Finding Their Voice: Student Leadership and the Lighthouse Program at Pollocksville Elementary In the latest episode of the Filling Station Podcast, host Mary Ann LeRay welcomes two special guests from Pollocksville Elementary School: Easton Cook, a fifth-grade student and member of the student Lighthouse team, and Megan Matticola, a first-year teacher and the school’s Lighthouse coordinator. Together, they share how the Lighthouse program is empowering students to discover their voice, develop leadership skills, and take meaningful ownership of their school community. Rooted in the Leader in Me framework and inspired by The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the program […]

Marine Corps veteran Kenneth Spivey shares how leadership, service, and volunteerism shape communities in this Voices from the Filling Station podcast episode.

New episode (#23): Mary Ann LeRay interviews Sheri Smith of Triune Holiness Church about partnership, board service, and how faith in action strengthens a community—plus Sheri’s personal connection to Journey of Hope as a two-time cancer survivor.

Miracles, Not Magic: A New Year’s Message from The Filling Station
In this special New Year’s episode of The Filling Station Podcast, host Mary Ann LeRay reflects on the close of 2025 and looks ahead to what’s coming in 2026 for The Filling Station and the Jones County community. Mary Ann shares a powerful recap of November and December 2025 – a season that saw the food pantry serve more than 1,658 households while volunteers contributed 956 hours of service in just six weeks. From food assistance to leadership development, amateur radio education, holiday outreach, and nutrition programs, the episode […]

Serving those who served In this newest episode, host Mary Ann LeRay sits down with Nicole Jenkins, Veteran Service Officer, and Chad Day, Veteran Services Driver, to explore the vital work happening through Jones County Veteran Services. With roughly 10% of Jones County’s population being veterans—and even more when you include their families, spouses, and caretakers—this office serves as a critical bridge between our local heroes and the resources they’ve earned. Nicole and Chad shine a light on what makes Jones County’s approach unique, particularly in our rural setting. The transportation program, born from recognizing that veterans were missing crucial

In this episode of The Filling Station Podcast, host Mary Ann LeRay sits down with Jeff Mallard, president of the Pollocksville Rotary Club, to talk about community, service, and the magic of small-town Christmas. Jeff shares his journey from growing up in Pollocksville, to a career that took him across the South and overseas to Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey—before eventually bringing him right back home to Pollocksville. Now retired, he’s investing his time and energy into Rotary and the town that shaped him. The conversation centers on Christmas on Main, a beloved community event held on December 6, featuring