Welcome to the Beautiful View Podcast where we encourage you to look for opportunities in your life to see a beautiful view. I’m Candy. 

And I'm Paul. Today, we're going to be talking about gathering places in our communities and why they're so important. 

Yes. And we have a special guest joining us today to talk about a couple of the places that we love to gather. 

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful view. 

Have you ever stopped to consider the importance of community gathering places? These places are where people naturally congregate. They foster social interactions and a sense of belonging, and they can include a variety of different spaces. 

Most of these places are where people meet regularly, socialize, and engage in activities. They often have few barriers to entry and a welcoming. 

Yeah. Atmosphere, the community that we live in is small, but it is packed with places like this. That was a big draw to us, putting roots down here in Bellevue, Iowa, community gathering places facilitate social interaction and they help build relationships. They also provide a sense of belonging. Who doesn't want to belong somewhere? When we were new to this community, we found our people by going to local gathering places. 

Yeah. And these are places such as libraries, community centers, churches and other facilities. That provide access to resources and programs that benefit the community. 

Yeah. And there's one place in particular that we have been involved in since even before we moved here. 

Yeah, that's the food share at the at the Presbyterian Church here in town. Yeah. And that was something that you found on Facebook when we were here. Just. 

Mm-hmm. 

Sort of like I'm staying for a season. And you're like, what can we get the kids involved in? Like, what? What is this something here in town that we can do. And you discovered the Bellevue community cover project on Facebook. 

Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. I did and I messaged him and I'm like, is this something that families can participate in? Is it something that kids can help with and they were like, absolutely. So we started volunteering there and it's amazing when you get into something like that, the friendships that you make with the people that you're serving with and just the sense of, I guess, fulfillment and the blessing that you get. 

Yeah. Oh yeah. 

Yeah. 

From doing something like that, it's just it's really special so. 

Absolutely, yeah. 

Back to libraries. You mentioned libraries and you know to some people that may not seem like a really social place to, but believe it or not, some of the first people that we met in Bellevue were the ladies at the Public Library, which is so cool. One summer we were here in our RV and actually Emily volunteered at the library. 

Right. Yeah. 

Just to kind of help with some things around to and it just happened. That was the time they were putting in their makers space and she got to help. She got to help set up the maker space. So that was really cool. And then she did. It was so that was so fulfilling for her and. 

Ohh yeah, remember. 

Remember that? Yeah. 

She loved doing that. That was cool. Yeah. 

Then they had, like, a summer reading program thing for the kids. And then at the end of that, they did a little carnival. And so Emily and I volunteered to go up there, and we did face painting at the at the carnival. So I think I probably painted about 50 Pokémon Balls. On peoples on kids faces. But that was just so much fun. And I mean, you know, who knew that libraries could be that social, but they they can. 

I think you're supposed to be quiet in the library, right? 

Well, I think it depends on the situation. 

So there are parks, campgrounds, breweries, restaurants, sports facilities, public pools and other recreational spaces in our communities. And they offer opportunities for socializing and entertainment. 

They do, and our community has a ton of opportunities to be a part of. Things if you want. 

To be. 

We have the pleasure of talking with someone who is the owner of two community gathering places, one in Dyersville, Iowa, and 1:00 here in Bellevue. This is a great conversation where we got to hear his heart and vision for these community spaces. And the role that they play in bringing people together. 

We are here today with our friend Tom Oberding. He's the owner of Textile Brewing in Dyersville, Iowa, and River Ridge Brewing in our Bellevue, Iowa. And we're sitting here today in textile with tom-tom, can you tell us a little bit about the history of this beautiful building? 

Yes. 

Sure, this building was built right around 1908, we believe and it started out as a car showroom. 

OK. Oh. 

Oil as a gasoline engine factory, then a car showroom, and then within two years it became a sewing factory. And it was a sewing factory from. 

OK. 

OK. 

That's kind of what it's most famous for, right? 

Yeah. From about 1910 until 2017. So it was. It was only closed for maybe nine months before we bought it, so. 

Wow. And they specialized in pajamas, is that right? 

For the. 

Majority of it. A lifetime as a sewing factory. It was pajamas, and that's kind of what the local people that are old enough to remember. It referred to it as a pajama factory. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

Refurbished and repurposed furniture in here, and I guess they were sewing tables at some point. 

Yeah, it's really. 

Cool. 

Yep, Yep, there was sewing machine there and yeah. 

It's a really cool vibe in the. Place it is, yeah. 

Super cool. 

Yeah. So we had a conversation a few weeks back at River Ridge and I was we had just come over here and had a few beers. And I remember sampled all the things and we had the some musicians up front and there were there was people packed down these long tables in here. 

There really there wasn't a seat left in the house. We grabbed a seat at the bar because that was about all there was, we. 

No. 

Came in so. So I was. I was like just remarking on, like, what a great atmosphere it was. Yeah. And. And I said it, it really feels like a brew house. And. And you're like, yeah, that's. 

OK. 

What we were going for? 

Yeah, you know. I'm a pharmacist, so I was happily doing my pharmacy thing and my wife at the time was just insistent that we opened a brewery in Dyer. So we. 

Yeah. 

Had no idea. Where and I just kind of laughed it off. 

Yeah. 

So you know, Nope. Never did it. Never did any of that yet. So that asked her who's going to make the beer. Said you. 

Were a home Brewer at the time. OK, OK. Yeah. 

Are. Because you're a pharmacist, you'll figure it out. 

You can figure out all the chemicals, right? 

So this building which I grew up in this town, and I don't, I don't. Even remember it. Being here. 

I mean I. 

Moved away for. 30 years or so. 

Sure. 

But I don't even remember this building being here, but it became available and we walked through it and it turns out the economic development coordinator for Dyersville was also looking at this building to turn it into a brewery, which we didn't. We didn't even know that. So after going through this and you know. 

MHM. Ohh. How interesting. 

If the price was good, I'm thinking I better learn how. To make some beer. So while we were working on buying this building and starting the renovation, I did a crash course and how to make beer and that's kind of how it. 

Council, OK. And the rest is history. 

Kinda. Yeah. So we went in to buy in the building. With the contents in it and I have to give Carol my ex a lot of credit because she she had a vision. 

Sure. OK. Yeah. 

And a lot of people contributed a lot of community people contributed to how this looks now, but she was the main person who made sure that that we stayed true to what what her vision was. And that was, yeah. 

Sure. Sure. So you did, you had a, you had a vision for this place and there's obviously like a lot of every time I've talked to you about it, there's obviously a lot of heart behind. Yeah, how this space is used and people coming together and that kind of stuff. Can you talk to us a little bit about? 

Yes. 

Kind of that like what your heart is behind this place. 

Well, you know, like I said, I moved back after 25 or 30 years. I mean, I would visit. But when I moved back, I essentially knew my family that was here and a few friends that I went to school. 

OK. 

With. 

We're still around. 

So other than that, I mean I pretty much had to re friend or or learn, you know, new friendships as we went along and the. 

Yeah, sure, sure. 

It that really never happened while I was a pharmacist because I was working in Dubuque or Cedar Rapids and other than golfing that's, you know, it was just family and and friends I already knew. And then when this opened. 

Of course, yeah. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

I've just I've developed a whole new large group of community friends and people that were here when I was was here, but I didn't know them so it's great to come in here every day and to look around and you know. 

Isn't that something? 

Yeah. 

Right. 

Mm-hmm. 

You know your friends might walk in one at one minute. A lot of people come in here. I've never seen before. And you can tell when it's their first time because they'll, they'll look around and they'll smile on their face and and then, you know, I can. I usually am listening in on and if they have questions about the building. 

Yeah, or. 

Sure. 

They're just looking. Yeah, yeah. 

You know, I'll share the history and and people are really appreciative of. 

Sure. 

That. And and then in the summer we. Have the baseball. Tournaments, the kids tournaments and most of those teams are from large cities. Chicago, Saint Louis. 

Right, right. And that's at the Field of Dreams. Is that where those? 

While the tournaments take place all around town. 

OK. 

But then between games and stuff, they'll come in here. The teams and their and their parents and siblings. And it's really neat to talk to them too. So to me, like, I really appreciate that we. 

OK. Yeah. Cool. 

Yeah. 

We followed this plan and it kept this. We used repurposed everything except these chairs and the bar top. And that's everything else is pretty much what we found in the build. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, yeah, sure. 

Thing. 

That's awesome. 

And you're surrounded by the history. Like we've got the the newspaper articles and magazine articles on the wall. So you can just kind of walk around and get a idea. 

Yeah. Yeah. Well, there's a cool history that we didn't even know about. I don't think anybody in theirs are really knew about it. But in 1916, the women that worked here walked out over a pay discrepancy. Now women couldn't even vote in 1916, and most of the women that worked here were teenage girls. So for them to walk out. 

Huh. 

Right. 

Right, right. 

Under those circumstances, pretty brave. Yeah, very. And in fact, that article there thoughts about it. Yeah. 

Yes, yes. 

And it turns out this. Richard Bissell. Was the grandson or nephew of the owner of this building the sewing factory? He became a writer and he wrote a book called Seven and a Half Cents, which became a best seller. And then they turned it into a Broadway musical and Shirley MacLaine was the lead in the Broadway musical. 

OK. OK. 

OK. 

Oh wow. Oh wow. 

In New York, and that was her first major role. It won Tony Awards. 

How come on? 

So then they turned it into a movie starring Doris Day, and it all kind of related back to what happened here in 1916, so. 

Wow. 

And the movie was the. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That was actually one of my moms favorite movies. So it's kind of wild in England. Yeah. Yeah. 

Pajama game. Now. Yeah. In England. And I've never watched. The whole movie, but because it's a musical and I don't know but. 

And the yeah. And the reason why my mom loved it is because her grandmother was part of the suffragette movement in England. Ohh, and actually protested outside the Houses of Parliament and. Who? Was. One of the ladies who was. Arrested for throwing it right through the. 

Window. 

Whoopsie. 

So. Kind. 

Of. 

Is all in the same ballpark there. 

Yeah, same thing. Yeah. So you mentioned that your family is from here. So how has their support in this Community kind of helped you make your helped make your vision possible? What? What does their support mean to you? 

Yes. Ohh, it means everything my. My mom originally, when we discussed this idea. Was furious. He's like Tom, you're a pharmacist. You have a good job. Why? Are you doing this? And you know she by the time, by the time we got to the construction part, she was a minor investor and she and she's been incredibly supportive. 

How funny. Your mom is so sweet, too. 

Oh. 

I lost my dad in 2010 and I lived in Georgia at that. 

OK. 

Time. And I hadn't. He got Parkinson's at in 2004, and he died in 2010. And I was in Georgia the whole time. And, you know, I saw him, you know, holidays and stuff. But I I I missed a lot of the end of his life and that kind of sticks with you. So when I had an opportunity to move back. 

OK. 

Oh wow, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. Sure, of course. 

You know, part of it was so I could be closer to my. Mom. 

Sure. 

Because she was getting, you know, in her 70s and. 

Sure, sure. 

And she's 82 now, and she's probably could run circles around. Me. But yeah, but our relationship. 

She seems like a little firecracker. 

Has has grown and it's just been great. And then my sister lives here and her family and. And it's just wonderful to have that support group being single. 

That's awesome. OK. Yeah, for sure. 

You know, it helps me, you know, things to do. And my friends and everything, it's kind of keeps me grounded so. 

Sure, sure. Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. 

I mentioned before that when we came over here, you had a couple. It was with the musicians for the evening. It was a good event and everybody was like they were getting the everybody engaged and stuff. And you actually have a lot of events here, different events. What what event is your favorite? 

Yeah. 

What's the one that you you really look forward? 

To Ohh Christmas trivia. OK, that's that's insane. There's got. 

Yes, yes, that's always big. Good night. 

Yeah, we bring in extra tables, pub. You know, pub tables, extra tables and chairs. 

Yeah. 

There's there's usually 35 to 38 teams of up to six people each. And when we when it's themed like that, some people will dress up. And yeah, this year was Christmas vacation, you know, always get, you know, cousin eddies. 

Wow. 

Wow. 

Sure. That just makes it more fun. Stop. 

And all that. And that's. It's Christmas time too, so all of that when we we have the place decorated for Christmas and it just really. 

Mm-hmm. 

Kind of makes you feel good. 

Yeah, this this next Christmas, we should bring our. 

And you. 

Ohh there you go crashing outside. Yeah, maybe not, maybe not. 

And I saw something a couple of weeks ago on Facebook or something. You guys had a puzzle night here that seemed pretty cool. The pictures look like there were lots of people spread out on the long tables and. 

Yeah. What's really neat is is like the the library. 

Yeah. 

They came to us and they said we want to do a puzzle. And we have a space that allows that we have big tables and it's wide open. So everybody's around each other. Plus this the atmosphere in here is always good. So it was really great that they were hoping to get 15 teams and they ended up with three or four on a waiting list. So all the proceeds went to the library. 

Yeah, of course. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Ohh wow. 

We gave 10% of sales. That day to the library. So I like to do that, yeah. 

That's cool. 

I love that and that's a big part of, you know, being a part of a community is the giving back part. So. And I know that you're you do a lot of that. 

Yeah. And you know. That night it was a week. Night. Sure. We wouldn't have been that busy if it wasn't for the puzzle. 

Right. 

Night. So you know, I I like those are. 

Right, yeah. 

But. Kind of things that you know you should be giving. Back. 

Of course. Yeah. No, I love that. 

It's benefiting, it's benefiting the library, but it's also benefiting us. 

Sure. Yeah, I love that. We. Yeah, for sure. We mentioned also earlier that you own River Ridge Brewing in Bellevue, which is one of our favorite places that we met, yes. 

At the same time, win. Win, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's How I Met you. 

So we like to call, especially in the summer time we like to call River Ridge Bellevue's backyard because it literally people congregate on the patio. And of course, we overlooked the Mississippi River. I mean, I personally think we have like one of the best views of the. 

Yeah. 

I I don't know of a better one, and I've been to a. 

Mississippi. River. It is absolutely gorgeous. 

Lot of places so. 

Yeah. So. Why do you think that providing gathering places like these two breweries and local communities is so important? 

Personally, having lived in cities where it's less personal and you go places and you rarely know anybody. 

Mm-hmm. Sure. Right. 

Coming back to communities like this and seeing the friendships and I think it's valuable and I think a lot, you know since we. Happened a lot of things have happened in Dyersville downtown to kind of bring it back to life because it was. It was really starting to die. A lot of the owners of the businesses were getting to retirement or past retirement and they, you know, didn't have the energy. 

Right. Sure, sure. 

Or. The the You know the desire to, really. 

Yeah. 

Carry on. Yeah, yeah. 

Try new things you know and and we kind of started that. You know there is a. A wine. Are next door now couple of bars and restaurants downtown. And I just remember moving back and we would drive down Main Street on Friday night, Saturday night. 

Yeah, I saw that. Yeah. Very cool. 

Not a car. 

Yeah. Ohh really. 

And now you know, parking spots are full. 

There's always something, yeah. 

And it's just made a difference. 

That's a good thing. And I mean this place has windows on all sides and it's just wide open. It's people just like coming here. 

Really close. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, and I think, like you said before, like, it's a place that people can meet up. It's neutral, you know, ground friends can meet. Families can meet. 

Yeah. 

And it's just, it's a cool place, yeah. 

And my staff is amazing and and a lot of my staff are have been here from the beginning or very soon thereafter and their local people that know everybody in town. So I mean when when I choose to go somewhere, I would go if I had two options. 

MHM. 

Yeah. No people. Yeah, yeah. Of course. 

I will go to the place where I know I'm going to get good service and I know. 

You. 

The people behind the bar. 

Yeah. 

And you know you're going to get consistent and good service and friendly people. 

Absolutely. I agree. 

Yeah. And so you opened here in 2019? 

Hey, great. 

Is that correct? 

July of 2019, yeah. 

OK. And then you purchased River Ridge in 2022? 

Yep, toward the end of 2020. 

OK. 

2. 

So after setting up here and all the work that went into this place, what what was the draw? Why? Why were you interested in then purchasing River race? 

Well, I had gone to the original where we're on Main Street and. 

Yeah, ohh. The little one, yeah, yeah. 

Kind of talk to the the owners. I don't really know them and I don't even know if we were open yet or and I thought this is really cool. It kind of reminded me of Guttenberg a little bit. 

Yeah. OK. 

Yeah. 

Right, sure. 

You. Know and my cousin Ann runs the golf course in Bellevue so and I play golf against the Bellevue golf. 

OK. 

Group of guys. So I kind of know some of them. Yeah. And. And then when the owners reached out to me about the brewery, the current brewery buying it. 

OK. Yeah. 

Mm-hmm. 

I was kind of surprised because I think, you know if the location, location, location if that's it doesn't get any better than that and then sitting down and talking to him and that they gave me the same vibe that you give me as far as they have a passion for the place and they they were drawn to textile. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

He doesn't get any better. He's fine. 

Sorry. 

For me, because they sense that that I have the same type of feeling and and put that much importance on, you know, maintaining your brand and and community. And so that's kind of how that worked out and I just. 

I would agree. 

Yeah. Yeah. Yes. 

Couldn't. Let that place go to somebody else, because I just thought this would be such a. Cool environment so. 

Yeah, it was a cool place. 

It was the the similar core value in both. Places. 

Yeah, yeah. And and the owners. They saw that in textile and I kind of saw it in them just from talking. To them so. 

Yeah, sure. We made it work. So you're talking about how textile brings people together and friends and family and stuff. River Ridge is definitely that place as well and I love. I love that and I know that some of the people that we have met at River Ridge have become our very best friends. So even before I worked there, that was kind of we had met a couple of people out and about in the community, but then they're like, oh, hey, come meet our friends over here. And we sat down and now, I mean, these are. 

Yeah. Yes. 

People we do life together, you know, I mean, they're my girlfriend's text group and you know, that kind of stuff. I mean, these these are like my very, very best friends. And I met them at River Ridge. Do you see those kinds of things happening here or do you think it's like, like the friendships? 

Share. With them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Being formed here. Or do you think it's mostly people that are already friends that come here to hang out? 

I think it's a combination of both. Yeah. Me personally. I see a lot of people come in. And I I don't know who they are. I mean, there's people that come from all around and they're usually meet meeting someone there. But then there's also times, mainly during the week and Sundays where it's local people. And I know them and they're coming here together. There's a group of ladies that are. 

Sure. MHM. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Sure. 

Yeah. 

Probably in their 80s, they'll come in. 

OK. 

On a weekday right at 11:00. Yeah. And they'll just sit down and they'll have pop and they might order some food and they'll sit there and talk for three hours. 

Sure. It's a girl town, yeah. 

And they look forward to the time. 

Eat some, eat some popcorn and have a pop. And yeah, and I I have a group of friends that we like to meet here too. Yeah. 

Yeah. Sure. At River Ridge I find myself I. Of I think there's so much power in a story, which is why we do what we do, and I love to hear other people's stories and I love to tell my story so that for me, being across the bar from somebody and meeting them for the first time and hearing where they came from. 

Yeah. 

Finding out about. 

And. Finding out about them and it just that just is so fascinating. 

Them, yeah. 

To me, and I'm sure that you do that too, you said earlier that you've made a lot of friends here. When you move back into this community like this was. 

Well, yeah. Yeah. A big part of you sensed immediately how passionate you were about. 

Mm-hmm. MHM. 

River Ridge and that I mean that meant a lot to me. And you know, I if you got to have people working for you or involved that are passionate about about that. 

Sure. 

Sure. 

Of course, of course. Of course, yeah, yeah. 

And then both breweries have the same Brewer, so now different beers. 

Yeah, yeah, we share, Joel. 

From beers, different recipes. 

Well, great. 

Yeah, he does a awesome job. 

He's amazing. So we also at River Ridge we get a lot of foot traffic from like the Great River Rd. We get a lot of like tourists especially when the weather is nice and summer time. And stuff like that. Do you find that you get a lot of kind of touristy traffic here with things around? 

We do. We have the basilica in town and obviously the Field of Dreams toy museum, which you wouldn't wouldn't think was a big deal. 

Uh-huh. Right. 

Yes. 

Yeah, is, yeah. 

But it it's a huge deal. So yeah, especially in the summer months, it's pretty crazy. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

The the baseball, the kids tournaments, they coordinate out the field. Draw in 20 to 60 teams A. Week. 

Wow, yeah. 

So it you know it only takes two teams to come in here at 1:00. Time and we're packed. 

Sure. And you're slammed and we found that too. Even with basketball tournaments and that kind of stuff in Bellevue, I mean, on a Saturday afternoon, we can get slammed in a hurry with just those kinds of things happening in town. 

You know, that's kind. 

So. 

You have rewarding when someone comes in and they and they say yeah, we we've heard a lot about this place while we're here, we're going to go check out the field. Of dreams. You know, it's like. 

Yes. Right, right. Oh, we were your destination. That's that's amazing. 

Yeah, we're the destination. And by the way, we're going to go check out. The field of greens, so that's. That's when you know that you're doing something right, at least. 

Right, right. Well, and the cool thing is, is both of these breweries are very family friendly too. So you know, it's not like you're taking your kids into a bar. You know, it's not that vibe at all. These are very. 

Yeah, very much so. 

No, I don't want. I don't. We don't have liquor. No, I I like the family aspect. 

Right. 

Add. 

Instead of it, we have games and and stuff for kids to play while they're here coloring, you know, so the parents and the kids all have good. 

Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

Oh yeah. 

Time so. 

Do you feel like both of these gathering places have achieved the vision that you? Have for them. 

I'm pretty happy with what's going on here. Yeah, and I'm here. Almost right. Almost every day. Right. So I I have a little more of a perspective on that. 

Come on. 

And I think that River Ridge is working back toward that. I think since the previous owners, they were from Bellevue that makes a. Difference makes a huge difference. 

It does make a. 

And then I came in and and I can't get down there that often and I. You know, like I was saying with candy, I saw that in her. And I was like, this is the kind of people we want. Training people and you know, yeah. 

Building that community. 

And and people see your passion and they and they, they kind of mimic that I. 

Yeah, I get asked all the time. If I'm the owner. 

Think. 

I'm like Nope, not me. 

Yeah, I have a couple of of. Bartenders that they get asked that all the time. 

Yeah, it might just be because I'm there all. 

So to me I say, well, that's a compliment that just says that you look like somebody who really cares. 

The time? Sure. 

Sure. So places like textile and River Ridge are gifts to the community. So Tom, thank you for spending some time with us today and thank you for providing places for friends and loved ones together in our. 

Thank you so much. Yeah. 

Communities, it is my pleasure. Thank you. Thank you. 

Awesome. Appreciate it. 

Gathering places are so important to our communities. I love the idea of having a third place. Third place is our locations where people can gather, relax, and interact with each other in a casual, no pressure setting. 

Hmm. 

Yes. 

They are distinct from formal environments of home, which is the first place. 

Sure. 

And work or school, which is the second place. 

MMM. 

I love what Tom said about when he moved back to Dyersville and opened up the brewery. That was where he was able to reconnect with people and make new friends in the community. He said that when he chooses to go somewhere, he wants to be in a place where he will get good service. 

Uh-huh. 

And where he knows people. Everyone wants to have a place where they feel like they're welcomed and where they belong. Hmm. I feel like that's a big part of my job at River Ridge. I want people to feel like they belong from the moment that they walk in the door to the moment that they leave. 

Yeah, it is. Yes, a brewery is obviously just one example of the gathering place and definitely not the only place that we're a part of. Communities have lots of options to gather with others who share common interest. 

Yes, exactly. Yeah. And we always have a faith aspect to the words that we share because that's a huge part of our story and our mission. So Jesus and his disciples set the example of the importance of community. 

Yes. 

Mm-hmm. 

They shared each other's burdens. They grew in their faith. Together, they shared with those in need, and they serve the community. When you come together with your community, you get to do these same things. 

And a big part of that is hospitality, right? Yeah. Being hospitable to each other. Yeah. 

Yes, yes, absolutely. Mm-hmm. 

Being a part of a community means sharing our lives with others. When we have people in our lives that we do life with, we have a support system to lean on in good or bad times. 

Yes. And we are also able to offer that support to others when needed in the Bible. And 1st Peter 48 through 10, it says above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins, offer hospitality to one another without group. Enabling each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. As faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 

Each of us has unique gifts that we bring to our families and our friendships and to our communities. We would like to encourage you today to identify your gifts. 

Yeah, take a moment to reflect on your strengths, your passions and your. Qualities consider what you naturally excel at and what brings you a sense of fulfillment. 

Then find opportunities to serve in your community. Seek out gathering places where you can use your gifts to address the needs of those around you. This could involve volunteering, mentoring, organizing events, offering skills based help, or simply just. Being a positive influence when we. 

Each do our part in our community. Cities our efforts can completely impact the lives of others, and they create just a more positive environment for all. 

Yes. And that is today's beautiful view. 

Thank you for joining us today. Our hope is always to inspire and encourage our listeners. So we hope this episode encouraged you to look for ways you can positively make an impact and utilize gathering places. To broaden your connections and involvement in your community. 

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As we conclude each podcast, we always like to give the topic for our next episode. So what are we talking about next time? 

Well, our next episode is going to be called a sense of adventure. 

Ohh OK. 

It will be. A humorous take on how the two of us approach adventure differently. We'll do a little reminiscing about some previous adventures and experiences and look ahead to future adventures. 

Uh-huh. Ohh, we do that. Yes. Yes, thank you once again for joining us today. We hope you have a great day and remember to always keep an eye open for opportunities in life to see. A beautiful view.