For this episode of the series, SCF Health and Wellness Manager Julie Dillon introduces us to Larry Sonnabend, a veteran professional driver who successfully utilized SCF’s Rigs Without Cigs program after struggling for years with attempts to quit smoking. In sharing his story, Larry looks back on the day seven years ago when, through the help of SCF’s first-ever driver health initiative, he was able to become tobacco free. As you will hear, Larry notes the important role that Julie and the structure that SCF set up played in being able to go the distance after trying other programs and wantin
For this episode of the Highway To Hope, Julie Dillon is our special guest. As you will hear, Jule shares her inspiring return to the Saint Christopher Trucker’s Relief Fund after a personal family journey. In her second tour of duty as SCF’s Health & Wellness Manager, Julie talks about her history with SCF and she discusses her passion for driver health and well-being. We look at addressing the challenges that professional drivers can encounter with their health and how the SCF has developed programs that can help. Julie looks back at the success of the “Rigs Without CIGs” program over the pa
For this episode of the series, the SCF Highway To Hope introduces our listeners to Road Dog Care through a conversation with Bob Book, the company’s Vice President of Marketing. As you’ll hear from Bob, Road Dog Care has developed a collection of innovative products that are focused on the well-being of today’s professional drivers. From in-cab personal hygiene offerings, including body wipes and rinse-free shampoos, to items that promote wellness and pet care, Road Dog Care is working to help today’s drivers address many of their daily challenges found on the road. SCF Health and Wellness Ma
March and April have been a busy time for the SCF Team. We will get caught up on the SCF news, and we’ll also get you ready for SCF’s Heart & Sole Virtual 5K Fundraiser that the organization will be hosting in early May. SCF Executive Director Courtney Niemann joins the show to recap the SCF Team’s success at the Mid-America Trucking Show with over $10,000 in donations coming to SCF during MATS 2026. Courtney also introduces us to Mindy Williams, who recently joined SCF as the organization’s Health & Wellness Manager. When we welcome Mindy into the conversation at the 8:38 mark of the episode,
The countdown to the 2026 edition of the Mid-America Trucking Show is in its final days, and the team at the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is ready to make the most of their time onsite, March 26-28. SCF’s Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell joins the Highway To Hope to talk about the plans that SCF has for MATS 2026. As Diane shares with us, SCF will once again be hosting its Silent Auction event on Thursday, March 26. Diane also gives us a preview of what will be happening at the SCF booth throughout the run of this year’s MATS, including the popular spin the wheel game that visito
For our February episode of the podcast, we meet McCall Meany, who was recently invited to join the all-volunteer Board of Directors for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. SCF Highway To Hope Podcast Host Lindsey Bryan introduces our audience to McCall with a feature interview. As you will hear, McCall shares her background as the Marketing Manager at AMBEST, her journey into the marketing field that introduced her to trucking and the importance of storytelling in creating meaningful connections with professional drivers. McCall also discusses what inspired her to join the SCF board, he
The HIghway To Hope begins our seventh year of podcasting with an episode dedicated to a critically important women’s health concern. Podcast host Lindsey Bryan, who is also SCF’s Health and Wellness Manager, welcomes SCF’s Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell to discuss the launch of SCF’s new at-home cervical cancer screening initiative tailored for women in the trucking industry. You will hear Lindsay and Diane detail how this program came together while they highlight the importance of early detection, simplifying the screening process and how these efforts align this program with the ot
To close out 2025 on the Highway To Hope Podcast, we brought together a panel that features SCF Board President Norita Taylor, SCF Executive Director Courtney Niemann and SCF Director of Philanthropy Diane Hutsell to look back at what has been a year of change and continued achievement for the organization. As you will hear, Norita, Courtney and Diane all started their current roles with SCF in 2025. In a discussion that was led by Podcast Host Lindsey Bryan, who is also the Health & Wellness Manager at SCF, the group looks back on the meaningful moments, leadership transitions, community enga
In honor of Giving Tuesday, we would like to introduce you to Rob Duda, the newest member of the all-volunteer SCF Board of Directors. As you will hear in this interview with Rob, he has been supporting the work and mission of SCF for many years through giving of his time and talents to the organization. Rob is an accomplished communications professional who had been introduced to the trucking industry several years ago while working on a client initiative. Part of Rob’s work on behalf of the client brought him to the Mid-America Trucking Show. It was during his first trip to MATS that Rob pai
Shaun Lezer, one of the Driver Ambassadors for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, is our featured guest in this edition of the podcast. As you will hear, Shaun shares his inspiring personal story of how he found the health and wellness resources available from SCF and how he began to utilize SCF’s programs and services to help improve his quality of life on the road and at home. Shaun also addresses the importance of maintaining your mental health, especially in those moments of isolation and loneliness that can come up while you are on the road. SCF Health and Wellness Manager Lindsey
The SCF HIghway To Hope Podcast is placing a bow on September’s National Prostate Awareness Month with this episode that highlights how professional drivers can obtain free prostate cancer screening kits from SCF. This program, which is part of SCF’s Get Preventative Screenings (GPS) initiative, is being made possible through a sponsorship provided by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). During this episode of the podcast, SCF Health & Wellness Manager Lindsey Bryan is joined by Norita Taylor, who is the Director of Public Relations from OOIDA. Norita also serves as the
In this special Driver Appreciation edition of the SCF Highway To Hope Podcast, SCF Health & Wellness Manager and Podcast Host Lindsey Bryan welcomes five members of the SCF Team to join her to reflect on the importance of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. In this episode, you will hear the personal stories of Lacey, Rhonda, Nick, Diane and Courtney. Along with Lindsey, these five dedicated folks make up the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund team that carries out the important work of the organization on a daily basis. For this episode, Lindsey talks with Lacey, Rhonda, Nick, Diane a
For this episode of Highway To Hope Podcast, we reconnect with Kevin Hightower to discuss how he and many other professional drivers have benefited from SCF’s Healthy Habits for the Long Haul Program. As you will hear, this SCF program is designed to support professional drivers in managing their health and wellness. In talking with Kevin, the Highway To Hope explores the unique challenges faced by drivers, the importance of community support and Kevin’s transformative journey he realized by utilizing the program. Kevin shares his experiences and insights on making healthier choices that he di
Rigs Without Cigs holds the distinction of being the first health and wellness program created by the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. Over the years, SCF has helped nearly 1,000 professional drivers put out smoking for good and kick the habit. In this episode of the podcast hosted by SCF Health & Wellness Manager Lindsey Bryan, we’ll go inside the Rigs With Cigs Program while sharing the inspiring story of Kevin Hightower. As you will hear, Kevin took full advantage of his opportunity in the trucking industry to change the direction of his life and, in discovering the Health & Wellness p
In this edition of the SCF Highway To Hope Podcast, we will introduce you to Courtney Niemann, who recently began serving as the Executive Director of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. We’lll learn about Courtney’s background prior to joining SCF and we’ll also hear what called her to be a part of SCF’s mission to help professional drivers and their families. This episode also provides SCF the opportunity to honor the 18 years of service by Donna Kennedy as the Executive Director since the organization’s inception. Donna will be joining Courtney as a guest on the show. SCF Health & Wel
In this edition of the SCF Highway To Hope Podcast, we will be taking a look back at the connections made and the success achieved by the SCF Team during the 2025 edition of the Mid-America Trucking Show, which took place at the end of March. Elisabeth Barna returns to the podcast to share the details about the success of SCF’s Silent Auction event. We’ll also talk about the overall fundraising efforts for SCF that took place over the three days of MATS 2025. Elisabeth is the founder and principal of EAB Strategies, a consulting firm which is focused on helping trucking and logistics companies
In this episode of the SCF Highway To Hope, you’ll get a preview of what the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund has planned for this year’s Mid-America Trucking Show, which is happening in Louisville March 27-29. Once again this year, SCF will be holding a silent auction fund-raising event on the opening night of MATS. For this edition of the podcast, SCF Board Secretary Elisabeth Barna, who is also the founder of EAB Strategies, joins SCF Executive Director Donna Kennedy to discuss the Silent Auction. As you will hear, Elisabeth shares the details on the SCF Silent Auction event, including
In this edition of the podcast, our guest is Norita Taylor, the new President of the Board of Directors for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. As you will hear, Norita is well-respected throughout the trucking industry for her work as the Director of Public Relations for the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, OOIDA. Through this segment, Norita shares her career journey into PR and the trucking industry, which brought her to OOIDA. Nortia also talks about her first experiences with the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund and the commitment to SCF’s work that inspired her de
For the episode that opens 2025 and our sixth podcast season, we will get an update from Lindsey Bryan, who is the Health and Wellness Manager for SCF. As you will hear, Lindsey will be discussing several of the health and wellness programs developed by SCF, including Healthy Habits for the Long Haul, Rigs Without Cigs, Get Preventative Screenings, Diabetes Prevention, Vaccine Vouchers and the upcoming Virtual 5K. Also, during this episode, Shannon Currier looks back at SCF’s fundraising efforts during 2024, noting the organization’s successes as well as future initiatives which, as always, ar
In this episode of the SCF Highway to Hope, David King from Home20Health.com returns to the podcast to continue a discussion on Health Coverage and Healthcare options that professional drivers can utilize. SCF Director of Philanthropy is your host and she talks to David about a variety of health coverage options that can address the needs of those on the road, especially owner-operators, independent contractors and any trucking professional who is not able to obtain coverage through their fleet. Shannon and David will address affordable telehealth plans and prescription drug cards while also p
In this episode of the SCF Highway to Hope podcast, we welcome trucking industry veteran David King from Home20Health.com for the first part of a two-part series. As you’ll hear, David is an expert on health coverage options available for independent contractors and small fleet operators. SCF Director of Philanthropy Shannon Currier is your host for a discussion that covers the challenges drivers face with health crises and the importance of preventive care. In addition, the topics of affordable alternatives, like telehealth services, and prescription drug discount cards are part of the conver
Recorded on Thursday of the official National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, SCF Board Member Mark Singleton reminds everyone that our appreciation for the mile-by-mile work done by America’ professional drivers should not be limited to one week in September. Mark, who is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Rudolph Foods Company, joins this edition of the podcast to talk about his respect and admiration for professional drivers. He also discusses how Rudolph Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of pork rinds, highlighted by its Southern Recipe brand, is working to make a differenc
In this episode of the podcast, we are dedicating some time to learn about Occupational Accident Insurance and how this coverage provides another important safety net for professional drivers. For our discussion, we will be welcoming Andrew Deutsch, Senior Product & Strategy Director at Intact Insurance Accident & Health. “Occ-Acc,” as it is commonly referred to in the industry, is a standard coverage for most fleets. However, Occ-Acc can sometimes become an overlooked area of coverage for independent contractors and owner-operators. Through this episode, we’ll look at various aspects of Occ-A
How important is it for a professional driver to get at least six hours of sleep during your 10-hour break period? Dean Croke knows the answer to this question and a host of others related to the value of quality sleep for the men and women behind the wheel. Dean has enjoyed a wide-ranging and fascinating career in the trucking industry. Entering the industry as a driver and then fleet owner in his native Australia, Dean eventually found his way to the United States and to his current position as Principal Analyst at DAT. Through his years in trucking, Dean began to study sleep and the role th
Our guest for this edition of the podcast is Jacob Findlay, who is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Fullbay. For those who may not be familiar with the company, Fullbay is a heavy-duty repair shop management platform that enables shops to receive repair requests, invoice customers and everything in between. With Fullbay, owners and employees get into the shop, get their work done and get back to their friends and families. SCF Director of Philanthropy Shannon Currier is your host for the Highway To Hope, and Shannon has a wide-ranging conversation with Jacob. As listeners will hear, Ja
