January 26, 2025 • 52 mins
Jan 25, 2025
Bob and Rick discuss their current involvement in Parkersburg Homecoming, Inc. and what’s in the works for this year’s Festival.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Good Saturday evening, everybody.
(00:24):
630.
Hey, Rick, what's up?
Hey, just been so long since we did this.
I almost forgot how.
I know.
I was watching you go, uh-oh.
Anyway, I'm with you over there trying to figure out what we're doing is the man with
the plan, the host, Rick Sawyer.
(00:46):
Yeah.
It's been a while since we've been on.
Yeah.
It has.
It has.
A lot happening between July?
I don't know.
It's been a bit.
It's been a bit.
I think it was probably June or July because I remember I had mentioned something about
me retiring July 1st from 9-1-1 and then my last time at council is going to be, you know,
(01:08):
was at the end of 2024.
So it's just kind of one of them things.
So I hope you all had a good summer.
I hope you all had a good fall and I hope you have a good winter.
Halloween.
What have you done with winter?
It's time for spring.
I've had enough.
I mean, it's like it came, it impressed me, really impressed me because that's the most
(01:30):
snow we've had in years that I can remember.
Rabbi I was listening to this morning was talking about, he saw a weather report and
the guy says, hey, North, your winter's down here drunk on my lawn.
(01:52):
Did you see the one where somebody said call Florida and see if we can borrow 30 degrees?
That was pretty cool.
But now it's just been crazy and it's been crazy cold.
So I hope you all are warm and I hope you've all checked on your neighbors and brought
your animals in and stuff like that.
Remember if it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them.
(02:15):
So let your husbands in really seriously.
Yeah.
It's cold out here in the dog house.
That's right.
Because you don't want them out there whining.
But anyway, like I said, I hope you had a good 4th of July, good Halloween, good Thanksgiving,
good Christmas, good New Year.
(02:37):
Because we've missed all that because Rick and I are in charge kind of like a whole lot
of part of the Berg Homecoming.
So we kind of like that has been a trip all by itself.
It's been unbelievable.
So just tonight we decided, you know what, we're going to do this.
(03:00):
So here we are for all it's worth.
But we're trying to really get a grip on this Homecoming thing.
We're going to have a really good Homecoming issue, which we'll get into here in a little
bit.
Finally got the backs, the back shoveled except for up by my up by my porch where the ice
(03:22):
is about five inches thick and it won't it won't even know.
You have to have a jackhammer to get through that.
So I'm going to wait tomorrow supposed to be a little bit warmer than today.
And I want to see what's going on with that.
And hopefully it'll be warm enough to it'll break it up a little bit.
Get out there and cut it up.
(03:42):
So here we are into the first month of 2025.
We just came through a very good election.
A lot of good things happening already with our new president and our new vice president.
A lot of a lot of good things happening.
We got a brand new body of water south of the south of the border there.
(04:06):
I heard that.
That makes me seriously.
Rick always wondered where that came from, why they would call it the Gulf of Mexico
when it's in our back door.
Is it like always been that Mexico's right door.
So Mexico's front door.
I don't know.
I don't know.
(04:27):
I don't know who is in charge of naming all that stuff.
Not me.
I don't named it.
I named it the street of Bob or something.
You know, just something really cool.
I just wonder if he actually has the authority to do that.
I don't know.
Somebody posted the other day or in fact it was day before yesterday, the first official
snowfall in the Gulf of America.
(04:52):
Which makes it the first time anybody's ever called it that.
Yeah, that's unusual.
I love it.
It's been crazy though because, you know, I mean, like we have a new like secretary
of state and all these good people that are going to come in and ICE has been absolutely
terrorizing.
(05:12):
They've been doing a really good.
Did you see where they've already had five or six, five flights into Mexico with illegals?
No, I didn't see that.
And Honduras and different places like that.
They just load them up on the airplane and fly them home?
Yep.
Remember how they said they weren't going to, Mexico said they weren't going to tolerate
(05:34):
that and stuff like that.
But you know, I mean, as long as as long as things keep going the way they're going, you
know, this is our country in the United States.
We've been having a heck of a time.
They need to cut Democrat, Republican, independent.
You know, this is America, this United States of America.
(05:55):
This is it.
We're all in one.
We're all in this together, whether other people believe it or not.
That's fine.
You know, we're all in this together.
And if we don't do it, somebody else will.
Yeah, for sure.
It's kind of a different it's kind of different for me as well, Rick, because I'm not no longer
on council and I don't have to go to work.
(06:18):
In fact, I called off the rest of your when we had that big snowstorm the other day.
Yeah, I called off for the rest of year.
You did.
Good for you.
Not going to happen.
Wouldn't be proven.
So I'm going to say something.
People have been telling me about drone works here in the middle high valley.
(06:38):
At first, I'd heard of drone works.
Okay.
So there's been a dog that everybody's been looking for that people chase it or people
go try to get in and it takes off and it was out in the river on the ice.
(06:59):
So they couldn't find it.
And so drone works here in the middle high valley center drones up and they found a dog
and the dog is out to vets, cold, but safe and healthy, you know.
So they're taking care of some kudos to them people.
We need more.
We need more like that every time.
(07:19):
You know what I mean?
More cooperation amongst people like that.
That was an awesome job for them guys to do that.
We congratulate you guys.
Good work.
And just a mere thought of animals being out in this thing, you know, I mean, you see it
all the time and it's sad.
I try not to dwell on it because it's really distressing when you see some of the things
(07:43):
that have been going on on Facebook with animals that have been left outside.
And, you know, it's just kind of one of them things to where you got to make you got to
wonder what the heck they're doing, what they're thinking, the ownership thing.
You know, I mean, you know, I've got three, three cats.
(08:04):
Okay.
These three cats have never been outside.
They don't know what it's like to be cold.
There are dogs, our little itty bitty ankle biter dog doesn't know what it's like to be
cold.
And that's that's the way it's put Scooby.
Scooby probably never been cold in his life.
You know, he was he was cold.
He was cold a couple of times in the last couple of weeks when we've been out doing
(08:27):
his his duty.
That's why you throw him in the creek.
He was he's got he's got a new behavior I really, really love.
Really?
When he's done doing whatever he's got to do, I look at him and say, okay, take daddy
home.
He reaches up and grabs the leash and drags me home right to the step and drags me up
(08:49):
the steps holding the leash.
And he does not go to the leash and towards the top of the steps.
I love it.
It is so cool.
That's pretty cool.
It really is.
It really, really is.
I dated a girl like that once.
What?
She was a dog?
No, she just grabbed the leash.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I had to go.
(09:09):
I dated a couple of little dogs.
Not really.
Oh, see now now we're going to get now we're going to get that out.
Okay.
I'll get in trouble with all the ladies in town.
If you have any questions and any comments over in the chat section, just type us a chat.
Let us know you're here.
Say hi.
We'll we'll type back.
(09:30):
But like I said earlier, you know, we're starting in 2025.
We are getting into everybody's working on the new affairs that are coming up throughout
the year.
Rick and I and the great board of directors that we are part of, awesome board of directors
are working on the 2025 Perksburg Homecoming Festival.
(09:53):
Right up there is our new logo created by the Richter and Bob spelled backwards.
And so that's what we're using.
Everybody everybody's just I love it.
I mean, it's just a great it's a great thing.
So we know we're really working on it.
It's going to be back to three days this year.
It's going to be the 15th, 16th and 17th of August, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
(10:15):
And we're gonna be outside the flood wall.
Yep.
If all if all goes to wait.
So far, we're going to it's going to be up to at least Leonard Hassett Museum.
So so what we're doing and you'll go on our website, Perksburg Homecoming.com.
And if you're a band, a singer, a comedian rated G and PG, please go on and fill out
(10:40):
an application.
If you're a vendor, food vendor, we need you.
If you're an Archie and Crafts vendor, we need you.
So go on Perksburg Home.
Rick, you got that by chance?
I don't know the wonders.
I'm sure they'll get it.
But what to put that on for next at Perksburg Homecoming.com.
Look up the vendor vendor applications and stuff.
(11:05):
And it's pretty self explanatory.
Pleasure were to send it also our awesome pageant director, Alexis Martin.
She's our pageant director.
She needs sponsors for the upcoming pageants.
Again, if you can reach out to Alexis and help her out needs things for the Queen bags.
(11:30):
And she pretty I think she from not mistaken, she has a list of things that that would be
awesome for the for the Queens.
And if you're interested in coming to any of our meetings, that's the wrong one.
I'm sorry.
You know, we have a meeting the first Monday of every month at six o'clock at the Parkersburg
(11:51):
Wood County Library on Emerson Avenue downstairs.
And I still can't remember the name of that room, but you can't miss us.
Will be the loud ones that they threaten to throw out.
Yeah.
So you know, you're welcome.
You know, the thing about it is Rick, what's cool is I have I put out on Facebook, if you
have any ideas that you think would go great.
(12:13):
Oh my gosh, you would not believe some of the cool things.
A friend of mine, Phil Giffin, he's with the Jeep group.
He he mentioned about J.E.
Okay.
Yeah, there's a Ohio Valley Jeep.
Anyway, so he had said something about a Jeep show, which is phenomenal.
(12:39):
People love that.
And these guys, he told me these guys love showing off their Jeeps.
So we're going to do that.
We could probably do that.
We're going to do wrestling, arm wrestling.
We're going to have open mic all day long for bands.
I mean, you're not going to be there singing all day long.
Forty five minute sets, maybe just enough time to break.
(13:00):
If you're a band, to break it down and let another person pop up.
We're going to we're going to have that fireworks.
We're going to have a great opening ceremony, which I'm not going to give away, but we're
going to have a great.
Don't you think, Rick, don't you think it'll be a great opening ceremony?
I think I think it's going to be one of the best ones.
Memorable.
(13:21):
You want to be one of the best ones, the perfect phone call.
And so I'm just excited about it.
I mean, and but we need help.
We need volunteers.
We need sponsors and people who I think we're going to need one more on the board.
(13:43):
I think we just had one.
We had one vacancies now.
Two vacancies, plus I got to get a hold of Zach Hoffman, he's going to be if he still
wants to be, he's going to be our council representative liaison between city council
and Parkersburg Homecoming.
So that's going to be pretty cool.
So we have all these great people that we work well together.
(14:04):
We're doing good.
We're trying to do good work.
We're trying to get it together.
And if we get half of what we want, I think we're going to people are going to be surprised.
I think you're going to walk away going, wow, you know, we have the and we'll talk about
more of this later on in different podcasts, but probably Wednesday night on wrap around
(14:29):
Easter parade is coming up.
There's and I'll get all the dates from Alexis on the Queen pageants.
The dates are on the website, go to the website, go to the passions pageants page.
Right.
And that'll tell you where they're going to be.
(14:51):
Come out and support these young ladies who are vying to represent Parkersburg Homecoming
and for the year.
Alexis does great work.
So I have an idea.
Why don't we have Alexis come on in a couple of weeks and talk about that?
I would love to have Alexis.
It would be great.
(15:12):
She's a really sharp lady.
She is.
I mean, she knows what she's doing.
She just does her thing.
And she says, oh, by the way, guess what I did?
You know, she keeps us informed that she just and everybody, you know, we had a great bingo
on January 11th over to the Moose Club.
Great time.
Charlotte Nestor set it up and Chuck Lips on the board.
(15:37):
And there was several of us there.
And we just had a great time.
There was a bunch of people there.
It was a purse one.
It was a purse bingo.
We're going to have what?
I think two more before August.
We haven't decided what type yet.
I'd like to have and I've seen the schools used to where they have people sponsor bags
(15:58):
like WVU.
WVU, a Marshall bag, a summer bag, a flower or whatever, just whatever a theme and have
20 of them and then have one for money.
I think the third one we might do for money, depending on what the board wants to do.
(16:19):
Nothing happens unless the board says it's going to happen.
We don't we don't make the decisions.
I mean, we have latitude, but Rick and I like to keep things up and up.
So we're going to get with downtown businesses and see what they want to do and get them
involved.
Pretty soon we're going to have Lisa, Lisa Doyle on.
(16:40):
Lisa is the director of Circles.
And recently I was in I was asked by her and another person to be involved in what's called
the Parkersburg Engagement Project, which we'll talk more about.
You'll see us on WTAP Daybreak to talk about this.
(17:00):
Just a great program to bring our community community community to say I'm not going to
say that word again, Mr. If it's going to be that difficult, I don't even need to be
saying it.
They used to tell me they used to tell me work.
Don't use words unless you know how to spell it or you can say it, because sometimes I
(17:27):
come up with some words.
They call them Bob isms because only Bob would say something that stupid.
But born to five is really good at that.
Well, you know, I mean, I called a T1 one time is Toyota.
I think it was T1.
I called it a to go in over the radio.
I told the officer it was a 2003 to go in and at which time the room erupted in laughter
(17:51):
because I didn't first time I heard it.
I mean, I was I didn't know what it was.
So she's so here's what we're going to do with these two.
I don't know if I said this before or not.
Here's what we're going to do with the two podcasts Wednesday night at six 30s wrap around
M.O.V. wrap around M.O.V. is going to be stick, see stickly, strictly.
(18:18):
Oh, yeah, you drink all day.
You can talk, mister.
Silence is Mike.
The cat walked by caught me off guard.
Anyway, the wrap around M.O.V. on Wednesday night is going to be strictly M.O.V. stuff.
No, no outside stuff, just strictly things that are happening within the middle high
(18:42):
valley.
And we'll get people want to talk about that.
Saturday is going to be kind of like a hodgepodge like we're doing now.
Just kind of we are really hodgepodging tonight.
We're hodging the pod.
That's what we're doing.
So you know, I mean, if anybody wants to come on, like we've always said, please let us
know.
(19:02):
We'd love to have you on any time, even if it's multiple people.
We can have up to 10 people.
Right.
Right.
Yep.
We can have up to 10 people come on.
You got something you want to talk about as a group.
Come on.
We'll talk about it.
If it's about the middle high valley, we'll have you on Wednesday nights.
If it's about anything else, we can have you on Saturday nights.
There's Scooby, our mascot.
(19:25):
You'll be learning to come see Uncle Bob.
And so.
Oh, my gosh.
You see that, Merce?
So anyway, if you want to volunteer to help us out, let us know.
There are several places throughout the city and the county that need volunteer help.
(19:47):
I know I went to a meeting four or five months ago and I mean, Salvation Army, Red Cross.
County's needing help and it's just hard to get volunteers.
So if you want to volunteer, reach out to some of these organizations, including us,
(20:13):
to become a part of it.
So we're going to admit.
Yeah, it's my turn.
Make fun of me.
We are going to need an army of volunteers to pull out this homecoming.
Exactly.
And the sooner you get on board, the sooner we'll all know what we're doing.
(20:35):
Because we really need to make this the best it can be.
I've got several people in the next few weeks.
We want to have everything in line by no later than March or April.
We want everything to be finalized where we're not at the last day going, uh-oh, we forgot.
(20:56):
We want to make sure that the homecoming is going to be great.
Homecoming has been 40 years, 42 years this year at Warrant Rector.
I think they started it in 83, but it didn't do anything until 84, if I'm not mistaken.
If I am, somebody correct me because I'm not sure.
So it's been, let's say 40 years for lack of, for sake of argument.
(21:21):
It's ingrained in our community.
And that's why I became president of it because I want it to be the very best.
So I had to bring the very best on board.
That guy there.
And I mean, he sharpens the tack and him and I have been friends for so long.
(21:43):
We always say that we've been friends for 16 years at least.
And we met at a search and rescue school.
Wow, imagine that.
We were both in search and rescue.
And so we've been hanging out ever since.
But anyway, so there's just so many things that are getting ready to come up that will
(22:04):
bring you throughout this month and every month to, so you can be involved in it.
We need your help.
We need you there when you need you to be a part of what we're doing.
And at the end of it, you'll look back and say, wow, that was cool because I was part
of making it happen.
And again, thank you to everybody who's been sending me some of the most amazing ideas
(22:27):
for Homecoming that they'd like to see.
We're going to put it all down on paper.
No decisions are made until the board says the decisions are made.
So we're going to do that.
See what else are we going to do?
I think what I'm going to do, help me remember to do this.
(22:48):
I'm going to make a suggestion for him for a website.
See, that would be amazing.
What would be really cool that you would like to see Homecoming do?
And we'll just have a little questionnaire out there.
Right.
And I think we mentioned once before, we're going to go, if I can ever remember when they're,
what days their meetings are, we're going to go to the Board of Education and find out
(23:09):
we need some, we need student ambassadors.
We need kids from high school and even middle school if they choose to say, hey, what do
you think would keep the kids' attention?
And there's a lot of things that have been brought up.
So we're going to look at that.
(23:29):
We do have kids' fest on Friday.
That somebody brought up.
I don't know if we can pull it off or not, but have a computer gaming competition of
some kind.
Well, Edward Eskandon did.
Yeah, that was.
Yeah, it was Edward.
And Edward, he said he has the stuff for it.
(23:52):
So as soon as we can get another meeting going on, we had to cancel this month's meeting
due to the storm and everything else that happened in the world.
We had to cancel.
So our next one is what, February 2nd?
I believe it is.
Is it the third?
I don't have a calendar right here in front of me, but yes, I'm pretty sure it's the third.
(24:14):
Okay.
On the website, we have a calendar page.
You can go to the calendar page and it'll tell you all about that.
Right.
But I just kind of wanted to put it out there so that people can get it.
Yeah, I just, I don't remember.
I'm pretty sure it was the third.
Okay.
Well, there's what?
How many days in this month?
Twenty-eight?
Thirty-one?
Thirty-one.
So there's six more days, which would make it Friday.
(24:35):
Yep, the third.
You're right.
We're way third at six o'clock at the library.
If you want to get ahold of one of us, just to give us some ideas or stuff like that,
we'll definitely be available to do that.
Let's see what else we need to do.
(24:57):
It's just been busy.
So like I said, we don't have a lot going on right this very second except trying to
get things done.
We are going to try something different.
I mean, and I'm going to go ahead and say this, Parkersburg Soapbox Derby is not going
to be.
Why?
(25:18):
It didn't generate the interest that we thought it was going to.
So what we're going to try, felt like Dr. E. What we're going to try to do is have the
very first annual homecoming derby here in Parkersburg.
And we're going to try that, see if that works.
(25:41):
That's got some interest and we're going to try that.
And we'll bring more information on that on our website and in the paper and on WTP and
stuff like that.
So just be watching for that.
But just we're sorry that it's been so long since we've been on.
(26:05):
Like I said, there's been so much going on.
I was in the hospital.
We're not going to that.
That's all I got to say about that.
I didn't feel well.
There's just things that stopped us.
And so we need to really get back into the swing of things, get our guests in line like
we had before, before we stopped and start getting people on here who want to talk about
(26:31):
things that are important to them and we'll be glad to do it.
And we're going to be reaching out to people having, again, we want to have Alexis on.
We'd like to have some members of our board on if they choose to.
But it's going to be an exciting year, I think.
There's a lot going on right now.
(26:55):
I don't know what's happening with the Multicultural Festival and the Honey Festival.
I read today one of the guys on the board had mentioned something about he heard and
I'm not one to spread rumors because I don't know for a fact if his is true that the Honey
(27:17):
Festival and the Multicultural Festival were going to be downtown because as all of you
know they've got that corp pretty good over there trying to get this new pavilion coming
in that's going to be amazing once it gets done.
Then we can start having more stuff back over to City Park.
(27:37):
But just keep in mind coming up and once it's cleared and everything, Friday the 15th we're
going to have a pickleball clinic at City Park.
Then after that, Saturday and Sunday we'll have pickleball contest, pickleball tournament,
(28:03):
sorry.
We got some really good people that do the pickleball things in the Middle Ohio Valley.
We had a meeting with them and they're very excited about it and we're very excited about
it.
So I think that's going to work out well for us to be able to have that.
(28:23):
So far we have wrestling.
It's semi-pro but it's still wrestling, something I think.
But we want to have things that's going to be interactive with everybody.
Each genre we're going to have three different rubber ducky drawings for different prizes
(28:43):
for different age groups, which would be exciting because the adults win something.
So this year the kids can win something and the teenagers and stuff like that.
So we're going to do that.
You'll see a list of things once we get the list dwindled down because I think there's
just what we have going on right now is probably not enough to do it in one weekend.
(29:09):
We have some really good people working with us for a great Sunday show, all day show,
several shows.
It's going to be gospel groups and that's going to be exciting.
That's something we haven't done in a long time.
That's something that I was told that the churches looked forward to.
(29:33):
I'm not pushing religion so please don't stampede me with hate mail.
And we're going to do that and see how that works out again this year.
I'm excited about that because I think that would work well and it'll give the church
(29:54):
choirs and stuff loved coming down there from what I was told.
They loved coming down there and sing and people just, you know, some churches even
had their church service there because of the, it was outdoor and we can do that.
We can have that.
So the parade is going to be great.
(30:14):
I think some people are going to be surprised at some of the suggestions about Grand Marshall
and stuff like that about who's going to be what.
And I think everybody will be excited about what we're going to do with that.
So we'll be sending out parade applications.
If you have an organization that wants to be in the end of a Christmas parade, oh my
(30:38):
God Bob.
I mean Christmas is only 11 months away.
11 months away.
330 shopping days to Christmas.
I hope I get real estate in Florida this year.
Anyway, so if you're a group that wants to be involved in the Homecoming parade, let
(31:01):
us know.
We'll have all that on our webpage too as it gets closer to it.
Everything that happens will be on parkersburghomecoming.com.
.com and you know, it's going to be on there and anything that happens, we'll keep you
(31:23):
informed on every bit of anything that does have to do with Homecoming.
It'll be on that page.
Rick did a great job with the page like he always does and different things like that.
We've done a lot with the help of the board and I think that it's great that these people
are, they're passionate about it.
(31:46):
I mean seriously.
I've, you know, I know all of them, I met some new ones recently but I knew most of
them on the board and they're just, they're passionate about it and they're working very
hard to try to make it work and we're right there behind them.
You know, Cindy Weir, good friend of ours, she's the secretary.
(32:06):
So I want to mention her.
You know, I mean Sherry Dugan, she's in charge of Kids Fest on Friday night and we have Edward
Askindon, we have Charlotte Nestor, we have Gina Mace, we have Tim Cochran, we have Alexis
Martin, Bob Mercer, Rick Sawyer, Chuck Lipps.
(32:28):
Rick Modest.
Rick Modest, the man Rick Modest, the man, the legend.
Who was this?
I know we missed somebody.
We probably did.
We probably did and I'm sorry, there's so many great people that's working that we're
trying to, we need to thank because without this, this would be nothing and so we're really
(32:48):
thankful.
Hold on, I apologize.
We're thankful for them and between all of us, we're going to get some good stuff done.
Probably in between now and August 15th, we're going to have several fundraisers.
Like I mentioned earlier, we're going to have two more that I'm aware of, two more bingo
(33:13):
games, two more bingo games.
But I want to have, we're going to have some fundraisers.
Again, if you want to sponsor, our sponsor sheets are on Parker'sberghomecoming.com.
We need all the help we can get.
Alexis needs all the help she can get with the Queens.
So you know, she's going to be, she's got a lot on her hands.
(33:35):
She does really good work and we're proud of her.
So but anyway, other than that, it's just been, like I said, it's been an interesting,
interesting few months and we're going to try to keep on track with Saturday nights
and Wednesday nights.
If we're not on on Wednesday nights, it has to do with one thing or another, but we'll
definitely try to do the Saturday night all the time because we need to build our audience
(33:57):
back up.
We need to get people on here who want to be part of it, who want to come on and talk
about what's going on and what's important to them.
Kudos to all the warming stations that have opened up throughout the middle high of Valley
to get people off the streets at night.
It's been sub-zero weather and kudos to them people bringing them in, keeping them warm,
(34:24):
feeding them.
We're tickled to death with that.
So from what I've been reading, from what I've been reading, sorry, there's been a major
community.
What's the word I want to read?
(34:48):
The community has really stepped up.
Yeah.
That's who we are.
Community response.
That's who we are.
And that's amazing.
I guess they got swamped with a bunch of great supplies and stuff like that, which is great.
Hopefully it won't be as cold, but still we got to keep an eye on everybody, make sure
(35:12):
that they're okay because wow, that was brutal.
I'm telling you what, I did not even want to get up, but I did.
It was cold.
We've got a new homeless coordinator in town that's trying to help out with that.
(35:32):
Who is that?
Do you have any idea?
He was at our neighborhood watch meeting this last month and I can't remember the guy's
name.
He was like a 30 year police department veteran.
Really?
Yeah.
He retired from the police department, so he's been putting back to work as a...
(35:53):
See that's always the best kind because people know everybody and they're...
I can't remember his name.
Well, that's all right.
We'll let it go this time, mister.
Yeah.
Anyway, but what else is happening, Rick?
There's just so much and it's hard to keep track of everything, but...
(36:18):
Oh well, the more we get through this year, the better off it, the better it's going to
be because we got a lot going on and Rick and I are going to keep on top of it.
I can't wait to do another wrap around MOV.
We had the first one and we're going to get the homeless coordinator on.
We're going to get the city council, county commission.
(36:43):
We're going to get them on, talk to them and see what's on their mind and then you guys
can text us, send us a message over there.
I don't know what that is, Rick.
Overlay, what's that mean?
On the...
Yeah.
If we have chats coming in, we can display them there.
(37:07):
Okay.
Well, if you have anything you want to say or if you have any ideas for any upcoming
episodes, get a hold of Rick or I, text us or put it on the chat right there and we will
be glad to look into it because we're open for just about anything.
Just about.
So, we're going to...
(37:28):
Excuse me.
I'm sorry.
I keep getting distracted.
So, we're going to have a great 12 months of pop cast and 12 months of wrap around MOV
and I think we'll do okay, Rick.
I think once we get back and moving, get back into the swing of things, I think we'll be
(37:50):
fine.
Yeah.
We've just been buried with homecoming stuff for the last couple of months.
It's just been...
Well, yeah.
I took...
I took a word back in September and it was all hands on deck then.
Then Rick came on in October and I can guarantee you that he's put probably 100 hours a week
(38:16):
if more into homecoming.
Not 100 a week, but...
He never sleeps.
I had to tell...
He didn't sleep for what?
Two days.
I'm getting to the point where I'm looking forward to the big sleep that's going to last
a long time.
So, I got to get all the stuff in I can before then.
(38:39):
Remember the restraining order.
You got to be careful, mister.
But I just want everybody involved.
Rick and I talk all the time before when we had Bobcast first last year up into the mid
time last year.
(39:00):
We want everybody to be involved.
We want to...
Places need volunteers so bad.
It's just unbelievable.
Circles campaign, Salvation Army, American Red Cross.
What else, Rick?
What else am I missing?
Fire departments are looking.
(39:20):
Fire department, volunteer fire.
Yeah.
Parking for a fire department is hiring now too.
Oh yeah, I see.
Do you see it?
I've never seen...
If you're an actual grad, 18 years or older, go get the chief caller.
I've never seen them have a commercial.
And that is so cool.
That commercial is so cool.
I haven't seen that one.
(39:41):
Oh yeah, it's right there.
I was sitting there and I thought that's first.
If you're out in the county and you want to be involved, even under 18, they have junior
firefighters and they teach you everything you need to know.
But if you're 18 and older, you want to be a fireman?
Well, I got a lot of great friends that when I worked 9-1-1, you become friends with all
(40:05):
of them pretty much.
And they need people.
They need people really bad.
So jump on.
Go do it and go learn something and become a part of something good.
Again the Circles campaign, just a great organization.
They do a lot of good work in the community for those who need a hand up, not a handout.
(40:28):
And that's always stuck with me.
That's the first thing Lisa told me when I became involved with Circles is we don't give
a handout, we give a handout, which makes a whole lot of great sense.
And so, you know, but as we do things, you will know about it.
If you want to be involved in it, just send me a message.
(40:51):
Tell me what we're doing right.
Tell me what we're doing wrong.
And we shall make adjustments as necessary.
So is there anything else you need to talk about, Rick?
Is there anything going on that we haven't covered so far tonight?
I know I need a haircut.
So don't everybody say, Bob, you need a haircut.
(41:14):
I was just noticing I need a haircut too.
Well, let me tell you what.
My aunt Charlotte, God love my aunt Charlotte.
Okay.
We're sitting at the family get together one time.
And my middle name is Eugene.
So she called me Bob Jean.
She always has Bob Jean.
(41:35):
So we're sitting there one day at this family reunion.
She looks over and she goes, Bob Jean?
Yes, Aunt Charlotte.
Get a haircut.
Yes, ma'am.
You know.
Strong hair hippie radical freak.
Are you some kind of hippie?
(41:56):
But I don't let my hair usually get this long.
I have to go get a cut.
But I keep getting sidetracked.
I mean, it's like I always do.
It's like something shiny happens.
Bob's all over it.
There goes my haircut.
You have a haircut scheduled and wind up in the hospital instead.
I needed vacation time or if I could have done without the for those who don't know,
(42:18):
my sugar went up to like 600.
Never has that happened to Bob Mercer in my life.
I was like diabetic ketoacidosis.
Everything just started happening to me all the time.
So I was like, that's rude.
Yeah.
So I'm not allowed to have a bunch of stuff like milk, juice, pasta.
(42:46):
And so my doctor goes, well, why are you a milk drinker?
And I went, Bob Mercer?
Yes, I'm a big milk drinker.
And she's like, sorry.
And so I drank something the other day called orange juice, no sugar.
So I said, well, how about no sugar orange juice?
(43:07):
She went, there's no such thing.
I said, but it said right on.
No.
So the only thing I'm allowed to have to drink is water, black coffee, and sweet tea.
I guess I could get used to it.
She goes, welcome to your new world.
(43:30):
Yeah.
I don't think I particularly care of that.
But anyway, I digress.
I'm better now.
My sugar's staying right where it's supposed to be.
All my blood levels have straightened up.
I haven't straightened up, but my blood levels have.
So I feel better and I feel good.
Everybody says I look better, which I do.
(43:51):
I've lost 10 pounds.
I don't know where I put it, but I lost it.
And I'm going to keep going.
And by the time I'm done, I should be down to my ultimate weight of 10 pounds, 12 ounces.
But who knows?
Eventually, yeah.
That was my birth weight.
That was my birth weight.
10 pounds, 11 ounces, not 12 ounces.
(44:13):
10 pounds, 11 ounces.
So if I keep going good, I think I should be down there by, what, 2050?
2035?
24?
I want to be around longer than that.
Okay.
So, but hopefully I got to get a hold of Tea.
And I hate it that Rick and I are on tonight without Tea.
(44:36):
But it's kind of one of them things we just discussed and decided to do it.
So what we're going to do is get a hold of Tea and see if she's interested in coming
back as our guest host.
God love her.
She only did what, five shows with us?
And then we, so for those of you who don't know Tricia, she's out in Work County.
We had to ship some sunlight out there today.
(44:56):
Out there in the hollers.
I love Work County.
Work County is a nice little place, you know, if you just want to, especially in the summertime,
if you ever go out there, just go out there and drive.
Pretty cool.
I like it.
And they got sportsmen park here on the left as you come in.
Nice place to fish because you can fish right off.
(45:19):
It's all cleared out and everything like that.
It's pretty cool.
But we had to ship some sunlight to them today and why not?
We don't want you to be selfish with the sunshine.
Yep.
You know, I'm all good about it.
But anyway, Rick, other than that, sir, I think that I pretty much said what I need to say
(45:46):
about everything that's going on.
Just keep in touch with us.
Let us know what you think about the podcast.
It's normally a podcast MOV with Rick and Bob, but I just think I'm going to I mean,
even though it's on our shirts, some of us wear shirts.
I'm not saying anything about Rick or anything.
(46:10):
But it would probably just be the podcast.
I think it'll work for me because everybody knows we're in the MOVs.
Anyway, so right then on the bottom of the page scrolling is Barbara Homecoming.com.
Go there for all things homecoming.
Help us out.
Join the cause.
Become a volunteer.
Sponsor us.
Join.
(46:30):
Become a part of downtown because on the vendors, food vendors and the arts and crafts, we're
bringing back.
People are excited about the arts and crafts coming back.
I've talked to several people.
They're really happy about it.
So that's a good thing.
Again, I've had some other people talk about so many good things that I'm going to put
(46:53):
them all down and shake them up and see what we come up with because I'm not sure if we'll
have enough time to do everything that people sent me over one weekend.
I just I cannot see it happening.
I mean, it can be tried.
I'm game for anything once.
Shut up, Rick.
(47:14):
I saw the gears turning.
You're going there's a joke in there somewhere.
There is.
There is.
Well, anyway, if you don't have anything else to do, Rick, I don't have anything else to
say.
Anybody have anything they want to comment on?
There's chat right there.
Chat real quick and say, shut up, Bob.
Yeah.
Even if you need to tell me you're not right, Bob, I'm fine.
(47:43):
So we're going to say good night to everybody and we will be definitely back next week at
six thirty, hopefully with somebody else on besides listen to Bob talk all day.
You know, when I play it back, it does put me to sleep at night.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
If you and you know, we got we got a lot of a lot of them out there on YouTube.
(48:05):
So you know, if you got insomnia and you can't sleep, click on one of her episodes, we'll
put you to sleep.
Heck yeah.
I'm real good at it.
If you feel like I will sing.
No, there's a noise ordinance.
No, no, no, we can't do that.
We can't do that.
I can't do it because of noise.
Sure.
Back on it.
(48:26):
Darn.
Yeah.
But anyway, thank you for everybody listening in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida,
California, hopefully Oklahoma, if they're listening.
You know, we thank everybody for being a part of the show tonight and listening to us ramble
(48:46):
on about a whole lot of things.
Again, there's so many things going on.
It's just it's hard to keep track of everything, but we are doing it and we're all over it.
And with your help and the board of directors from the part of our homecoming, we're gonna
make it an awesome, awesome, awesome year.
2025 homecoming.
And you know, I think you'll be well pleased with what we've done and what we're going
(49:09):
to do.
So with that, got a hair in my mouth.
Imagine the concept.
Don't know where it came from.
So good night, everybody.
Have a very good week.
We'll see you Wednesday night.
See you Wednesday night at six thirty for wrap around MOB.
(49:30):
Rick, thanks again for at least remembering where we were at with the opening and the
closing because.
Yeah.
I'm.
That's like I don't know if I know what to do here.
What am I supposed to do?
I said, you know, I'm going to go back for retraining.
(49:53):
That's why my boss would never let me have a coffee break.
It took you longer training to come back.
We're going to send him back to Los Angeles if you're then you have a free training.
I don't want to go to Los Angeles.
My cousin is in from was in last week or so from Los Angeles.
(50:17):
Ten of her dearest friends lost everything.
Did they?
The fire got within just a couple of blocks of her home.
Well, I'm glad you mentioned that because that's one thing.
I really want to talk out there.
That's one thing I did want to say.
Prayers to all the people in North Carolina who are still recovering from the major hurricane
(50:38):
and prayers to everybody in California.
That place is on fire.
I've never seen anything like it.
I mean, whole Malibu, Palisades and, you know, just stuff like that is gone and it's sad.
(50:59):
But again, prayers out to North Carolina and anybody else who was affected by the hurricane
and to California being affected by the wildfires that are just running rampant out there.
They're trying to get an upper hand on them.
But when you got a hundred mile an hour winds, guess what?
Yeah, well, work, Mr. It's going to jump.
You know, there's reports of them jumping across the PCH Pacific Coast Highway and taking
(51:24):
out houses.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
It has a mind of its own, you know.
Yeah, I saw just a brief clip the other night on one of the news broadcasts.
You know, the famous Hollywood Hill sign there where it says Hollywood and the flames were
in the background of that.
You know, I asked somebody about that because when I saw that, I thought, oh, there it goes.
(51:48):
And then somebody told me, no, it survived.
I mean, it didn't get burnt down.
Yeah, but it was close enough.
A lot of our favorite entertainers have lost everything.
So, yeah.
All right, sir.
All righty.
Have a good night, everybody.
We hope to see you back here next week on Wednesday.
(52:12):
We love you guys very much.
Watch out for each other and stay warm and stay safe.
If you need anything, you know where we're at.
Take us out of here, Ricker.
All righty.
See you.
Bye.
Check us out next week.
Good Saturday evening, everybody.
(00:24):
630.
Hey, Rick, what's up?
Hey, just been so long since we did this.
I almost forgot how.
I know.
I was watching you go, uh-oh.
Anyway, I'm with you over there trying to figure out what we're doing is the man with
the plan, the host, Rick Sawyer.
(00:46):
Yeah.
It's been a while since we've been on.
Yeah.
It has.
It has.
A lot happening between July?
I don't know.
It's been a bit.
It's been a bit.
I think it was probably June or July because I remember I had mentioned something about
me retiring July 1st from 9-1-1 and then my last time at council is going to be, you know,
(01:08):
was at the end of 2024.
So it's just kind of one of them things.
So I hope you all had a good summer.
I hope you all had a good fall and I hope you have a good winter.
Halloween.
What have you done with winter?
It's time for spring.
I've had enough.
I mean, it's like it came, it impressed me, really impressed me because that's the most
(01:30):
snow we've had in years that I can remember.
Rabbi I was listening to this morning was talking about, he saw a weather report and
the guy says, hey, North, your winter's down here drunk on my lawn.
(01:52):
Did you see the one where somebody said call Florida and see if we can borrow 30 degrees?
That was pretty cool.
But now it's just been crazy and it's been crazy cold.
So I hope you all are warm and I hope you've all checked on your neighbors and brought
your animals in and stuff like that.
Remember if it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them.
(02:15):
So let your husbands in really seriously.
Yeah.
It's cold out here in the dog house.
That's right.
Because you don't want them out there whining.
But anyway, like I said, I hope you had a good 4th of July, good Halloween, good Thanksgiving,
good Christmas, good New Year.
(02:37):
Because we've missed all that because Rick and I are in charge kind of like a whole lot
of part of the Berg Homecoming.
So we kind of like that has been a trip all by itself.
It's been unbelievable.
So just tonight we decided, you know what, we're going to do this.
(03:00):
So here we are for all it's worth.
But we're trying to really get a grip on this Homecoming thing.
We're going to have a really good Homecoming issue, which we'll get into here in a little
bit.
Finally got the backs, the back shoveled except for up by my up by my porch where the ice
(03:22):
is about five inches thick and it won't it won't even know.
You have to have a jackhammer to get through that.
So I'm going to wait tomorrow supposed to be a little bit warmer than today.
And I want to see what's going on with that.
And hopefully it'll be warm enough to it'll break it up a little bit.
Get out there and cut it up.
(03:42):
So here we are into the first month of 2025.
We just came through a very good election.
A lot of good things happening already with our new president and our new vice president.
A lot of a lot of good things happening.
We got a brand new body of water south of the south of the border there.
(04:06):
I heard that.
That makes me seriously.
Rick always wondered where that came from, why they would call it the Gulf of Mexico
when it's in our back door.
Is it like always been that Mexico's right door.
So Mexico's front door.
I don't know.
I don't know.
(04:27):
I don't know who is in charge of naming all that stuff.
Not me.
I don't named it.
I named it the street of Bob or something.
You know, just something really cool.
I just wonder if he actually has the authority to do that.
I don't know.
Somebody posted the other day or in fact it was day before yesterday, the first official
snowfall in the Gulf of America.
(04:52):
Which makes it the first time anybody's ever called it that.
Yeah, that's unusual.
I love it.
It's been crazy though because, you know, I mean, like we have a new like secretary
of state and all these good people that are going to come in and ICE has been absolutely
terrorizing.
(05:12):
They've been doing a really good.
Did you see where they've already had five or six, five flights into Mexico with illegals?
No, I didn't see that.
And Honduras and different places like that.
They just load them up on the airplane and fly them home?
Yep.
Remember how they said they weren't going to, Mexico said they weren't going to tolerate
(05:34):
that and stuff like that.
But you know, I mean, as long as as long as things keep going the way they're going, you
know, this is our country in the United States.
We've been having a heck of a time.
They need to cut Democrat, Republican, independent.
You know, this is America, this United States of America.
(05:55):
This is it.
We're all in one.
We're all in this together, whether other people believe it or not.
That's fine.
You know, we're all in this together.
And if we don't do it, somebody else will.
Yeah, for sure.
It's kind of a different it's kind of different for me as well, Rick, because I'm not no longer
on council and I don't have to go to work.
(06:18):
In fact, I called off the rest of your when we had that big snowstorm the other day.
Yeah, I called off for the rest of year.
You did.
Good for you.
Not going to happen.
Wouldn't be proven.
So I'm going to say something.
People have been telling me about drone works here in the middle high valley.
(06:38):
At first, I'd heard of drone works.
Okay.
So there's been a dog that everybody's been looking for that people chase it or people
go try to get in and it takes off and it was out in the river on the ice.
(06:59):
So they couldn't find it.
And so drone works here in the middle high valley center drones up and they found a dog
and the dog is out to vets, cold, but safe and healthy, you know.
So they're taking care of some kudos to them people.
We need more.
We need more like that every time.
(07:19):
You know what I mean?
More cooperation amongst people like that.
That was an awesome job for them guys to do that.
We congratulate you guys.
Good work.
And just a mere thought of animals being out in this thing, you know, I mean, you see it
all the time and it's sad.
I try not to dwell on it because it's really distressing when you see some of the things
(07:43):
that have been going on on Facebook with animals that have been left outside.
And, you know, it's just kind of one of them things to where you got to make you got to
wonder what the heck they're doing, what they're thinking, the ownership thing.
You know, I mean, you know, I've got three, three cats.
(08:04):
Okay.
These three cats have never been outside.
They don't know what it's like to be cold.
There are dogs, our little itty bitty ankle biter dog doesn't know what it's like to be
cold.
And that's that's the way it's put Scooby.
Scooby probably never been cold in his life.
You know, he was he was cold.
He was cold a couple of times in the last couple of weeks when we've been out doing
(08:27):
his his duty.
That's why you throw him in the creek.
He was he's got he's got a new behavior I really, really love.
Really?
When he's done doing whatever he's got to do, I look at him and say, okay, take daddy
home.
He reaches up and grabs the leash and drags me home right to the step and drags me up
(08:49):
the steps holding the leash.
And he does not go to the leash and towards the top of the steps.
I love it.
It is so cool.
That's pretty cool.
It really is.
It really, really is.
I dated a girl like that once.
What?
She was a dog?
No, she just grabbed the leash.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I had to go.
(09:09):
I dated a couple of little dogs.
Not really.
Oh, see now now we're going to get now we're going to get that out.
Okay.
I'll get in trouble with all the ladies in town.
If you have any questions and any comments over in the chat section, just type us a chat.
Let us know you're here.
Say hi.
We'll we'll type back.
(09:30):
But like I said earlier, you know, we're starting in 2025.
We are getting into everybody's working on the new affairs that are coming up throughout
the year.
Rick and I and the great board of directors that we are part of, awesome board of directors
are working on the 2025 Perksburg Homecoming Festival.
(09:53):
Right up there is our new logo created by the Richter and Bob spelled backwards.
And so that's what we're using.
Everybody everybody's just I love it.
I mean, it's just a great it's a great thing.
So we know we're really working on it.
It's going to be back to three days this year.
It's going to be the 15th, 16th and 17th of August, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
(10:15):
And we're gonna be outside the flood wall.
Yep.
If all if all goes to wait.
So far, we're going to it's going to be up to at least Leonard Hassett Museum.
So so what we're doing and you'll go on our website, Perksburg Homecoming.com.
And if you're a band, a singer, a comedian rated G and PG, please go on and fill out
(10:40):
an application.
If you're a vendor, food vendor, we need you.
If you're an Archie and Crafts vendor, we need you.
So go on Perksburg Home.
Rick, you got that by chance?
I don't know the wonders.
I'm sure they'll get it.
But what to put that on for next at Perksburg Homecoming.com.
Look up the vendor vendor applications and stuff.
(11:05):
And it's pretty self explanatory.
Pleasure were to send it also our awesome pageant director, Alexis Martin.
She's our pageant director.
She needs sponsors for the upcoming pageants.
Again, if you can reach out to Alexis and help her out needs things for the Queen bags.
(11:30):
And she pretty I think she from not mistaken, she has a list of things that that would be
awesome for the for the Queens.
And if you're interested in coming to any of our meetings, that's the wrong one.
I'm sorry.
You know, we have a meeting the first Monday of every month at six o'clock at the Parkersburg
(11:51):
Wood County Library on Emerson Avenue downstairs.
And I still can't remember the name of that room, but you can't miss us.
Will be the loud ones that they threaten to throw out.
Yeah.
So you know, you're welcome.
You know, the thing about it is Rick, what's cool is I have I put out on Facebook, if you
have any ideas that you think would go great.
(12:13):
Oh my gosh, you would not believe some of the cool things.
A friend of mine, Phil Giffin, he's with the Jeep group.
He he mentioned about J.E.
Okay.
Yeah, there's a Ohio Valley Jeep.
Anyway, so he had said something about a Jeep show, which is phenomenal.
(12:39):
People love that.
And these guys, he told me these guys love showing off their Jeeps.
So we're going to do that.
We could probably do that.
We're going to do wrestling, arm wrestling.
We're going to have open mic all day long for bands.
I mean, you're not going to be there singing all day long.
Forty five minute sets, maybe just enough time to break.
(13:00):
If you're a band, to break it down and let another person pop up.
We're going to we're going to have that fireworks.
We're going to have a great opening ceremony, which I'm not going to give away, but we're
going to have a great.
Don't you think, Rick, don't you think it'll be a great opening ceremony?
I think I think it's going to be one of the best ones.
Memorable.
(13:21):
You want to be one of the best ones, the perfect phone call.
And so I'm just excited about it.
I mean, and but we need help.
We need volunteers.
We need sponsors and people who I think we're going to need one more on the board.
(13:43):
I think we just had one.
We had one vacancies now.
Two vacancies, plus I got to get a hold of Zach Hoffman, he's going to be if he still
wants to be, he's going to be our council representative liaison between city council
and Parkersburg Homecoming.
So that's going to be pretty cool.
So we have all these great people that we work well together.
(14:04):
We're doing good.
We're trying to do good work.
We're trying to get it together.
And if we get half of what we want, I think we're going to people are going to be surprised.
I think you're going to walk away going, wow, you know, we have the and we'll talk about
more of this later on in different podcasts, but probably Wednesday night on wrap around
(14:29):
Easter parade is coming up.
There's and I'll get all the dates from Alexis on the Queen pageants.
The dates are on the website, go to the website, go to the passions pageants page.
Right.
And that'll tell you where they're going to be.
(14:51):
Come out and support these young ladies who are vying to represent Parkersburg Homecoming
and for the year.
Alexis does great work.
So I have an idea.
Why don't we have Alexis come on in a couple of weeks and talk about that?
I would love to have Alexis.
It would be great.
(15:12):
She's a really sharp lady.
She is.
I mean, she knows what she's doing.
She just does her thing.
And she says, oh, by the way, guess what I did?
You know, she keeps us informed that she just and everybody, you know, we had a great bingo
on January 11th over to the Moose Club.
Great time.
Charlotte Nestor set it up and Chuck Lips on the board.
(15:37):
And there was several of us there.
And we just had a great time.
There was a bunch of people there.
It was a purse one.
It was a purse bingo.
We're going to have what?
I think two more before August.
We haven't decided what type yet.
I'd like to have and I've seen the schools used to where they have people sponsor bags
(15:58):
like WVU.
WVU, a Marshall bag, a summer bag, a flower or whatever, just whatever a theme and have
20 of them and then have one for money.
I think the third one we might do for money, depending on what the board wants to do.
(16:19):
Nothing happens unless the board says it's going to happen.
We don't we don't make the decisions.
I mean, we have latitude, but Rick and I like to keep things up and up.
So we're going to get with downtown businesses and see what they want to do and get them
involved.
Pretty soon we're going to have Lisa, Lisa Doyle on.
(16:40):
Lisa is the director of Circles.
And recently I was in I was asked by her and another person to be involved in what's called
the Parkersburg Engagement Project, which we'll talk more about.
You'll see us on WTAP Daybreak to talk about this.
(17:00):
Just a great program to bring our community community community to say I'm not going to
say that word again, Mr. If it's going to be that difficult, I don't even need to be
saying it.
They used to tell me they used to tell me work.
Don't use words unless you know how to spell it or you can say it, because sometimes I
(17:27):
come up with some words.
They call them Bob isms because only Bob would say something that stupid.
But born to five is really good at that.
Well, you know, I mean, I called a T1 one time is Toyota.
I think it was T1.
I called it a to go in over the radio.
I told the officer it was a 2003 to go in and at which time the room erupted in laughter
(17:51):
because I didn't first time I heard it.
I mean, I was I didn't know what it was.
So she's so here's what we're going to do with these two.
I don't know if I said this before or not.
Here's what we're going to do with the two podcasts Wednesday night at six 30s wrap around
M.O.V. wrap around M.O.V. is going to be stick, see stickly, strictly.
(18:18):
Oh, yeah, you drink all day.
You can talk, mister.
Silence is Mike.
The cat walked by caught me off guard.
Anyway, the wrap around M.O.V. on Wednesday night is going to be strictly M.O.V. stuff.
No, no outside stuff, just strictly things that are happening within the middle high
(18:42):
valley.
And we'll get people want to talk about that.
Saturday is going to be kind of like a hodgepodge like we're doing now.
Just kind of we are really hodgepodging tonight.
We're hodging the pod.
That's what we're doing.
So you know, I mean, if anybody wants to come on, like we've always said, please let us
know.
(19:02):
We'd love to have you on any time, even if it's multiple people.
We can have up to 10 people.
Right.
Right.
Yep.
We can have up to 10 people come on.
You got something you want to talk about as a group.
Come on.
We'll talk about it.
If it's about the middle high valley, we'll have you on Wednesday nights.
If it's about anything else, we can have you on Saturday nights.
There's Scooby, our mascot.
(19:25):
You'll be learning to come see Uncle Bob.
And so.
Oh, my gosh.
You see that, Merce?
So anyway, if you want to volunteer to help us out, let us know.
There are several places throughout the city and the county that need volunteer help.
(19:47):
I know I went to a meeting four or five months ago and I mean, Salvation Army, Red Cross.
County's needing help and it's just hard to get volunteers.
So if you want to volunteer, reach out to some of these organizations, including us,
(20:13):
to become a part of it.
So we're going to admit.
Yeah, it's my turn.
Make fun of me.
We are going to need an army of volunteers to pull out this homecoming.
Exactly.
And the sooner you get on board, the sooner we'll all know what we're doing.
(20:35):
Because we really need to make this the best it can be.
I've got several people in the next few weeks.
We want to have everything in line by no later than March or April.
We want everything to be finalized where we're not at the last day going, uh-oh, we forgot.
(20:56):
We want to make sure that the homecoming is going to be great.
Homecoming has been 40 years, 42 years this year at Warrant Rector.
I think they started it in 83, but it didn't do anything until 84, if I'm not mistaken.
If I am, somebody correct me because I'm not sure.
So it's been, let's say 40 years for lack of, for sake of argument.
(21:21):
It's ingrained in our community.
And that's why I became president of it because I want it to be the very best.
So I had to bring the very best on board.
That guy there.
And I mean, he sharpens the tack and him and I have been friends for so long.
(21:43):
We always say that we've been friends for 16 years at least.
And we met at a search and rescue school.
Wow, imagine that.
We were both in search and rescue.
And so we've been hanging out ever since.
But anyway, so there's just so many things that are getting ready to come up that will
(22:04):
bring you throughout this month and every month to, so you can be involved in it.
We need your help.
We need you there when you need you to be a part of what we're doing.
And at the end of it, you'll look back and say, wow, that was cool because I was part
of making it happen.
And again, thank you to everybody who's been sending me some of the most amazing ideas
(22:27):
for Homecoming that they'd like to see.
We're going to put it all down on paper.
No decisions are made until the board says the decisions are made.
So we're going to do that.
See what else are we going to do?
I think what I'm going to do, help me remember to do this.
(22:48):
I'm going to make a suggestion for him for a website.
See, that would be amazing.
What would be really cool that you would like to see Homecoming do?
And we'll just have a little questionnaire out there.
Right.
And I think we mentioned once before, we're going to go, if I can ever remember when they're,
what days their meetings are, we're going to go to the Board of Education and find out
(23:09):
we need some, we need student ambassadors.
We need kids from high school and even middle school if they choose to say, hey, what do
you think would keep the kids' attention?
And there's a lot of things that have been brought up.
So we're going to look at that.
(23:29):
We do have kids' fest on Friday.
That somebody brought up.
I don't know if we can pull it off or not, but have a computer gaming competition of
some kind.
Well, Edward Eskandon did.
Yeah, that was.
Yeah, it was Edward.
And Edward, he said he has the stuff for it.
(23:52):
So as soon as we can get another meeting going on, we had to cancel this month's meeting
due to the storm and everything else that happened in the world.
We had to cancel.
So our next one is what, February 2nd?
I believe it is.
Is it the third?
I don't have a calendar right here in front of me, but yes, I'm pretty sure it's the third.
(24:14):
Okay.
On the website, we have a calendar page.
You can go to the calendar page and it'll tell you all about that.
Right.
But I just kind of wanted to put it out there so that people can get it.
Yeah, I just, I don't remember.
I'm pretty sure it was the third.
Okay.
Well, there's what?
How many days in this month?
Twenty-eight?
Thirty-one?
Thirty-one.
So there's six more days, which would make it Friday.
(24:35):
Yep, the third.
You're right.
We're way third at six o'clock at the library.
If you want to get ahold of one of us, just to give us some ideas or stuff like that,
we'll definitely be available to do that.
Let's see what else we need to do.
(24:57):
It's just been busy.
So like I said, we don't have a lot going on right this very second except trying to
get things done.
We are going to try something different.
I mean, and I'm going to go ahead and say this, Parkersburg Soapbox Derby is not going
to be.
Why?
(25:18):
It didn't generate the interest that we thought it was going to.
So what we're going to try, felt like Dr. E. What we're going to try to do is have the
very first annual homecoming derby here in Parkersburg.
And we're going to try that, see if that works.
(25:41):
That's got some interest and we're going to try that.
And we'll bring more information on that on our website and in the paper and on WTP and
stuff like that.
So just be watching for that.
But just we're sorry that it's been so long since we've been on.
(26:05):
Like I said, there's been so much going on.
I was in the hospital.
We're not going to that.
That's all I got to say about that.
I didn't feel well.
There's just things that stopped us.
And so we need to really get back into the swing of things, get our guests in line like
we had before, before we stopped and start getting people on here who want to talk about
(26:31):
things that are important to them and we'll be glad to do it.
And we're going to be reaching out to people having, again, we want to have Alexis on.
We'd like to have some members of our board on if they choose to.
But it's going to be an exciting year, I think.
There's a lot going on right now.
(26:55):
I don't know what's happening with the Multicultural Festival and the Honey Festival.
I read today one of the guys on the board had mentioned something about he heard and
I'm not one to spread rumors because I don't know for a fact if his is true that the Honey
(27:17):
Festival and the Multicultural Festival were going to be downtown because as all of you
know they've got that corp pretty good over there trying to get this new pavilion coming
in that's going to be amazing once it gets done.
Then we can start having more stuff back over to City Park.
(27:37):
But just keep in mind coming up and once it's cleared and everything, Friday the 15th we're
going to have a pickleball clinic at City Park.
Then after that, Saturday and Sunday we'll have pickleball contest, pickleball tournament,
(28:03):
sorry.
We got some really good people that do the pickleball things in the Middle Ohio Valley.
We had a meeting with them and they're very excited about it and we're very excited about
it.
So I think that's going to work out well for us to be able to have that.
(28:23):
So far we have wrestling.
It's semi-pro but it's still wrestling, something I think.
But we want to have things that's going to be interactive with everybody.
Each genre we're going to have three different rubber ducky drawings for different prizes
(28:43):
for different age groups, which would be exciting because the adults win something.
So this year the kids can win something and the teenagers and stuff like that.
So we're going to do that.
You'll see a list of things once we get the list dwindled down because I think there's
just what we have going on right now is probably not enough to do it in one weekend.
(29:09):
We have some really good people working with us for a great Sunday show, all day show,
several shows.
It's going to be gospel groups and that's going to be exciting.
That's something we haven't done in a long time.
That's something that I was told that the churches looked forward to.
(29:33):
I'm not pushing religion so please don't stampede me with hate mail.
And we're going to do that and see how that works out again this year.
I'm excited about that because I think that would work well and it'll give the church
(29:54):
choirs and stuff loved coming down there from what I was told.
They loved coming down there and sing and people just, you know, some churches even
had their church service there because of the, it was outdoor and we can do that.
We can have that.
So the parade is going to be great.
(30:14):
I think some people are going to be surprised at some of the suggestions about Grand Marshall
and stuff like that about who's going to be what.
And I think everybody will be excited about what we're going to do with that.
So we'll be sending out parade applications.
If you have an organization that wants to be in the end of a Christmas parade, oh my
(30:38):
God Bob.
I mean Christmas is only 11 months away.
11 months away.
330 shopping days to Christmas.
I hope I get real estate in Florida this year.
Anyway, so if you're a group that wants to be involved in the Homecoming parade, let
(31:01):
us know.
We'll have all that on our webpage too as it gets closer to it.
Everything that happens will be on parkersburghomecoming.com.
.com and you know, it's going to be on there and anything that happens, we'll keep you
(31:23):
informed on every bit of anything that does have to do with Homecoming.
It'll be on that page.
Rick did a great job with the page like he always does and different things like that.
We've done a lot with the help of the board and I think that it's great that these people
are, they're passionate about it.
(31:46):
I mean seriously.
I've, you know, I know all of them, I met some new ones recently but I knew most of
them on the board and they're just, they're passionate about it and they're working very
hard to try to make it work and we're right there behind them.
You know, Cindy Weir, good friend of ours, she's the secretary.
(32:06):
So I want to mention her.
You know, I mean Sherry Dugan, she's in charge of Kids Fest on Friday night and we have Edward
Askindon, we have Charlotte Nestor, we have Gina Mace, we have Tim Cochran, we have Alexis
Martin, Bob Mercer, Rick Sawyer, Chuck Lipps.
(32:28):
Rick Modest.
Rick Modest, the man Rick Modest, the man, the legend.
Who was this?
I know we missed somebody.
We probably did.
We probably did and I'm sorry, there's so many great people that's working that we're
trying to, we need to thank because without this, this would be nothing and so we're really
(32:48):
thankful.
Hold on, I apologize.
We're thankful for them and between all of us, we're going to get some good stuff done.
Probably in between now and August 15th, we're going to have several fundraisers.
Like I mentioned earlier, we're going to have two more that I'm aware of, two more bingo
(33:13):
games, two more bingo games.
But I want to have, we're going to have some fundraisers.
Again, if you want to sponsor, our sponsor sheets are on Parker'sberghomecoming.com.
We need all the help we can get.
Alexis needs all the help she can get with the Queens.
So you know, she's going to be, she's got a lot on her hands.
(33:35):
She does really good work and we're proud of her.
So but anyway, other than that, it's just been, like I said, it's been an interesting,
interesting few months and we're going to try to keep on track with Saturday nights
and Wednesday nights.
If we're not on on Wednesday nights, it has to do with one thing or another, but we'll
definitely try to do the Saturday night all the time because we need to build our audience
(33:57):
back up.
We need to get people on here who want to be part of it, who want to come on and talk
about what's going on and what's important to them.
Kudos to all the warming stations that have opened up throughout the middle high of Valley
to get people off the streets at night.
It's been sub-zero weather and kudos to them people bringing them in, keeping them warm,
(34:24):
feeding them.
We're tickled to death with that.
So from what I've been reading, from what I've been reading, sorry, there's been a major
community.
What's the word I want to read?
(34:48):
The community has really stepped up.
Yeah.
That's who we are.
Community response.
That's who we are.
And that's amazing.
I guess they got swamped with a bunch of great supplies and stuff like that, which is great.
Hopefully it won't be as cold, but still we got to keep an eye on everybody, make sure
(35:12):
that they're okay because wow, that was brutal.
I'm telling you what, I did not even want to get up, but I did.
It was cold.
We've got a new homeless coordinator in town that's trying to help out with that.
(35:32):
Who is that?
Do you have any idea?
He was at our neighborhood watch meeting this last month and I can't remember the guy's
name.
He was like a 30 year police department veteran.
Really?
Yeah.
He retired from the police department, so he's been putting back to work as a...
(35:53):
See that's always the best kind because people know everybody and they're...
I can't remember his name.
Well, that's all right.
We'll let it go this time, mister.
Yeah.
Anyway, but what else is happening, Rick?
There's just so much and it's hard to keep track of everything, but...
(36:18):
Oh well, the more we get through this year, the better off it, the better it's going to
be because we got a lot going on and Rick and I are going to keep on top of it.
I can't wait to do another wrap around MOV.
We had the first one and we're going to get the homeless coordinator on.
We're going to get the city council, county commission.
(36:43):
We're going to get them on, talk to them and see what's on their mind and then you guys
can text us, send us a message over there.
I don't know what that is, Rick.
Overlay, what's that mean?
On the...
Yeah.
If we have chats coming in, we can display them there.
(37:07):
Okay.
Well, if you have anything you want to say or if you have any ideas for any upcoming
episodes, get a hold of Rick or I, text us or put it on the chat right there and we will
be glad to look into it because we're open for just about anything.
Just about.
So, we're going to...
(37:28):
Excuse me.
I'm sorry.
I keep getting distracted.
So, we're going to have a great 12 months of pop cast and 12 months of wrap around MOV
and I think we'll do okay, Rick.
I think once we get back and moving, get back into the swing of things, I think we'll be
(37:50):
fine.
Yeah.
We've just been buried with homecoming stuff for the last couple of months.
It's just been...
Well, yeah.
I took...
I took a word back in September and it was all hands on deck then.
Then Rick came on in October and I can guarantee you that he's put probably 100 hours a week
(38:16):
if more into homecoming.
Not 100 a week, but...
He never sleeps.
I had to tell...
He didn't sleep for what?
Two days.
I'm getting to the point where I'm looking forward to the big sleep that's going to last
a long time.
So, I got to get all the stuff in I can before then.
(38:39):
Remember the restraining order.
You got to be careful, mister.
But I just want everybody involved.
Rick and I talk all the time before when we had Bobcast first last year up into the mid
time last year.
(39:00):
We want everybody to be involved.
We want to...
Places need volunteers so bad.
It's just unbelievable.
Circles campaign, Salvation Army, American Red Cross.
What else, Rick?
What else am I missing?
Fire departments are looking.
(39:20):
Fire department, volunteer fire.
Yeah.
Parking for a fire department is hiring now too.
Oh yeah, I see.
Do you see it?
I've never seen...
If you're an actual grad, 18 years or older, go get the chief caller.
I've never seen them have a commercial.
And that is so cool.
That commercial is so cool.
I haven't seen that one.
(39:41):
Oh yeah, it's right there.
I was sitting there and I thought that's first.
If you're out in the county and you want to be involved, even under 18, they have junior
firefighters and they teach you everything you need to know.
But if you're 18 and older, you want to be a fireman?
Well, I got a lot of great friends that when I worked 9-1-1, you become friends with all
(40:05):
of them pretty much.
And they need people.
They need people really bad.
So jump on.
Go do it and go learn something and become a part of something good.
Again the Circles campaign, just a great organization.
They do a lot of good work in the community for those who need a hand up, not a handout.
(40:28):
And that's always stuck with me.
That's the first thing Lisa told me when I became involved with Circles is we don't give
a handout, we give a handout, which makes a whole lot of great sense.
And so, you know, but as we do things, you will know about it.
If you want to be involved in it, just send me a message.
(40:51):
Tell me what we're doing right.
Tell me what we're doing wrong.
And we shall make adjustments as necessary.
So is there anything else you need to talk about, Rick?
Is there anything going on that we haven't covered so far tonight?
I know I need a haircut.
So don't everybody say, Bob, you need a haircut.
(41:14):
I was just noticing I need a haircut too.
Well, let me tell you what.
My aunt Charlotte, God love my aunt Charlotte.
Okay.
We're sitting at the family get together one time.
And my middle name is Eugene.
So she called me Bob Jean.
She always has Bob Jean.
(41:35):
So we're sitting there one day at this family reunion.
She looks over and she goes, Bob Jean?
Yes, Aunt Charlotte.
Get a haircut.
Yes, ma'am.
You know.
Strong hair hippie radical freak.
Are you some kind of hippie?
(41:56):
But I don't let my hair usually get this long.
I have to go get a cut.
But I keep getting sidetracked.
I mean, it's like I always do.
It's like something shiny happens.
Bob's all over it.
There goes my haircut.
You have a haircut scheduled and wind up in the hospital instead.
I needed vacation time or if I could have done without the for those who don't know,
(42:18):
my sugar went up to like 600.
Never has that happened to Bob Mercer in my life.
I was like diabetic ketoacidosis.
Everything just started happening to me all the time.
So I was like, that's rude.
Yeah.
So I'm not allowed to have a bunch of stuff like milk, juice, pasta.
(42:46):
And so my doctor goes, well, why are you a milk drinker?
And I went, Bob Mercer?
Yes, I'm a big milk drinker.
And she's like, sorry.
And so I drank something the other day called orange juice, no sugar.
So I said, well, how about no sugar orange juice?
(43:07):
She went, there's no such thing.
I said, but it said right on.
No.
So the only thing I'm allowed to have to drink is water, black coffee, and sweet tea.
I guess I could get used to it.
She goes, welcome to your new world.
(43:30):
Yeah.
I don't think I particularly care of that.
But anyway, I digress.
I'm better now.
My sugar's staying right where it's supposed to be.
All my blood levels have straightened up.
I haven't straightened up, but my blood levels have.
So I feel better and I feel good.
Everybody says I look better, which I do.
(43:51):
I've lost 10 pounds.
I don't know where I put it, but I lost it.
And I'm going to keep going.
And by the time I'm done, I should be down to my ultimate weight of 10 pounds, 12 ounces.
But who knows?
Eventually, yeah.
That was my birth weight.
That was my birth weight.
10 pounds, 11 ounces, not 12 ounces.
(44:13):
10 pounds, 11 ounces.
So if I keep going good, I think I should be down there by, what, 2050?
2035?
24?
I want to be around longer than that.
Okay.
So, but hopefully I got to get a hold of Tea.
And I hate it that Rick and I are on tonight without Tea.
(44:36):
But it's kind of one of them things we just discussed and decided to do it.
So what we're going to do is get a hold of Tea and see if she's interested in coming
back as our guest host.
God love her.
She only did what, five shows with us?
And then we, so for those of you who don't know Tricia, she's out in Work County.
We had to ship some sunlight out there today.
(44:56):
Out there in the hollers.
I love Work County.
Work County is a nice little place, you know, if you just want to, especially in the summertime,
if you ever go out there, just go out there and drive.
Pretty cool.
I like it.
And they got sportsmen park here on the left as you come in.
Nice place to fish because you can fish right off.
(45:19):
It's all cleared out and everything like that.
It's pretty cool.
But we had to ship some sunlight to them today and why not?
We don't want you to be selfish with the sunshine.
Yep.
You know, I'm all good about it.
But anyway, Rick, other than that, sir, I think that I pretty much said what I need to say
(45:46):
about everything that's going on.
Just keep in touch with us.
Let us know what you think about the podcast.
It's normally a podcast MOV with Rick and Bob, but I just think I'm going to I mean,
even though it's on our shirts, some of us wear shirts.
I'm not saying anything about Rick or anything.
(46:10):
But it would probably just be the podcast.
I think it'll work for me because everybody knows we're in the MOVs.
Anyway, so right then on the bottom of the page scrolling is Barbara Homecoming.com.
Go there for all things homecoming.
Help us out.
Join the cause.
Become a volunteer.
Sponsor us.
Join.
(46:30):
Become a part of downtown because on the vendors, food vendors and the arts and crafts, we're
bringing back.
People are excited about the arts and crafts coming back.
I've talked to several people.
They're really happy about it.
So that's a good thing.
Again, I've had some other people talk about so many good things that I'm going to put
(46:53):
them all down and shake them up and see what we come up with because I'm not sure if we'll
have enough time to do everything that people sent me over one weekend.
I just I cannot see it happening.
I mean, it can be tried.
I'm game for anything once.
Shut up, Rick.
(47:14):
I saw the gears turning.
You're going there's a joke in there somewhere.
There is.
There is.
Well, anyway, if you don't have anything else to do, Rick, I don't have anything else to
say.
Anybody have anything they want to comment on?
There's chat right there.
Chat real quick and say, shut up, Bob.
Yeah.
Even if you need to tell me you're not right, Bob, I'm fine.
(47:43):
So we're going to say good night to everybody and we will be definitely back next week at
six thirty, hopefully with somebody else on besides listen to Bob talk all day.
You know, when I play it back, it does put me to sleep at night.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
If you and you know, we got we got a lot of a lot of them out there on YouTube.
(48:05):
So you know, if you got insomnia and you can't sleep, click on one of her episodes, we'll
put you to sleep.
Heck yeah.
I'm real good at it.
If you feel like I will sing.
No, there's a noise ordinance.
No, no, no, we can't do that.
We can't do that.
I can't do it because of noise.
Sure.
Back on it.
(48:26):
Darn.
Yeah.
But anyway, thank you for everybody listening in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida,
California, hopefully Oklahoma, if they're listening.
You know, we thank everybody for being a part of the show tonight and listening to us ramble
(48:46):
on about a whole lot of things.
Again, there's so many things going on.
It's just it's hard to keep track of everything, but we are doing it and we're all over it.
And with your help and the board of directors from the part of our homecoming, we're gonna
make it an awesome, awesome, awesome year.
2025 homecoming.
And you know, I think you'll be well pleased with what we've done and what we're going
(49:09):
to do.
So with that, got a hair in my mouth.
Imagine the concept.
Don't know where it came from.
So good night, everybody.
Have a very good week.
We'll see you Wednesday night.
See you Wednesday night at six thirty for wrap around MOB.
(49:30):
Rick, thanks again for at least remembering where we were at with the opening and the
closing because.
Yeah.
I'm.
That's like I don't know if I know what to do here.
What am I supposed to do?
I said, you know, I'm going to go back for retraining.
(49:53):
That's why my boss would never let me have a coffee break.
It took you longer training to come back.
We're going to send him back to Los Angeles if you're then you have a free training.
I don't want to go to Los Angeles.
My cousin is in from was in last week or so from Los Angeles.
(50:17):
Ten of her dearest friends lost everything.
Did they?
The fire got within just a couple of blocks of her home.
Well, I'm glad you mentioned that because that's one thing.
I really want to talk out there.
That's one thing I did want to say.
Prayers to all the people in North Carolina who are still recovering from the major hurricane
(50:38):
and prayers to everybody in California.
That place is on fire.
I've never seen anything like it.
I mean, whole Malibu, Palisades and, you know, just stuff like that is gone and it's sad.
(50:59):
But again, prayers out to North Carolina and anybody else who was affected by the hurricane
and to California being affected by the wildfires that are just running rampant out there.
They're trying to get an upper hand on them.
But when you got a hundred mile an hour winds, guess what?
Yeah, well, work, Mr. It's going to jump.
You know, there's reports of them jumping across the PCH Pacific Coast Highway and taking
(51:24):
out houses.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
It has a mind of its own, you know.
Yeah, I saw just a brief clip the other night on one of the news broadcasts.
You know, the famous Hollywood Hill sign there where it says Hollywood and the flames were
in the background of that.
You know, I asked somebody about that because when I saw that, I thought, oh, there it goes.
(51:48):
And then somebody told me, no, it survived.
I mean, it didn't get burnt down.
Yeah, but it was close enough.
A lot of our favorite entertainers have lost everything.
So, yeah.
All right, sir.
All righty.
Have a good night, everybody.
We hope to see you back here next week on Wednesday.
(52:12):
We love you guys very much.
Watch out for each other and stay warm and stay safe.
If you need anything, you know where we're at.
Take us out of here, Ricker.
All righty.
See you.
Bye.
Check us out next week.
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