© 2025 KWIT

4647 Stone Avenue, Sioux City, Iowa 51106

Business: 712-274-6406
Studio: 1-800-251-3690

Email: info@kwit.org

DMCA Registered Agent
A Station for Everyone
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Voice Imprints

A Greater Birthday Message

By Mara Hall
Published August 19, 2025 at 7:00 AM CDT
Ways To Subscribe
Holly DeGrote with her two sons, husband and grandfather smile to the camera.
Holly DeGrote with her husband Adam, their two boys, and her grandfather, who the family lovingly called "Greater."

For Holly DeGrote, Title III Project Manager at WITCC, every birthday came with a gift she could count on: a call from her grandfather. In this episode, Holly shares one of those messages, the kind of simple ritual that becomes priceless once it’s gone.

Have a message you keep? Email us at voiceimprints@kwit.org.

Tags
Voice Imprints Mara HallFamiliesMemoriesCOVID deathMinnesota
Mara Hall
Mara Hall is a longtime listener and proud supporter of Siouxland Public Media. Her love for public radio began with World Café, and over the years, her favorites have shifted to SPM’s local programming, especially What’s the Frequency and SPM PM.
See stories by Mara Hall
Related Content
  • Voice Imprints
    As we once tucked photographs of loved ones into our wallets, today we keep their messages on our phones. Whether it’s a simple “I love you” or a familiar laugh, these everyday recordings become treasured keepsakes. Each week, Voice Imprints, hosted by Mara Hall, explores how voices linger, love endures, and connection lives on.
  • Charlie Knoepfler is smiling, holding up green cotton candy.
    SPM Podcasts
    The Cobbler's Son
    Mara Hall
    Ben Knoepfler of Knoepfler Chevrolet shares a voicemail from his father, a quick update on the numbers that was, beneath it all, a father’s way of saying he cared.Have a message you keep? Email us at voiceimprints@kwit.org.
  • Jeff MacFarlane and his daughter, Clara, smile during a selfie at a Notre Dame football game.
    SPM Podcasts
    The Sound of Laughter Stays
    Mara Hall
    Clara MacFarlane Coly, Neighborhood Services Outreach Supervisor for the City of Sioux City, shares a voicemail of her sister and father laughing together, an exchange that echoes with love.Have a message you keep? Email us at voiceimprints@kwit.org.
  • Shelby Pierce posing for a picture next to her uncle Lewis with the ocean and trees behind them.
    SPM Podcasts
    Uncle Luis, A Voice of Comfort and Strength
    Mara Hall
    Shelby Pierce, owner of Pierce Facilitation, shares a recording of her favorite uncle offering advice during an unexpected travel mishap.
  • Black and white photo of a newly married South Indian couple
    SPM Podcasts
    A Grandmother’s Song that Spans Generations
    Mara Hall
    Revathi Vongsiprasom, Dean of Opportunity and Engagement at WITCC, shares a recording of her Paati singing a lullaby passed through generations, a sound that carries love, heritage, and home.
  • Mara Hall (host) and her mom, Linda, smile together.
    SPM Podcasts
    A Gift Unopened, A Message Treasured
    Mara Hall
    Host Mara Hall shares a message from her mother, who received a birthday gift early but chooses to wait to open it, savoring the anticipation. In that choice, she leaves Mara a lasting memory, wrapped in patience and love.