SCF Highway To Hope

St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Society & Culture

The Official Podcast of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund

  1. 2d ago

    Rigs Without Cigs: Larry Sonnabend Celebrates Seven Years As Non-Smoker

    For this episode of the series, SCF Health and Wellness Manager Julie Dillon introduces us to Larry Sonnabend, a veteran professional driver who successfully utilized SCF’s Rigs Without Cigs program after struggling for years with attempts to quit smoking. In sharing his story, Larry looks back on the day seven years ago when, through the help of SCF’s first-ever driver health initiative, he was able to become tobacco free. As you will hear, Larry notes the important role that Julie and the structure that SCF set up played in being able to go the distance after trying other programs and wanting to quit for years. Larry describes how smoking used to shape every part of life on the road, including route planning and choosing fuel stops in particular states based on cigarette prices. Not long after joining the Rigs Without Cigs program, Larry encountered some major life stress points, with a separation from his wife that ultimately ended in divorce at the top of the list. Despite those personal challenges, Larry was able to stay strong in his commitment to stop smoking, and he credits the accountability check-ins and the steady encouragement from the Rigs Without Cigs program community as major keys to his success. The conversation in this episode covers practical replacements that helped Larry stay tobacco free, especially sunflower seeds, flavored toothpicks, prepped food, and more water. Larry also breaks down the financial cost of smoking on the road, estimating thousands of dollars a year in cigarette spending. In addition, Larry talks about the health changes he noticed after quitting, including better sleep, less morning coughing, and realizing how constantly sick he had felt while smoking. To learn more about SCF’s Rigs Without Cigs Program, please click here. The post Rigs Without Cigs: Larry Sonnabend Celebrates Seven Years As Non-Smoker appeared first on PodWheels.

  2. Jul 30

    Returning To A Calling: Julie Dillon’s Journey Back To SCF To Lead Health Initiatives

    For this episode of the Highway To Hope, Julie Dillon is our special guest. As you will hear, Jule shares her inspiring return to the Saint Christopher Trucker’s Relief Fund after a personal family journey. In her second tour of duty as SCF’s Health & Wellness Manager, Julie talks about her history with SCF and she discusses her passion for driver health and well-being. We look at addressing the challenges that professional drivers can encounter with their health and how the SCF has developed programs that can help. Julie looks back at the success of the “Rigs Without CIGs” program over the past nine years as well as the work being done through SCF’s Healthy Habits For The Long Haul. As mentioned in the episode, the next session for Healthy Habits For The Long Haul is set to begin in mid-August. If you would like to learn more about Healthy Habits For The Long Haul, including how to sign up for the next session, please click here. The post Returning To A Calling: Julie Dillon’s Journey Back To SCF To Lead Health Initiatives appeared first on PodWheels.

  3. May 18

    Driving Wellness: How Road Dog Care Helps Drivers In Meeting Key Challenges

    For this episode of the series, the SCF Highway To Hope introduces our listeners to Road Dog Care through a conversation with Bob Book, the company’s Vice President of Marketing. As you’ll hear from Bob, Road Dog Care has developed a collection of innovative products that are focused on the well-being of today’s professional drivers. From in-cab personal hygiene offerings, including body wipes and rinse-free shampoos, to items that promote wellness and pet care, Road Dog Care is working to help today’s drivers address many of their daily challenges found on the road. SCF Health and Wellness Manager Mindy Williams, who has spent time as an OTR driver, joins PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson in talking to Bob about the origins of Road Dog Care and how the company’s lead executives, CEO Rich Fredricksen and CFO Jim Adams, collaborated to identify a number of pain points professional drivers encounter and used driver feedback in the creation of the products that they have brought to market. Along with noting the growth of Road Dog Care and its efforts to work with truck fleets as well as direct sales from RoadDogCare.com, Bob spent some time discussing the value the company places on supporting the outreach work done by the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund and other nonprofit organizations working to make a difference in the trucking industry. To learn more about SCF and you can support their important mission, please visit TruckersFund.org. The post Driving Wellness: How Road Dog Care Helps Drivers In Meeting Key Challenges appeared first on PodWheels.

  4. Apr 29

    SCF Welcomes Mindy Williams To Team; Set For May’s Virtual 5K Fundraiser

    March and April have been a busy time for the SCF Team. We will get caught up on the SCF news, and we’ll also get you ready for SCF’s Heart & Sole Virtual 5K Fundraiser that the organization will be hosting in early May. SCF Executive Director Courtney Niemann joins the show to recap the SCF Team’s success at the Mid-America Trucking Show with over $10,000 in donations coming to SCF during MATS 2026. Courtney also introduces us to Mindy Williams, who recently joined SCF as the organization’s Health & Wellness Manager. When we welcome Mindy into the conversation at the 8:38 mark of the episode, you will hear about her career highlights, which includes earning her CDL and time behind the wheel driving in a team setting with her husband, who is a veteran of the trucking industry. As you will hear, Mindy is looking forward to furthering the strong tradition of health and wellness programs that have been established by SCF. Our April episode closes with some notes on the upcoming Heart & Sole Virtual 5K Fundraiser. The event will be running May 3-9. You can join in by signing up by clicking here. The post SCF Welcomes Mindy Williams To Team; Set For May’s Virtual 5K Fundraiser appeared first on PodWheels.

  5. Mar 16

    SCF Is Ready For MATS 2026 With Silent Auction And Other Fun Activities

    The countdown to the 2026 edition of the Mid-America Trucking Show is in its final days, and the team at the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is ready to make the most of their time onsite, March 26-28. SCF’s Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell joins the Highway To Hope to talk about the plans that SCF has for MATS 2026. As Diane shares with us, SCF will once again be hosting its Silent Auction event on Thursday, March 26. Diane also gives us a preview of what will be happening at the SCF booth throughout the run of this year’s MATS, including the popular spin the wheel game that visitors can play by making a donation onsite. We take this opportunity to ask Diane to look back at her first year in the trucking industry and what she remembers from MATS 2025, a trip Diane made just eight days after joining SCF. To learn more about SCF and you can support their important mission, please visit TruckersFund.org. The post SCF Is Ready For MATS 2026 With Silent Auction And Other Fun Activities appeared first on PodWheels.

  6. Feb 25

    Getting To Know McCall Meany, The New Addition to SCF’s Board

    For our February episode of the podcast, we meet McCall Meany, who was recently invited to join the all-volunteer Board of Directors for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. SCF Highway To Hope Podcast Host Lindsey Bryan introduces our audience to McCall with a feature interview. As you will hear, McCall shares her background as the Marketing Manager at AMBEST, her journey into the marketing field that introduced her to trucking and the importance of storytelling in creating meaningful connections with  professional drivers. McCall also discusses what inspired her to join the SCF board, her excitement about making a positive impact on the driver community and her vision for engaging a new generation of drivers through innovative marketing strategies. The conversation with Lindsey concludes with McCall sharing personal inspirations while emphasizing the importance of community and support for drivers. This episode of the Highway To Hope closes by paying tribute to Dr. John McElligott, the physician and Vietnam-era Navy veteran who co-founded the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, serving as a true advocate for professional drivers and their families. Dr. John passed away on Feb. 15 at the age of 80, and our podcast shares a portion of the interview he did with us in July of 2022. To hear the full July 2022 episode featuring Dr. John and fellow SCF co-founder Dave Nemo, please click here. To learn more about SCF and you can support their important mission, please visit TruckersFund.org. The post Getting To Know McCall Meany, The New Addition to SCF’s Board appeared first on PodWheels.

  7. Jan 28

    Supporting Women’s Health in Trucking: SCF’s New Cervical Cancer Screening Program

    The HIghway To Hope begins our seventh year of podcasting with an episode dedicated to a critically important women’s health concern. Podcast host Lindsey Bryan, who is also SCF’s Health and Wellness Manager, welcomes SCF’s Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell to discuss the launch of SCF’s new at-home cervical cancer screening initiative tailored for women in the trucking industry. You will hear Lindsay and Diane detail how this program came together while they highlight the importance of early detection, simplifying the screening process and how these efforts align this program with the other initiatives that SCF.  This episode details the significance of early detection and statistics around cervical cancer risk. It also notes the work that has been done in the design of the program to remove many of the obstacles related to screenings for women who are on the road as professional drivers. One of the highlights of the episode is the personal story that Lindsay shares about the importance of testing and screenings. As you’ll hear, while this is a women’s health issue, taking the preventative steps available helps everyone in your family.  To learn more about the Health & Wellness programs available from SCF and you can support their important mission, please visit TruckersFund.org The post Supporting Women’s Health in Trucking: SCF’s New Cervical Cancer Screening Program appeared first on PodWheels.

  8. 12/21/2025

    Looking Back at a Year of Change and Achievements For SCF

    To close out 2025 on the Highway To Hope Podcast, we brought together a panel that features SCF Board President Norita Taylor, SCF Executive Director Courtney Niemann and SCF Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell to look back at what has been a year of change and continued achievement for the organization. As you will hear, Norita, Courtney and Diane all started their current roles with SCF in 2025. In a discussion that was led by Podcast Host Lindsey Bryan, who is also the Health & Wellness Manager at SCF, the group looks back on the meaningful moments, leadership transitions, community engagement, donor relationships and the challenges they must navigate in today’s industry landscape. They emphasize the importance of grace, balance, and focus in their work and pursuing SCF’s mission, while looking forward to an exciting 2026 with new initiatives and continued support for drivers in need. Most importantly, what really shines through in this conversation is the joy and fulfillment that the SCF Team continually finds in the work they do to help professional drivers and their families. To learn more about SCF and you can support their important mission, please visit TruckersFund.org. The post Looking Back at a Year of Change and Achievements For SCF appeared first on PodWheels.

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About

The Official Podcast of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund

Information

  • Creator
    St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © PodWheels
  • Show Website
    SCF Highway To Hope