Serve Daily Stories

After 44 years in the classroom and impacting over 1,100 students, beloved Nebo School District educator Phyllis Peterson is retiring. We celebrate her career at Mt. Loafer Elementary in Salem, her reputation as the "Queen of Kindergarten," and her heartfelt belief that teaching is love made visible.
 
 

Author Matt Kelly reflects on how modern life conditions us to expect fast results and why true growth, wisdom, and strong relationships require process. He uses the metaphor of a developing Polaroid picture to show how forcing outcomes too early creates superficial progress, while trusting the middle stage builds lasting resilience.

Springville’s own Vaud Hanks and Son Furniture celebrates a major milestone: 50 years of family-owned business on Main Street. Longtime co-owner Lesa Swenson reflects on providing personal customer care, colorful custom furniture, and reliable Speed Queen appliances while keeping small-town values alive despite big-box competition.
 
 

Therapy director Shelly Davis shares how the Bennion Veterans Home partners with the Elks Club and Diamond Fork Rodeo Club to give local veterans the chance to ride horses again. We explore the powerful emotional impact of these annual rides for residents aged 36 to 102, as well as upcoming community events supporting our local heroes.
 

Author Matt Kelly explores the psychological and emotional reasons behind why we hold onto physical possessions, from security and nostalgia to identity and grief. He offers thoughtful reflections on how moving forces us to confront our clutter, the difference between true memories and emotional burdens, and how to create space for the life you are building.
 
 

Best friends Ryan Grassley and Sam Durst, founders of the nonprofit Outdoor Access Project, are on a mission to bring inclusive all-ability obstacle courses to communities across Utah. We cover the success of their Berserker Blitz event in Pleasant Grove and highlight how their custom Extreme Motus all-terrain wheelchairs allow everyone to experience the thrill of the outdoors.
 

For nearly 48 years, La Casita has been bringing community magic, family traditions, and delicious Mexican classics to Springville Main Street. We explore their rich history, legendary signature rice dip, fan-favorite shrimp dishes, and why generations of families keep coming back for more.
 

Springville craftsman Dave Giles spent over three decades operating America’s premier custom gavel business from a humble sawdust-filled workshop. We explore his incredible career turning walnut and oak into iconic gavels used everywhere from Hollywood movie sets and Masonic lodges to the New York Stock Exchange.
 

Fitness expert Jared Smithson explores why a one-hour workout cannot undo 23 hours of sitting and how modern life has quietly engineered movement out of our day. He breaks down the biological necessity of regular movement and provides actionable ways to raise your daily activity baseline without complex fitness programs.
 

Jacob and Sarah Jenkins share how they transformed their one-acre Springville property into Living with Kids Homestead, a hands-on community resource. We explore their interactive summer classes—from bottle-feeding goats and extracting fresh honey to offering restorative, healing farm experiences for local shelters and community groups.