VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 120
AIR DATE 05 01 2020
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
A Local Farm
((SOT))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Nobody has ever prepared you for a pandemic, ever. So,
I'm going to dig in deep. I'm going to probably stay up many
nights trying to figure out how to get through this.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Local Hero
((SOT))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I help homeless veterans because I feel it. You know they
served our country. It's not fair for them to be out in the
street.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Local Brew
((SOT))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Native Americans used to roast it into really dark tea and it
has kind of a roasted smoky flavor to it. You can treat it all
different ways to get all kinds of flavors.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) THANKSGIVING FARMS
((Banner: Plants in the Pandemic))
((Reporter/Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Map: Adamstown, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Thanksgiving Farms is fifty-seven acres [twenty-three
hectares]. We like to grow a little bit of the odd and unusual.
So, we grow pretty much everything. The only thing we do
not grow is corn. We're ladies. Corn is heavy and we're not
picking up.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
I run the garden center part. I have 20 grow houses full of
plants right now. I grow everything from petunias to
Calibrachoas to tropical plants. I plant them at a certain time
so that they get ready by Mother's Day. Mother's Day is our
Christmas in the greenhouse industry. That’s when
everybody brings their mom out. They get flowers.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
In normal years, we have half of it sold by May 10 and then
you sell the rest of it at the end of May and two weeks into
June. On a glorious sunny Saturday afternoon in May, we
have seventy-five to a hundred cars in our parking lot.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
When I heard about the coronavirus, I went and I turned all
my greenhouses down 10 degrees, just to try to get my
plants in a holding pattern because I don't know when I'm
going to be able to sell them. Danger of losing, besides my
sanity and the lining of my stomach. That is a horrible,
horrible thing to think about. I want to be optimistic but, at
the end of the day, I know realistically a monetary amount, I
don't know, a lot. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, a lot.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
This gets me through the day. My stomach, that is where
my stress went. It went into my stomach. So, I'm living on
Coke Zero and Tums right now. You do what you got to do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Chyron: Louisa’s Mom))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
It is a very rare bird that wants to one day go, oh, I want to
farm. Pretty sure you have to be born into it. To be a
farmer, you have to be optimistic. You have to be a
gambler. Sometimes, you have a thunderstorm that will
wipe your seeds. Sometimes, you get it all the way down
and you're two weeks from harvesting your field and you get
a 15-minute hailstorm that totally disintegrates everything.
You just have to go, oh, OK, well let's start over. That's what
you got to do or else you will never make it.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS: Louisa Zimmermann Roberts))
One day at a time.
((NATS: Other woman working))
Yep, that’s all you can do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Nobody has ever prepared you for a pandemic, ever. So,
I'm going to dig in deep. I'm going to probably stay up many
nights trying to figure out how to get through this. But, we
will. I will find a way. I'm not going to let this take away my
identity of something that I have worked on my entire life.
I've been in this business since I was five. I am not going to
give it up to COVID-19. Believe me. That is not going to
take us out. We will find a way. Just getting there is going
to be the hard part.
((MUSIC))
((PKG)) PORCH CONCERT
((Banner: The Porch Concerts))
((Reporter: Julie Taboh))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Washington, DC))
((Main characters: 2 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 female; 2 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
We had concerts lined up, you know, for bang, bang, bang,
and I had to cancel all our concerts.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Celaya Kirchner, Violinist, Milo Trio))
Carl, Emma and I play on a very regular basis. We see each
other at least once a week. We had this really crazy set of
eight programs that we did in the fall where we went through
the history of….but then, like at the end of the day, we were
disappointed to not see each other. So, we tried to figure
out some way that we could see each other, bring music to
the community and kind of satiate both those needs.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
I thought we've got to play together because that's what we
do. So, I thought, “Well, we'll play. I'll put them on the porch
and I'll stay in the studio and we'll have safe distancing.”
And I thought if we do that, we might as well invite the
neighbors. And then somebody said, well actually more than
one person, “You’ve got to live stream it.” And I didn't know
how to do that but Audrey, our neighbor, he said he can do
it.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Gina Gaspin, Concert Attendee))
I thought it was absolutely wonderful! I love the selection of
music and just being here with the musicians who are
performing, just made me feel a whole lot better.
((Ishaan Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
It was really good, really complicated music.
((Chloe Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
I thought the music was really sweet and happy.
((Sridhar Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
This is quite an opportunity to, on a weather like this and
what kids’ teacher is playing here, so wonderful to let them
watch her and get inspired.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Emma Hays Johnson, Cellist, Milo Trio))
I think it's really neat to be able to continue creating chamber
music during this time. Chamber music is my absolute
favorite thing to do and Celaya and Carl are both very
special people to me. So, being able to continue making
music with them has been really, really quite a treat. And we
really enjoy sharing that music with the people around us in
our community. And I think during this time more than ever,
if we can reach out to our communities and be as involved
as possible, these outdoor porch, socially distant concerts
have been a great way to help build that community and help
people remember that we're all still here and we're all still
doing art.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
In the neighborhood, I feel like a celebrity. Everybody stops
me and says, “Oh, we loved your music.” The music all
looks different now. Everything looks different now, doesn't
it?
((MUSIC/NATS))
((PKG)) P E TEACHER
((Banner: Keeping Fit))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Ryan Metz))
((Video Editor: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub character: 1 male))
((Video Courtesy: Suzanne Metz, North Springfield
Elementary))
((NATS: Suzanne Metz))
Good morning North Springfield. We’re here for our morning
stretches and activity. We’re so excited you can join us.
We’re going to do a little stretches and then we’re going to
do little of this or that.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Hi, my name is Suzanne Metz. I’m a PE teacher at North
Springfield Elementary School, the best school in the world.
((NATS: Suzanne Metz))
I hope everyone had a good weekend. I know we are all
really got to stay at our houses now, but you can still
exercise. So, we want to make sure we keep getting outside
to exercise.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Every morning, Cooper and I get on Facebook live at 9:45
a.m. to put out a workout routine for my kids at my school.
Anyone can join. My son Ryan is so great. He records it for
us and it’s a lot of fun.
((NATS: Sue & Cooper exercising outside))
I can’t believe how much I miss you guys. It’s crazy. I got to
hang out with my two kids all the time, not so easy.
Let’s try it one more time, ready? Here we go.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Who inspired me to do the videos is very easy. The kids at
my school. They’re the inspiration behind all of this. I want
them to know that I am here for them. I am here for them in
all kinds of ways. If it’s just working out with them in the
morning, then that’s the way it will be. I want them to know
that I will be there throughout all of this, throughout the
quarantine, all the way up until September, when I can finally
see them again.
((NATS: Fitness session / Suzanne & Cooper doing
squats and jumps))
Six jumps on both feet. One, two, three…..
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
The feedback we have gotten from the videos has been
incredible. We’ve gotten unbelievable feedback from
parents, from students, from other counties. I really think it
mostly has to do with the whole mom-son workout
combination.
((NATS: Sue & Cooper exercising))
Everyone always texts me, “Hey Cooper! Cooper looks
good.” I want to hear how you rate him on his exercises
today. Let’s see if he does them right. Here we go.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
My advice to everybody is to get outside and have some fun
with their families. Come up with some interesting, fun
games to play together. Have fun, laugh, enjoy each other’s
company.
((NATS: Suzanne & Cooper playing games outside))
All right, the next one. 25 punch and kick. So, you’re going
to do punch and kick, 25.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Remember, healthy body equals a healthy mind. Stay safe
everybody.
((NATS: Suzanne & Cooper playing games and
exercising outside))
Relax those shoulders, relax your arms and take one more
deep breath in and let it out and turn to somebody in your
family and say, “Thanks for being you. Thanks for being
you.” Love you guys. We’ll see you tomorrow.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Shopping for Others
((SOT))
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
How about some men’s socks, ladies’ socks? Do you want
single socks or bag socks?
Bag socks will probably be good.
Okay. So, you are ready?
Yep!
Alright, let’s grab us a cart and get moving. How about that?
Okay.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) KID ENTREPRENEUR
((Banner: A Good Start))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Map: Halethorpe, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 2 male))
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
Your budget for cash is 300 dollars and people have
donated. And we’ve also taken extra money out.
Right.
So, let's just see how much more the items on the list will
be. I think you should get at least five more hero bags,
socks. Everything is set now and good to go. We have our
list. We know exactly what the veterans need at
MCVET. Does that sound like a plan?
Sure!
Alright!
((NATS))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
So, we are going to shop for the veterans and get some
toiletries and some things that they would need to go to the
homeless veterans’ shelter.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
How about some men’s socks, ladies’ socks? Do you want
single socks or bag socks?
Bag socks will probably be good.
Okay. So, you are ready?
Yep!
Alright, let’s grab us a cart and get moving. How about that?
Okay.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
Tyler raises money from things he sells himself such as his
book, items on his website. But he also gets a lot of support
now from crowd funding and people who invest in the idea of
giving back to veterans. There have been churches lately
that donate as well financially.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
My name is Tyler Stallings. I am eight years old and I am
the CEO of Kid Time Enterprises. So, Kid Time Enterprises
is a business and also a charity.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
When Tyler was four years old, I happened to show him
some videos about veterans. We are from a family of
veterans. My father served, my brother and grandfather and
so many other people. And I just thought it would be nice for
him to understand what a veteran is. I didn't expect him,
when he was so young, to latch on to the idea that some
veterans were homeless, which he saw on some of the
videos.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I help homeless veterans because I feel it. You know they
served our country. It's not fair for them to be out in the
street. I wrote a book called Tyler Goes Around the
World. It's about me going around the world and making
sure that people being kind to each other and making
friends. Every sale, some of the profit goes to help veterans.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
Kid Time Enterprises is a company that I started for Tyler to
empower him as a young person. I wanted him to grow up
understanding that he is not just a consumer in the world but
he should produce things and save money along the
way. So, it's a way for him to express himself through things
that he comes up with, such as writing books, creating
t-shirts, anything creative he wants to do to sell.
((NATS))
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
We also get donations from churches, individuals and stores.
Today, we are picking up a donation from a store.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Store Donors))
This is my thank you card for the donation.
Oh, great. Thank you so much. This is awesome. Very
much appreciate it, your nice signature too. Good job.
You’re ready? Okay.
Okay, you take the big pile. That weighs less.
Good pile, good pile in there.
Do you think you can get all these in one box?
Yeah.
Good! Let’s see if we can close it.
Just draw. Where are we going? Let us go out this
way. We are going to put it in the car.
Okay.
Don’t trip. Good man.
((Stewart Cohen, Owner, Armed Forces Gear))
We just love his cause and the young man with a lot of spirit
and feeling a responsibility to help out people that might
need help. And we are happy to be partnering with him.
((NATS))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
We are packing these bags to give them to the homeless
veterans. I think we're going to deliver over 50 hero bags
plus many more hero boxes tomorrow.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
Two hundred and sixty dollars!
Wow, from a school in California. That will really help you
out Tyler, to buy some more things.
Yes!
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
When I do fundraising, if someone says no, that means one
closer to a yes.
((NATS))
Slowly, slowly, slowly.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
We thought this would be a one-time thing, but we’ve been
doing it over four years.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I also like to read because it makes you smart.
((NATS))
At this time, I would like to introduce you to an eight year old
superhero, Mr. Tyler Stallings.
Thank you, young man.
You are welcome. Thank you for your service.
Thank you.
Thank you, buddy.
You are welcome.
Appreciate it. Give me bones. Alright.
It’s like Christmas.
((Steven Blevins, Navy Veteran))
Tyler is a great guy. I will be scared to death to be doing
what he's doing right now. For an eight-year old, he’s got a
charitable heart. I think we can all learn something from
Tyler in that regards.
((Cereta Spencer, Community Engagement Director,
Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training))
Tyler brings smiles to the Maryland Center for Veterans
Education and Training. Whenever he comes in with in kind
donations and gifts, he brings a wonderful light to their eyes.
((NATS))
Thank you so much.
You are welcome.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I do not think that I am too young to do this project because
anybody can do this. No one has to have a big pile of
money or be a millionaire or have a fortune. People can
start from their own backyard, their own house. I plan to
keep this project up and keep it running as long as I can do
it.
((NATS))
Thank you, man.
You are welcome.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Tea to Soothe
((SOT))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
I have always liked being outdoors ever since I was a little
kid. I've always been like foraging, you know, just kind of
goes along with that and just like learning about what the
plants are and what you can eat.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) TEAMAKER – JASON ELLIS ((PIA))
((Banner: A Special Leaf))
((Executive Producer: Marsha James))
((Camera: Kaveh Rezaei))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Bastrop, Texas))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
I have always liked being outdoors ever since I was a little
kid. I've always been like foraging, you know, just kind of
goes along with that and just like learning about what the
plants are and what you can eat.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Reading this Native American ethnobotany book, I was just
looking up what tribes lived in this region and what plants
they used for what. So, I was looking for plants in Texas and
found out that Native Americans around here use yaupon,
which is their only access to caffeine. It’s the only
caffeinated plant native to North America.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yaupon is, it's a native shrub that grows all along the Gulf
Coast here in central Texas. We're about as northwest as it
grows, but then all along the Gulf Coast and then up the
Atlantic coast to Virginia. It's an evergreen, has little red
berries in the wintertime and, as I said, it's the only
caffeinated plant native to the US. It's very, very hardy. It's
a relative of South American yerba mate, which is a really
popular caffeinated beverage from South America.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Native Americans used to roast it into a really dark tea and it
has kind of a roasted smoky flavor to it. You can treat it all
different ways to get all kinds of flavors. So, all the
caffeinated teas in the world, like, you know, green tea, white
tea, black tea, oolong, pu erh, like all those teas, they all
come from the same plant. It's the same species of plant
and all those flavors all come from how it's grown, where it's
grown and how it's processed afterwards. So, I found out
you can pretty much do the same kind of thing with the
yaupon too.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
So, I just started trying to find out what yaupon was and at
first I thought, this must be awful if nobody's, you know, if it is
a caffeinated plant, everybody loves caffeine and if it's all
over the place here, it must taste awful, you know, if nobody
is using it. So, I went out and found some and started
experimenting with it and it's really, really delicious. It tastes
a lot like tea.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
So, I said if it's a tasty caffeinated beverage, I thought, you
know, you could make money with it.
My name is Jason Ellis. I'm one of the co-founders and co-
owners of Lost Pines Yaupon Tea. This is all freshly
harvested yaupon. It’s going to sit here for about a week
before we remove it and then it will look a lot like this. This
is completely unroasted. It’s pretty dry and brittle already
and then this is our light roast, which tastes a lot like a green
tea. It’s just roasted just for a little while and then we have a
darker roast, which we’ll leave in the oven a little bit
longer. We have a dark roast that has kind of a roasty taste,
really similar to a black tea and then the light roast is going
to be a lot closer to a green tea. Both of them have a lot less
tannins than a traditional tea so they don’t, it has a lot
smoother finish at the end and it smells really good too.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yeah, harvesting the yaupon is, it's a lot of work.
It’s the understory to the Lost Pines Forest here. So, it’s
native. It's meant to be here. If you have a pasture or a field
and you let it go fallow, you don't maintain it anymore, the
first woody plant to come back is yaupon and it just becomes
a huge thicket. It takes over the entire thing.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
One of the most fun things about making the yaupon is
roasting it. We roast it in the oven and you can actually
make a light roast and a dark roast and then as it's roasting,
you can smell the flavor change and you can almost cook by
sense of smell.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yeah, I mean our company is very socially, environmentally
conscious. It's still becoming more popular. Like, people
didn’t even hear about it to just a few years ago for a lot of
people. You know, it’s all pesticide free. We're not labeled
organic but it's wild crafted, you know. It's beyond organic
as far as I'm concerned.
((MUSIC))
IN COMING WEEKS: Sea Level Rise
((NATS))
((John Keener, Former Mayor of Pacifica))
Pacifica is a small city just south of San Francisco and it's
known for its beautiful beaches, the open hills, but Pacifica
has a problem related to sea level rise and bluff erosion.
((NATS))
Climate change will affect how fast sea level rises and the
stronger winter storms that are the major cause of erosion of
the bluffs. That is the big problem. We've actually lost a
couple of apartment buildings a few years ago and we have
more under threat.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
We make a difference
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE # 120
AIR DATE 05 01 2020
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
A Local Farm
((SOT))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Nobody has ever prepared you for a pandemic, ever. So,
I'm going to dig in deep. I'm going to probably stay up many
nights trying to figure out how to get through this.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Local Hero
((SOT))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I help homeless veterans because I feel it. You know they
served our country. It's not fair for them to be out in the
street.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Local Brew
((SOT))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Native Americans used to roast it into really dark tea and it
has kind of a roasted smoky flavor to it. You can treat it all
different ways to get all kinds of flavors.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) THANKSGIVING FARMS
((Banner: Plants in the Pandemic))
((Reporter/Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Map: Adamstown, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Thanksgiving Farms is fifty-seven acres [twenty-three
hectares]. We like to grow a little bit of the odd and unusual.
So, we grow pretty much everything. The only thing we do
not grow is corn. We're ladies. Corn is heavy and we're not
picking up.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
I run the garden center part. I have 20 grow houses full of
plants right now. I grow everything from petunias to
Calibrachoas to tropical plants. I plant them at a certain time
so that they get ready by Mother's Day. Mother's Day is our
Christmas in the greenhouse industry. That’s when
everybody brings their mom out. They get flowers.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
In normal years, we have half of it sold by May 10 and then
you sell the rest of it at the end of May and two weeks into
June. On a glorious sunny Saturday afternoon in May, we
have seventy-five to a hundred cars in our parking lot.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
When I heard about the coronavirus, I went and I turned all
my greenhouses down 10 degrees, just to try to get my
plants in a holding pattern because I don't know when I'm
going to be able to sell them. Danger of losing, besides my
sanity and the lining of my stomach. That is a horrible,
horrible thing to think about. I want to be optimistic but, at
the end of the day, I know realistically a monetary amount, I
don't know, a lot. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, a lot.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
This gets me through the day. My stomach, that is where
my stress went. It went into my stomach. So, I'm living on
Coke Zero and Tums right now. You do what you got to do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Chyron: Louisa’s Mom))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
It is a very rare bird that wants to one day go, oh, I want to
farm. Pretty sure you have to be born into it. To be a
farmer, you have to be optimistic. You have to be a
gambler. Sometimes, you have a thunderstorm that will
wipe your seeds. Sometimes, you get it all the way down
and you're two weeks from harvesting your field and you get
a 15-minute hailstorm that totally disintegrates everything.
You just have to go, oh, OK, well let's start over. That's what
you got to do or else you will never make it.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS: Louisa Zimmermann Roberts))
One day at a time.
((NATS: Other woman working))
Yep, that’s all you can do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Louisa Zimmermann Roberts, Partner, Thanksgiving
Farms))
Nobody has ever prepared you for a pandemic, ever. So,
I'm going to dig in deep. I'm going to probably stay up many
nights trying to figure out how to get through this. But, we
will. I will find a way. I'm not going to let this take away my
identity of something that I have worked on my entire life.
I've been in this business since I was five. I am not going to
give it up to COVID-19. Believe me. That is not going to
take us out. We will find a way. Just getting there is going
to be the hard part.
((MUSIC))
((PKG)) PORCH CONCERT
((Banner: The Porch Concerts))
((Reporter: Julie Taboh))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Washington, DC))
((Main characters: 2 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 female; 2 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
We had concerts lined up, you know, for bang, bang, bang,
and I had to cancel all our concerts.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Celaya Kirchner, Violinist, Milo Trio))
Carl, Emma and I play on a very regular basis. We see each
other at least once a week. We had this really crazy set of
eight programs that we did in the fall where we went through
the history of….but then, like at the end of the day, we were
disappointed to not see each other. So, we tried to figure
out some way that we could see each other, bring music to
the community and kind of satiate both those needs.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
I thought we've got to play together because that's what we
do. So, I thought, “Well, we'll play. I'll put them on the porch
and I'll stay in the studio and we'll have safe distancing.”
And I thought if we do that, we might as well invite the
neighbors. And then somebody said, well actually more than
one person, “You’ve got to live stream it.” And I didn't know
how to do that but Audrey, our neighbor, he said he can do
it.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Gina Gaspin, Concert Attendee))
I thought it was absolutely wonderful! I love the selection of
music and just being here with the musicians who are
performing, just made me feel a whole lot better.
((Ishaan Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
It was really good, really complicated music.
((Chloe Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
I thought the music was really sweet and happy.
((Sridhar Hannenhalli, Concert Attendee))
This is quite an opportunity to, on a weather like this and
what kids’ teacher is playing here, so wonderful to let them
watch her and get inspired.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Emma Hays Johnson, Cellist, Milo Trio))
I think it's really neat to be able to continue creating chamber
music during this time. Chamber music is my absolute
favorite thing to do and Celaya and Carl are both very
special people to me. So, being able to continue making
music with them has been really, really quite a treat. And we
really enjoy sharing that music with the people around us in
our community. And I think during this time more than ever,
if we can reach out to our communities and be as involved
as possible, these outdoor porch, socially distant concerts
have been a great way to help build that community and help
people remember that we're all still here and we're all still
doing art.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Carl Banner, Pianist & Director, Washington Musica
Viva))
In the neighborhood, I feel like a celebrity. Everybody stops
me and says, “Oh, we loved your music.” The music all
looks different now. Everything looks different now, doesn't
it?
((MUSIC/NATS))
((PKG)) P E TEACHER
((Banner: Keeping Fit))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Ryan Metz))
((Video Editor: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub character: 1 male))
((Video Courtesy: Suzanne Metz, North Springfield
Elementary))
((NATS: Suzanne Metz))
Good morning North Springfield. We’re here for our morning
stretches and activity. We’re so excited you can join us.
We’re going to do a little stretches and then we’re going to
do little of this or that.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Hi, my name is Suzanne Metz. I’m a PE teacher at North
Springfield Elementary School, the best school in the world.
((NATS: Suzanne Metz))
I hope everyone had a good weekend. I know we are all
really got to stay at our houses now, but you can still
exercise. So, we want to make sure we keep getting outside
to exercise.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Every morning, Cooper and I get on Facebook live at 9:45
a.m. to put out a workout routine for my kids at my school.
Anyone can join. My son Ryan is so great. He records it for
us and it’s a lot of fun.
((NATS: Sue & Cooper exercising outside))
I can’t believe how much I miss you guys. It’s crazy. I got to
hang out with my two kids all the time, not so easy.
Let’s try it one more time, ready? Here we go.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Who inspired me to do the videos is very easy. The kids at
my school. They’re the inspiration behind all of this. I want
them to know that I am here for them. I am here for them in
all kinds of ways. If it’s just working out with them in the
morning, then that’s the way it will be. I want them to know
that I will be there throughout all of this, throughout the
quarantine, all the way up until September, when I can finally
see them again.
((NATS: Fitness session / Suzanne & Cooper doing
squats and jumps))
Six jumps on both feet. One, two, three…..
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
The feedback we have gotten from the videos has been
incredible. We’ve gotten unbelievable feedback from
parents, from students, from other counties. I really think it
mostly has to do with the whole mom-son workout
combination.
((NATS: Sue & Cooper exercising))
Everyone always texts me, “Hey Cooper! Cooper looks
good.” I want to hear how you rate him on his exercises
today. Let’s see if he does them right. Here we go.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
My advice to everybody is to get outside and have some fun
with their families. Come up with some interesting, fun
games to play together. Have fun, laugh, enjoy each other’s
company.
((NATS: Suzanne & Cooper playing games outside))
All right, the next one. 25 punch and kick. So, you’re going
to do punch and kick, 25.
((Suzanne Metz, Physical Education teacher))
Remember, healthy body equals a healthy mind. Stay safe
everybody.
((NATS: Suzanne & Cooper playing games and
exercising outside))
Relax those shoulders, relax your arms and take one more
deep breath in and let it out and turn to somebody in your
family and say, “Thanks for being you. Thanks for being
you.” Love you guys. We’ll see you tomorrow.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Shopping for Others
((SOT))
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
How about some men’s socks, ladies’ socks? Do you want
single socks or bag socks?
Bag socks will probably be good.
Okay. So, you are ready?
Yep!
Alright, let’s grab us a cart and get moving. How about that?
Okay.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) KID ENTREPRENEUR
((Banner: A Good Start))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Map: Halethorpe, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 2 male))
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
Your budget for cash is 300 dollars and people have
donated. And we’ve also taken extra money out.
Right.
So, let's just see how much more the items on the list will
be. I think you should get at least five more hero bags,
socks. Everything is set now and good to go. We have our
list. We know exactly what the veterans need at
MCVET. Does that sound like a plan?
Sure!
Alright!
((NATS))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
So, we are going to shop for the veterans and get some
toiletries and some things that they would need to go to the
homeless veterans’ shelter.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
How about some men’s socks, ladies’ socks? Do you want
single socks or bag socks?
Bag socks will probably be good.
Okay. So, you are ready?
Yep!
Alright, let’s grab us a cart and get moving. How about that?
Okay.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
Tyler raises money from things he sells himself such as his
book, items on his website. But he also gets a lot of support
now from crowd funding and people who invest in the idea of
giving back to veterans. There have been churches lately
that donate as well financially.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
My name is Tyler Stallings. I am eight years old and I am
the CEO of Kid Time Enterprises. So, Kid Time Enterprises
is a business and also a charity.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
When Tyler was four years old, I happened to show him
some videos about veterans. We are from a family of
veterans. My father served, my brother and grandfather and
so many other people. And I just thought it would be nice for
him to understand what a veteran is. I didn't expect him,
when he was so young, to latch on to the idea that some
veterans were homeless, which he saw on some of the
videos.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I help homeless veterans because I feel it. You know they
served our country. It's not fair for them to be out in the
street. I wrote a book called Tyler Goes Around the
World. It's about me going around the world and making
sure that people being kind to each other and making
friends. Every sale, some of the profit goes to help veterans.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
Kid Time Enterprises is a company that I started for Tyler to
empower him as a young person. I wanted him to grow up
understanding that he is not just a consumer in the world but
he should produce things and save money along the
way. So, it's a way for him to express himself through things
that he comes up with, such as writing books, creating
t-shirts, anything creative he wants to do to sell.
((NATS))
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
We also get donations from churches, individuals and stores.
Today, we are picking up a donation from a store.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Store Donors))
This is my thank you card for the donation.
Oh, great. Thank you so much. This is awesome. Very
much appreciate it, your nice signature too. Good job.
You’re ready? Okay.
Okay, you take the big pile. That weighs less.
Good pile, good pile in there.
Do you think you can get all these in one box?
Yeah.
Good! Let’s see if we can close it.
Just draw. Where are we going? Let us go out this
way. We are going to put it in the car.
Okay.
Don’t trip. Good man.
((Stewart Cohen, Owner, Armed Forces Gear))
We just love his cause and the young man with a lot of spirit
and feeling a responsibility to help out people that might
need help. And we are happy to be partnering with him.
((NATS))
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
We are packing these bags to give them to the homeless
veterans. I think we're going to deliver over 50 hero bags
plus many more hero boxes tomorrow.
((NATS: Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone))
Two hundred and sixty dollars!
Wow, from a school in California. That will really help you
out Tyler, to buy some more things.
Yes!
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
When I do fundraising, if someone says no, that means one
closer to a yes.
((NATS))
Slowly, slowly, slowly.
((Andrea Blackstone, Tyler’s Mother))
We thought this would be a one-time thing, but we’ve been
doing it over four years.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I also like to read because it makes you smart.
((NATS))
At this time, I would like to introduce you to an eight year old
superhero, Mr. Tyler Stallings.
Thank you, young man.
You are welcome. Thank you for your service.
Thank you.
Thank you, buddy.
You are welcome.
Appreciate it. Give me bones. Alright.
It’s like Christmas.
((Steven Blevins, Navy Veteran))
Tyler is a great guy. I will be scared to death to be doing
what he's doing right now. For an eight-year old, he’s got a
charitable heart. I think we can all learn something from
Tyler in that regards.
((Cereta Spencer, Community Engagement Director,
Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training))
Tyler brings smiles to the Maryland Center for Veterans
Education and Training. Whenever he comes in with in kind
donations and gifts, he brings a wonderful light to their eyes.
((NATS))
Thank you so much.
You are welcome.
((Tyler Stallings, CEO, Kid Time Enterprises))
I do not think that I am too young to do this project because
anybody can do this. No one has to have a big pile of
money or be a millionaire or have a fortune. People can
start from their own backyard, their own house. I plan to
keep this project up and keep it running as long as I can do
it.
((NATS))
Thank you, man.
You are welcome.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Tea to Soothe
((SOT))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
I have always liked being outdoors ever since I was a little
kid. I've always been like foraging, you know, just kind of
goes along with that and just like learning about what the
plants are and what you can eat.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) TEAMAKER – JASON ELLIS ((PIA))
((Banner: A Special Leaf))
((Executive Producer: Marsha James))
((Camera: Kaveh Rezaei))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Bastrop, Texas))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
I have always liked being outdoors ever since I was a little
kid. I've always been like foraging, you know, just kind of
goes along with that and just like learning about what the
plants are and what you can eat.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Reading this Native American ethnobotany book, I was just
looking up what tribes lived in this region and what plants
they used for what. So, I was looking for plants in Texas and
found out that Native Americans around here use yaupon,
which is their only access to caffeine. It’s the only
caffeinated plant native to North America.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yaupon is, it's a native shrub that grows all along the Gulf
Coast here in central Texas. We're about as northwest as it
grows, but then all along the Gulf Coast and then up the
Atlantic coast to Virginia. It's an evergreen, has little red
berries in the wintertime and, as I said, it's the only
caffeinated plant native to the US. It's very, very hardy. It's
a relative of South American yerba mate, which is a really
popular caffeinated beverage from South America.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Native Americans used to roast it into a really dark tea and it
has kind of a roasted smoky flavor to it. You can treat it all
different ways to get all kinds of flavors. So, all the
caffeinated teas in the world, like, you know, green tea, white
tea, black tea, oolong, pu erh, like all those teas, they all
come from the same plant. It's the same species of plant
and all those flavors all come from how it's grown, where it's
grown and how it's processed afterwards. So, I found out
you can pretty much do the same kind of thing with the
yaupon too.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
So, I just started trying to find out what yaupon was and at
first I thought, this must be awful if nobody's, you know, if it is
a caffeinated plant, everybody loves caffeine and if it's all
over the place here, it must taste awful, you know, if nobody
is using it. So, I went out and found some and started
experimenting with it and it's really, really delicious. It tastes
a lot like tea.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
So, I said if it's a tasty caffeinated beverage, I thought, you
know, you could make money with it.
My name is Jason Ellis. I'm one of the co-founders and co-
owners of Lost Pines Yaupon Tea. This is all freshly
harvested yaupon. It’s going to sit here for about a week
before we remove it and then it will look a lot like this. This
is completely unroasted. It’s pretty dry and brittle already
and then this is our light roast, which tastes a lot like a green
tea. It’s just roasted just for a little while and then we have a
darker roast, which we’ll leave in the oven a little bit
longer. We have a dark roast that has kind of a roasty taste,
really similar to a black tea and then the light roast is going
to be a lot closer to a green tea. Both of them have a lot less
tannins than a traditional tea so they don’t, it has a lot
smoother finish at the end and it smells really good too.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yeah, harvesting the yaupon is, it's a lot of work.
It’s the understory to the Lost Pines Forest here. So, it’s
native. It's meant to be here. If you have a pasture or a field
and you let it go fallow, you don't maintain it anymore, the
first woody plant to come back is yaupon and it just becomes
a huge thicket. It takes over the entire thing.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
One of the most fun things about making the yaupon is
roasting it. We roast it in the oven and you can actually
make a light roast and a dark roast and then as it's roasting,
you can smell the flavor change and you can almost cook by
sense of smell.
((MUSIC))
((Jason Ellis, Co-founder & Co-owner, Lost Pines
Yaupon Tea))
Yeah, I mean our company is very socially, environmentally
conscious. It's still becoming more popular. Like, people
didn’t even hear about it to just a few years ago for a lot of
people. You know, it’s all pesticide free. We're not labeled
organic but it's wild crafted, you know. It's beyond organic
as far as I'm concerned.
((MUSIC))
IN COMING WEEKS: Sea Level Rise
((NATS))
((John Keener, Former Mayor of Pacifica))
Pacifica is a small city just south of San Francisco and it's
known for its beautiful beaches, the open hills, but Pacifica
has a problem related to sea level rise and bluff erosion.
((NATS))
Climate change will affect how fast sea level rises and the
stronger winter storms that are the major cause of erosion of
the bluffs. That is the big problem. We've actually lost a
couple of apartment buildings a few years ago and we have
more under threat.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
We make a difference
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
SHOW ENDS
