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An Army of Normal Folks

Arts & Culture Podcasts

Our country’s problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits talking big words on CNN and Fox, but by An Army of Normal Folks just deciding “hey, I can help.” Hosted by Coach Bill Courtney from the Oscar-winning Undefeated, this podcast is building the Army and celebrating its extraordinary members. New episodes are released every Tuesday.

Location:

United States

Description:

Our country’s problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits talking big words on CNN and Fox, but by An Army of Normal Folks just deciding “hey, I can help.” Hosted by Coach Bill Courtney from the Oscar-winning Undefeated, this podcast is building the Army and celebrating its extraordinary members. New episodes are released every Tuesday.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Jimmy V: Laugh, Think, Cry

4/4/2025
For Shop Talk, we dive into the late Jimmy Valvano’s speech at the ESPY Awards, which he delivered only 58 days before losing his battle with cancer. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:11:57

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Chris Ullman: Whistling Happy Birthday To 700 People (Pt 2)

4/1/2025
Chris is a 4-time international whistling champion who’s whistled for Presidents and 60,000 people. But what makes him an Army member is how he whistles happy birthday to 700 people every year! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:43:32

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Chris Ullman: Whistling Happy Birthday To 700 People (Pt 1)

4/1/2025
Chris is a 4-time international whistling champion who’s whistled for Presidents and 60,000 people. But what makes him an Army member is how he whistles happy birthday to 700 people every year! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:40:19

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Sweep Streets Like Michelangelo

3/28/2025
For Shop Talk, we dive into Dr. Martin Luther King’s incredible speech that’s become known as “The Street Sweeper Speech”. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:12:41

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Brian Schwartz: I Want to Mow Your Lawn (Pt 1)

3/25/2025
After losing his job, Brian felt called to contribute to society in some way while looking for a new gig. He found mowing his own lawn to be therapeutic, so he figured why not offer to do it for folks in need. His accidental nonprofit I Want To Mow Your Lawn has grown into its own army of 1,404 normal folks who’ve mowed the lawns of over 2,000 people! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:40:13

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Brian Schwartz: I Want to Mow Your Lawn (Pt 2)

3/25/2025
After losing his job, Brian felt called to contribute to society in some way while looking for a new gig. He found mowing his own lawn to be therapeutic, so he figured why not offer to do it for folks in need. His accidental nonprofit I Want To Mow Your Lawn has grown into its own army of 1,404 normal folks who’ve mowed the lawns of over 2,000 people! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:41:41

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What Counts As Serving Others?

3/21/2025
For Shop Talk, Clay Routledge challenges our culture's perspective on what counts as serving others. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:22:26

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Rachel Cohen: I Used To Think Volunteering Was A Harmful Distraction (Pt 1)

3/18/2025
Vox writer Rachel Cohen had disregarded individual action as an unhelpful distraction to the more important systemic change that was needed to solve our problems. And then she had a change of heart & mind. She wrote an extraordinary article about her transformation that’s titled "Why I Changed My Mind About Volunteering" and we dive deep into it with her. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:43:22

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Rachel Cohen: I Used To Think Volunteering Was A Harmful Distraction (Pt 2)

3/18/2025
Vox writer Rachel Cohen had disregarded individual action as an unhelpful distraction to the more important systemic change that was needed to solve our problems. And then she had a change of heart & mind. She wrote an extraordinary article about her transformation that’s titled "Why I Changed My Mind About Volunteering" and we dive deep into it with her. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:51:47

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If... We Can Be Positive

3/14/2025
For "Shop Talk", Coach Bill reflects on a listener's question with some inspiration from Rudyard Kipling's powerful poem "If". Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:14:34

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Charmaine Solomon: HIPsters — Hugely Important Persons (Pt 1)

3/11/2025
Charmaine is the founder of My Possibilities, which serves who they call HIPsters (hugely important persons), otherwise known as adults with disabilities, with a real college experience that they wouldn’t otherwise get. They started with 10 students and now have 675 students! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:37:35

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Charmaine Solomon: HIPsters — Hugely Important Persons (Pt 2)

3/11/2025
Charmaine is the founder of My Possibilities, which serves who they call HIPsters (hugely important persons), otherwise known as adults with disabilities, with a real college experience that they wouldn’t otherwise get. They started with 10 students and now have 675 students! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:42:13

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When A Whole City Blinked Their Lights

3/7/2025
For Shop Talk, Real Heroes author Larry Reed tells us the epic story of Warsaw's underground radio station during the Soviet occupation of Poland. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:13:18

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Suzy Hollenbach: 70 Million Homeless Dogs And Cats (Pt 1)

3/4/2025
Suzy is the founder of All 4's Rescue League, which has distributed 1,680 doghouses to outside dogs without them, have gotten 1500 dogs spayed and neutered, and 2,460 dogs unchained. And she dives into the local and national crisis of homeless animals that endangers all of us. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:40:22

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Suzy Hollenbach: 70 Million Homeless Dogs And Cats (Pt 2)

3/4/2025
Suzy is the founder of All 4's Rescue League, which has distributed 1,680 doghouses to outside dogs without them, have gotten 1500 dogs spayed and neutered, and 2,460 dogs unchained. And she dives into the local and national crisis of homeless animals that endangers all of us. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:41:22

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Father Jerzy: The Martyred Chaplain

3/3/2025
Father Jerzy Popieluszko was the chaplain for Poland's resistance movement called Solidarity. And the Soviet communists couldn't bear his powerful voice for faith and freedom. Larry Reed celebrates this courageous martyr for An Army of Normal Dead Folks. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:15:23

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The Triad of Fulfillment

2/28/2025
For Shop Talk, we bring you former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's powerful letter upon his post, "My Parting Prescription for America". Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:16:17

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Khali Sweeney: The Boxing Gym Where No One Boxes (Pt 1)

2/25/2025
Khali started Downtown Boxing Gym to use boxing as the hook to teach vulnerable Detroit kids about life. Ironically, none of the kids are now using their boxing ring, but their STEAM Lab and other awesome stuff have helped 1,500 kids graduate high school and 98% go on to post-secondary education! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:43:09

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Khali Sweeney: The Boxing Gym Where No One Boxes (Pt 2)

2/25/2025
Khali started Downtown Boxing Gym to use boxing as the hook to teach vulnerable Detroit kids about life. Ironically, none of the kids are now using their boxing ring, but their STEAM Lab and other awesome stuff have helped 1,500 kids graduate high school and 98% go on to post-secondary education! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:01:04:29

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Gail Halvorsen: The Candy Bomber

2/24/2025
For An Army of Normal Dead Folks, Larry Reed brings us the story of the pilot who dropped sweets & hope to the children of Berlin. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:12:08