The heart of a hometown isn’t a map; it’s the people who keep its stories alive. Lauren joins us to chart New Albany’s journey from fields and single-campus days to a thriving, intentionally planned community where a preserved mill becomes a brewery, a new roundabout reroutes semis, and a Friday night crowd can still feel like family. Her path runs through athletics—cross country, basketball, track, high jump—and a Hall of Fame induction, but the real wins come from team chemistry, mentorship, and the way a student section can lift a program for years.

We dig into the details that define place: Ely House tours, Maplewood Cemetery names, taco pizza after reunions, and the great debate over how to pronounce Bevelheimer. Lauren breaks down how youth sports look now—specialization, facilities that need to catch up, and the simple fix that a second track could bring. She’s honest about coaching culture shifts and the rising focus on mental health, especially for girls navigating pressure in an always-on world. Through it all, the one-campus model keeps New Albany feeling close, even as class sizes balloon.

The conversation turns to service and why it matters. Real estate, for Lauren, is a vehicle to invest in neighbors, not a highlight reel of listings. She launched She Rises, a women-led gathering built on resilience and tangible giving, channeling funds to Buddy Up For Life and next year to children’s health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. It’s local, visible impact that honors loss with action, and it rests on a simple credo: service to others is the rent we pay for our room on earth. Come for the sports and small-town lore, stay for the blueprint on how to grow without losing your soul. Subscribe, share with a New Albany friend, and tell us: what tradition would you protect first?

Support the show