Blossom Together: Local Actions, Global Impact

 
In today's episode, Sophs sits down with Kathleen Krummenacker, a member of Blossom Together. This student-led humanitarian organization at NC State supports living standards in developing African countries by mobilizing their local campus community. Tune in to hear how they make it happen!

Oak City Move is a podcast produced by WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2, student-run radio from NC State University. Like what you hear? Consider supporting it with a gift to the WKNC Enhancement Fund. Visit our podcast page to hear more and follow us on all social media platforms @WKNC881. Thanks for listening.

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Creators and Guests

Host

Sophs Magnanini

Public Affairs Director (2025-2026)

What is Oak City Move?

A radio program and podcast from WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 celebrating those who enact positive changes in the Raleigh community.

00:00
Sophia Magnanini
Oak City Move is a podcast on WKNC's 88.1 FM HD 1 Raleigh where we highlight people and organizations creating positive change in the Triangle and beyond. Oak City Move can be heard on air Every Monday on 88.1 FM HD1 Raleigh or online at wknc.org to listen to episodes and more, go to our blog at blog.wknc.org or follow us on SoundCloud @wknc881. Hello, 88.1 WKNC Raleigh. The song you just heard was Sweaty linen by Surf Ninja 3. I'm Sophia Magnanini, your host and you're listening to Oak City Move. Today we're joined by a very special guest, Kathleen Krummenacker, who is a part of NC State's Blossom Together. First off, I just want to say thank you so much for taking the time to join me.

00:47
Sophia Magnanini
And for listeners who may be hearing about bLOSTfINAL Together for the first time, do you want to kind of explain what the organization is and its mission?

00:55
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, of course, I'd love to. Blossom Together is a student led humanitarian organization. It started about four years ago and the mission that we have is raising money to support underdeveloped countries in Africa. So it's kind of. We do a bunch of volunteering events here on campus at NC State in order to raise money that we then eventually send abroad to certain countries and in Africa last year we actually sent it all to Benin and Uganda and this year we're hoping to do the same.

01:28
Sophia Magnanini
That's awesome. I was reading on yalls website that the three major areas are water, food and health. Did you kind of want to explain why you guys focus on these three areas?

01:41
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, of course. Our mission also supports just funding, the basic necessity that people need in their everyday lives. So that includes food, water. And in Africa there tends to be a lot of cases where the older generation tends to have a lot of cataracts in their eyes, which is why cataract surgeries became something that we also wanted to help fund. So yeah, that's kind of our mission and why we want to do that.

02:05
Sophia Magnanini
It's so, special like what you guys are doing because you aren't like right there next to the community that you're helping. So it's still, it like takes so much time and effort for you guys to get that stuff over there and it's so awesome.

02:20
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, I agree. And it's also incredible because we actually get to go there firsthand. So over our over the summer, we have trips where we go to the places that I mentioned. Like, I personally went to Benin, and it was just incredible to actually see how were helping those communities by helping our community here at State.

02:39
Sophia Magnanini
That's so cool that you guys get to go there and see, like, personally the help that you guys are giving. That kind of leads into my next question. Like, as you were saying, the projects that you guys support kind of range from, like, water and food to then the cataract surgeries like you were talking about. Could you kind of talk about some, like, specific projects that you guys have been involved with or maybe this something that you guys did this summer?

03:06
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, of course. Actually, over the summer, we tend to not have that much going on. Like, me personally, I'm from out of state, which I know a lot of other students on campus are as well. So we do tend to keep it during the school year, but we have a bunch of fun events. We do tabling events, similar to a bunch of other clubs. But one of my favorites is actually a 5K that we have in the spring semester, and we pair up with UNC, the Blue School, down the road, to raise money, which is just a really great community, because then also getting to know those other chapters who are part of Blossom together, and it's just really fun. We also have, like, all ages of the community come out.

03:47
Kathenleen Krummenacker
It's definitely more of our broader ones because tabling events, we do tend to target the students more, and that's, like, good for finding members. But it's definitely great to get out there into the community and see who wants to get involved and volunteer, though.

04:01
Sophia Magnanini
That sounds so fun. And it's so awesome that you guys are allowing kind of people of all ages to get involved, like, with the run, and that you guys have different events for different groups of people. So that's really cool. And also it's so, like, cool to hear that you guys are in contact and, like, team up with the different chapters, like, around the state. So that's really cool.

04:23
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, I definitely love it like, that. I guess the communication of getting to speak with, like, people in different areas. Like, I'm very close with a girl who actually used to go to a school in Pennsylvania, and went on the trip together, and we would just discuss, like, different events, different general body meetings we've been having, and there's also a group chat with, like, all the presidents in each chapter, and we're really just working to expand our club. Also, like, we might try to do more west, like, try to establish one in California, hopefully soon. So exciting stuff is on the way.

04:56
Sophia Magnanini
I love that, especially the group chat, because it just kind of shows you guys are, like, always ready, like, and just having that sort of communication, and you guys are able to bounce off, like, ideas with one another, see what different chapters are focused on. So that's really cool. How does Blossom Together identify the communities and then the projects that it wants to support each year?

05:24
Kathenleen Krummenacker
That's a good question. Like I said, since we do have a lot of students who are a part of our club, we normally try to find things around our area that way more people can make it. But I guess mostly we try to stay involved with the sporting events. We originally started the club as doing cleanups for at tailgates. So we would go around the tailgate lots and pick up all the different trash that was left around from the games before. And that was a really cool experience, just because it would be, like, the next day, so it was all kind of quieter. And especially if I would have gone to the game before, it was just crazy to see the difference. And, like, it was a little sad how much trash people left around, like, their own community.

06:06
Kathenleen Krummenacker
And so, like, getting to help clean it up just. It made a very strong impact that were able to see. And we eventually moved on to doing volunteering at concession stands. So at the actual games, which also got to be really fun and definitely had a lot more students who were able to experience kind of, like, I don't know, just a more fun way to volunteer with their friends and everything like that. And this year, we're also looking to expand and find new opportunities beyond volunteering at the games. So.

06:38
Sophia Magnanini
Yeah, that's really awesome that you guys do that, because it's like, not only are you helping people abroad, but you're helping your community right here, which is so important. And also, like, I can only imagine seeing what the tailgate lots look like after a football game. And so it's so awesome, like, what you guys are doing to help clean that up. And just, like, the bringing more and more people to get involved. It's really cool.

07:05
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, I agree. And the tailgates definitely were not pretty.

07:09
Sophia Magnanini
No. Yeah. I can only imagine what are some of the biggest challenges involved in organizing humanitarian projects from a university campus or just projects in general, like the cleanups?

07:23
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, I mean, kind of similar. I would say that it's just constantly changing. We always have to adapt to what we're doing. And also, sometimes students are more Busy, like if it's finals week or like just exams are starting to be, I don't know, pick up. Getting volunteers to still come out and do what we want to do to make funds that we are able to send abroad. I don't know, it's kind of just all like ebbs and flows. Kind of having to read what students are doing. Like, I know last year we had a 5k and we accidentally planned around spring break so not many people were able to show up because they were still away. So we're, I don't know, just being perceptive to the people in our community and like what they can make it to.

08:05
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Trying to cater it more towards them. It tends to be a bit of a challenge, but we're getting there.

08:10
Sophia Magnanini
Yeah. That's so nice because, I mean, yeah, like with it being students, it's kind of hard to find time when like everyone is going to be free for everyone, like has their own schedules and stuff. But so it's really cool when you guys do find the time and you're able to create these, put on these cool events or like start these cool projects, which is just so cool. And then that leads into my other question. What do you wish more people kind of understood about humanitarian work and kind of putting it together?

08:40
Kathenleen Krummenacker
I think, like, how easy it is to just do something that's going to make you feel better in the end. Like, I love going out there, especially if I'm having a bad day and just getting to like, well, I've made my friends in this club. Like, I didn't know anyone when I first joined, but the people who are a part of it are just so passionate about like what we're doing and it's just like contagious. So I guess, yeah, just how easy it is to. I guess the hardest part is just leaving your room. But like once you're there and you're like with everyone in the community, it's just so fun. Like I would honestly count as like the same as like hanging out with my friends. Like, it's just something that I do to feel good because.

09:19
Sophia Magnanini
Yeah, I can imagine also, like it's such a, a positive organization. So the people there are going to be also bringing that positivity and it's just like a great space to talk with people, meet new friends and like you were saying, like. Yeah, the hardest part is just getting out the door. So it's like once you're there, the possibilities are endless. And so any listeners think about that? Yeah, listeners, we're excited to See you.

09:45
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yes.

09:46
Sophia Magnanini
What opportunities are available for NC State students who would want to get involved with Blossom Together?

09:54
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, of course, like I said, we're kind of on like a running basis for the fall semester. Like, we're not positive on what we're doing yet, but this Saturday we're actually having our first. We're teaming up with the Wolfpack Recycling Club to sort through Recycling after the first game. Kind of a new experience. But honestly, if you join our GroupMe, it's able. If you go onto the Get Involved page, we have a GroupMe link and that's where we send all of our updates. We try not to spam you guys, but yeah, I guess that's where we stay updated. And then we have set events in the spring for like March and april with our 5k and our medicine as Service convention.

10:33
Sophia Magnanini
Okay, that sounds so fun. And also sounds like it's pretty easy to like get involved with the GroupMe just on the website too, which I will have linked in the description. So anyone who is interested definitely check that out. Just overall, what do you think? How, how can students and young people make a meaningful difference in global issues and just local issues, even if they don't have a lot of experience?

11:01
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Good question too. I would say it's all about the people you talk to. Like you really have to find one thing that you might be passionate about and then kind of like talk to different people who are then going to talk to more people. And also just like the older generation, they do tend to have a lot more experience with how to get involved. We try to have a lot of networking events where we can make those connections. But honestly I would just say start small if you want to make a difference globally. It starts by looking around your community and making sure that it's also there because it's great in all sending funds across the world and things like that. But you also want to make sure that you're helping those around you.

11:48
Kathenleen Krummenacker
So I don't know, I would say start small and then you'll eventually find the people who can lead you to those opportunities that to go abroad and.

11:55
Sophia Magnanini
Make global impacts 100%, which is so great. I love how you put that because yeah, it really does start in the community and just kind of making those decisions to want to help, which is so awesome that you guys are doing so much of that. It's just really awesome. If you kind of wanted to shout out like if you guys have any social media or like your website for just listeners again to know where to go to get involved.

12:26
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Yeah, of course. Our Instagram and our group meet are what we stay the most active on. So our Instagram is btncsu and it's also fun even if you aren't able to make it to our events. We post our summer trip so that's definitely something to stay tuned for. We try to do a lot of fun like Instagram reels and videos and then also just cute posts and then. Yeah, and then our groupme is kind of just more of the signing up, sign up sheets and upcoming events if people want to get involved. So yeah, please join. We'd love to have you all there. We don't have any requirements like point requirements or dues. We might start implementing optional dues, but everything's still kind of in the works. But we just want people to come show out and come volunteer.

13:10
Sophia Magnanini
No, that's awesome. And it definitely sounds like such a great thing to be a part of, especially when there aren't any requirements. So it's like, hey, if you got nothing to do, might as well help the community.

13:24
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Exactly. We love the drop in style.

13:27
Sophia Magnanini
But once again, just thank you so much for coming out and just telling me about Blossom Together. It's such a cool organization and everything that you guys do is just so awesome and helping the community, building a better community and just creating like safe spaces for people.

13:45
Kathenleen Krummenacker
Thank you so much for inviting me. I had such a great time.

13:47
Sophia Magnanini
As we come up on the end of our chat, I just want to thank Kathleen so much for coming on and talking about Blossom Together. It is such a cool organization and I definitely need to go more in depth to all the cool organizations that are here at NC State and that help make our school such a cool, such an amazing, a clean and a healthy environment to be in. And so just thank you to Kathleen. Thank you to Blossom Together. Thank you to everyone listening. Once again, this is Oak City Move and I am your host, Sophia Magnanini. If you're interested in listening to this episode again or to past episodes of the show, you can go to wknc.org/podcast and make sure to tune into our show every other Monday on WKNC 88.1 FM Raleigh. Have a great day.