Episodes

Season 2, Episode 5: There is nothing like a good comeback story - a story highlighted by resilience, love and selflessness. This is one of those stories! Our featured guest on this episode of The Front Porch is Courtney Willis. Courtney and her...

Season 2, Episode 4: Preston Taylor and his young family now call Melissa, Texas, home. When he's not blazing a trail in commercial real estate, he is the chairman of Melissa's Planning and Zoning Commission.

Season 2, Episode 3: Deric Salser and the Salser Development Group are leaving a profound impact on Melissa, Texas. On this episode of The Front Porch, Deric Salser shares the vision and story and expectations of Gateway Village, which is starting to...

Season 2, Episode 2: Kelton Brewer drowned when he was two years old. Based on accounts from the incident, Kelton said he actually died. But thanks to a neighbor, and Plano Fire and Rescue, he was revived and survived the near-tragic accident. Since...

Season 2, Episode 1: Eric Stokes hasn't been the Police Chief in Melissa, Texas, for very long. But he already has a heart for this community – and according to him, it starts with the people. After a long tenure – and working up the ranks – in...

Episode 30: Mike Demsky has started a new chapter in his life. After spending many years in the golf industry – working at some of the best courses and clubs in North Texas – he decided it was time for a new adventure. That's when this 11-year...

Episode 29: The importance of relationships in Melissa, Texas, keeps coming up on this podcast. Symmetry Sports Construction, which has played a significant role in almost every sports facility in Melissa, wholeheartedly believes in that philosophy....

Episode 28: Lynn Vanlandingham, owner of Five Tool Baseball, has a passion for baseball. The cool part of his story is that fact that he has partnered with a community – Melissa, Texas – that has a passion for the game as well. On this episode of...

Episode 27: Kent Jones Davis has called Melissa, Texas, home for more than 14 years. He has a heart for this community, but we wanted to bring him on the podcast to talk about the amazing ripples he's generating across the world with The 25 Project....

Episode 26: Dena Norton has a servants heart for Melissa, Texas. She is the Director of Community Outreach, which runs the food pantry in Melissa. When Dena talks about the food pantry, and the amazing people they serve, she lights up. It was very...

Episode 25: Teenagers provide a completely different perspective about community. On this episode of "Heart of Melissa," we got the chance to visit with Carson Ross and Kadyn King, seniors in the Class of 2021 at Melissa High School. They discussed...

Episode 24: A series of powerful events led Marcus Eckert to Melissa, Texas. It started with a high school football game ... next came a hug from Duke Sparks ... then an answered prayer in the form of bird that landed on his back fence. That bird was...

Episode 23: Stacey Piyakhun doesn't mix her words. She has a heart for the people in Melissa, Texas, and she does a beautiful job expressing that love and admiration. On this episode of "Heart of Melissa," Rev. Piyakhun – lead pastor at Melissa United...

Episode 22: Trey Graham wears a lot of different hats. He's the lead pastor at First Melissa ... he does the radio play-by-play for Melissa football ... he's an author ... and he hosts two radio shows. (That's not even counting being a dad and...

Episode 21: Melissa City Manager Jason Little has his finger on the pulse of this community. He has served in his current role for 15 years, and he has a servant's heart for Melissa, Texas. On this episode we discuss the community's expectations of...

Episode 20: George James has called Melissa, Texas, home for a long time. Thirty-five years to be exact. He's seen a lot of changes in his community, especially in regards to Melissa Schools. James has been on the school board for 19 years. He was...

Episode 19: Ryan Ross, pastor at City Church Melissa, has a huge heart for this community. The vision of his church captures that beautifully: "We are a community of people living for the glory of God and the good of the city." On this episode of...

Episode 18: Diane and Lillie Miller have called Melissa, Texas, home for a long time. Their roots run deep. As Melissa continues to grow and evolve, the owners of Parris Hill Farm and Ranch are determined to hold on to some of the history, while...

Episode 17: Kenny Deel has a passion for the kids in Melissa, Texas, and he has dedicated his entire career to Melissa Schools. Deel was recently honored for that passion and dedication. In August of 2022, the first football game will by played at...

Episode 16: Michelle Stradling and her husband, Jesse, ended up in Melissa, Texas, because of the water tower. Not really. But kind of. They have a fun, adventurous story that got them from Arizona to Texas and ultimately to Melissa. They moved to...

When Victoria Marshall asked her family what they thought about her opening a boutique in downtown Melissa, she was certain they would squash that idea. They didn't. They actually encouraged the former school teacher and Mary Kay director to go for...

Duke Sparks is on fire for Melissa, Texas. After a storied career as a coach and administrator across the state, he landed in Melissa at a pivotal time in his life. He was entrenched in this community when an unimaginable tragedy ripped through his...

Rachel Buckley is giving back to Melissa, Texas, in a very unique way. She is a partner/trainer for Camp Gladiator. Not only is she helping people live a healthy lifestyle, she is building a community inside a community that she has fallen in love...

There is a lot of love, faith and history in a slice of Marlo Hofman's pie. The owner of Cross My Heart & Hope For Pie is building on a legacy that was started in the kitchen by her grandmother and cultivated by her momma. Now Hofman, and her two...