Episode 3683: How We're All Connected (Even When It Doesn't Feel Like It)

Episode 3683: How We're All Connected (Even When It Doesn't Feel Like It)

From This Week in America with Ric Bratton by Ric Bratton

May 7, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 3683

About this episode

The episode explores the theme of connection and community through the works of author Donna Voss.

Gone Surfing!: Ice Queen's Cave by Donna Voss While the world and sites to see seem vast and endless, there is connection and community smaller than we think. A series of short stories and poems, Donna Voss demonstrates connections on a global front: world-class pilots and children of a farm, a surfer traveling the globe, the united experiences of veterans returning home from war. About the Author: Donna Voss lives in Southern California. As a volunteer at her public grade school, she began the Garden Club when her daughter started kindergarten in 1997. Since then, many parents and teachers have contributed their energy toward building a "Farm to Table" public school program, which teaches kids how to grow, make, reuse, repurpose, recycle food, expanding the program throughout the district. When Donna's daughter became the Garden Club teacher, she developed an educational curriculum and got a grant for the first farmhouse. Now offsite tours at the school district farm are provided to all the K-6 graders who enjoy field trips of the ever-expanding farm site. By teaching the next generation how to grow sustainable food, they are also learning how to build a healthy community and…

People in this episode

Host: Ric Bratton

Guest: Donna Voss

Topics covered

  • connection
  • community
  • sustainability
  • education
  • empathy
  • inclusivity

Keywords

  • connection
  • community
  • short stories
  • poems
  • sustainability
  • education
  • empathy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Gone Surfing!: Ice Queen's Cave

Places: Southern California

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