Carolina Small Town Voices

The Circle of the Panda
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Places & Travel

Hosted by J.D. Ross | Produced by The Circle of the Panda There's something about a small town that gets into your heart — the way everyone waves, the sense that people actually mean it when they ask how you're doing. Carolina Small Town Voices is a podcast dedicated to the values that small towns have always carried quietly: community, hospitality, knowing your neighbor's name, and slowing down long enough to actually live. Starting in Fort Mill, South Carolina — a town navigating the tension between rapid growth and deep roots — host J.D. Ross sits down with business owners, community leaders, longtime families, and newcomers who fell in love with a slower pace of life. Together, they explore what makes a community a community, and what it looks like to protect that. This is more than a podcast. It's a platform, a movement, and a growing archive of the stories and values that make small-town America worth preserving. The vision is bigger than one town — Carolina Small Town Voices aims to travel across the Carolinas and beyond. Whether you grew up on Main Street, moved away and carry it with you, or just feel that pull toward something quieter and more connected — this show is for you. One voice at a time.

Episodes

  1. 20h ago

    Christina Raine: Twisted, Crazy, Beautiful — The Power of Connection

    In this episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, JD sits down with singer-songwriter Christina Raine for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation about music, life, connection, and finding purpose in the unexpected places. Christina shares the story behind her song Twisted, Crazy, Beautiful and why she believes life can be all three things at the same time. She talks about learning to let go of control, betting on herself, trusting God's timing, and discovering that sometimes the best things happen when we stop trying to do everything ourselves. The conversation also takes a powerful turn as Christina describes performing at senior living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing communities. She explains how music can bring people back to memories they thought were gone—and how three simple words, “I am here,” capture what she sees happening in those moments. You'll also hear Christina talk about authenticity, the pressure facing independent artists, the business side of making music, her love of older music, and why sometimes you simply have to sing from the heart—even when your voice isn't perfect. It's a fun, funny, emotional, and very real conversation about music, aging, perspective, perseverance, and the connections that remind us we're never really alone. Find Christina Raine and her music online and listen to Twisted, Crazy, Beautiful wherever you stream music.

  2. 5d ago

    When God Says, “Why Not?” — Christi Halpin and Isaiah 117 House

    In this deeply moving episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, JD sits down with Christi Halpin of Isaiah 117 House in York County to hear the story behind a remarkable ministry serving children entering foster care. Isaiah 117 House provides a safe, welcoming home for children on what can be the hardest day of their lives—the day they are removed from everything they know and enter the foster care system. Instead of waiting in an office, hospital, hotel, or other unfamiliar setting, children can walk through the red door of Isaiah 117 House and immediately find comfort, food, clothing, volunteers, and people ready to simply meet them where they are. Christi shares how she never expected to become involved in foster care. But after hearing the story of two children, she says God began working on her heart until she finally heard the question, “Why not?” That moment began a journey that would lead her family to foster 27 teenage boys and eventually help bring Isaiah 117 House to York County. This conversation is about foster care, faith, obedience, community, and what happens when we are willing to say yes to something bigger than ourselves. Kristy also shares some incredible stories of how she has seen God provide for the house and the children it serves. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to follow God's calling—even when you don't feel ready—this is an episode you won't want to miss. Listen, share, and help spread the word about the children Isaiah 117 House serves.

  3. 6d ago

    “Grow Where You’re Planted: Pastor Reed McAteer”

    In this episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, JD sits down with Pastor Reed McAteer of Sisk Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Reed shares his personal journey from growing up in Fort Mill and working in college and professional football to discovering his calling to ministry and ultimately returning home to serve the community where he was raised. Their conversation explores trusting God’s timing, learning to “grow where you’re planted,” and understanding that sometimes the people we overlook are the very people God can use in powerful ways. Reed also talks about what it really means to love your neighbor—not just with words, but through selflessness, sacrifice and serving people in practical ways. He shares how Sisk Memorial Baptist Church has worked to meet physical needs in the community while also reaching people with a message of faith and hope. At the heart of this conversation is a simple message: Don’t write people off. Pay attention to the needs around you. Serve where you are. And love your neighbor. This is a powerful conversation about faith, second chances, community and what it means to come home and serve the people around you.

  4. Aug 21

    The Giving Porch - Mary Ann Thornton

    In this episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, JD talks with Mary Ann Thornton, the woman behind The Giving Porch in Fort Mill, South Carolina—a simple but powerful way of connecting people who want to give with people and organizations that have a need. Mary shares how a childhood lesson from her parents—“Because he was our neighbor”—helped shape her lifelong commitment to serving others. She explains how The Giving Porch grew from simply helping neighbors into a community network that now works with dozens of nonprofits, connecting donations, volunteers, businesses, and resources with people who need them. But this conversation is about much more than giving things away. Mary talks about the importance of preserving dignity, asking people what they actually need, giving a “hand up” rather than a handout, and making it easy for ordinary people to get involved. Along the way, she shares powerful stories involving homeless veterans, women in shelters, children serving their communities, donated bicycles, furniture, food, and even a donated car. Mary's message is simple and memorable: “Don’t let your inability to do everything prevent you from doing something.” This is a conversation about generosity, community, dignity, and the reminder that sometimes the smallest act of kindness can create a much bigger impact than we will ever see.

  5. Aug 19

    A Family Legacy: Author: Angela Knape

    In this episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, JD sits down with author Angela Knape to talk about family, small-town memories, community, and the importance of preserving the stories and values passed down through generations. Angela’s book, Edith Pauline: At Pike’s Place, grew out of memories of growing up near her grandparents’ family farm in northwest Ohio. She shares stories of Sunday dinners, gardens, quilting, cooking for neighbors, church, family traditions, and the simple ways people once cared for one another. The conversation also explores Angela’s own journey as a writer, from a childhood love of storytelling to becoming a published author later in life. She talks about volunteering to cook and serve meals to people experiencing homelessness in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and how her family’s legacy of serving others influenced her. Most importantly, Angela reminds us that every family has a story worth preserving. Her advice is simple: write down the memories, pay attention to the things that matter, and don’t push that calling to the back burner. This is a conversation about remembering where we come from—and making sure the values that shaped us aren't forgotten.

  6. Aug 12

    "Roots Give You Meaning": David Ward's 67 Years in Fort Mill

    David Ward has spent his entire life in Fort Mill, South Carolina — the same small town where his father served 47 years on the fire department before him. In this conversation, David shares what it means to have real roots: knowing neighbors by name across three and four generations, watching Main Street fade and come back to life, and finding purpose through a lifetime of quiet service. We talk about the legendary Halloween "two-bagger," the Springs Close family's role in preserving Fort Mill's character, and what it takes for a small town to keep its soul when growth is pressing in from every direction. David also opens up about eating lunch on a park bench with a homeless man named Roosevelt, why he challenges retirees to record their stories on their phones, and the faith that underpins everything he does. His message to anyone, anywhere: welcome people in, listen to their story, serve without waiting for credit — and know that the history you're living right now is the history someone else will treasure later.

  7. Aug 11

    Loving Your Neighbor — Lorne & Misti James on Faith, Family, and Small Town Life

    In this episode of Carolina Small Town Voices, host JD sits down with Lorne and Misti — a husband and wife who have built their lives around community, faith, and service in small town South Carolina. They share what drew them away from the Charlotte area and into a slower, more connected way of life, and why they've chosen to stay even as their town grows. Lorne talks about running a water damage restoration company where the motto "Love Thy Neighbor" is literally written on the side of their trucks — and what it looks like to live that out on the hardest days of someone's life. Misti opens up about the farm she's turned into an educational hub for local high school students, teaching everything from aquaponics to canning, and why pouring into the next generation has become her passion. Together, they reflect on the values that define small town living — showing up for people, building roots, and treating others the way you want to be treated — and why those values aren't just for small towns. They're for everywhere. If this conversation inspired you, share it with someone in your community. That's exactly what this show is about.

  8. Aug 10

    Welcome to Carolina Small Town Voices

    Host J.D. Ross introduces Carolina Small Town Voices — a podcast about the values that small towns carry quietly: community, hospitality, and connection. Starting in Fort Mill, South Carolina, J.D. shares the vision for a show that celebrates the people and places fighting to hold onto what makes small-town life special. Produced by The Circle of the Panda, this is just the beginning.

  • 8 Episodes

About

Hosted by J.D. Ross | Produced by The Circle of the Panda There's something about a small town that gets into your heart — the way everyone waves, the sense that people actually mean it when they ask how you're doing. Carolina Small Town Voices is a podcast dedicated to the values that small towns have always carried quietly: community, hospitality, knowing your neighbor's name, and slowing down long enough to actually live. Starting in Fort Mill, South Carolina — a town navigating the tension between rapid growth and deep roots — host J.D. Ross sits down with business owners, community leaders, longtime families, and newcomers who fell in love with a slower pace of life. Together, they explore what makes a community a community, and what it looks like to protect that. This is more than a podcast. It's a platform, a movement, and a growing archive of the stories and values that make small-town America worth preserving. The vision is bigger than one town — Carolina Small Town Voices aims to travel across the Carolinas and beyond. Whether you grew up on Main Street, moved away and carry it with you, or just feel that pull toward something quieter and more connected — this show is for you. One voice at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    The Circle of the Panda
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Carolina Small Town Voices
  • Show Website
    Carolina Small Town Voices