The Movement

YMCA of Greater Kansas City
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Join Mark Hulet, YMCA of Greater Kansas City President CEO, for "The Movement." Each episode includes a special guest to help us dive into how the Y is more than a place or organization - it's truly a movement of people who've been working toward strengthening the community with holistic body, mind and spirit approach since 1860 in greater Kansas City.

  1. Nov 2

    Still Serving: Strength and Brotherhood at the Bonner Springs Y

    Veterans Crisis Line If you are a veteran experiencing emotional distress or know someone who is struggling, confidential support is available 24/7. Call 988 and Press 1 Text 838255 Visit https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/   What happens to veterans after military service ends? From the lasting effects of combat and PTSD to finding friendship, healing, and a sense of belonging, two veterans share their powerful stories of service and life after the military. In this Veterans Day episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Vietnam War veteran Mike Angel and retired U.S. Army veteran Ken Bennett at the Bonner Springs YMCA to discuss military service, mental health, the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, and the importance of community for veterans. Despite serving in different generations and facing different challenges, Mike and Ken have found something familiar at the Bonner Springs YMCA: a community built on friendship, mutual support, and shared experiences. For Mike and Ken, the YMCA is much more than a place to exercise. It's where friendships are formed, stories are shared, and veterans can find people who understand what they've experienced. The YMCA of Greater Kansas City supports veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families through Operation Salute, a program offering membership discounts and opportunities to connect with their communities. Learn more about the YMCA of Greater Kansas City and its programs at: https://kansascityymca.org/ 👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity Chapters 0:00 Introduction: Honoring Veterans and Finding Community 1:52 Meet the Veterans: Mike Angel and Ken Bennett 5:20 A Day at the Bonner Springs YMCA 11:50 Why the YMCA Is More Than a Gym 16:18 Military Camaraderie and Finding Connection at the Y 19:25 Coming Home from Vietnam: A Veteran's Experience 22:55 Agent Orange and the Lasting Effects of Military Service 27:15 Combat Memories, PTSD, and the Battles Veterans Carry Home 37:44 Finding Healing Through Faith, Friendship, and the YMCA 41:25 Helping Veterans Find Support and Belonging

  2. Oct 22

    From the YMCA to Team USA: The Rise of Flag Football in Kansas City

    Flag football is exploding across the country—and for a group of young Kansas City athletes, what started at the YMCA has turned into opportunities they never imagined. In this episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet explores the growth of youth flag football with YMCA Senior Sports Director Kayson Mathews and three standout athletes who came through the Y's flag football program: Quinn Miles, Kate Mikuls and Jordan Garcia. Kayson shares how a group of 10 basketball players helped spark a competitive flag football program that has grown into tournaments attracting teams from across the Midwest. He also explains how the YMCA has created recreational, intermediate and advanced opportunities so athletes can learn the game, compete and continue developing. Then, Quinn, Kate and Jordan share where flag football has taken them. Quinn went from learning the sport at the Y to earning a Team USA U15 selection and becoming one of the top young wide receivers in the country. Kate started playing quarterback and receiver alongside boys before girls flag football had its own local teams and is now competing in sanctioned high school flag football at Mill Valley. Jordan has developed into one of the country's top young wide receivers while pursuing opportunities to play college flag football. For these athletes, flag football started as something fun to try. Now, the sport offers opportunities to compete nationally, earn college scholarships and potentially represent the United States on the Olympic stage. Learn more about youth sports and flag football through the YMCA of Greater Kansas City at t https://kansascityymca.org/ 👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity Chapters 0:00 Welcome to The Movement 1:46 How the YMCA Flag Football Program Began 5:50 Building a Competitive Flag Football Pipeline 7:32 The Rapid Growth of Girls Flag Football 12:40 Meet Quinn, Kate and Jordan 17:36 Team USA and the Olympic Flag Football Pathway 20:51 High School and College Flag Football Opportunities 27:26 Leadership, Coaches and Lessons From the Game 31:03 Advice for the Next Generation of Flag Football Players 33:11 The Future of Flag Football at the YMCA

  3. Sep 10

    Buddies for Life: The Story Behind the Y's Challenger Adaptive Sports Program

    For 20 years, the YMCA Challenger program in Kansas City has created a place where kids and young adults with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities can play sports, build confidence, make friends, and experience what it means to belong on a team. In this episode of The Movement, presented by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Raegan Scherr and members of the Schnacker family – Janet, Daniel, and Adam – to look back at the people, relationships, and experiences that have shaped Challenger since its beginning in 2006. Raegan shares how the program has grown from a small adaptive sports offering into a year-round community featuring baseball, basketball, bowling, soccer, flag football, swim lessons, social activities, and more. She also explains how Challenger's buddy system helps athletes participate with the level of support that works best for them. For the Schnacker family, Challenger has been part of life for more than 15 years. Janet reflects on watching Daniel grow in his communication, confidence, and relationships, while Adam explains how volunteering as his brother's buddy eventually helped inspire his career as a physical therapist working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And Daniel shares what Challenger means from the athlete's perspective – from playing baseball and bowling to becoming a leader who welcomes others, gets teammates excited, and reminds everyone why this community continues to matter. For families exploring special needs programs, volunteers, coaches, and anyone who believes in the power of the YMCA  community – learn more about the Challenger Adaptive Sports Program: https://kansascityymca.org/programs/adaptive-challenger To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/ 👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity 00:00 - Welcome to Challenger: Everyone Plays 02:07 - What is Challenger? Raegan's Story 04:16 - How Challenger Grew: Sports & Social Activities 07:20 - The Heart of Challenger: The Buddy System 10:45 - Meet the Schnacker Family: 15 Years in Challenger 11:50 - Daniel's Growth & The Power of Parent Community 17:16 - Adam's Story: From Buddy to Physical Therapist 20:40 - Supporting Challenger: Fundraising & Community 29:26 - Daniel's Leadership & Award for Inclusion 35:33 - Future of Challenger & How to Get Involved

    Buddies for Life: The Story Behind the Y's Challenger Adaptive Sports Program

  4. Aug 26

    Invest in a Kid, Raise a Leader: The Atchison Story

    In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet visits the Atchison Family YMCA/Cray Community Center in downtown Atchison, Kansas, to explore a YMCA story that stretches back more than 150 years. Mark is joined by Atchison natives India Webb Bolton, an attorney and member of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors, and Atchison Mayor La Rochelle Young. Both grew up with the Y as part of their lives – India through preschool and swim lessons made possible in part by the generosity of others, and La Rochelle through swimming before landing her first job at the YMCA as a swim instructor and lifeguard. India and La Rochelle also reflect on the history of Division Street and the community-led effort – driven by local high school students – that resulted in its renaming as Unity Street in 2020. For both guests, the change represented something they had experienced at the YMCA for years: a place where differences did not have to become divisions. Learn how an investment in one child can create an impact that lasts for decades – and how the YMCA continues to provide a place where people can find belonging, develop their potential and eventually become the people who invest in the next generation. To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/ 👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity 00:00 Welcome to The Movement Podcast 00:40 More Than 150 Years of the Atchison YMCA 03:58 How One Person's Generosity Changed India's Life 05:54 Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Atchison 06:34 How the YMCA Became La Rochelle's First Job 07:57 Why Swim Lessons Teach More Than Swimming 11:28 From Division Street to a Place of Unity 14:20 How Atchison Mentors Invest in Young People 16:06 India's Journey from Atchison to Law and Leadership 18:30 La Rochelle's Path to Public Service 21:01 Coming Back to the YMCA Through Service 22:50 The Importance of Paying It Forward 24:35 What It Means When Someone Invests in a Child 26:46 Why India Joined the YMCA Board 29:01 Why La Rochelle Became Mayor of Atchison 30:51 How Division Street Became Unity Street 34:44 What the YMCA Means to Atchison 35:37 How Investing in One Child Creates a Legacy 37:31 Closing: More Than 150 Years of Community Impact

  5. Jul 23

    It Started With Straws and Tape. It Could End With Kansas City's Next Engineers.

    In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet visits Sunset Valley Elementary School in the Lee's Summit School District, where campers are learning about the digestive system by building it themselves with straws, paper, tape and other materials.   Richard Irwin, STEM educator with the Missouri AfterSchool Network, explains how the STEM Mobile Lab brings hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math activities to after-school programs across Missouri. He also discusses why STEM education supports more than career readiness – it helps young people develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and confidence.   Mark is also joined by YMCA Youth Development leaders Darcy Swan and Andi Gilbertson to explore the bigger picture behind YMCA summer day camp, before- and after-school care, social-emotional learning, financial assistance and the YMCA's growing STEAM Alliance with Kansas City-area engineering firms.   Learn how the YMCA of Greater Kansas City creates safe, engaging experiences where kids can build relationships, discover new interests and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.   To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/   👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter):  https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity   00:00 Welcome to The Movement Podcast 00:40 Inside YMCA Summer Day Camp 01:44 What Is the STEM Mobile Lab? 03:38 Why STEM Education Matters 07:42 How the Hands-On Activity Works 09:16 Why STEM Continues to Grow 10:51 Debunking Myths About STEM 13:11 The Bigger Picture of YMCA Youth Development 13:55 What YMCA Summer Day Camp Looks Like 14:54 What Makes YMCA Camp Different 18:30 A YMCA Camper's First Camp Experience 19:21 YMCA Before- and After-School Programs 25:42 How Kids Grow Through YMCA Programs 27:25 Financial Assistance for Families 29:17 Recruiting and Training YMCA Camp Staff 31:52 Introducing the YMCA STEAM Alliance 35:38 What's Next for YMCA Youth Development 38:21 How to Get Involved with the Y

  6. Jun 25

    Whole Person Health Doesn't Start in the Exam Room

    What if healthcare didn't begin in a doctor's office, but in the places where families already gather, play, and build community?   In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hewlett sits down with Will Franklin, President and CEO of KC Care Health Center, and Doug Day, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, to explore how healthcare organizations and community partners can remove barriers to care by meeting people where they are.   The conversation begins with KC Care's participation in the YMCA of Greater Kansas City's Healthy Kids Day, where a mobile health unit provided dental screenings and wellness services directly to families attending the event. From there, the discussion expands into the broader mission of community health centers, the importance of whole-person care, and why trusted community spaces like the YMCA play such a vital role in improving health outcomes. Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, camp counselor, or simply someone who wants to better understand others, this conversation will challenge the way you think about empathy and community.   Will and Doug share how KC Care has evolved since 1971 into one of Kansas City's leading providers of accessible healthcare, offering medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, HIV care, care coordination, and insurance navigation regardless of a person's ability to pay. They also discuss how early intervention for children, strong community partnerships, and innovative approaches developed during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape the future of healthcare.   This episode is a reminder that healthier communities are built when organizations work together to make care more accessible, more personal, and more connected.     To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/   00:37 Healthcare Meets Community 01:43 What Is KC Care 04:08 Barriers to Access 05:31 How FQHCs Work 09:36 Everyone Belongs 12:06 Healthy Kids Day Partnership 16:00 Prevention and Active Living 19:24 Why Partnerships Matter 22:27 Biggest Impact Opportunities 25:35 Immunizations Partnership 26:30 Behavioral Health Access 27:20 Stress And Choices 29:38 Breaking Barriers Tactics 34:08 Clearing Up Misconceptions 38:00 Defining Partnership Success 42:39 Equity And Reimbursement 44:41 Hope After COVID Lessons     👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter):  https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity

  7. May 19

    The Film That's Making People CRY – And Why That's Exactly the Point

    What Would You Do If a Single Bite of Food Could Kill Your Child? In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Mandi Kearns, COO of Just Like You Films, and Genevieve Muncy, the YMCA's Senior Behavioral Health Director, to talk about empathy, inclusion, food allergies, and the emotional realities many children face every single day. They discuss the film May Contain My Life, which brings audiences into the daily realities of children and families living with life-threatening food allergies, and how storytelling – and a VR experience that shows both the child's and a friend's perspectives – can deepen understanding and inclusion. The conversation explores invisible needs, the burdens families carry, how kids learn empathy through social-emotional learning and conflict resolution, and why adult modeling matters in creating safe, inclusive spaces in camps, schools, and community programs. Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, camp counselor, or simply someone who wants to better understand others, this conversation will challenge the way you think about empathy and community.   To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/   00:00 Welcome to The Movement 00:36 What Is May Contain My Life? 02:33 Storytelling Builds Empathy 03:41 Invisible Allergy Realities 04:33 The Burden on Families 06:13 Inclusion and Small Tweaks 10:15 Reactions After the VR Headsets Come Off 13:45 Empathy Into Action 16:05 Teaching Empathy to Kids 18:00 When Adults Are the Obstacle to Modeling Empathy 19:18 Impulse Control Skills 22:12 Modeling Invisible Needs 24:57 Life Is Not Fair Talk 27:43 Inclusive Spaces Without Spotlight 30:14 Why YMCA Partnership Works 33:10 Empathy Engine Program 35:54 Closing Thanks And Call To Action     👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter):  https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity

  8. May 7

    How Blue KC and the YMCA Are Building Healthier Kids and Families in Kansas City

    In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet records from the North Kansas City YMCA during Healthy Kids Day – the YMCA's national initiative that has been championing healthy development for kids and families since 1992.   He's joined by Blue KC leaders Michaela Stevenson and Miranda Coffey to discuss why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City partnered as presenting sponsor, how community health extends beyond clinics into walkability, food access, and social connection, and how events like Healthy Kids Day make resources more accessible for families. They highlight the importance of youth behavioral and mental health, including Blue KC's Shut Out the Stigma partnership with the Kansas City Royals, and emphasize belonging and community partnerships. Families and kids share excitement about activities like STEM/STEAM, planting seeds, sports, and the greenhouse.   To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/   00:00 Welcome to The Movement 00:38 Healthy Kids Day kickoff 01:42 Why Blue KC partnered with YMCA 03:17 Health beyond the clinic 04:57 Kids discover new passions 07:41 Healthy habits start young 08:50 KC Wolf surprise visit 09:39 Kids share their favorite activities 11:14 Youth mental health focus 14:10 Belonging as wellbeing 15:51 Power of partnerships 21:14 Meeting families where they are 22:46 Invitation to join the YMCA     👉 Stay connected with us! 🔗 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kansascityymca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymcakansascity/ 🐦 X (Twitter):  https://x.com/kansascityymca 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ymcakansascity

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About

Join Mark Hulet, YMCA of Greater Kansas City President CEO, for "The Movement." Each episode includes a special guest to help us dive into how the Y is more than a place or organization - it's truly a movement of people who've been working toward strengthening the community with holistic body, mind and spirit approach since 1860 in greater Kansas City.

Information

  • Creator
    YMCA of Greater Kansas City
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024-2026
  • Show Website
    The Movement