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Summary
On this episode, we’re joined by Don Woods, Senior Living Advisor at Valley Lakes Assisted Living. Don shares how a single opportunity in a small-town care community shaped his life-long commitment to senior care. From washing dishes to becoming a trusted leader, his journey is rooted in compassion, connection, and a desire to leave every team better than he found it.
Key Takeaways:
(00:00) Introduction.
(01:42) Discovering senior care as a life-long calling after walking into his first job at age 21.
(04:49) Staying overnight during a snowstorm to serve breakfast and ensure residents were cared for.
(08:20) Realizing how staff become family to seniors who may not have loved ones nearby.
(13:13) Being handed the keys to lead as a young, first-time manager and learning through experience.
(17:12) Reflecting on the emotional weight and unseen challenges of senior care leadership.
(19:57) Prioritizing mentorship by preparing future leaders and empowering every shift to succeed.
(21:46) Advocating for frontline caregivers in Washington, D.C. to elevate the industry's voice.
(24:45) Reconnecting with purpose during COVID by stepping up in moments of crisis for residents and families.
(31:22) Dedicated to making people smile while building a platform to inspire.
Resources Mentioned:
Alzheimer’s Association website
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Transcript
Don Woods: As an early leader, though I had fun and had great successful teams and things, nobody does also prepare you for the heaviness of what senior care can weigh down on.
Peter Murphy Lewis: The world does not run on headlines, it runs on people who care. I'm Peter Murphy Lewis and this is "People Worth Caring About." Alongside my co-host, Jalene Carpenter, we sit down with the unsung heroes, caregivers, healers, helpers, the ones doing the real work, even when no one is watching. These conversations are not polished; they're personal. Because behind every act of care is a story worth hearing. New episodes drop regularly. Get updates at Peopleworthcaringabout.com.
This is "People Worth Caring About." I'm Peter Murphy Lewis, and my co-host Jalene Carpenter.
Jalene Carpenter: Hello, everybody.
Peter Murphy Lewis: We have a special guest today. I know this is on Jalene's shortlist. His name is Don Woods, account executive at Angels Care Hospice. Don, welcome to the program.
Don Woods: Thank you. Glad to be here.
Jalene Carpenter: Okay, Don. Peter and I have had this conversation on "People Worth Caring About," and he said, "Who is somebody, maybe from your past, that you would think it would be a great guest to have?" And my first name that I came up with was my friend Don. And, Don, this will age me, not you, but can you tell everybody how we first met? You were a team member of mine at my nursing home in Stanton, Iowa. Just tell us maybe how old you were, what you did, all the good stuff.
Don Woods: Yeah. Well, I had just turned 21 years old. I had only known about being passionate about taking care of seniors from taking care of my personal family members at a young age. And I remember one of your team members, Jalene, her name is Evie. She called me. I knew her from the local community, small-town feel, everybody knows everyone. And I remember she said, "Hey, why don't you come and be a cook at the care community I work at?" And lo and behold, I walk in and I meet Jalene, and I never looked back. I always said from day one, I'm like, "She has got the best heart, soul, you name it. And such an awesome leader."
So, I always tell people to this day, it's no shock to me that I had a great role model. That's really where the foundation of where I landed. But yeah, I was 21 years old, walked in, didn't know a thing about cooking. That's another thing that I'll tell you both. I remember one time we had SOS. I'm not going to say it on the podcast what it means, but I had to call my mom and said, "Mom, what does SOS mean?" And so, yeah, I think you can read in the line.
Peter Murphy Lewis: You don't know this, but I sent questions to Don before this to get to know him and think about what would be some fun topics. And one of the questions I asked him is, who is one of his mentors? And he said, right off the top, he said, "Jalene Carpenter." So, Don, I know Jalene from an executive level, and I see her as a visionary and a pioneer. Tell me how she impacted you. Give me some examples in the way that you were learning the industry, the way that you learned to talk to people, to look at people, to treat them with dignity.
Don Woods: So, for starters, that's a no-brainer to me. Number one, it started with orientation with onboarding, as Jalene as a leader. I mean, I was so green to senior care. I love seniors. I automatically fell in love and was like, "This is what I'm supposed to do the rest of my life." There's no doubt about it to this day, and no looking back. But Jalene brought a sense of education and mindfulness of, you know, instead of saying ... We didn't start the conversation off by saying we worked in a long-term care nursing home. We didn't start the conversation off by saying that I met Jalene at a facility. Those little things are not little. I learned really from her in that timeframe how to effectively be respectful to the residents, their families, team members, how to mentor them. And I also learned appreciation. I mean, Jalene, I remember one day I was vacuuming.
I'm serious, everyone was out. I don't know where they were that day, and I just remember vacuum. She came up to me, and she just said, "Don, thank you so much for all you do." That's not a little thing. That inspired me to keep going. I was like, "Well, thank goodness I'm not making any food in the kitchen at the moment and I'm vacuuming." But I have to tease you there, Jalene, on that. But yeah, no, that's a great question. So I mean, that's one way. Another thing is the gift of connection. We were in that small town care community in Stanton, Iowa, and there was a terrible snowstorm that happened one time, and I remember Jalene was at a, I believe, a corporate conference of the company that we worked for. And so, she wasn't able to make it out there that day. She had a pre-arranged plan. She would've if she had to, but literally I don't even know if you could have it was so bad.
So, I went and stayed the night to make sure that our residents had breakfast that next morning, and lo and behold it turned out that no one could make it in. I ended up pretty much getting breakfast ready, serving breakfast, I pulled the team together that was there, rallied them. Again, I just had the art and passion. And so, with connection, that's when I didn't know that a short time after that I'd be wanting to make a switch to Omaha, Nebraska, which is about roughly an hour from Stanton, Iowa. And when I told Jalene I was heart-broke. I was like, "I don't want to leave you as a leader, but I do feel I want to go to a larger city." And again, she connected me with a next stepping stone for me.
I was able to stay with the same organization and thrive, and just continue my career blossom from there. So again, I owe Jalene the world for just believing in me and inspiring me along the way too. But leading me with a great foundation. So, that's really the thing. I learned so much that helped me spill over into future... Any job I've ever done, I walk in with a sense of pride and a little bit of knowledge of what to say, what not to say too. So, that's helpful. Thank you, Jalene.
Jalene Carpenter: I deserve no credit. Literally none. Because I can remember hiring Don, and it was like, I would've hired him for any job, because you could just feel the heart from this human. And, Don, at the time you have to remember, I was 24 years old. You were 21. I didn't know what I was doing, but clearly not. You told me earlier you didn't know how to cook, and I hired you as a cook, so I don't feel like I deserve any credit. But something that I remember early on about you, and you said it about me that you learned how to talk to people, but I learned from you, you individualized everything. I don't know if you recall, you would bring cards for residents on their birthday and always try to make a special evening meal for those residents. Those things came to you naturally, and just so proud of all that you have accomplished and done in your career. And you told me you fell in love right away. What about this industry as a 21-year-old in a small town made you fall in love right away?
Don Woods: Yeah. Well, number one, when I walked in the door, it was just that smile, but of a senior sitting there in a wheelchair, and nobody was talking with this particular individual. And on one hand, that pulled on my heartstrings because I was always raised to be kind to your elders, take time to open the door. But to me, it spoke to me in ways that no one else can. Here I was getting to see this person smile. When I first walked in, it was just like you could tell, not that the team had them bored. They didn't have family around. They were just really in need of someone to talk to. And that was a no-brainer to me. But then getting to, like you said, Jalene, celebrate them. Some people didn't have family. That's the reality too, is I learned really quickly the role that we get to play in seniors' lives.
Because let's face it, I've often felt I have so many grandma and grandpas, and moms and dads, just because working in senior care, and that's where I fell in love instantly was that heart of how can I celebrate and let people know they're not alone, but at the same time also bridge that gap too? Here I am very young, and here they are along their journey, but that also just spoke to me that this is a career path that I should do. I mean, it just came so naturally. And I did learn to cook. So to Jalene's point, I learned to cook, but I also, Jalene, I appreciated too, because just like her as well as the next place I went, the next place I went after that, everyone always really dug a little bit deeper. They knew there was a diamond underneath. How can we pull out the strengths, and the talents? And eventually, let's get you out of the kitchen, let's get you doing some programming.
I became an activity director assistant. That was my first stepping stone. Then CNA, med aid. I've always said I want to be a nurse, but then everywhere I turn around, I'm always getting promoted to either leading teams or you name it. So, anyway.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Don, I want to ask you about some special moments. I can tell that you might be one of the happiest people that I've met in the last month. So, I want to know when I ask you, what's the hardest you've ever laughed while working in long-term care, what comes to your mind?
Don Woods: Well, lots of memories, to be honest with you. But one is a particular lady that I was getting ready to do, I was styling her hair. And she was going through rehab, wanted to be home, was really bummed because of her situation, and she didn't have any hair products with her. Well, for some reason or another, not because I would need them by looking at my hair, but I happened to have hairspray in my car. So, I went out to my car, I got hairspray on my break and came back in, and I said, "You know what? I have some hairspray. I think we should maybe give it a try with your hair if you'll allow me." And so, I ended up styling her hair, and then I teased her and said, "You know the trick, don't you? Is you spray and pray."
Well, lo and behold, this bottle of hairspray stuck. Her hair would not move, in a good way, in a good way. And I, obviously, am no hairstylist at all. I had no clue about... I just wanted to make her look good so I was just like doing this fan back, flip back her hair. And I said, "We're going to spray and pray." And that hair stuck, and that ended up being where she would not let anyone the entire time she got rehab, do her hair. I literally came in on my day off one day just to style her hair for her.
Peter Murphy Lewis: I feel like you should patent this. This could be your next brand.
Jalene Carpenter: The spray and pray.
Don Woods: So, spray and pray. So, I've often said, "Say some spray and a little pray, and there you go." Yeah, and your hair will stay, that's just it.
Jalene Carpenter: I love that. Don, you talked a lot about some of the different jobs that you've had and how people keep finding your diamond and finding the talents that you have. When you look back at all of those jobs that you've had, and as you keep talking about getting promoted and leading teams, what would you say that was your favorite?
Don Woods: Yeah. No, absolutely hands down. So, I worked at a small cottage feel. It was a long-term care setting, and the mission was to really make it home-like. And so, in this setting, I had just gotten my CNA, and I was actually going to work at this place part-time. So, I was just picking up occasionally. And then, of course, they wouldn't let me leave. That's the funny thing. I started and they're like, "You're not leaving." But I would go into this cottage setting, and my role was to ultimately take care of the residents. And, of course, in the cottage setting, it's really that home-like feel. So, the caregivers are not just caregivers providing direct care. We had to do cleaning, housekeeping, we did laundry, we did a little bit of cooking. There you go, Jalene. But we had a great time. And so, the thing was it was a home feel.
Well, I often found myself wanting to pick up extra shifts at this particular cottage just to make sure clothes were matched. I would get with residents who maybe had memory care impairment, and we would match socks, things where other people maybe didn't find a passion, I did. And so, to answer Jalene, your question overall, and where I'm getting at with this is, I think one of my favorite "aha moments" was when Cindy Klein, who was my director at that time, gave me a call at 8:00 PM at night. I thought, "Oh no, what is going on? Usually this means an investigation or something that is going to have to be reported. What did I do the last shift I worked?" And she said, "I need you to come in to meet with me." I did, that evening, as a matter of fact, and she literally handed me two sets of keys to two cottages.
She said, "You will be the greatest cottage guide ever. I have no doubt." And here I was so green, I'd only known the world as cook, activities, activity director. I only knew senior care in the aspect of that. I hadn't quite known the leadership. And so, I think that first year learning, growing, what to do, what not to do, being fair across the board, you learn all of that. I mean, I just really soaked it up, but I also learned by making mistakes and trials. And Cindy really poured into my heart and invested in me a success story, really truly. And ended up where I was there for five years. I don't want to say I'm the longest cottage guide they've ever had, but I just might be to this day.
And then, when I left, of course, left for personal good reasons, and I just never looked back. And then, the next team I went and led was with an actual memory care, and then I never looked back once I got in that setting because I said, "This is really what I'm supposed to do." Now I'm an account executive for hospice, so it's kind of come full circle.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Is there anything you haven't done in long-term care?
Don Woods: Just about a little bit of touching base across the spectrum in all areas, to be honest.
Peter Murphy Lewis: You were a hairstylist.
Don Woods: Yeah, hairstylist, yeah. I haven't necessarily done a lot on the billing side, but I've worked with budgets, looked at NOIs, KPI-
Peter Murphy Lewis: I think you might be too happy for the billing side.
Don Woods: Yeah, exactly. I flew away from that piece. Yeah.
Peter Murphy Lewis: What's one of the proudest moments you've had in your career taking care of America's seniors? If I told you take off your humble hat, "I can't believe this happened and I'm really proud of it."
Don Woods: Yeah, I would say one of the seniors that I was taking care of, one day she wanted her nails painted really bad. And so again, you're going to laugh, I'm not one that knows how to paint nails or anything like that, but I went in and painted her nails. And she actually, the night that she passed away, I think this is my favorite, was the night that she passed away, she specifically called me and said, "I know that I'm going to be taking my last breath soon, and it's important to me that you are here with me." And so, I rushed up there to be by her side, and as she was getting ready to take her last breath I was painting her nails.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Wow.
Don Woods: So, that is a true story. So, it was definitely one of those ... I mean, I've got a lot of stories like that, but that's one of them.
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Jalene Carpenter: Don, you clearly pour your heart into all that you do. Here I'm thinking, you've told me some of your successes that you had in sales and filling up a building, and all of these things, and yet you come back to being with a resident as they pass and painting their nails. And I think that just goes to your true spirit. I'm curious, though, pouring so much of your life into your job, how has that impacted other parts of your life? And I know that you're incredibly close to your family, and how has that journey been?
Don Woods: Yeah, absolutely. Well, for starters, as an early leader, though I had fun and had great successful teams and things, nobody does also prepare you for the heaviness of what senior care can weigh down on. No offense, but the state of Nebraska, when they come and visit the community, or in any state, we love when they do come and visit, we really do, and we appreciate all that they're going to look into, and discover, and educate us on. But that also can be a long week for anybody that knows that. Sometimes that team member that calls in, whether it be intentional or unintentional, there, I said it, sometimes you're getting those calls that are the toughest calls to get. Someone just lost a loved one themselves on your team, or they got in a wreck, or God forbid, you never know what could happen so you're having to necessarily shift.
It may mean you have to go and cover that shift. So I think, Jalene, to your point, I've seen so much with family. Really, where it ties in for me is I've always had a support system. My family's always rooted in the background. I recently actually lost both my parents in the past couple years, which is for them, they're in a great place, I know that in my heart, but I also know it was their time in their journey. But as far as it goes for my other half, Alex, he's always super excited and proud to be by my side. I think it helped, Jalene, that day one of me meeting Alex, he... This is so funny. I literally had state walk in that next week after I met him. So, I do tease you when I say, "Oh, sorry, State. I'm throwing that out there."
But it's just important to, I think, help your family understand with you. So, things I always did to combat, to answer your question truly, is there'd be times my mom would come with me and volunteer. There'd be times my dad would come with me. If it was a Saturday and I had to go into work because I was leading a team and something happened, I would involve my family so they didn't feel like they were left out, and they had a sense of understanding. And they also had a sense of, "Oh, this is how we can support you." And so, that is very important, I feel, no matter who we are. But I always encourage anyone that is in senior care, hey, do encourage your family to maybe come to an event with you just to see, because sometimes we can't necessarily explain everything. It's some things you just aren't going to get by trying to explain it.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Don, have you brought anybody into long-term care, recruited or showed someone that they have the same passion that you do?
Don Woods: Oh, absolutely. As a matter of fact, when I was a memory care director, my goal from day one when I walked in was how can I look around and hire my replacement if they're not already on my team? Or how can I build up who's going to take over when I leave, to leave the legacy? And not just that person, but who are we going to groom after that? And then, the other thing was really putting in place strong leadership team members on every single shift. I actually had my team where each shift, I invested in them what I wish someone would've done for me, and that's how to do scheduling, how to work with different scenarios with family, really challenge them.
Don't come to me with an issue or a problem, come with a solution. So again, all of those things sound cliche, but those are really some key things, Peter, that have been really beneficial for me. And again, that whole thing, like Cindy did to me, here's two keys. I'm going to be here to foster your growth. I'm going to lead you. But I've also believed, too, in the training side with it. I think that's been key is... you... Yeah. But as always, some things can't be taught. They have to be caught. I do truly believe that. Jalene, I'm talking to you there.
Jalene Carpenter: It's funny because Peter mentioned that you have done every job in almost all of them in long-term care, but I don't know if you realize you were actually part of a group that started one of the coolest initiatives that we still have here at the association, and that is taking frontline caregivers to Washington, DC. Do you recall your trip? You were the inaugural group. Your organization at the time actually paid for you to go to Washington, DC, and advocate. Tell me about what do you remember of that experience and what impact did it have?
Don Woods: Oh, it had a huge impact. The difference that we can make by knocking on the doors in an unconventional way through relationship. I think that was really the key is you think when you go to Washington, you have to go and knock on every door of every senator, legislature, you name it. Which yeah, we did go and visit the Capitol and things, but a lot of what we were able to advocate for was done in late afternoon happy hours, or just getting to have a discussion with others. And again, as always, touring DC is so beautiful. And Jalene, I don't know if you know this, but I've actually been to DC twice after with two other companies that I represented as well.
But I have to tell you, as always, it's so vital that if we're front in mind and we stay in the center, that advocacy is so important, which comes back to I appreciate what, Jalene, you do every day. But yeah, no, the organization that we both were part of totally believes in that to this day. They still are going and advocating huge, and it's a great testament of advocating for the right thing. But definitely learned a lot. And like I said, communication, I think, does help, but I also was able to get in front of some people who were able to get some key bills passed then too, which also is on the other end of it. That's encouraging because you're like, "Oh." In a sense you feel you were part of that.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Don, you have spent most of your adult life, almost all of your professional life in health care. How has long-term care changed you personally?
Don Woods: So, I don't think I can go without giving a testament of the era of COVID. And I mean, that's always a tough era to talk about, I know. And so grateful we are where we are today, just being transparent. But I was actually to where I was starting, and this is me being transparent, I went back to a small memory care. I left leading teams for a short bit to just be an activity director. I missed my residents, I missed that sense of family. And I'd gotten to a point, too, where though I had successful teams and led them up and knew I could, I wanted to take a minute and just enjoy my weekends. I'm just being honest with you. But then I found as I said, "Oh, I want to enjoy my weekends," I was still taking the residents to the zoo, but that was a little bit in a different facet.
I wasn't enjoying my weekends because I had a call in, or whatever the scenario may be. Again, though, to answer your question, Peter, I think for me, I really think for me it was when I learned that I was burnt out, COVID had just kind of was raring its head. And, of course, my role had changed because at that point I had recently got promoted as sales director. So, here I have everyone saying, "Oh, nope, don't move people in," which is the complete opposite of what we're told. And so, I'm like, "Well, how is this going to work?" And that's when I realized in the middle of that, there was one particular day where a community, actually, in Lincoln, Nebraska, had called me. They had no nurse, they had no med aid. Everybody was out, truly ill. I had already previously had COVID, and I was actually able to go and save the day, and I went and worked.
I think I worked, like, 16 hours and turned around and did another 16 hours. And that really opened my eyes because I was getting calls from family members, saying, "Can you please give my husband and blow an air kiss his way for me?" And that really just shifted my perspective. I am supposed to be doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And to be completely transparent, it not only shifted my perspective, the community that I was at, we were probably about close to full occupancy, if you will, probably around the 75 to 85% range of occupancy. I remember while everyone was still struggling with census, overall inoccupancy through that, overnight I pretty much was able to get to 100% occupancy because a shift in my heart had to happen. I had to start realizing I'm here for families, and how can I be here?
And something cool happened too, not that any of that was good, but I remember families coming and sitting with me and saying, "My mom has memory care, and it's not going good. We're isolated at home and if I keep her with me it's really detrimental to my sanity. So, please help us." And I was actually getting begged by people, but of course I could relate and tie that in together. But as always, I think for me, I'm grateful that we're past that now, but also that that season did speak to my heart a reminder of why I do what I do.
Jalene Carpenter: Don, you ooze passion for this industry, but I also know you volunteer with several organizations that serve our industry. And so, I would be remiss if we didn't give you the opportunity to talk about some of those passion projects.
Don Woods: That is so exciting that you brought that up because, absolutely. So first and foremost, the Alzheimer's Association is a huge passion of mine. I am so thankful to have been a team captain for, I want to say the past seven years now I've had a top five team, not only Nebraska but a top team in pretty much any company I've been with. This year I was teasing Angel's Care Hospice, I said, "Just get ready, we're going to be there. We'll be doing a Skate for ALZ event coming up." And I've served as that captain role to raise funds and drive. And what I mean to explain that is I have done a lot of pop-up events, a lot of local events in the community. Things that are small is walking taco bars. People come to me, and I invite professionals, and if you want to give a donation gift you are welcome but not required, and grassroots events like that but also large-scale events.
I've done things from, we obviously, like I mentioned, a skate. We actually did roller skating to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association. I've done pub crawls a couple of years. We did themed pub crawl, come as your team of four or five dressed as your favorite movie or TV series theme. That was really a blast, you can imagine. Ihad a huge... Oh, we outgrew the pub crawl. We outgrew the bars that we were in, so we had to actually get a larger space the next year. And then, another passion of mine is Parkinson's Foundation as well. Currently, we have a pub crawl around the corner later this month for that, which is going to be super exciting and been part of that for a few years now and helping spread the word, get the community engaged in that.
And then, I lead and land with my Dream Weaver Foundation. Dream Weaver Foundation is also proud with Merry Makers, a lot of people know Merry Makers, where they will provide entertainment for underprivileged communities throughout the state of Nebraska. And they obviously are an all non-profit, but it's great what they do. And Dream Weaver Foundation ultimately makes seniors' dreams come true. So, I'm currently working on a golf scramble for that. So, last year we had a golf scramble. I took the lead over that. It was seven years successful, and last year, that same community couldn't do it last year so I stepped in to really save the day with their blessing too. And everyone was like, "Oh, you're going to be great." And of course, I had no clue about golf, Peter or Jalene, at all.
My story and I'll stick with it, is somebody yelled "fore" when I was at a golf course, and I took a drink of water and said, "Three, two, one," like I was taking a little shot and didn't realize fore meant that you need to take cover because a ball is going to be coming by and almost knock you out, which it did. But apart from that, I've just seen the benefit of what they do and that's kind of been my newest niche is how can we make seniors' day? How can we make seniors' dreams come true? And so, I've really partnered with them. I was sold out, the golf course that we did it at last year was Miracle Hill. And if they're listening to your podcast, they'll know what they told me, which is so cool, is that we had the most attendance record in their history of their golf course, which I thought was great.
So, we actually outgrew them. And now we're going to be at another golf course this year, and I have all 18 holes, food sponsor, drink sponsor sold out as of today. I have two teams of four that I just need to get their players' names and the event's not till June 26th. So, I think it's a huge testament to our community. So again, thanks, Jalene, for mentioning that, because you're right, I am very passionate about giving back. When I also say this too, that there's been other local charities, Ollie's House, there's been a lot of other local charities that I've been very, try to give support where needed. And if that means that I need to coordinate an event to do so or whatever we need to do to just support them, galas, you name it, I've done a little bit of all of it. I've dressed up.
Jalene Carpenter: So, Don, I'm not sure that you're aware that Peter and I came together because we met at a conference and we started dreaming big, and that resulted in the docu-series that is "People Worth Caring About." And now Peter's launching this podcast just to have these conversations. But it really started because Peter and I dared to dream a little big, and then, mostly Peter made it happen. And so, Don, if you could dream big, what is your big dream that what if or if things could be?
Don Woods: Absolutely, and I love that. As I always say, dream big, imagine big. So, for starters, I am a TikTok star. I'm just going to throw that out there. So, I'm already living big instead of dreaming big. I currently might only have 14,000 some followers, but I go live every now and then and get TikTok gifts, and get to make people's day. So, I know that sounds cliche today, but it's not. Another thing too is, to be honest, one of my passions that I really want to get into is inspirational, being a guest speaker. I really want to go and be a motivational speaker, do bookings, hit the road where people can book me to come and speak, whether it be 20 minutes, an hour, forever, whatever that looks like. But I really want to give back, because though a lot of what we've talked about is senior care, I've had personal experience.
I had to bring in my niece and nephews to live with me for a full year because of family dynamics. And so, it's not just seniors that I have a heart to give back but I also have, again, I've learned from personal experiences that I want to have translate to help others, and start my podcast. And I say, start my podcast, start a podcast too. But I think if I were to be honest and dream big, I think it'd be hit the road and have fun, and also try to do some comedy and fun in there, too.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Now, the first thing is, let's drop your handle for TikTok so everybody can follow you.
Don Woods: Okay. @DSavageAverage.
Peter Murphy Lewis: What do you talk about on there?
Don Woods: So @DSavage, I occasionally have guests that join me on Wednesday nights, and then the rest of the week I go live. And truly, the intent of my going live on TikTok, if I ever do, is to brighten others' day, to give them a shout-out, to let them feel like they are heard, but also keep it positive and fun. So it's a fun, free space. It's never anything that's going to be... Try to bring up people, lift them up. And a lot of people who have come on my live have also, in turn, got more followers than I have right now, so I must be doing something right. But yeah, and you might ask why DSavageAverage, I'll just share it with you two. So, my first name's Don and my middle name is Savage, so I can't hide that. So I always say, "Yo, I'm D. Savage." And that was taken when I signed up TikTok, so I had to add the Average at the end.
Jalene Carpenter: You are anything but average.
Don Woods: I know, that's what everybody tells me. And so, I just crack up. I'm like, "But please know I tried to just go with D. Savage," but they didn't have that.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Don, thank you so much for joining. I knew this was going to be special when I got your reply on the survey, because you and I have something in common. We both admire Jalene. So good to hear the stories of how you became who you are, but also having her as a mentor in common. Thank you so much for your time.
Don Woods: Thank you. Thank you both. As always, it's great seeing you, Jalene, and nice to meet you, Peter. And I'll definitely be tuning in.
Peter Murphy Lewis: I hope to see you at one of the conventions soon.
Don Woods: Absolutely, yes. You guys have an awesome day.
Peter Murphy Lewis: Thanks.
That's a wrap on "People Worth Caring About," born from the documentary built to keep the stories going. Shout out to Nebraska Health Care Association and Jalene Carpenter for helping launch it, and to Ohio and New Mexico for making future seasons real. Watch the docuseries online or at Peopleworthcaringabout.com. And if this episode meant something to you, leave a review. It matters. Take care of yourself and the people worth caring about.
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