Podcast
“Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee Podcast” celebrates the culture, spirit, accomplishments and history of West Tennessee and the surrounding region. Hosted by DPA president and CEO, Scott Williams, the podcast features notable guests who are influencers from the worlds of entertainment, history, agriculture, education, politics, tourism, sports, business and law, as well as other areas.
The podcast is available online at Discovery Park’s website, on Soundcloud, Castbox, Apple iTunes, Youtube, Spotify and other popular podcast platforms and apps.
From here, you can find out more about our mission or our history, meet our team or read our blog.
Ep. 44 Matt Crosson, Following the Melodic Call
If you were to ask Matt Crosson how his journey in life led him to be the worship leader in a rural community church, you would hear an incredible story. Matt’s journey took him from social worker to business manager, to planting a church then following God’s call from Gainesville, Florida to Union City, Tennessee […]
Ep. 43 Melanie Hollis, Spotlight on Community Theater
Melanie Hollis has a passion for theater arts. Born and raised in Union City, Tenn., she left her small town to chase dreams of theater, performing and costume design around the country before returning to West Tennessee to raise her three children. Her desire to bring the arts to Northwest Tennessee is evident from her […]
Ep. 42 Lori Collins, Rescuing Horses and People in Need
In 2009, Lori Collins experienced an unexpected family crisis that left her with no option but to rescue a number of horses being cared for by her father. This was the beginning of Redemption Road Rescue, a non-profit equine rescue located in Jackson, Tenn. The organization’s philosophy of helping good people out of bad situations […]
Ep. 41 Dr. Cynthia A. Bond Hopson, Living Faithfully and Triumphantly
With a passion to uplift, engage and encourage individuals to live faithfully and triumphantly, Dr. Cynthia A. Bond Hopson inspires individuals to slow down, seize the day and refocus on who and whose they are. In this episode, Dr. Hopson shares her personal story and how she went from her first career as a secretary […]
Ep. 40 Ben Harris, Big Ideas from Small Places
Big ideas sometimes come from small places. Those living and working in rural communities may find life is lonely when trying to make a big idea happen. That’s where Ben Harris comes in. As one of the co-founders of Driving Innovation, a mobile program that supports economic and workforce development in Tennessee’s rural communities, he […]
Ep. 39 Mark and Alan Laderman
Having grown up in West Tennessee, Mark Laderman and his family capitalized on a combination of their natural southern hospitality and a unique blend of creativity and quality to create not one, but two award-winning dining experiences in Northwest Tennessee. If you are headed this way, no doubt someone will recommend you eat at Sammies […]
Ep. 38 Meet Our Neighbor, Zoe
If you haven’t crossed paths with Union City socialite, regional-theater performer and business woman, Zoe Ramage, then it’s about time we introduce you. Zoe loves small town life and the sense of community that comes with it. In this episode, Zoe shares her passion for tourism and how it led her to become next door […]
Ep. 37 Jason Kelley: Making Your Childhood Dream a Reality
While attending space camp as a young boy, South Fulton, Tenn. native, Jason Kelley, became inspired to dream of a career in aeronautics. His dream became a reality, and today he is an operations support manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. In this episode Jason, who was back home to explore Discovery Park’s “Astronaut” […]
Ep. 36 Astronaut Dr. Larry Delucas – The Wrong Stuff?
It’s not every day you get to hear firsthand what it’s like to buckle up and blast into space. In this episode, Dr. Larry DeLucas, a biochemist, principal scientist at the Aerospace Corporation and former NASA astronaut shares how he earned the nickname “Which Way” and how a spirit of exploration helped him make it […]
Ep. 35 #LiveSlowly with Seth Dortch
If you live in West Tennessee and have even a passing interest in ducks and other things to do near Murray KY and Paducah KY, there’s no doubt you’re aware of—and possibly best friends with— the tornado of inspired creativity that is Seth Dortch. Part Ansel Adams, part Ernest Hemmingway and part Davy Crockett, […]
Ep. 34 Agriculture Today, Part 2
The continuation of this special, two-part live episode, from the Tennessee Farm Bureau annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. features the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, the Tennessee Soybean Promotional Board, the Tennessee Pork Producers Association, Tennessee Sheep Producers Association, Case IH and others . With all the misinformation and controversy around areas like agriculture today, […]
Ep. 33 Agriculture Today, Part 1
In the first part of this two-part, live episode, the Discovery Park team went to the Tennessee Farm Bureau annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. to get to know some of the professionals working in agriculture today. With most people being three or more generations removed from a family farm, first-hand information is getting […]