Common Ground Films

01/07/2026

In a recent episode of Uncommon with Pete Yonkman, Lonnie Bedwell sits down with Pete for an honest, thoughtful conversation that goes beyond the milestones and into the mindset behind Lonnie's mission. This one is well worth a listen!

Thanks to Pete and the team at Cook Medical for hosting such an engaging discussion!

In the latest episode of Uncommon with Pete Yonkman, Pete is joined by Lonnie Bedwell, a blind military veteran, extreme adventure athlete, motivational speaker and author.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts 🎧

01/06/2026

We’re excited to see Lonnie Bedwell's story continue to spread and reach new people! Thank you to ABC57 for creating space for Lonnie to share his message and the deeper purpose behind his pursuit of the Explorer's Grand Slam. A special thank you to Sidney Moore and Jordan Hatfield ABC57 for approaching this story with such care and thoughtfulness!

Sharing the heart of this journey is just as important as the expedition itself, and we’re grateful to see it resonate with so many. Check out the news report below and read more about Lonnie's Grand Slam journey at this link: https://lnkd.in/gQxwEKK7

DUGGER, Ind. -- One veteran is defying all odds, skiing to the highest points across the world, and that's Indiana resident, Lonnie Bedwell.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from Common Ground Films! As we step into a new year, we’re carrying a deep sense of gratitude for the stories, relationships, and support that shaped our first year as a non-profit.

This next chapter holds a lot of promise, and we’re excited to keep telling stories that matter.

Thank you for being part of the journey. Here’s to what’s ahead!

12/30/2025

As we wrap up the year, we wanted to share a quick update on our North Pole campaign. Thanks to the generosity of so many, we’re currently at 45% of our goal, and the momentum behind this mission continues to grow!

With a short window left before the end of the year, this is an opportune moment to come alongside Lonnie Bedwell and invest in a powerful story. Every contribution helps move us closer to sending Lonnie to the North Pole and capturing his journey along the way: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

We’re incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported this mission so far and helped carry it to this point.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas! As we wrap up our first year as a non-profit, we’re incredibly grateful for everyone who supported us from the very beginning.

Thank you for believing in these stories and in what we’re building together.

Wishing you a season filled with rest, joy, and meaningful moments.

12/24/2025

This week, we had the honor of helping share Lonnie Bedwell ’s story in a feature on WSBT-TV !

Our very own Mitch Hannon, President of Common Ground Films, and Tucker Gragg, Blueline Pictures Lead Creative Director, joined to talk about who Lonnie is at his core, what his accomplishment represents for Indiana, and the heart behind "Beyond Vision."

We’re so grateful for the chance to help tell this story and excited to see it continue to reach new audiences.

12/22/2025

As the year comes to a close, many of us pause to reflect on the stories that shaped the past year and the values we want to carry forward into the next.

Lonnie Bedwell’s story has been one of those for us, reminding us what’s possible when purpose leads the way.

For those looking to close out the year in a meaningful way, supporting Lonnie’s mission is one way to invest in a story that continues to create real impact: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

We’re deeply grateful for everyone who has supported Lonnie and believes in the power of this story.

12/08/2025

There are a small group of people who have completed the Explorer’s Grand Slam. Vanessa O'Brien is one of them.

Vanessa did not start out planning to become an explorer. She spent years in the corporate world before shifting her focus to mountaineering, eventually climbing Everest and continuing on to the Seven Summits. She went on to receive a Guinness World Record for the fastest completion of the Explorer's Grand slam by a woman, completely the challenge in 295 days.

For Vanessa, the North Pole expedition felt different than any other part of the Grand Slam. “You don’t try to go to the North Pole as much as you stalk it,” she said. “You are floating on stuff that is moving. You could go towards your goal or you could go away from your goal... You have no idea where you are going to wake up the next morning. So it is a mind game and that makes it just so frustrating.”

When asked what guidance she would offer Lonnie Bedwell as he prepares for his own North Pole attempt, Vanessa emphasized preparation and awareness, but also pointed out something she believes gives him a unique advantage. The North Pole demands sensitivity to subtle changes, sound, wind, texture, the feel of the ice. Vanessa noted that Lonnie may pick up on things others miss.

As she explained, “He’ll be able to hear things that people won’t hear. He’ll be able to feel the breeze in a super sensitive way that other people won’t feel. I think about senses, when you remove one, how they are heightened in other ways and I think that is such a benefit.”

Vanessa also shared why journeys like this matter, especially now. Exploration, in her eyes, is not just about reaching remote places but about what those places teach us. When you have overcome extreme challenges and felt the scale of the planet around you, you carry that perspective into everything else. As she put it, “by Lonnie doing it… he becomes an advocate.”

His journey invites people to rethink what is possible, not just in exploration but in everyday life, when limits are tested and perspective begins to shift. If you would like to support Lonnie as he steps into this historic final chapter of the Grand Slam, you can do so here: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

12/05/2025

The North Pole expedition is a challenge for anyone who attempts it, which is why so few people ever do. But for Lonnie Bedwell, it becomes an even more layered challenge, one
that demands a deep level of trust in the people guiding him.

Because he can’t rely on sight, Lonnie builds a mental map from what his team describes before he ever takes a step. Rough ice, uneven ground, and icy ridges have to be talked through so he knows what he’s about to move through.

Out on the ice, even that communication gets harder. The biting wind can drown out voices, and cold weather gear muffles cues. Guiding shifts to a mix of clear direction and hands on support, especially when the team hits sharp, uneven formations that can easily knock Lonnie off balance.

"It's almost kind of miserable, so it really takes a special kind of mind," Bryan Hill, Lonnie's expedition guide, said.

And even with all the physical challenges, what stands out most is Lonnie’s mindset, the drive that keeps him moving in the harshest conditions and lifts the people around him, too.

“I've always said… I'm the one physically guiding Lonnie... for Everest, or for the South Pole, or for Vinson, or whatever it might be... I'm physically taking him along, but... truly, he is guiding me...Lonnie has the deepest and strongest desire to just keep going," Bryan said.

At its core, these expeditions are about Lonnie showing what’s possible not just for himself, but for anyone watching him choose courage in places that push every limit. You can help him reach the North Pole and finish the Explorer's Grand Slam here: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

12/04/2025

If you want to hear more about Lonnie Bedwell's story and what has inspired his mission, check out this 1 Mile 1 Veteran podcast!

This episode highlights how Lonnie's journey has been shaped over the years, as he moved from a season of uncertainty after losing his eyesight to rebuilding a life rooted in purpose. Worth a listen!

12/02/2025

This Giving Tuesday, we’re reflecting on what it truly means to give back. And few people embody generosity the way Lonnie Bedwell does.

Working with Lonnie has given our team a front-row seat to the quiet, everyday ways Lonnie gives back through his volunteer work with Move United Sport, Heroes New Hope Foundation, and Blinded Veterans Association.

These are moments that most people will never see.

The phone calls late at night with newly blinded veterans who are struggling to find a new normal. The meetings with families who are navigating how to support their child who has a disability. The conversations after his motivational talks with individuals who see their own struggle reflected in his story.

The impact of Lonnie's generosity has a ripple effect, one that extends from the tallest peaks in the world to elementary school classrooms, living rooms, military bases, phone conversations, and beyond.

Inspiring others is the heart of Lonnie's work. And it’s why this Giving Tuesday means so much to us.

If you’d like to support Lonnie and the work he does uplifting others every single day, you can give here: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

11/29/2025

This weekend kicks off the lead-up to Giving Tuesday, and we’re feeling hopeful.

Lonnie Bedwell’s goal is within reach, and generous support has already brought us this far.

If you’ve been considering giving, now’s a great time to help fuel something that matters. Investing in Lonnie’s mission is an investment into a story that has the power to inspire people far beyond this moment.

Support + share: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD