Ross Wilsie

Ross Wilsie is Behavioral Wellness Media Specialist at New River Valley Community Services and one of the co-hosts of this very podcast!  Ross’s lifelong passion for using audio and video to capture and preserve stories led him to join the Community Wellness and Outreach team at NRVCS in 2022, and he often comments that he has finally figured out what he wants to be when he grows up.

Ross, his wife, and his two boys live in a small farmhouse in Blacksburg that backs up to Jefferson National Forest, and they each enjoy taking advantage of the trails and other outdoor recreation that surrounds them.  While cherishing times of solitude as a means of self-care, Ross is eager to get the word out about the importance of community in each of our lives as we strive to have healthier families and communities.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Hey everyone, and welcome to Voices of Hope. I'm Ross Wilsie. And I'm Mike Wade. Each episode, we sit down to talk about what it means to live well, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and beyond.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

We'll look at how wellness shapes us as individuals, families, communities, and even wider world around us.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Through real stories and honest conversations, we'll explore what hope looks like and how it grows, right here in the New River Valley. Thanks for joining us. This is Voices of Hope. Today's guest is me, Ross Wilsie. As you know, I'm one of the co-hosts of this podcast, and I work with the community wellness and outreach team at New River Valley Community Services here in the New River Valley. I can't quite say that listening to me talk about myself as I edited this episode was my idea of a good time, but hey, I hope you enjoy learning a little bit about me as you listen. And who knows, maybe something from the episode will stick with you. I certainly hope that happens. Enjoy and thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Okay, listeners, so uh welcome again to the Voices of Hope podcast. And at the time that we are recording this particular episode, we're about nine months in now to the uh Voices of Hope podcast project that we started back in the fall of last year. And we've had some incredible guests and really uh wonderful conversations with those uh guests in the nine months that we've been recording, and we've gotten a lot of great feedback. Um, but Ross and I were talking about uh, you know, kind of being at this point in our show, and we thought, well, let's take some time to maybe share a little bit more about ourselves. And so this is the first of two episodes where we're gonna do just that. And uh I am really thrilled and honored to be able to um help you learn a little bit more about my colleague, Ross Wilsey. Ross has been uh part of our team in Community Wellness and Outreach at NRVCS now for about four years, and he is an incredibly gifted individual, um, phenomenal work with uh everything that he does. He is primarily responsible for um getting these podcast episodes polished, edited, and out for you as listeners to digest. It wouldn't happen without him. Uh, and there's just so much um so much other stuff that he's added to our team since he joined, and uh he's been a great asset to not just our team, but our agency in general. So I can't say enough good things about him. And he also happens to be a really super nice guy. Um, so um, yeah, I'm making him blush a little bit, but it is what it is. Ross Wilsy is uh is a fine man, and I'm happy to uh interview him today. So hey Ross, welcome.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

Well, thanks, Mike. That was that was that was amazing. I appreciate all that you said there. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Well, it's all all very much deserved. Um, so we're gonna dig in and start with some questions. And you're gonna be in the hot seat for a little while.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

It won't hurt, I promise. Um, so let's just start like we typically do with our guest, um, with you sharing some about your background, where you're from, your education, that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Sounds good. Um so I was born in Roanoke, Virginia. Uh, grew up there, spent most of my younger years there. And yeah, I I have a sister who's three years younger than I am, and my parents obviously um are still married and and live nearby. Um, the last three years of high school, I spent at a boarding school called Woodbury Forest School that was I could, you know, probably spend a lot of time describing why I went there, but uh, I won't do too much of that. But basically, you know, I I think I was having some struggles as far, you know, socially um right before going there, and and my parents just saw a need. And so it really was a transformational time for me to go to that school and and really um turn turn some things around in a great way for me. So then in 1998, I started at Virginia Tech and found a really good community there, just some great friends. Um, good community in a campus church I went to. And uh it's actually where I met my wife, Jennifer. Um I was a fifth-year senior, so um, I didn't, I was not in a rush to get out into the real world. But um, but yeah, I met Jennifer there and we bonded over music and photography, and and we're married in 2006 and kind of just settled here in the Never Valley. Yeah. And yeah, and music has al speaking of music has always been kind of a big part of my life throughout and still is.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

So yeah. Um, and I and I do want to maybe circle back around to the music part. In fact, we might even share a little bit of a uh behind the scenes secret with our listeners about the music for our podcast uh a little later on. Yeah, how about that?

SPEAKER_01 5:19

That sounds good, yeah. Sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

So you you mentioned Jen, your wife, um, and uh, you know, your uh your husband as well as a very proud father to uh two boys. Uh we've talked a lot about that just in our uh our own conversations over the years, um, both being dads and and that kind of thing. But uh tell us a little bit more about your sons, about the Wilsie crew.

SPEAKER_01 5:44

All right. Um yes, I am a proud father. Uh I'll start with Jennifer, um, just sort of to give listeners an idea of who she is and and you know, just our whole family. So she's about five years younger than I am, which was an interesting dynamic. Uh, while we were kind of dating in college, uh, she was yeah, it just made for some interesting times. She she wanted to be more um, I don't know, you just into the college stuff and and having fun with yeah with her friends who are five years younger than I was. And and I would uh I was the banker. I was like the the uh the weird boyfriend banker guy that no nobody understood. So because I worked at a bank anyway. Um so but there's always been uh she she just has a lot of energy and a joy um for life that that was what initially attracted me to her and and still does. And she's she's all about experiences, you know, and just finding new things to kind of squeeze every last bit of of life out. So she's also a planner and and in our family and in her work, uh I rely on her very heavily when it comes to like the calendar and things like that. And she's an amazing mother. Um, she gives so much of herself to her kids and and is really big on giving them the tools that they need to to make it in the in the real world someday, you know, just to be successful. Um and then so my my boys Jonah is my oldest and he's 15. Um, he's the one that made me a dad. He's amazing. Uh they both are. Meeting him was a moment that you know I still vividly remember because it changed who I was. It it nothing was the same after that moment. Um he has always been very musical. Uh kindergarten, he came home and played on our little electric piano, the the school song, and we were like, How did you do that? Where did you learn that? He's like, I don't know. I just I we we sing the song and I can play it. And we're like, Okay, that's amazing. Wow, and um, he is he's kind of an encourager, he brings people together. I see a lot of that in him. So um, fun, fun kid. We go mountain biking together sometimes, which we did last night. It's great. Uh Rayner is our youngest, and he's almost 12. He kind of came into the world very quickly. Um and he's kind of just always had that same energy about him. Uh he's drawn to physical parts of the world, you know, about life, and he's always moving, does gymnastics and now and recently started diving. So very physical. He's hilarious. He like comes up with these one-liners, very quick-witted. Um, I don't know how, like, he's just smart in that way, and I don't know how he does it. Um, and he's also musical. He just um just started trumpet last year in school, and before that, he loved playing the the xylophone and some of the other percussion instruments there at um in elementary school. So really amazing kids.

SPEAKER_00 9:11

Very nice, yeah, yeah. Good deal. Well, uh, as you and I have spoken a lot about in the time that we've known each other, fatherhood is is a big thing for both of us, but uh we both know that sometimes it doesn't always go the way that we've hoped that it might. And uh so we've talked about the good, the bad, and the ugly, so to speak.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

Um how would you describe yourself as a father?

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Well, I love being a father. Um, I definitely at this point can't imagine life without being a father, obviously. Um and having two boys specifically has been a lot more fun than I expected. I think originally I was hoping it would be, you know, one girl, one boy, so I could get a little bit of uh experience of each. But I don't know, having two boys or something really fun about it. So that that's been great. Um I feel like I just want my kids to be happy and have everything, which sounds great on the outside, but it's really it can be a problem. Um it gets me into trouble, yeah. And part of that is just as I can struggle with like setting boundaries and making sure that they're set up with discipline that that helps them, you know, and that that moves them in the right direction. Right. So that can be harder for me. Uh has been one of the hardest things as as a dad. And another thing is just patience. I always had thought before being a dad, had thought of myself as a very, very patient person and realized I'm not really that uh as patient as I thought I was after having.

SPEAKER_00 10:56

A lot of people might be surprised to learn that about you.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Okay, well, yeah, maybe, but I mean it really it really showed me some things about myself that and yeah, yeah, you there's some things to work on there for patience. So then just some of some of my favorite times being a dad are when we're just able to goof off and kind of laugh about stupid things. Yeah, you know, like the stupidest things you can imagine, and we we do it often. So uh those are the times that I really uh that I really light up and yeah and think fondly back on.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

So yeah, yeah. Of course. Yeah, well thanks for sharing that.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:37

I wanted to ask how you first um got introduced to the world of behavioral health.

SPEAKER_01 11:42

Yeah, um I was trying to like define that. There's not really a specific point, but I think there's several things that kind of led into it led led up to that. So in high school, I remember taking an AP psych psychology class, uh, which I I think was probably my favorite class of high school. It it really just fascinated me. Um and really just the brain, learning about the brain and how it works with even how little we know about it today, um, was just awesome. I loved it. So and then I had a position shortly at or right right after college, where I worked at a wilderness program slash school. It was a residential place for boys who had behavioral issues. And that was a very difficult job, but it showed me a lot about um, or it introduced me, I think, to to behavioral health in in some ways and showed me that there was a huge need out there, right, you know, for children, especially. And then right before I started working here at NRVCS, I was a therapeutic day treatment counselor for a year at a local middle school. And that was um that also showed me the huge need that we have um in serving our kids and trying to help them before um things get worse. So early intervention, that type of thing. And then just a little bit here and there with close family members who've walked through some mental health struggles, uh-huh. And I've I've learned some there about the world of behavioral health.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

So yeah. Sure. Yeah. Um, you've been in NRVCS now for what is it, 15 years or so? Yes. Okay. So let's talk about your time here at the agency uh so far and how you eventually arrived at the position you currently hold.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

Okay. Um, well, yes, I did start in 2011 and started as a trainer in the IT department. So I was training employees in internally. So then you and I had worked on a few projects. Uh yeah. I know you remember the every click you make uh video that we did together where we did a parody on on every breath you take, uh that song. And you sang vocals on that song, and it was amazing. It was really good.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

Well, you're very kind.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

It was fun, it was fun. But then you asked me for some help with some bigger video projects that eventually led to you asking me to be on the community wellness and outreach team. Yeah. And I enthusiastically said yes. So um, I think just you and I had a lot of the same visions in the projects we worked on, and it seemed like we were always saying, Oh, yeah, that's exactly what I would have done, or or that's what I was thinking too. Yep. And so I think when you finally asked me to be on the team, I was like, uh, yes, please. This sounds amazing. So I did, I joined in the fall of 2022. So yeah, I was 43 when I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. Um and that's that's fine. I'm happy about that. You know, this is really the the job that I didn't, I couldn't have told you was the perfect job for me, but now that I'm in it, that's how I feel. So I love it.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

Yeah, well, that's you've shared that with me before, and it's always great to hear that. And um I I am sometimes surprised by how much you and I are in sync when it comes to collaborating on, you know, graphic design or warring of certain uh you know things that we put out there for the public um to consume. Yeah. Um and just kind of like our shared vision around the hope campaign and this podcast. Um, I feel like we're very much in step with one another. And that's that's really kind of uh rare and special to have that kind of professional relationship. So I'm I'm truly grateful for that.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

Yeah, as am I.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Yeah, so uh wow, the guy that asked you to come on board was just a visionary. I mean, he's I mean, seriously. Oh boy. So um what experiences in the four years that you've been part of the community wellness and outreach team um have been the most impactful for you on a both personal and professional level?

SPEAKER_01 16:17

Um so many of them have been impactful on me. Uh but I would say just meeting the people I've gotten to meet and hearing hearing their stories. Um in in my previous role here, I I got to meet a lot of people internally, but um, but in this role I've been able to meet people outside of the agency and and people that I never would have met otherwise. And I I love that. Um the stories of recovery have been the most impactful on me, I think. Yeah. And I I've attended many of the the recovery court graduations, as I, you know, a lot of times I'll take photos and and do video for that. And even if I haven't met the graduates who are graduating that day, every single time I get emotional. I mean, I'm just blown away by the success, just the the amount of work that those folks put in and and just how hopeful the whole thing is. Yeah, it really absolutely. Yeah. And the the people that I've met in recovery in my mind are the strongest and and most impressive people out there. Um and if I mean, because if they can overcome something as uh alluring or insidious as addiction to substances, what other amazing things are possible? So yeah, yeah, I think that's it, is just meeting the people I've gotten to meet in this position and hearing their stories. It's most impactful.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Yeah. And you and I have been working with some of those folks for enough time now that we've we've been able to like firsthand witness their development and their progression through the recovery and go from being clients of our participants in the recovery court program to now being our coworkers.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

I know. And then our taking on leadership roles and and really just thriving. And it's it's a beautiful thing to witness. And um, I think it speaks to just the uh the value of our services and and the impact that we truly can have on individuals and their families.

SPEAKER_01 18:37

Right. Oh, absolutely. I mean, just to see, even if it's not working for agency, just to hear the success stories and so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Yeah. Um, and and maybe with this next question, you just answered it, but I'll go ahead and ask it anyways. What's your favorite part of your job?

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Yeah, I mean, it's related, obviously, but I think taking the stories that are so impactful to me and getting to share them with the world or our community um through a video that we created or podcast episode or photos or social media posts, whatever the case may be. Yeah. Um, you know, I can't add anything to the substance of what they share. Right. But I mean, because that's already that's already there, that's theirs to share. And um, but I I think of what I do kind of as like adding a little sparkle or shine here and there. Um, just kind of enhancing their story, the beauty of what they've already shared. Yeah. Um, yeah. So that's my favorite part.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

And you really do. I mean, I I I will just say this for um for those of you who don't get to see some of the stuff that we do behind the scenes. I mean, uh, Ross has a true gift for taking the essence of a conversation, uh, whether it's, you know, um a video that we plan to uh plan video interview or just um you know extracting from events that we hold, that kind of thing. He has a real gift for kind of capturing the the highlights, the the primary points are um the most important things to know and and really drilling down to um again the essence of of what's being communicated. And hey, as communicators, we all know that getting to the point these days is really important because our attention spans are so incredibly short. Right. But um, but it really is one of your your unique talents, Ross. Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Yeah, it is interesting. Uh whenever I'm getting into a project like that, um a lot of times I'll start it and just look at the whole thing and be like, what how am I even supposed to begin? There's just so much here. There's, you know, maybe we asked questions in a way where it was a little bit here and there, and just trying to organize it maybe uh maybe is daunting. But uh, but every time that happens, I get into it and I can start to see the story begin to to sort of reveal itself, which is amazing. So that's my favorite part about that is just getting into it step by step, watching it, um, watching it kind of come out, even though it was already there. It's just it sort of reveals itself. It's kind of neat.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

And I'll just go ahead and say this guy is also a perfectionist. Yeah, and he agonizes over details, and he is so uh conscientious about his work and how it's going to um to come across to the community. So uh yeah, you you cannot appreciate the time that this guy puts into everything that he does. But as his co worker, I certainly can uh appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

Yeah, I appreciate that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 21:44

Yeah, absolutely. Um so you mentioned mountain biking earlier is one of the things that you do, but how else do you maintain your personal wellness, Ross?

SPEAKER_01 21:53

Um definitely just being outside is one of the big ones for me. So definitely mountain biking. Um, we enjoy being out on the water or being at the beach. Water's fun. Um sitting on our front porch really is like just crucial for me. It's calming. I I love it. And then exercise is is a lot of times part of that, and I think it's important. But anytime I can incorporate that in, you know, exercise into something that I'm already doing outside that I enjoy, right? Um that's when it works best for me. So um hanging out with family and and friends is a is a big one. Yes, I am an introvert, so that's difficult sometimes for me to prioritize, but um being being alone, so just to kind of flip flip that on the other side, I really have to be alone sometimes. And yeah, that could look like one of many different things, you know, it could be reading, it could be just um meditating, which I I wish I did more of that. Um, or just kind of sitting there, like if I'm on the porch, just being, you know, listening to the sounds around me or just being. So being alone is a big one.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Yeah, yeah. And I think that um it sounds maybe a little um strange to hear someone talk about the value of being by themselves and being isolated. I know that might that might sound a little strange for some folks, but I think it really does feed into the whole um thing about mindfulness, yeah. And about kind of like in in golfing yourself in that quiet space for um, you know, a period of time where you can focus and and kind of get in touch with yourself for sure. Um hit a reset in some ways, yeah. Um so yeah, I I totally get that. Fellow introvert, we've talked about that several times here on the show. Yes. Um so yeah, yeah, I totally get that. Yeah. And I know we've talked about this too, um, but you know, you are a guest on the show today, technically, so I have to ask you this question. What does the word hope mean to you, Ross?

SPEAKER_01 24:09

Yeah, well, as I was sort of preparing, I went back and looked up what I had said a couple years ago when we did the 31 Days of Hope um thing in May. And so the the definition I gave you at that point, which I still uh agree with today, and I think I like it, is hope is something that begins to emerge when we're fully honest with ourselves and those around us, especially when that feels like the most difficult thing to do. And that has proven true for me in my life many times. Um there have been times in my life where I've been dishonest with myself and with the people I love, and those were times of very little hope. Um, but when I started being honest, when I started, you know, facing uh the things that I needed to face, and especially first with being honest with myself and making some important changes in my life, um, I did begin to see hope kind of on a more regular basis, yeah, every day, you know, to the at this point. So, you know, I think hope kind of begins with honesty and uh recognizing when there's destruction or when there's harm being caused to others in your life. And then it leads to just the opposite of that, which is love in my mind. Um, and I don't think hope implies a perfect life or that nothing will ever go wrong in your life, but yeah, it's really just a sense that I can always kind of take the next step that I need to take because I have love on my side or whatever you want to call it, and and that love can come in many different forms. It can be the people in my life or um or the circumstances, it could be a lot of different things. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:00

Well, that's um that's a very um open and transparent response. And I I really appreciate you being so uh open about that.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

Well, yeah, of course.

SPEAKER_00 26:10

You know, as you and I were having a conversation the other day, I mean sometimes it can be really hard to look at that person in the mirror. Yes, yes, it can and own up to your uh your shortcomings or maybe where you've goofed up along the way, or maybe, as you said, hurt those that you love the most. And uh yeah. We're all probably bound to do that at some point in our lives. Yeah, we're human. We are, we are, yeah. So, anyways, great uh great response. And I'm glad your thanks uh definition from a couple of years ago still holds up.

SPEAKER_01 26:43

Yeah, yeah, it does. Uh yeah. I I remembered that we had done that and I looked back and I was like, yep, that that's pretty pretty spot on for me. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

Um, hey, this uh this is going back to the thing that I brought up earlier about the music oh yeah for uh for our podcast that we've uh that we've been using since day one. But um our listeners don't know the story behind that, so I was hoping maybe you might be willing to talk a little bit about how that all came about and who's responsible for it.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

Um well, I guess when we were talking about starting this podcast, I had in my mind that it would be really cool to write music or to to have it be an original thing and not not pull from some stock music somewhere. And so, and you I think I don't know if you just wholeheartedly agreed or if you said, you know, I was kind of thinking the same thing, probably the latter, since that's what we usually do. But um yeah, uh, but that's what happened, and then I we got closer and closer to the release date on our first episode, and I still hadn't figured the music out yet. But it all came together, and I I just sat down with my my oldest son Jonah, and I was like, All right, we need I need your help. And he graciously agreed to help me with this. Um, but I was like, I don't know what it needs to sound like, I don't have a melody in mind, I don't have anything, but we just kind of played around with different things, and um, I had my violin out, and he was on the piano, and we just I don't know, we played around with some different sounds and melodies and came up with what you hear at the beginning and end of each episode. So I think it's me on violin, and there's it's hard to hear, but there's guitar and banjo, which I'm playing both of those. Jonah is on piano, which is one of the more prominent sounds that she'd hear. Right. And that might be oh, I think there's some mandolin. One of those, one of those instruments I remember cutting because it didn't really add to it, but but some combination of all that is is in the music.

SPEAKER_00 28:59

I mean, I was so blown away when you first played that for me and uh told me that was something that you and you and Joan have created. I mean, I just could not get over how impressive that was. And I think it's a beautiful beautiful piece of music. And um, I am so proud of the fact that that is something that we uh have that was organically created specifically for our podcast. So um well, thanks, ladies and gentlemen. AI for the Voices of Hope podcast means actual instruments.

SPEAKER_01 29:32

Beautiful, right? Yes, it does. I like that. Yeah, I'm proud of it, and uh and I really do appreciate Jonah for helping helping out with that. I mean, he didn't get paid to do that, so yeah, no royalties at this point with this podcast. None at all. Yeah. So uh so yeah, I appreciate his help with that.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Yeah, well, I I just wanted to uh to share that. I mean, we've we've had it uh on our podcast for our you know, since like I said, since day one. So time to give credit to the uh the Wilsie men for uh making that possible. Well, thank you very much. Yeah. So um we're wrapping up, but you know how this works, Ross. Yep, yeah. I can ask if you've got any final words of wisdom to share with our listeners.

SPEAKER_01 30:18

Yeah, sure. I mean, I don't consider myself a very wise person, but um, come on. But the first thing that comes to that came to mind is just talking about community and how important it is for every single person that's listening. Yeah. Um whether they know it or not. Oh exactly, yeah. Yeah. And I'm talking about face to face in the flesh, yeah, you know, togetherness, being being with other people. Um, and I again say this as an introvert who values my alone time, maybe above literally everything else in my life. Um yeah, so if you find a hobby you enjoy, yeah. Find uh a religious community to join, or um Dungeons and Dragons group, I don't know. Yeah, um book club, some sort of fitness group. Just join a group of people if you don't already have that. Um there's so many out there that already exist and welcome anyone um to join them. So uh if you can't find something that really interests you, maybe start your own and put it out there. Maybe other people would be interested in joining you. Yeah. So yeah, I think just sometimes that's the hardest part is just taking a step and that that first step to join a group of people or to to meet somebody new or whatever it is. But that's so important, it's just being with community, being in community.

SPEAKER_00 31:46

Yeah, yeah. And we have um those are great words of wisdom. And I do feel like um, particularly in this modern age with all the technology, we have lost some kind of like innate, very foundational ability to connect and with other people. Yeah, yeah, in a meaningful way, you know?

SPEAKER_01 32:07

Yeah, and it's scary. It's very scary for me at least to see that.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Yeah, it is. Well, I didn't mean to pull us down with that last remark. No, no, right.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

No, no, no. No, but I I just think it points back to to community. I mean, if we can if we can just get there and even if it's just a a little here and there, you know, having that connection with other other people is so important.

SPEAKER_00 32:30

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 32:31

Yeah. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Well, you know, I know it's probably been a little uncomfortable for you, but it's been a lot of fun for me. Well, thanks. To to throw these questions at you.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Yeah, it's uh I mean, you know, it's a little uncomfortable, but I can I've had fun with it. And so I'm glad we did this.

SPEAKER_00 32:47

Yeah, me too. And I know my turn is coming. So Yep, yep. Um we'll get to that next time. Uh-huh. But um, but yeah, Ross, thanks again for being so open and so vulnerable and and sharing as much about um your personal life as you have. Um, and uh yeah, I I can tell you again, audience, that this guy is the real deal. He's he's uh truly one of the finest people that I've I've had the pleasure of knowing. So uh I hope you've enjoyed our conversation with Ross. And Ross, thanks again, and we'll catch you next time. Sounds good. Thanks, Mike.

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Thanks for listening to Voices of Hope. If you enjoyed today's conversation, we'd love for you to rate and review the podcast and help us spread the word. Voices of Hope is a production of New River Valley Community Services. To learn more or listen to past episodes, visit nrvcs.orgslash podcast. And remember, hope grows when we share it. So keep the conversation going, and we'll talk to you next time on Voices of Hope.