Named the “Best News Series” for 2020 & 2021 by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters What it Takes features experts and committed citizens to our studio to discuss timely issues affecting Southwest Virginians. Hosted by BRPBS Director of Educational Innovation Tom Landon, WIT embodies the spirit of our ECHO Channel, featuring topics on Education, Community, Health and Opportunity.
The new season is moving to
WEDNESDAYS @ 7:30pm on Blue Ridge PBS
Also, streaming on ECHO
SEASON 5 LAUNCHES IN SEPTEMBER!
September 27 - What it Takes to Create a Life in the Arts
Keith Lee was born to a working-class family in the Bronx, and he rose to become a principal dancer with some of America's most prestigious companies like the American Ballet Theater and Alvin Ailey before becoming a much sought after choreographer. He's also worked with Virginia dance companies from the DC area, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg. He joins WIT host Tom Landon to share What it Takes to Make a Life in the Arts.
October 4 - What it Takes to Make High Quality Food Available to Everyone
Maureen Best, Executive Director of LEAP the Local Environmental Agriculture Project, and Cameron Terry, who is a local urban farmer, join host Tom Landon to talk about the importance of making healthy local food available to all citizens, regardless of income.
October 11 - What it Takes to Keep Elders Safe from Scammers
This week on What It Takes, Tom Landon is joined by guests from the Local Office on Aging who will talk about their work, which ranges from providing meals on wheels to tax preparation assistance. And We’ll focus on how there are over 7 million incidents of elder fraud committed each year, with an average loss of over 30,00 dollars per case, and how we can protect ourselves and those we love from falling prey to the schemes of scammers.
October 18 - What it Takes to Reimagine a Community
The American Viscose Plant was once the largest employer in Roanoke, but since it closed in 1958 it has been an underutilized industrial and commercial park. Now it's being redeveloped as a commercial, residential and arts space in a project led by successful community investor Ed Walker. Walker has been a catalyst for change in downtown Roanoke's transformation into a living space for thousands of people, as well as working on development projects in Danville, Salem and other regional communities. He joins host Tom Landon to talk about What it Takes to Reimagine a Community.
October 25- What it Takes to Give the Gift of Life
This week our topic is “What it Takes to Give the Give the Gift of Life”, and I’ll be joined by Carla Brindle, a local Realtor who decided to literally share a piece of herself with her stepfather Albert Williams by giving up one of her two functioning kidneys. We’ll talk about the decision and the process on this week’s edition of What it Takes.
Much More to Come...