ThriveIN Wabash County

Destination Wabash County
  • 4.9 (30)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by three passionate leaders—Adam Stakeman, Alex Downard, and Christine Flohr—the podcast dives into the people and projects shaping Wabash County’s future. Every episode offers its listeners key takeaways that can be implemented in their own communities and will cause you to pause and celebrate the wins in your own backyard. With backgrounds in community development, economic growth, outdoor adventure, marketing, and tourism, the trio interviews local business owners, nonprofit leaders, and creatives who are all working to make Wabash County thrive. Subscribe and join us!

  1. 5d ago

    A Lifetime of Learning, Leading & Giving Back | Jan Roland & Connie Gorman

    In this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Christine sits down with retired educators Jan Roland and Connie Gorman for a conversation about family, education, leadership, and a lifetime of giving back to the community they call home. Jan and Connie share what it was like to raise their families in Wabash County, build careers in education, serve on local boards, and mentor the next generation of community leaders. They reflect on how Wabash County has changed over the years, the people and experiences that have shaped them, and why they continue to invest their time and talents in the community today. But this conversation is about more than looking back. It is about what we can learn from two women who have spent decades showing up, serving others, and helping make Wabash County a place where people can build a life, find belonging, and make a difference. Listen in for stories, perspective, a little laughter, and a reminder that thriving in a community isn't just about what you receive from it. It's also about what you're willing to give back. If today’s episode inspired you, make sure to subscribe, rate, and download future episodes of the ThriveIN Wabash County Podcast. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments and upcoming stories. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    A Lifetime of Learning, Leading & Giving Back | Jan Roland & Connie Gorman

  2. Oct 13

    Understanding Indiana's Whitetail Population with Dr. Joe Caudell

    What happens when you put an Indiana deer biologist, an avid deer hunter and a curious community host around the same table? You get a conversation that goes far beyond hunting. In this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Adam Stakeman is joined by Indiana DNR State Deer Project Leader and Biologist Dr. Joe Caudell, along with special co-host and avid deer hunter Clint Kugler. Joe gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like to be responsible for studying and helping manage Indiana's deer population. We talk about how Indiana determines whether the state's deer herd is healthy, how management decisions are made, and why deer management matters to everyone—not just hunters. Because Wabash County experienced a significant deer disease outbreak several years ago, we also dig into Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), what causes it, why some years are particularly devastating, and what actually happens to a deer population following an outbreak. And while deer are the focus, we also get to know Joe the person—his career path, what drew him to wildlife biology, what his day-to-day job actually looks like, and what advice he has for young people who might want to pursue a career in wildlife, conservation or natural resources. It's a conversation about deer, but it's also a conversation about science, conservation, hunting, careers, and our relationship with the natural world around us. If you'd like to share your opinions on the deer population, sign up to receive the annual Deer Management Survey. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    Understanding Indiana's Whitetail Population with Dr. Joe Caudell

  3. Oct 6

    WelcomeIN: Building a Wabash County Where Everyone Belongs

    WelcomeIN: Building a Wabash County Where Everyone Belongs What does it take to create a community where people don't just move in, but feel like they truly belong? On this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Christine and Alex sit down with Mackenzie Coulter-Kern, Director of the Wabash County Diversity Coalition, for a conversation about belonging, population growth, workforce attraction, and what it means to intentionally create a welcoming community. Mackenzie's work began with listening. Through a countywide needs analysis, she connected with businesses, organizations, community stakeholders, and residents to better understand both the opportunities and barriers facing people who are making Wabash County their home. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    WelcomeIN: Building a Wabash County Where Everyone Belongs

  4. Sep 29

    Getting to Know Wabash County YMCA CEO Steven Stanfield

    There's a new face leading the Wabash County YMCA—and he's also one of the newest residents of Wabash County. Steven Stanfield recently stepped into the role of CEO of the Wabash County YMCA, bringing with him a new perspective, new ideas, and a fresh set of eyes on both the YMCA and the community it serves. On this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Adam sits down with Steven to get to know the person behind the new role. They talk about Steven's career journey, what brought him to Wabash County, his first impressions of the community, and what it's like to step into a leadership position while simultaneously getting settled into a new community. The conversation also dives into Steven's vision for the Wabash County YMCA, the role he believes the Y can play in the lives of individuals and families, and how the organization can continue to be an important part of the broader Wabash County community. As a newcomer himself, Steven also offers a unique perspective on Wabash County—what stands out to someone seeing the community with fresh eyes and what makes a place feel like home. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    Getting to Know Wabash County YMCA CEO Steven Stanfield

  5. Sep 22

    Bob & Kristi Lundquist: Decades of Real Estate, Data & Doing Business Together

    What happens when you've spent decades putting a value on Wabash County? Host Alex Downard sits down with Bob and Kristi Lundquist, a husband-and-wife power couple who have spent decades working in real estate and appraisals and building a business rooted right here in Wabash County. Bob and Kristi have had a front-row seat to an industry that looks dramatically different today than when they began. Gone are the days when nearly everything was done manually. Today, technology, massive amounts of property data, automated valuation tools and now artificial intelligence are changing how real estate professionals research properties, analyze markets and complete appraisals. So how do two longtime professionals embrace those tools without losing the experience, local knowledge and human judgment that come from decades in the business? Alex talks with Bob and Kristi about how they use technology, AI and data in their work today, what these tools can do well and where an experienced professional still makes all the difference. The conversation also goes beyond real estate. As longtime stakeholders in Wabash County, Bob and Kristi have watched neighborhoods evolve, property values change, businesses invest and generations of families decide whether Wabash County is the place they want to call home. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    Bob & Kristi Lundquist: Decades of Real Estate, Data & Doing Business Together

  6. Sep 15

    A Place to Grow with Cam & Katie Beauchamp

    Christine shares the studio with Cam and Katie Beauchamp and their adorable 6-month-old son, Miles, for a conversation about what it really means to call a place home. For Cam and Katie, Wabash County is more than somewhere they live—it’s somewhere they are intentionally building a life. They share their story of starting a family, finding connection in their community, and discovering the difference between simply living somewhere and becoming rooted in a place. They also talk about why getting involved matters, especially for young professionals, and how showing up, building relationships, and investing your time can help shape the community you want to call home. It’s a story about love, family, community, and choosing to put down roots—and a reminder that the life we build in a community can be just as meaningful as the place itself. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    A Place to Grow with Cam & Katie Beauchamp

  7. Sep 8

    Why Not Here? — How One Game of Pickleball Sparked a Bigger Idea

    Why Not Here? — How One Game of Pickleball Sparked a Bigger Idea On this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Adam sits down with Tim McLaughlin to talk about his connection to North Manchester, raising a family in the community, his involvement in the Manchester Chamber, owning The North Manchester News-Journal, career with Thorne Insurance, and the many ways he has chosen to get involved. They also dive into pickleball, the push for dedicated courts in North Manchester, and the bigger question behind the project: What happens when people stop waiting for someone else to make their community better and decide to get involved themselves? To connect with Tim or learn more about the pickleball courts, visit the North Manchester Pickleball Fanatics Facebook page.  A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County—for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    Why Not Here? — How One Game of Pickleball Sparked a Bigger Idea

  8. Sep 1

    From Dream to $18.7 Million Reality

    What started as a dream is becoming a $18.7 million reality in Wabash County. In this episode of ThriveIN Wabash County, Alex takes Christine and Adam behind the vision for the Canal Street Artist Collective; what it is, why it matters, and how the project has progressed from an idea to a transformative development. Christine and Adam ask the “nosey” questions everyone else is wondering: How did this happen? What will it look like? Why Canal Street? And what could this project mean for Wabash County’s future? Alex shares the vision, the journey, the challenges, and the potential impact of creating a place where artists, creativity, community, and economic development can come together. This is more than a building project; it’s a story about believing in what a community can become and turning that vision into something real. A heartfelt thank-you to our community partners—The City of Wabash, Bowen Health, Sandra Kunkel Trust, Mark & Amy Ford, PaperWorks Industries, Lisa Gilman Investment Fund, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, and Visit Wabash County- for helping bring this podcast to life. This podcast is produced in partnership with Destination Wabash County. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your feedback by completing this FORM.

    From Dream to $18.7 Million Reality
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Hosted by three passionate leaders—Adam Stakeman, Alex Downard, and Christine Flohr—the podcast dives into the people and projects shaping Wabash County’s future. Every episode offers its listeners key takeaways that can be implemented in their own communities and will cause you to pause and celebrate the wins in your own backyard. With backgrounds in community development, economic growth, outdoor adventure, marketing, and tourism, the trio interviews local business owners, nonprofit leaders, and creatives who are all working to make Wabash County thrive. Subscribe and join us!

Information

  • Creator
    Destination Wabash County
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Destination Wabash County
  • Show Website
    ThriveIN Wabash County

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