In Episode 60 of The Town Square Podcast, hosts Trey Bailey and Gabriel Stovall welcome two behind-the-scenes heroes of Newton County: Claudia Minge, church facilitator at Covington First United Methodist Church and longtime coordinator of Change the World Day, and Margaret McDonald, Executive Director of Giving Hands Food Pantry. What begins as a conversation about a one-day event blossoms into a powerful testimony of what happens when a community chooses to serve together. Claudia shares the origin story of Change the World Day—born from a global Methodist challenge to serve outside the church walls—and how it’s evolved into a multifaceted community celebration offering health screenings, a service fair, free food and clothing, live music, and a strong dose of hope. Now in its 17th year, the event has become a staple of Newton County’s identity, not just for what it provides, but for how it brings people together across denominations, backgrounds, and needs.

Margaret adds a compelling layer to the conversation by describing the year-round impact of Giving Hands Food Pantry, which serves over 200 families weekly. From refrigerated box truck deliveries to volunteers helping shoppers “shop with dignity,” the pantry has become a vital lifeline for families navigating rising grocery costs and food insecurity. The annual Change the World Day is a high point for many who rely on the pantry, offering not just food, but resources, human connection, and a sense of celebration. Margaret and Claudia both echo a core theme: when people serve together, they are changed themselves. This episode is a love letter to community spirit, and a reminder that even in a county of over 125,000 people, we can still feel like a small town when we show up for each other.

Gabriel Stovall and Trey Bailey give a quick recap to the local primary and give some strategic advice on how to make your vote count in the runoff on Tuesday, June 18.

They continue their discussion about political binaries and how destructive that mentality can be for our nation and our local community of Newton County, GA.

And of course, the Donald Trump verdicts have them going back and forth about potentially electing a felon as President and how unprecedented this whole "mess" has become.

The challenge remains for Newton citizens to get to the polls and decide who will lead District 3 as the County Commissioner (Alana Sanders or Stephanie Lindsey) and who will lead the Newton County Tax Commissioners office (Brent Bennett or Avis Williams).