.
Mary Helen:
What color are you hopeful for?
Teri Jelks:
Red.
Mary Helen:
Okay!
Shea:
Is that just because you can't chew gum on TV. So you're like, any chance I get, I’m getting bubble gum!
Teri Jelks:
That's right!
Shea:
So once again, WBBJTV.com. Community Champions, right on the main menu. That's where someone can nominate a deserving individual in our community. Well, thanks for sharing more about the Community Champion Award today. I appreciate it.
Teri Jelks:
Thank you guys for having me!
Mary Helen:
Thanks for being here Teri!
Shea:
If you know someone doing good in our community, nominate them for the West Tennessee Community Champion Award at WBBJTV.com.
Mary Helen:
Thanks for tuning into the Pocket Change podcast. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.
Shea:
And check out our YouTube channel! Search “Leader's Credit Union” for full episodes of our podcast.
Mary Helen:
And our Pocket Change podcast Instagram.
Shea:
The Pocket Change podcast is brought to you by Leaders Credit Union.
Mary Helen:
Where we power your passion and make lives better.
Both:
Cha-Ching!
