This episode of the I Love Madison show is packed with heartwarming content from all over the city! Chris Sorensen highlights an amazing mission organization that regularly meets to serve people a free meal, Chris Reese interviews a local mom who moved into the community with her husband to plant a church, and Neil Mathweg reconnects with an old friend who is using 19th century photography methods to inspire wonder and creativity, and connect the community in Madison. Thanks for listening, this episode is sure to inspire! Are you playing the game of magnets? If not, you should be! If you have not gotten your ILM magnet yet, reach out on social media to request one, and the hosts will mail one to you! Remember, if you see magnets around town, you can take a picture, then post them to “register” that magnet in your name! Chris Sorenson hosts the “Mission of the Week” segment, with guest Mike Theese Sometimes, the best way to connect with someone is over a meal. Just south of Madison is the community of Stoughton, where the organization The Gathering Table meets twice a month to host a free meal for the community. Mike Theese, one of the co-founders, joins Chris Sorenson to talk about why The Gathering Table exists and the impact it has had on the community. The people who attend come from all walks of life and all have different reasons for attending, beyond the delicious food. From windows to families to members of the community who are homeless, this is truly an event where people can gather, connect and share a meal. The Gathering Table meets every 1st and 3rd Monday at the Stoughton Senior Center at 5:15 pm. Listen to this episode to hear how you can support this awesome community mission! Chris Reese hosts the “My Move” segment with guest Ashley McNary Ashley McNary and her family moved from Rockford, Illinois to Madison to start Heartland Church, in Sun Prairie. Her work as the director of programming made it easy for Ashley to connect to the community and find other active moms with kids. She mentioned that the schools in the area are top-notch, which also allowed her children to make friends and get involved in various activities. Like many of the guests on the I Love Madison Show, she is a huge fan of the Farmer’s Market, Picnic Point, and the Zoo. Ashley said her family loves spending time on the water kayaking and canoeing during the summer, then will head into the downtown area to find great places to eat. For anyone new to the area, she said you need to check out an event that Heartland Church hosts called “A Night To Remember,” a community prom that honors members in the community with special needs. Photography is a tool of engagement, with featured guest Eric Baillies Eric Baillies says photography is a tool of engagement and expression. He is one of a very few photographers who use 19th-century techniques, including tintypes, glass negatives salt, albumen, and carbon printing to create his artwork. Eric says when he pulls out the old camera gear, it enthralls and attracts people to ask questions and learn about the history of his methods. This is where Eric is doing more than just creating stunning images, he is connecting people around his passion, and connecting them to the art in general. Check out more of Eric’s work on Facebook and Instagram. If you want to see his work in person, he has a gallery on display at the Madison Public Library, on the 3rd floor, which will be on display through the end of March. Outline of This Episode [2:30] Madison Game of Magnets continues! [3:00} Chris Sorenson hosts the “Mission of the week” segment with guest Mike Theese [16:45] Chris Reese hosts the “My Move” segment, with guest Ashley McNary [25:00] Our Amazing Sponsors [26:00] Neil Mathweg introduces featured guest Eric Bailey [32:15] if you are not achieving failure, you are not trying hard enough [33:45] Photography is a tool of engagement, a tool of expression [38:30] Eric’s art is on display at the Madison Library ti