"Right now is the one time that we are all here together. And if we can figure out how to make that better, let's figure it out.” – Erica Brown

In this episode of Hudson Valley Storycatcher, host Jen Lee sits down with Erica Brown, the Community Engagement Coordinator at Radio Kingston. Erica also serves as a board member for TMI Project and Good Work Institute. This conversation dives into her personal philosophy of community as a lifelong calling, a thread that runs through so many of her life’s spaces and seasons.

Key Highlights from this Episode:

• Community as a Calling: Erica discusses how her roots in community engagement began at age seven, volunteering at Thompson Memorial Church in Auburn, NY—the final hometown church of Harriet Tubman—and how that experience, along with her upbringing, planted the seeds of volunteering and showing up for others.
• The Reality of 2020: Erica speaks candidly about the "nakedness" she felt as a Black person following the murder of George Floyd, and her journey through the feelings and experiences that followed.
• Fasting from Urgency: Erica shares her current practice of “fasting from urgency" to allow herself to be more present and to sit with decisions rather than rushing through them.
• Language Justice: Why true inclusivity requires more than just a translated flyer. Erica explains how the Hudson Valley Language Justice group is working to make spaces and programs truly accessible through interpretation and translation. She also shares how asking, “What about…?” can widen who is at the table for (or considered during) discussions impacting wider communities.
• Universal Love: A closing thought on the attempt to love everyone and anyone, and why connecting with one another matters.

Resources Mentioned:

• Radio Kingston: Erica’s professional home in Kingston, NY.
• Thompson Memorial Church: The historic church in Auburn, NY, where Erica’s ancestors attended with Harriet Tubman.
• Kingston Resilience & Mutual Aid: Grassroots groups Erica worked with to provide food and resources during the pandemic.

Connect with Hudson Valley Storycatcher:

• Host: Jen Lee
• Website: HudsonValleyStorycatcher.com
• Recommendations: Have a neighbor with a story? Email us at HudsonValleyStorycatcher@gmail.com

"When that pager goes off, the adrenaline goes up ... you see people on their worst day and you try to make it better.” – Todd VanBuskirk, Sr.

In this episode of Hudson Valley Storycatcher, we go behind the scenes of the local emergency services that keep our community safe. Host Jen Lee sits down with Todd VanBuskirk, Senior, a fourth-generation firefighter and veteran EMT with over 40 years of service in the Hudson Valley.

Todd doesn't just hold a job; he holds a legacy. From rushing down the street to save a choking child to deep familiarity with the high-pressure environment of a volunteer fire department, Todd shares what it really means to be "of service" in a small town.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Family Legacy: What it’s like to grow up in a "firefighting family" and why he feels his calling is "in the blood."
• The Weekend Warriors (and Weekday Heroes): How local plumbers, electricians, and many others form the backbone of our regional 911 response.
• The Reality of the Call: Todd recounts the powerful story of saving a neighbor’s child and the way responding to emergencies also involves caring for others who are present, like family members.
• Perfectly Broken: A deep dive into the mental health challenges facing first responders and the local program helping them process the "things they can't unsee."
• The "Dark Roast" Fuel: A lighthearted look at the coffee-driven shifts of EMS and how responders "recharge" between calls.

About Todd VanBuskirk, Senior:

Todd is a lifelong Hudson Valley resident and a supervisor with the Town of Clinton EMS. He has spent four decades volunteering and working in emergency services, specializing in training the next generation of responders and advocating for mental health support within the ranks.

Resources Mentioned:

• Perfectly Broken: A support program for first responders (founded by Rhinebeck Fire Chief Brian Knapp).
• Local Volunteering: Interested in helping? Visit your local firehouse on a Monday night or check out your town's emergency services page.

Connect with Hudson Valley Storycatcher:

• Website: hudsonvalleystorycatcher.com
• Support the Show: Share this episode with a neighbor or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
• Nominate a Neighbor: Recommend someone to be featured on the show by emailing: hudsonvalleystorycatcher@gmail.com

Listen now to hear why Todd believes the heart of a volunteer is the strongest thing in the world.

"I think when you can relax a bit and reflect on things that you might want improvement on, you might want to grow in... it gives you some time instead of always being on the go." — Nancy Lee

In this episode, host Jen Lee visits Petals and Moss Floral Design in Red Hook, NY, to sit down with owner Nancy Lee (no relation). Nancy is a floral designer whose work ranges from intimate local bouquets to the massive, flower-covered floats of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade. She’s also worked as a designer with the Schaffer Design Team for the last five years at the Philadelphia Flower Show, alongside some incredible internationally accredited designers––an inspiring experience learning from them while collaborating on the show.

We explore Nancy’s journey from a 30-year career with children’s clothing to finding her next calling in the soil of her garden and the artistry of floral design. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, look at nature with renewed attention, and find wonder in the simplest elements—like a birch branch in the snow or a seed pod used as a drumstick.

Key Highlights from the Conversation:

• The Rose Bowl Experience: Nancy shares her experience working on the "Star Trek" float in Pasadena, where she helped manage 4,000 roses on just the deck alone.
• The Mid-Life Pivot: After 30 years as a single mother running a hand-painted clothing line, Nancy describes the "crisis" that led her to journal her passions and study at the New York Botanical Gardens.
• Serving the Community: From delivering flowers during the isolation of COVID-19 to helping a nervous first-time father pick out roses while he and his wife await the arrival of their first child, Nancy discusses the unique way florists intersect with life’s biggest moments.
• The Philosophy of "Wildness": Why Nancy embraces a natural, un-planned aesthetic in both her shop and her private garden to create a sense of freedom.
• Tending vs. Working: A look at the restorative power of "tending" a garden as a form of presence and mental challenge.
• Passing on the Wonder: How Nancy uses nature to connect with her grandchildren, sharing her joy in the natural world around them.

About the Guest:

Nancy Lee is the owner of Petals and Moss Floral Design in Red Hook, New York. After a career as a clothing designer, she transitioned into professional floral design in 2015. She is a mother, grandmother, and passionate gardener who is inspired by nature every day.

Resources:

• Petals and Moss Floral Design: Located in Red Hook, NY.
• Learn from Nancy at one of her Workshops
• New York Botanical Garden (Bronx): Where Nancy took her initial floral design classes.
• Star Trek Rose Bowl Parade Float: The story behind the 2026 float Nancy worked on as a floral designer.

Connect with Hudson Valley Storycatcher:

• Website: HudsonValleyStorycatcher.com
• Nominate at neighbor to appear on the show by email: hudsonvalleystorycatcher@gmail.com

"Just be very observant of nature... go outside and look what's around you." — Nancy Lee

Think you know the Hudson Valley? Listen closer. Join Jen Lee, the Hudson Valley Storycatcher, as she uncovers the extraordinary stories hiding in our most everyday places. From the orchards of Red Hook to the creative storefronts of Hudson and the historic hills of Rhinebeck, this podcast is about meeting the neighbors you haven't met—on a truly human level. Strengthen your connection to the valley with every episode.

• Explore the stories: hudsonvalleystorycatcher.com
• Nominate a neighbor: hudsonvalleystorycatcher@gmail.com