Donaldson takes "timeout" for local Kan Du podcaster

Heidelberg Head Football Coach called a time out – but in a good way – on Wednesday when he was interviewed by Dustin Sullivan, a client of the Kan Du Center in Findlay. Dustin produces a sports podcast, called “Take a Time Out with Dustin Sullivan.” This week, he moved his operation to Heidelberg’s GEM Center to interview Scott, along with Tiffin Columbian High School Football Coach Judd Lutz. They talked about sports and answered some burning non-sports questions too.

Dustin decided that he wanted to do a podcast back in 2021. Inspired by his love for sports and his dream job of being an announcer, he worked with the Kan Du Group of Findlay to get started on his communication career path. The University of Findlay’s communications department typically hosts him as he hosts local athletes, coaches and other people tied to the world of athletics. Through this team, Dustin has been able to break out of his shell and fight through his shy tendencies, while raising awareness for the Kan Du Group.

Dustin entered the GEM Center studio with his entourage from the Kan Du Group. The voice of the announcer for the opening and closing of Dustin’s podcast is Elaine Timbrook, Graphic Design and Art Studio Instructor for the Kan Du Group. He was also assisted by Jodi Hassan, who recorded the session from an alternate angle with her ipad. His friend Matthew comes as moral support, and Kevin Lewis, the Director of Operations at Kan Du, is another encouraging voice in the room.

During his interview  at Heidelberg’s multimedia room, Dustin interviewed Coach Coach Donaldson talked about his education, career, and the ’Berg traditions that Dustin was curious about. He also talked about his struggles during the tragic passing of Curtis Helman, a Heidelberg football player in March 2021, and the ways that the football team is carrying on his legacy today. At the end of every interview, Dustin asks the same crucial question: “Do you consider a hotdog to be a sandwich?” Be sure to check out the episode to hear his answer.

While Dustin’s favorite sport is football, he’s quite the jock and loves all sports. While he has a running list of people he’d love to interview, the person he would most love to talk to is Ted Ginn Jr., a former NFL wide receiver and alum from The Ohio State University. When he isn’t enjoying sports, Dustin is creating art at the Kan Du Studio, doing online research, or visiting restaurants, wineries and breweries. 

Dustin’s final question is one he picked to have an interesting and funny end to each interview – and his personal opinion is that hotdogs are not sandwiches. You wouldn’t realize that Dustin can be a little shy from a first conversation with him, which only goes to show his great work with his podcast and the perfection of his interviewing skills through the Kan Du Group.

The Kan Du Group is a nonprofit organization serving the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. The Kan Du Group offers day habilitation and vocational training, preparing clients to be successful in job placement and the community. They also provide disability education for other local organizations. Their programming provides life skills, promotes creativity and helps people to go forward with free choice, independence and employability, so they can be a fully integrated member of the community. The Kan Du Group has been serving this mission for over 50 years. 

Four Heidelberg students – Allison Hiser, Treyvon Hastings, Joey Korzunowski and Zach Dillon – played recording crew under the direction of Media Professor Jiachun Hong. Before Dustin even arrived, the students were checking audio and visual recording. They handled troubleshooting, and helped to produce a great seventh and eighth episode of “Take a Time Out with Dustin Sullivan,” available soon to watch on YouTube or stream on Spotify and Amazon.