Fill To Capacity (Where Heart, Grit and Irreverent Humor Collide)
Podcast for people too stubborn to quit and too creative not to make a difference!Join visual artist Pat Benincasa in conversation with a riveting roster of guests to uncover extraordinary stories of everyday people. Listen as they share their quirky wisdom, unlikely adventures, and poignant life lessons! Fasten your emotional seatbelt for this journey of heart, humor and grit!
Episodes
100 episodes
Silent Storms: Parental Burnout To Breakthrough
In this revealing episode, we go to the heart of a crisis too many parents carry in silence. Dr. Kate Gawlik—Doctor of Nursing Practice, researcher, professor, and mother of four—exposes the quiet toll of parenting—burnout and the loneliness no...
•
Episode 100
•
49:30
We Came From Somewhere
What do Bugs Bunny, a book of Italian love poems, and a burned diploma have in common? Me. And Papaco.In this episode, I trace a line from my grandfather’s one-armed resilience to my own battle with shame, dyslexia, and teachers who said...
•
Episode 99
•
23:38
1.jpg)
Depave the Way: Restoring Land, Reconnecting Communities
Pavement is everywhere—trapping heat, polluting water, and cutting us off from nature. But what if we could tear it up and bring life back to our cities? Enter Depave, a dynamo organization transforming urban spaces by tearing out unnecessary p...
•
Episode 98
•
42:21
.jpg)
A Dialogue Across Time and Absence
In this moving episode, Aidan Ryan—writer, publisher, and filmmaker discusses his deeply personal book, I Am Here - You Are Not - I Love You. The book unearths the extraordinary yet overlooked lives of Cindy Suffoletto and Andy Topolsk...
•
Episode 97
•
37:41
.jpg)
Don’t Get Played- Get MediaWise
Misinformation floods the internet. Can you separate fact from fiction?In this must-hear episode, Brittani Kollar, Deputy Director of MediaWise at the Poynter Institute, breaks down the rise of online deception—and how you can fight back...
•
Episode 96
•
39:12
.jpg)
Riding Through The Storm: Finding Strength In Chaos
What happens when a top-tier athlete, defined by discipline and control, is faced with a rare illness and the collapse of an 18-year marriage? Risa August got off her couch, named her tumor “Bubba,” grabbed her bike, and rode 1,845 miles down t...
•
Episode 95
•
50:46
.jpg)
Trailblazing Triumph: Rewriting Healthcare for Women 65+
Reimagine women’s healthcare! This episode explores the groundbreaking work of Herself Health, redefining care for women 65+ with a bold, whole-person approach. Join Becca Kummer, Clinic Manager, and Morgan Lange, Physician Assistan...
•
Episode 94
•
43:58
.jpg)
FTC in-btwn #16: Bad-Ass Crow: Flight Path To Defiance
What happens when a crow with serious attitude takes to the skies? A flight path you won’t believe! Sometimes, it’s in the smallest acts of defiance that we find our truest strength.
•
Episode 94
•
4:41
.jpg)
From Carbondale to Coral Reefs: Bold Science, Big Impact
What do coral reefs, the Heartland and a student at Southern Illinois Univ. have in common? A groundbreaking journey to save our oceans. Dive deep with Ashlynn Shea, a zoology senior and coral conservation advocate, whose work in a landlocked l...
•
Episode 92
•
34:16
FTC in-btwn #15: Sacred Motions and Rebel Metronomes
What do metronomes, circles, and chemical reactions have to do with the new year? Find out in this 5-minute episode where anxiety meets purpose, and the sacred takes center stage.
•
Episode 91
•
4:15
.jpg)
The Radical Power of Art: Saving History, Shaping Futures
Listen as Joan Vorderbruggen, a visionary force in public art and creative place-making reveals how art can revolutionize communities. Through Minnesota's beloved Dayton's holiday displays and the new Twin Cities Public TV (TPT) documentary "Re...
•
Episode 90
•
54:47
%20.jpg)
Hammers, Hearts & Hope: A Housing Revolution
In this riveting episode, Cheri Witt-Brown, a visionary leader, shares how she transformed Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity into a beacon of innovation and hope. Building has always been in her DNA—from childhood days on her dad’s construction...
•
Episode 89
•
56:05
FTC in-btwn # 14: The Weight of What Holds Us
When the world spins out of control, how do you find your center? Join me for an 8-minute journey that turns a snow globe into a radical map for surviving chaos.
•
Episode 88
•
7:55
The Intersection of Climate Change, Immigration and Hope
In this riveting episode, Laura Danielson, a seasoned immigration lawyer, confronts the global crisis of climate refugees. She reveals how climate change is forcibly displacing millions, exposing critical weaknesses in current immigration...
•
Episode 87
•
40:27
Stardom, Struggle and Stolen Slippers: The Legacy of Judy Garland
In this deeply moving episode, we journey into the life and legacy of Judy Garland. As Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, she traveled a road of uncertainty and danger, yet held fast to her core self. Joined by Judy Garland Museum’s Founding Director...
•
Episode 86
•
37:31
.jpg)
Heroes Behind Your Ballot, Who Are They?
Journey into the heart of democracy with Michelle Witte, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, as she reveals how this powerful engine of civic engagement shapes our future. From its suffrage movement roots—championed b...
•
Episode 85
•
53:18
Cosmic High-Fives: Coincidence & Synchronicity
Ever had a day when the universe seemed to be playing cosmic peek-a-boo? Buckle up, buttercup! Sophia Demas is here to spill the celestial tea on those "no way!" moments that are actually the universe's way of saying, "Psst, over here!"S...
•
Episode 84
•
46:29
19 Countries, One Home: A Story of Cultural Exchange
Ever wonder how opening your home to strangers from across the globe could change your life? Join Marlis Lambson as she shares 9 years of hosting international students, transforming her home into an eclectic hub of cultures, creativity, and de...
•
Episode 83
•
53:58
2.jpg)
One Dam At A Time: When Rivers Run Free
Discover how removing dams isn't just about freeing water—it's about liberating the very soul of our landscapes. Journey with Marty Holtgren, a visionary fisheries biologist and social scientist, as he delves into the revolutionary world of riv...
•
Episode 82
•
42:17
.jpg)
Bold Strokes: The Art & Heart of Taylor Rae Hillestad
What does Boy George, Anthony Edwards and a beloved grandfather have to do with a young artist’s creative journey? Find out in this captivating episode with Taylor Rae Hillestad, a dynamic artist and graphic designer who blends vibrant colors a...
•
Episode 81
•
35:39
The Butterfly Effect: Making Butterfly Magic
Jump into the enchanting world of monarch butterflies—nature's neon nomads! In this episode, Professor Emilie Snell-Rood from University of Minnesota explores the captivating and fragile world of monarch butterflies.Tackling the critical...
•
Episode 80
•
41:49
From Firefighting To Forests: A Wild Woodland Journey
Discover the secrets of revolutionary forest management with Brian Huberty, a seasoned expert whose career spans from firefighting to pioneering digital mapping systems that monitor our planet’s landscapes.Brian unpacks how the Minnesota...
•
Episode 79
•
43:31
.jpg)
Dementia and the Long Goodbye: Care & Coping
In this riveting episode, Jennifer Awinda, shatters myths about dementia and aging. As a senior living and dementia practitioner, she shares moving stories of her grandparent’s battles with dementia that brought her to this work. Jennifer...
•
Episode 78
•
36:41
Menagerie of Mischief: Who Rescues Who?
How do unexpected friends become our greatest healers? Join Emily Couture, known to squirrel enthusiasts as Emily Gordon, where home for her is a bustling hub of both indoor and outdoor animal adventures, capturing hearts and sparking ...
•
Episode 77
•
32:52
.jpg)
Beyond the ER: The Wisdom Quest
In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Laura Gabayan, a leader in ER medicine and wisdom research at UCLA, shares insights from her groundbreaking book "Common Wisdom." Born to Kurdish immigrants and having faced numerous life challenges hersel...
•
Episode 76
•
41:12
