February 12, 2025 • 46 mins
Our guest tonight is Lisa Boyle, co-chair of the Parkersburg Engagement Project (PEP). The PEP initiative is dedicated to showcasing the power of community-led decision-making and organized action. At the heart of our efforts is the Parkersburg Steering Committee, which will engage with residents and stakeholders to tackle a pressing community issue. By fostering collaboration, we aim to strengthen civic ties, meet community needs, and create a model that inspires communities across the country.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:30):
What's up?
(00:57):
Good evening everybody.
Welcome to Wrap Around MOV.
Tonight, Parkersburg Engagement Project is a program that the city of Parkersburg has
been chosen to implement.
And we actually won, or not won, we were chosen out of several, several cities and states.
(01:19):
So as soon as she jumps on here, we're going to have with us, she is the, she's director
of circles campaign, going to be Lisa Doyle.
And Lisa is also the person in charge of the steering committee for Parkersburg Engagement
Project.
I think everybody's going to be excited about it.
(01:42):
She asked if I would be on, and on the board, absolutely was glad to do that.
Just a great place.
I mean, there's a lot that we're going to do and you'll find out a lot more when Lisa
gets on.
She said I was trying, oh, okay, hold on.
(02:03):
Hold on kids.
If you're just listening to this on Spotify or one of our voice only screens, Bob was
looking the other way trying to get our guest side did.
(02:25):
Okay.
Well, that's right.
So I don't have any birthdays or anything.
Nobody said anything anyway, about any birthdays or anything that, wait a minute here.
(02:46):
Oh, you're asleep, Bob.
Yeah.
I'm not sure what's going on.
She's having issues clicking in to the program here, which some people, I'm surprised that
(03:09):
she does unless she's using her phone, which is a distinct possibility, but it's been a
busy week for homecoming.
It's been a busy week for part of our engagement project.
Pretty soon we're going to probably starting Friday or Saturday, we're going to start a
mass mail of a survey that's coming out.
(03:31):
It's like 19 questions and this is legitimate.
So when you get it in your mail, please do not throw it away because it's very important
to this project that is privately funded.
It's very important that we get these answers back.
There she is.
(03:51):
Aha.
Yay.
There's Lisa.
Hello.
Lisa, I was just explaining to them about what you were going to be talking about, the
Parkerberg Engagement Project, and that we'll be sending out a questionnaire this week sometime
(04:12):
and that it was important that we get these results back.
And then that's as far as I got when you clicked in.
So again, everybody, this is Lisa Doyle.
She is the director of the Circles campaign in Parkerberg, does a lot of really good stuff
here.
We've talked about Lisa before on the show.
(04:33):
And now Lisa is the, what is your exact title for PPP?
I'm the co-chair of the steering committee for the Parkerberg Engagement Project.
Along with Wendy Tuck, it's Councilperson Wendy Tuck.
And there's several of us on the board.
We are part of the steering committee and it's being run by Rosemary Ketchum from Wheeling,
(04:59):
correct?
Well, no, it's really run and directed by us, the steering committee here locally.
And then there is a larger action lab that's a conglomeration of federal or federal, I'm
sorry, several national partners.
And Rosemary is part of that action lab.
(05:20):
Okay.
Okay.
A larger group.
And that kind of came about going back as far as 2022 and several nonprofits convened
in Kentucky to talk about different ways to be more effectively make government work for
the people.
And so out of that grew this pilot project.
(05:44):
And so Rosemary, who a lot of the people in the mid high valley are familiar with, she's
formal counselor person in Wheeling and she's the president of the West Virginia nonprofit
association or the director rather.
So she definitely has a lot of experience with nonprofits and community work and community
(06:06):
efforts.
So we're thrilled to have her as part of that action lab.
But here on the ground, Bob, the steering committee is really directing this project.
We are thrilled to have a great diverse group.
We currently have nine steering committee members and we may be adding a couple of more
(06:31):
to kind of further diversify the group.
We're very proud of having people of different perspectives and different experiences coming
together to work together for the common good.
Well, I think it's an honor that Parkersburg was chosen.
I mean, seriously, because it's something that I believe that would benefit the middle
(06:56):
high valley, not just as, you know, city of Parkerburg per se, but the middle high valley.
Can you go over like the what's going to happen in the next few days with the survey?
Yes.
Yes.
So part of the work of the steering committee has been to hone in on a community wide survey.
(07:17):
And that survey is to help identify a major issue that we as a community can work on.
And that will be going out in the mail to all of the West or Parkersburg households
here I believe at the end of the week at the latest on the Monday.
(07:42):
But hopefully by Friday that will get sent out in the mail.
And we are hoping that Parkersburg residents will complete that survey.
We do want you to only complete one so that we can have the most accurate results.
But on that survey, there's paper survey because I know some people aren't that tech savvy
(08:07):
or just don't like to use technology.
And I probably would be one of those that would fill out the paper survey.
But there is a QR code that you can scan with your phone or device and do the survey online.
That's included in the survey that's going to be mailed out.
(08:28):
So if you have some in your household that maybe want to do the paper or some that would
want to use the QR code, we certainly hope that everyone in your household will participate
in that survey.
So there will be an address to mail the paper survey back to.
(08:49):
And that will be here in Parkersburg.
And we're hoping to have all the surveys back by March 10th so that we can accumulate the
results and see what the top three issues are that people are concerned about, Parkersburg
residents are really concerned about.
(09:09):
And definitely then go to work as a steering committee to work with the public, the community
and government officials to try identify potential solutions to that problem.
And then jumping ahead, we hope to enact a solution.
Well, just so people know, this is not an intrusive survey.
(09:36):
This is what you believe are the issues that are facing the middle Ohio Valley.
So when you get it, I know a lot of people when they get it, they're like, oh, wow, please,
that's why we're going to, there'll be a media blitz coming up.
Lisa and I will be on Friday morning at WTAP Daybreak, talk about it.
(09:59):
There'll be an article in the paper.
And we'll be on 96.9 after the results of the survey are in.
The director out there asked me if we could just wait until afterwards so that way we
could talk about more about what people are thinking.
(10:21):
So please, if you get it, take it, send it back to us.
There's no intrusive questions.
There's nothing that you're going to give out personal information.
It's just a straight, what, 19 questions, I think, is it, Lisa?
I got a copy here.
It is 20 questions.
(10:42):
20 questions.
Yeah.
And yeah, Bob, as you're saying, we do hope.
I know a lot of times when you get stuff in the mail, it's like, oh, this is just junk
and it goes in the trash.
We're really hoping with this media blitz that we can make people aware that this is
a legitimate survey and that we are truly seeking your input.
(11:06):
And there's somewhere between 28,000 and 29,000 residents in Parkersburg.
We want a very representative sampling of opinions and thoughts.
And yeah, as Bob said, we're not trying to collect personal information other than if
you desire to be contacted at a later date about maybe a community forum or community
(11:30):
discussion that we're going to be having as a follow-up or a discussion group on potential
solutions, then if you will leave your email or phone number, we can contact you or email
and make you aware of upcoming events.
There's also a link to our website page that also should have future events coming up so
(11:55):
you can monitor.
But yeah, this is definitely a legitimate survey.
And it's really intended to measure not just what are the major issues that you feel as
a citizen that we are facing in Parkersburg, but it is also to measure your feeling or
(12:15):
sentiment around participating in the community and participating in sharing your input with
government officials and or community leaders in hopes that we can kind of measure if this
moves the needle in any way of whether people feel like their opinion is important or valued
(12:41):
or taken seriously or that your input is valuable.
So we're kind of trying to gauge those two things with this project.
And so we hope you will complete that survey and return it.
And or if you don't want to mail it out and you're out and about, you can drop it off
(13:04):
to St. Joseph Landing in the main entrance, the Circles campaign, which I'm the director
of aside from this Parkersburg engagement project.
We have office spaces located there and we can arrange if you just drop it at the front
desk there, the information desk as you come in at St. Joe's, we will be happy to receive
(13:29):
the surveys that way.
If you're just to be clear, this is not a government entity, correct?
Oh, no, we are not a government entity.
We are just a voluntary group of citizens that have come together to try to measure
what what a viable thriving community can look like and be a part of making something
(13:53):
happen to to see that to fruition.
I'm really glad to see that and understand something that once it once we get once we
get this the results back from this survey, we're not one just get it and go away.
We're going to you'll be able to see what the people in the city think.
(14:15):
Correct.
In the middle of High Valley, you'll be able to see that because everything that we do
will be in the open when I have town halls, we're going to have different things that
we could do.
And that way, if you want to talk about it, what what you know what you think, this is
a very unique opportunity for the citizens of the city of Parkersburg to who think that,
(14:37):
you know, there was some talk about, you know, we had some people say something the other
day about people feel a little disconnected.
Well, this will this we hope will connect.
And we want you to see what we're trying to do.
What this survey and this project is trying to do is to again, like Lisa said, better,
(14:58):
you know, try to make better our our middle High Valley that we love.
I mean, there's a lot of good things go on.
But again, there's a lot of things that people you know, we we see every day on Facebook.
People are very unhappy with a lot of things.
And I get it.
You know, but there's two things you can do that you can either complain about it or do
(15:19):
something about it.
I think, you know, that's my opinion.
You can be involved like we are.
There's so many things, so many good things about it.
But let us know what you're thinking.
And then once we get it together and get the results together, then there will be again,
(15:40):
we'll be on radio and television and newspaper and probably everywhere else that happens
to be on social media, on the Bobcast on wraparound.
And so we're just going to do a lot of things with this.
And we want everybody to be involved.
It's not just it's just not us on the board or the committee, the steering committee.
(16:01):
I keep saying board because of the homecoming.
Sorry.
Not it's not just about us on the committee.
It's not about us.
It's about you all.
It's about what you think.
And we're here to kind of help with that.
Go ahead, Rick.
Is this for Parkersburg residents only or people in the outlying area involved as well?
It is a Parkersburg pilot project.
(16:22):
However, that doesn't mean that those outside of Parkersburg can't fill out the survey.
We will, you know, be glad to take that input.
There is one question on the survey.
Are you a Parkersburg resident?
So we do need to note that since the project is Parkersburg based.
However, we certainly do want the input and seek the input of, you know, the those in
(16:47):
Wood County and surrounding areas.
Oh, go ahead.
Is the QR code to access it going to be on your website?
Yes.
Yes, it will be.
I don't believe it is on there yet, but it will be.
By Monday it will be.
And it will also be an opportunity that you can engage others, whether they're family
(17:14):
members or maybe you belong to a Rotary Club and you can share that with your Rotary Club
members or, you know, to a wellness group or Homecoming Committee.
There's an opportunity for you, you know, everyone.
That's going to be a part of it.
I mean, anything we do is, you know, we're going to invite, make sure as many people
(17:36):
who want to be there can be there and be heard.
I just think it's great.
I love it.
I was so happy when you called me, like I told you the other day when you called and
asked me to be a part of it, because I thought, wow, this is much needed.
It's about time that we do something like this.
And I think that people, you know, will sit up and take notice.
(17:57):
And we've been harping about this since our very first Bobcast.
I know, right?
Right.
That's great.
I'm really glad to see this moving.
Go ahead.
Well, we, yeah, we definitely want to see the community embrace this because as you
were saying, Bob, it is quite a privilege and honor that we were selected from, you
know, several other states that could have been selected and communities even in West
(18:23):
Virginia.
So assuming our project goes well and we're doing everything we can to make sure that
happens, this is a project that will be replicated nationally in other states.
So it's not just a Parkersburg project.
It is something that funders all over the nation are looking at and contributing to.
(18:46):
We have several partners and funders that are part of larger nationalist family foundation.
There's been some funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and, you know, other civic minded
groups.
So it could be replicated if we can show that we can come together as community members
(19:12):
of diverse backgrounds and identify the issue, deliberate and find a solution and implement
that solution.
And that solution may look like city council adopting an ordinance or helping to fund something
or it may look like a grassroots solution.
There is fortunately some funding set aside for us to enact a solution if it isn't something
(19:39):
that would require a government solution.
So one way or another, we're going to do more than speak.
We're going to make sure there's some action coming about or something concrete that we
can see as a result of all the talks.
This is not a project that we think that we're smarter than the government.
(20:05):
This is going to be something that we want to work together with them, with the city,
county and maybe state.
I don't know how far that would go.
This is something that we want to work together with them and say, hey, look, here's what
the people say.
I know Wendy just had one safety town hall yesterday before council.
(20:29):
There you go.
We can bring the mayor, even city council and even the police department, state police,
Rick Woodard I know would do it and just come in and say, look, here's what we have.
The people are concerned about this, this and this.
Here's what we recommend.
(20:50):
Here's what after we got done getting all this, what we thought of.
What do you all think?
And it's not something that, like I said, we don't think we're smarter than anybody.
It's just something that we think that the citizens are finally going to be able to give
us their opinions on.
Yeah.
I'm really proud to say that this is an absolute nonpartisan effort of community members coming
(21:18):
together to work with their government or local officials to build a better community,
to strengthen the community, to make it a more livable community.
And a lot of times in our discussion so far, we've tried to envision what's a thriving
community look like.
(21:39):
And I think back to my childhood or the memories of my parents.
And you think about how respected government officials were and you knew they were public
servants and they knew they were public servants.
And it was something they did because it was a feeling of honor and a feeling of obligation
(22:02):
to your country to serve.
And we kind of want to revisit that and have people that serve realize that we're the government
of and for and by the people, but also to have the community members realize, hey, there's
a bridge we can build here so that we are honoring one another in the sense of the relationship
(22:30):
being give and take.
We hope citizens will want to interact with their government elected officials and we're
hoping that the elected officials will desire more to interact with the citizens that they
represent and know that when all those heads come together, it'll be a great thing, a great
(22:53):
experience.
And we will listen to one another and we will come up with solutions that fit the majority.
Exactly.
Hold on a minute here.
I'm sorry.
The thing is, is that don't be bashful.
Come on and comment.
Okay.
Whatever that means.
So when we say come together with local governments and stuff in a positive discussion, in a positive
(23:23):
environment, I know people have their own idea of some of the people, some of the government,
but this is totally different.
Like you said, it's nonpartisan.
Nobody's going to fault you for anything you say in this world about your ideas.
(23:45):
Your ideas are just as important as mine, Lisa's, Rick's, anybody else's.
Your ideas matter.
And if you come to the government, and I've been a part of it for eight years, and you
say, well, you know, these people are serious.
The government, well, these people are serious.
(24:05):
Let's sit down and let's have a chat and let's see what we can do because I think this is
the way to go.
There's nobody in the government that I'm aware of on city, county, state government
who doesn't want what we're doing.
You know, I mean, because it's just a magnificent opportunity for the citizens of Pardover,
(24:28):
not necessarily, you know, the committee.
We're honored to do it.
I mean, I'm excited about it.
But to the people, the ones that are going to benefit from this the most are the people
of the Mid-Ohio Valley who can finally put their thoughts down on paper, come and talk
to us at our meetings that we're going to have.
(24:49):
And there's going to be several of them, I'm sure.
We have, like you said, 11.
So these people are going to be involved in different things that are going on.
We'll be all over the media.
We're going to absolutely do our very best to present this to you in a professional,
thoughtful way that you can take a look at it and say, they're serious.
(25:13):
They're serious about this because one of the big things that I have noticed and I've
talked about at several meetings that I've been to, not necessarily just this one, but
several others I've been to, you have to get people to see the vision.
You can't walk into people, sit down and talk to them.
(25:34):
And then that's the last they ever hear from you.
You can't do that because there you get them all built up.
Then when you drop them, you've lost them.
And you want to keep them all here to where you'll say, wow, that was my idea.
That's amazing.
I thought that this is you.
This is you people and we are the steering committee to steer it in that direction.
(26:00):
And that's what we're going to do through multiple, multiple outlets.
We're going to do this.
Yeah.
And everybody has their own sphere of influence or network.
And that could look like giving the survey to your Rotary Club or it could look like
(26:21):
circles.
We did circles for those of you that don't know, we work with families that are in poverty
to get out of poverty.
And so we did what I would like to say is our soft launch Monday night.
It was the first group that took the survey.
So on Monday night, the circles group, which are for the most part, families that are in
(26:43):
poverty took that survey.
So we're not just wanting one demographic measured.
We want everybody in the community to have input, whether they're rich, poor, somewhere
in between, whether they're African-American, Caucasian, Asian, whatever, straight, we want
(27:12):
everybody's input because when everybody comes to the table, everyone is better served.
And this is your community.
Yes, it is.
This community is yours.
The government works for you.
And I always said that when I was on city council, you don't work for me.
I work for you.
You tell me, you know, and some people understand that, some don't.
(27:38):
The thing is that we want everybody to know that they've been heard.
That's very important to know that you've been heard, not just by us, by the government,
by your peers, by everybody who will stop and say, wow, okay, all right, this is good.
This is a step in the right direction.
(27:59):
We have a lot of things and I'm not going to go off the beaten path here too much, but
Rick and I are working on so much right now with different, we just got to a very, very
cold spell and there was a lot of things there, but Rick and I, it's just so many things are
happening and this is very important to me.
(28:20):
This is very important to what I want to do and I'm so glad to be there.
So work with us and know that we're here, know that we're not going to go anywhere and
know that we're going to listen to you, know we're going to take your concerns very seriously.
There's not going to be one of us go, what?
No.
Right.
If it concerns you, it's important.
(28:44):
It's very important if it concerns you.
And you know, after the pandemic, so many people, they grew even more disconnected.
There's been a disconnect for a long time, but after the pandemic, people were so isolated
and now are self isolating.
(29:07):
And so we are just trying to get people to come together again as a group that really
wants to better the community.
We believe that it can be done or we wouldn't be doing it.
And it is a real project of optimism.
That's a good way to put it.
(29:30):
Optimistic, you know, at our meetings, you know, we go through different things and the
other day we really had a good one about, you know, what we, what about downtown Parkersburg
back in the day?
I mean, you know, and some of the stories that were told, you can just remember the
(29:50):
way it was.
I mean, it'll never be exactly that way, but you can make it.
You make it if there's an old saying that says be the change that you want to see.
This is it.
This is your chance.
This is your opportunity.
Whatever we can do to facilitate that, believe me, she's with Circles.
(30:17):
The one thing that I just absolutely love about Circles, you're not getting a handout.
You're getting a hand up.
The first time I ever met her and she explained Circles, that sticks in my head.
We don't give handouts.
We give hand up.
And we're here to say, tell us what you think.
Again, Lisa and I will be on Friday morning on WTAP Daybreak.
(30:43):
Looking forward to that.
Tomorrow's homecoming with Zach Huffman.
Next week we'll be talking to Amanda Stevens.
Then we're going to be again 96.9.
There'll be several more radio stations.
(31:04):
Then it's going to be an All Out Media Blitz.
The newspaper.
Watch for it.
Go on our website, PKBengagementproject.org.
And right there is the email address, the Gmail address.
Go on there and take a look and see what you think.
(31:25):
Leave us some thoughts on it.
And I'm not sure what that is.
I'm sorry.
I keep getting distracted.
No, I don't mean to.
Don't be bashful.
Come on and comment.
Maybe they think you're holding back, Bob.
I don't think so, Bob.
Well, yeah, because I don't like to talk a lot.
(31:48):
I mean, when we do this, because I want to, that's why we're glad you're on, because I
wanted somebody who could articulate this with me and go on.
We could talk back and forth about it.
But anyway, so again, we'll be on, watch this Friday morning at 6 45 a.m.
(32:10):
I know it's kind of a bad time.
Get up, get a cup of coffee and get your slippers on.
Or you can record it and watch it later when you wake up.
Yeah, but it's no fun.
I know.
I mean, Amanda told me today when I was on, do not talk with your hands.
(32:31):
Oh, my God.
That was difficult, Lisa.
I'm sitting there going with my hands.
And Emma, the newscaster, it was interviewing us.
She goes, I do, too.
She goes, I have to sit like this because she talked with her hands because the last
(32:52):
time I was on there, I was like, well, you know, that blah, blah.
And they got the laughing at me.
I'm like, stop it.
Everybody thought you were signing.
Well, no, you know, it's like my Aunt Debbie.
She does it.
And I tell my Aunt Debbie, I say, you know, what would what would happen if we taped your
hands to the chair?
This is how you'd be talking.
(33:12):
And she said, shut up.
Maybe we'll have you sit on your hands, Bob.
Oh, my gosh.
I'll tell you what.
You see, usually I sit next to here.
Then next Friday, you'll be here and I'll be over here.
And then I'll take a cue from you if I need to.
(33:35):
Edward Eskandon was on with me this morning for Parking for Homecoming.
I don't know if you know Edward.
I do.
Yeah, he was on this morning and him and him and I dazzled him with our brilliance.
Or something.
Not sure what we did.
We had some major computer crashes at Circles and the Cheap Geeks, which is he operates,
(33:58):
right?
Right.
They were incredibly helpful with restoring and being able to get our information back.
So I did have to get new computers, but they were able to restore the majority of what
we had crashed and oh, man, I was thankful because I thought, oh, Lord, I've lost about
five years of work.
Oh, my gosh.
(34:19):
I hate that.
That's what I did.
Remember, I sent you the PDF for WTAP on?
Well they sent me one for Homecoming.
So I get on my computer here and I go in and start to fill it out.
It disappears.
And I mean, gone.
I checked spam.
(34:40):
I checked trash.
I checked everywhere.
It was gone.
And so last night I said, please send me another one real quick.
And I had to get it done real quick.
I have no idea where it went.
And I'm like my friend Rick Sawyer.
I am not tech savvy.
But Rick, Rick does things that amazes me.
(35:04):
So again, watch for the survey.
Again, know that it is real.
Again, know that we will announce what the results of this survey is.
We need them back by March 12th.
And as fast as we can get them on, you know, the results, we will absolutely let everybody
(35:24):
know.
Know that we're not a government entity, but we want to work with the citizens in the government.
Know that we're not going to tell you something and then as the last you'll see us.
They're here till at least the end of December or they throw me out one.
So I am so thankful for you being here, Lisa.
I appreciate the opportunity.
(35:45):
Is there anything else you want to let the people know about what's going on that you
think they need to know?
Well, I do.
Yeah, just like you want to emphasize, you know, we really do want you to fill out the
survey and get it back to us or do the online version with the QR code or go onto the website
and do it from there.
(36:06):
However, you're most comfortable doing it.
And we we do have a project timeline, so we do hope by December that we will have a solution
implemented to whatever that problem is that we're going to work on.
It is a solution focused project solution based.
(36:26):
So we are trying to get, you know, not just to talk the problem to death, but to actually
do something about it.
And, you know, it takes your input to make that happen.
So we want that.
And then on a total other note, Bob, I would be remiss if I didn't throw out a shout out
(36:48):
for the Chocolate Creations Evening Extravaganza this Friday.
It's a Valentine's Day event that Circles is doing as a fundraiser.
It's going to be at First United Methodist Church Friday from 530 to 830.
And it's not you don't come and stay the whole three hours you come.
(37:10):
No, that's not it.
No, that's not that.
That's a good event as well.
But what it is, is it's an amateur chocolatier competition.
So the people will make a dish and those that attend the event will do the sampling and
(37:30):
have there'll be a ballot and they vote on which was the best chocolate dish.
It can be any form of chocolate, liquid, you know, candy, cake, cookies, anything chocolate.
And you know, the winner, there's some great prizes at stake for the winner.
But even better than the prizes is the title of best amateur chocolatier in the Mid-High
(37:54):
Valley.
So we will have live entertainment.
We have a pianist, Marcia Parsons, that will be there doing music for us.
And there'll be opportunities to get pictures taken for free.
Those pictures are part of the evening package.
(38:15):
Just a lot of delicious chocolate.
So it's a great, great way to support a nonprofit and also just enjoy some chocolate and a night
out with your partner, your best friend, your family member, whoever you want to come with.
We'd be glad to see people come out and embrace that.
(38:37):
And I need to add something if I can.
Yes.
Yesterday was Lisa's birthday.
Yes.
And I went for happy.
Did you get it?
Did you see it?
I haven't seen it yet.
You know how up in the corner when you come on Facebook, it shows people's birthdays?
Yeah.
Well, that's what I did.
And it happens to be the same day as my granddaughter Riley.
(38:59):
Nice.
Riley turned 20 years old yesterday.
Oh my God.
Make it stop.
I always granddaughter's 22, 23.
Sorry.
I heard that in the background.
Riley is 20 and our Aubrey next month will be 19.
She's at Marshall University.
(39:20):
Nice.
She's so SMRT.
I got to say, Bob, if there could be a competition on who is the most technologically challenged,
I might have you there because I haven't been able to retrieve all the wishes for my birthday.
I just like five or six of them and I didn't forget your birthday.
(39:45):
I appreciate that.
Yeah, I appreciate it.
I'm always glad to live another year because on the one hand, I was like, oh my, I turned
58, but 58.
I'm 63.
Are you?
And I don't want to be.
Yeah.
But on the other hand, there's a lot of people.
(40:07):
I'm sorry.
What were you, Rick?
I'm almost 80.
Oh, wow.
That's great.
He's almost 80.
Sharp as a chisel.
I love being on here with you youngsters.
Yeah, it's funny.
I feel like I've reached the point that I embrace it because not everybody has the privilege
to have another year ahead of them.
(40:29):
You can either be 63 in my case or act 63.
It's weird because everybody says act your age.
I've never been 63 before.
How am I supposed to, you know, how do you do that?
Is there a card somewhere?
There might be a manual.
(40:50):
63, sit in your chair with your cat with a blanket over your legs.
Okay, we'll do that.
Well, listen, we appreciate you and I will see you early Friday morning.
Yes, yes you will.
Let me tell you what happened.
It's hard to get in WTAP.
(41:10):
Everything's locked.
So this morning I get there and one of the producers, I walked in with him and I standing
out in the hallway and I was waiting on Edward to show up and Edward showed up and I walked
out and opened up the door and he walked in.
We turn around.
Well, the door I just walked out of locks automatically.
So here we are going and then the producer came out and he goes, when you go out the
(41:38):
door at locks, I went, what?
Who would have thought that?
So that was a funny for this morning and me trying not to talk with my hands was even
better because if you, some of the shots you can see me going like this because I'm trying
to hold my hand still so I'm not.
(42:01):
Anyway, because if not, I know I'd come home and Amanda would throw an egg or something
at me just because I was that way.
All right.
All right.
Thank you very much, Lisa.
Thank you both.
And I will see you Friday, if not before and we'll talk about the same thing Friday morning.
(42:22):
Yes.
All righty.
Take care now.
You too.
All right.
Let me see where we're going here.
Right there.
She's awesome.
Yeah.
So, I'm busy lady.
She is a busy lady.
She's very busy lady.
(42:42):
She does.
She's always very busy with circles and she's very passionate about circles and I wanted
to be on her board.
I wanted to be on her board of directors but I just, at the time I was working and I had
(43:03):
city council and I just didn't get to do it but I really wanted to.
Hold on.
Somebody was at my door.
So anyway, again yesterday was Riley's birthday.
She turned 20 years old.
Happy birthday, Ry.
That scares me.
It scares me that Nugget Aubrey is 19 and Sheridan is 23 years old.
(43:29):
I mean, it just, I can remember the day picking them up out of the bassinet and loving on
them in the hospital and here they are on their own with their own lives going to college.
Right Aubrey studying underwater basket weaving.
(43:50):
She almost flunked the first semester because she forgot to turn her oxygen tank on.
It's pretty cool.
So do you have anything missed or anything going on in your world besides our lovely
homecoming that is just wearing us out that we love?
Just very new homecoming stuff.
We love doing this homecoming stuff people.
Yes we do.
(44:11):
We love our homecoming stuff.
We have absolutely busted it and the entire board of directors has, not just me and Rick,
the entire board of directors has busted it to make this the very best possible year that
we can have.
(44:32):
So we're hoping we'll have everything looking good by April 15th or August 15th.
You can come down and visit with us at our tent that we're going to have sit up down
there and we're going to have a surprise guest.
His name is Scooby Doo.
(44:52):
He's going to be our special guest and he'll let you know that he's there.
But other than that I think we're pretty much done for the day.
It's been a great show.
I'm glad Lisa came on.
Wendy must be thinking about me.
I'm glad Lisa came on because that really brought forth what we needed to get the message
(45:18):
that we needed to get across for everybody that we want you to know that this organization
is about you guys, not about us.
I'm excited about it.
Can't wait.
So listen, I'll get ahold of you tomorrow morning.
We got things to do and places to go, people to see.
So they tell me.
(45:38):
And so that being said, have a good night everybody.
We will see you Saturday night possibly unless something happens.
See you Saturday night on Bobcast, MMOV and talk about other stuff that's going on throughout
the great state of West Virginia I guess.
So just bear with us and be with us and thank you for joining us.
(46:02):
And we love you guys.
You're the best.
And if you have any comments about tonight's show, Rick's email is wah.
No, wait a minute.
All right, guys, take care.
We'll talk to you soon.
(46:22):
Rick, I'll get ahold of you and we'll go from here, mister.
Sounds good.
Have a good evening.
See you.
Take us out of here.
What are you going to do?
What are you going to do?
What's up?
(00:57):
Good evening everybody.
Welcome to Wrap Around MOV.
Tonight, Parkersburg Engagement Project is a program that the city of Parkersburg has
been chosen to implement.
And we actually won, or not won, we were chosen out of several, several cities and states.
(01:19):
So as soon as she jumps on here, we're going to have with us, she is the, she's director
of circles campaign, going to be Lisa Doyle.
And Lisa is also the person in charge of the steering committee for Parkersburg Engagement
Project.
I think everybody's going to be excited about it.
(01:42):
She asked if I would be on, and on the board, absolutely was glad to do that.
Just a great place.
I mean, there's a lot that we're going to do and you'll find out a lot more when Lisa
gets on.
She said I was trying, oh, okay, hold on.
(02:03):
Hold on kids.
If you're just listening to this on Spotify or one of our voice only screens, Bob was
looking the other way trying to get our guest side did.
(02:25):
Okay.
Well, that's right.
So I don't have any birthdays or anything.
Nobody said anything anyway, about any birthdays or anything that, wait a minute here.
(02:46):
Oh, you're asleep, Bob.
Yeah.
I'm not sure what's going on.
She's having issues clicking in to the program here, which some people, I'm surprised that
(03:09):
she does unless she's using her phone, which is a distinct possibility, but it's been a
busy week for homecoming.
It's been a busy week for part of our engagement project.
Pretty soon we're going to probably starting Friday or Saturday, we're going to start a
mass mail of a survey that's coming out.
(03:31):
It's like 19 questions and this is legitimate.
So when you get it in your mail, please do not throw it away because it's very important
to this project that is privately funded.
It's very important that we get these answers back.
There she is.
(03:51):
Aha.
Yay.
There's Lisa.
Hello.
Lisa, I was just explaining to them about what you were going to be talking about, the
Parkerberg Engagement Project, and that we'll be sending out a questionnaire this week sometime
(04:12):
and that it was important that we get these results back.
And then that's as far as I got when you clicked in.
So again, everybody, this is Lisa Doyle.
She is the director of the Circles campaign in Parkerberg, does a lot of really good stuff
here.
We've talked about Lisa before on the show.
(04:33):
And now Lisa is the, what is your exact title for PPP?
I'm the co-chair of the steering committee for the Parkerberg Engagement Project.
Along with Wendy Tuck, it's Councilperson Wendy Tuck.
And there's several of us on the board.
We are part of the steering committee and it's being run by Rosemary Ketchum from Wheeling,
(04:59):
correct?
Well, no, it's really run and directed by us, the steering committee here locally.
And then there is a larger action lab that's a conglomeration of federal or federal, I'm
sorry, several national partners.
And Rosemary is part of that action lab.
(05:20):
Okay.
Okay.
A larger group.
And that kind of came about going back as far as 2022 and several nonprofits convened
in Kentucky to talk about different ways to be more effectively make government work for
the people.
And so out of that grew this pilot project.
(05:44):
And so Rosemary, who a lot of the people in the mid high valley are familiar with, she's
formal counselor person in Wheeling and she's the president of the West Virginia nonprofit
association or the director rather.
So she definitely has a lot of experience with nonprofits and community work and community
(06:06):
efforts.
So we're thrilled to have her as part of that action lab.
But here on the ground, Bob, the steering committee is really directing this project.
We are thrilled to have a great diverse group.
We currently have nine steering committee members and we may be adding a couple of more
(06:31):
to kind of further diversify the group.
We're very proud of having people of different perspectives and different experiences coming
together to work together for the common good.
Well, I think it's an honor that Parkersburg was chosen.
I mean, seriously, because it's something that I believe that would benefit the middle
(06:56):
high valley, not just as, you know, city of Parkerburg per se, but the middle high valley.
Can you go over like the what's going to happen in the next few days with the survey?
Yes.
Yes.
So part of the work of the steering committee has been to hone in on a community wide survey.
(07:17):
And that survey is to help identify a major issue that we as a community can work on.
And that will be going out in the mail to all of the West or Parkersburg households
here I believe at the end of the week at the latest on the Monday.
(07:42):
But hopefully by Friday that will get sent out in the mail.
And we are hoping that Parkersburg residents will complete that survey.
We do want you to only complete one so that we can have the most accurate results.
But on that survey, there's paper survey because I know some people aren't that tech savvy
(08:07):
or just don't like to use technology.
And I probably would be one of those that would fill out the paper survey.
But there is a QR code that you can scan with your phone or device and do the survey online.
That's included in the survey that's going to be mailed out.
(08:28):
So if you have some in your household that maybe want to do the paper or some that would
want to use the QR code, we certainly hope that everyone in your household will participate
in that survey.
So there will be an address to mail the paper survey back to.
(08:49):
And that will be here in Parkersburg.
And we're hoping to have all the surveys back by March 10th so that we can accumulate the
results and see what the top three issues are that people are concerned about, Parkersburg
residents are really concerned about.
(09:09):
And definitely then go to work as a steering committee to work with the public, the community
and government officials to try identify potential solutions to that problem.
And then jumping ahead, we hope to enact a solution.
Well, just so people know, this is not an intrusive survey.
(09:36):
This is what you believe are the issues that are facing the middle Ohio Valley.
So when you get it, I know a lot of people when they get it, they're like, oh, wow, please,
that's why we're going to, there'll be a media blitz coming up.
Lisa and I will be on Friday morning at WTAP Daybreak, talk about it.
(09:59):
There'll be an article in the paper.
And we'll be on 96.9 after the results of the survey are in.
The director out there asked me if we could just wait until afterwards so that way we
could talk about more about what people are thinking.
(10:21):
So please, if you get it, take it, send it back to us.
There's no intrusive questions.
There's nothing that you're going to give out personal information.
It's just a straight, what, 19 questions, I think, is it, Lisa?
I got a copy here.
It is 20 questions.
(10:42):
20 questions.
Yeah.
And yeah, Bob, as you're saying, we do hope.
I know a lot of times when you get stuff in the mail, it's like, oh, this is just junk
and it goes in the trash.
We're really hoping with this media blitz that we can make people aware that this is
a legitimate survey and that we are truly seeking your input.
(11:06):
And there's somewhere between 28,000 and 29,000 residents in Parkersburg.
We want a very representative sampling of opinions and thoughts.
And yeah, as Bob said, we're not trying to collect personal information other than if
you desire to be contacted at a later date about maybe a community forum or community
(11:30):
discussion that we're going to be having as a follow-up or a discussion group on potential
solutions, then if you will leave your email or phone number, we can contact you or email
and make you aware of upcoming events.
There's also a link to our website page that also should have future events coming up so
(11:55):
you can monitor.
But yeah, this is definitely a legitimate survey.
And it's really intended to measure not just what are the major issues that you feel as
a citizen that we are facing in Parkersburg, but it is also to measure your feeling or
(12:15):
sentiment around participating in the community and participating in sharing your input with
government officials and or community leaders in hopes that we can kind of measure if this
moves the needle in any way of whether people feel like their opinion is important or valued
(12:41):
or taken seriously or that your input is valuable.
So we're kind of trying to gauge those two things with this project.
And so we hope you will complete that survey and return it.
And or if you don't want to mail it out and you're out and about, you can drop it off
(13:04):
to St. Joseph Landing in the main entrance, the Circles campaign, which I'm the director
of aside from this Parkersburg engagement project.
We have office spaces located there and we can arrange if you just drop it at the front
desk there, the information desk as you come in at St. Joe's, we will be happy to receive
(13:29):
the surveys that way.
If you're just to be clear, this is not a government entity, correct?
Oh, no, we are not a government entity.
We are just a voluntary group of citizens that have come together to try to measure
what what a viable thriving community can look like and be a part of making something
(13:53):
happen to to see that to fruition.
I'm really glad to see that and understand something that once it once we get once we
get this the results back from this survey, we're not one just get it and go away.
We're going to you'll be able to see what the people in the city think.
(14:15):
Correct.
In the middle of High Valley, you'll be able to see that because everything that we do
will be in the open when I have town halls, we're going to have different things that
we could do.
And that way, if you want to talk about it, what what you know what you think, this is
a very unique opportunity for the citizens of the city of Parkersburg to who think that,
(14:37):
you know, there was some talk about, you know, we had some people say something the other
day about people feel a little disconnected.
Well, this will this we hope will connect.
And we want you to see what we're trying to do.
What this survey and this project is trying to do is to again, like Lisa said, better,
(14:58):
you know, try to make better our our middle High Valley that we love.
I mean, there's a lot of good things go on.
But again, there's a lot of things that people you know, we we see every day on Facebook.
People are very unhappy with a lot of things.
And I get it.
You know, but there's two things you can do that you can either complain about it or do
(15:19):
something about it.
I think, you know, that's my opinion.
You can be involved like we are.
There's so many things, so many good things about it.
But let us know what you're thinking.
And then once we get it together and get the results together, then there will be again,
(15:40):
we'll be on radio and television and newspaper and probably everywhere else that happens
to be on social media, on the Bobcast on wraparound.
And so we're just going to do a lot of things with this.
And we want everybody to be involved.
It's not just it's just not us on the board or the committee, the steering committee.
(16:01):
I keep saying board because of the homecoming.
Sorry.
Not it's not just about us on the committee.
It's not about us.
It's about you all.
It's about what you think.
And we're here to kind of help with that.
Go ahead, Rick.
Is this for Parkersburg residents only or people in the outlying area involved as well?
It is a Parkersburg pilot project.
(16:22):
However, that doesn't mean that those outside of Parkersburg can't fill out the survey.
We will, you know, be glad to take that input.
There is one question on the survey.
Are you a Parkersburg resident?
So we do need to note that since the project is Parkersburg based.
However, we certainly do want the input and seek the input of, you know, the those in
(16:47):
Wood County and surrounding areas.
Oh, go ahead.
Is the QR code to access it going to be on your website?
Yes.
Yes, it will be.
I don't believe it is on there yet, but it will be.
By Monday it will be.
And it will also be an opportunity that you can engage others, whether they're family
(17:14):
members or maybe you belong to a Rotary Club and you can share that with your Rotary Club
members or, you know, to a wellness group or Homecoming Committee.
There's an opportunity for you, you know, everyone.
That's going to be a part of it.
I mean, anything we do is, you know, we're going to invite, make sure as many people
(17:36):
who want to be there can be there and be heard.
I just think it's great.
I love it.
I was so happy when you called me, like I told you the other day when you called and
asked me to be a part of it, because I thought, wow, this is much needed.
It's about time that we do something like this.
And I think that people, you know, will sit up and take notice.
(17:57):
And we've been harping about this since our very first Bobcast.
I know, right?
Right.
That's great.
I'm really glad to see this moving.
Go ahead.
Well, we, yeah, we definitely want to see the community embrace this because as you
were saying, Bob, it is quite a privilege and honor that we were selected from, you
know, several other states that could have been selected and communities even in West
(18:23):
Virginia.
So assuming our project goes well and we're doing everything we can to make sure that
happens, this is a project that will be replicated nationally in other states.
So it's not just a Parkersburg project.
It is something that funders all over the nation are looking at and contributing to.
(18:46):
We have several partners and funders that are part of larger nationalist family foundation.
There's been some funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and, you know, other civic minded
groups.
So it could be replicated if we can show that we can come together as community members
(19:12):
of diverse backgrounds and identify the issue, deliberate and find a solution and implement
that solution.
And that solution may look like city council adopting an ordinance or helping to fund something
or it may look like a grassroots solution.
There is fortunately some funding set aside for us to enact a solution if it isn't something
(19:39):
that would require a government solution.
So one way or another, we're going to do more than speak.
We're going to make sure there's some action coming about or something concrete that we
can see as a result of all the talks.
This is not a project that we think that we're smarter than the government.
(20:05):
This is going to be something that we want to work together with them, with the city,
county and maybe state.
I don't know how far that would go.
This is something that we want to work together with them and say, hey, look, here's what
the people say.
I know Wendy just had one safety town hall yesterday before council.
(20:29):
There you go.
We can bring the mayor, even city council and even the police department, state police,
Rick Woodard I know would do it and just come in and say, look, here's what we have.
The people are concerned about this, this and this.
Here's what we recommend.
(20:50):
Here's what after we got done getting all this, what we thought of.
What do you all think?
And it's not something that, like I said, we don't think we're smarter than anybody.
It's just something that we think that the citizens are finally going to be able to give
us their opinions on.
Yeah.
I'm really proud to say that this is an absolute nonpartisan effort of community members coming
(21:18):
together to work with their government or local officials to build a better community,
to strengthen the community, to make it a more livable community.
And a lot of times in our discussion so far, we've tried to envision what's a thriving
community look like.
(21:39):
And I think back to my childhood or the memories of my parents.
And you think about how respected government officials were and you knew they were public
servants and they knew they were public servants.
And it was something they did because it was a feeling of honor and a feeling of obligation
(22:02):
to your country to serve.
And we kind of want to revisit that and have people that serve realize that we're the government
of and for and by the people, but also to have the community members realize, hey, there's
a bridge we can build here so that we are honoring one another in the sense of the relationship
(22:30):
being give and take.
We hope citizens will want to interact with their government elected officials and we're
hoping that the elected officials will desire more to interact with the citizens that they
represent and know that when all those heads come together, it'll be a great thing, a great
(22:53):
experience.
And we will listen to one another and we will come up with solutions that fit the majority.
Exactly.
Hold on a minute here.
I'm sorry.
The thing is, is that don't be bashful.
Come on and comment.
Okay.
Whatever that means.
So when we say come together with local governments and stuff in a positive discussion, in a positive
(23:23):
environment, I know people have their own idea of some of the people, some of the government,
but this is totally different.
Like you said, it's nonpartisan.
Nobody's going to fault you for anything you say in this world about your ideas.
(23:45):
Your ideas are just as important as mine, Lisa's, Rick's, anybody else's.
Your ideas matter.
And if you come to the government, and I've been a part of it for eight years, and you
say, well, you know, these people are serious.
The government, well, these people are serious.
(24:05):
Let's sit down and let's have a chat and let's see what we can do because I think this is
the way to go.
There's nobody in the government that I'm aware of on city, county, state government
who doesn't want what we're doing.
You know, I mean, because it's just a magnificent opportunity for the citizens of Pardover,
(24:28):
not necessarily, you know, the committee.
We're honored to do it.
I mean, I'm excited about it.
But to the people, the ones that are going to benefit from this the most are the people
of the Mid-Ohio Valley who can finally put their thoughts down on paper, come and talk
to us at our meetings that we're going to have.
(24:49):
And there's going to be several of them, I'm sure.
We have, like you said, 11.
So these people are going to be involved in different things that are going on.
We'll be all over the media.
We're going to absolutely do our very best to present this to you in a professional,
thoughtful way that you can take a look at it and say, they're serious.
(25:13):
They're serious about this because one of the big things that I have noticed and I've
talked about at several meetings that I've been to, not necessarily just this one, but
several others I've been to, you have to get people to see the vision.
You can't walk into people, sit down and talk to them.
(25:34):
And then that's the last they ever hear from you.
You can't do that because there you get them all built up.
Then when you drop them, you've lost them.
And you want to keep them all here to where you'll say, wow, that was my idea.
That's amazing.
I thought that this is you.
This is you people and we are the steering committee to steer it in that direction.
(26:00):
And that's what we're going to do through multiple, multiple outlets.
We're going to do this.
Yeah.
And everybody has their own sphere of influence or network.
And that could look like giving the survey to your Rotary Club or it could look like
(26:21):
circles.
We did circles for those of you that don't know, we work with families that are in poverty
to get out of poverty.
And so we did what I would like to say is our soft launch Monday night.
It was the first group that took the survey.
So on Monday night, the circles group, which are for the most part, families that are in
(26:43):
poverty took that survey.
So we're not just wanting one demographic measured.
We want everybody in the community to have input, whether they're rich, poor, somewhere
in between, whether they're African-American, Caucasian, Asian, whatever, straight, we want
(27:12):
everybody's input because when everybody comes to the table, everyone is better served.
And this is your community.
Yes, it is.
This community is yours.
The government works for you.
And I always said that when I was on city council, you don't work for me.
I work for you.
You tell me, you know, and some people understand that, some don't.
(27:38):
The thing is that we want everybody to know that they've been heard.
That's very important to know that you've been heard, not just by us, by the government,
by your peers, by everybody who will stop and say, wow, okay, all right, this is good.
This is a step in the right direction.
(27:59):
We have a lot of things and I'm not going to go off the beaten path here too much, but
Rick and I are working on so much right now with different, we just got to a very, very
cold spell and there was a lot of things there, but Rick and I, it's just so many things are
happening and this is very important to me.
(28:20):
This is very important to what I want to do and I'm so glad to be there.
So work with us and know that we're here, know that we're not going to go anywhere and
know that we're going to listen to you, know we're going to take your concerns very seriously.
There's not going to be one of us go, what?
No.
Right.
If it concerns you, it's important.
(28:44):
It's very important if it concerns you.
And you know, after the pandemic, so many people, they grew even more disconnected.
There's been a disconnect for a long time, but after the pandemic, people were so isolated
and now are self isolating.
(29:07):
And so we are just trying to get people to come together again as a group that really
wants to better the community.
We believe that it can be done or we wouldn't be doing it.
And it is a real project of optimism.
That's a good way to put it.
(29:30):
Optimistic, you know, at our meetings, you know, we go through different things and the
other day we really had a good one about, you know, what we, what about downtown Parkersburg
back in the day?
I mean, you know, and some of the stories that were told, you can just remember the
(29:50):
way it was.
I mean, it'll never be exactly that way, but you can make it.
You make it if there's an old saying that says be the change that you want to see.
This is it.
This is your chance.
This is your opportunity.
Whatever we can do to facilitate that, believe me, she's with Circles.
(30:17):
The one thing that I just absolutely love about Circles, you're not getting a handout.
You're getting a hand up.
The first time I ever met her and she explained Circles, that sticks in my head.
We don't give handouts.
We give hand up.
And we're here to say, tell us what you think.
Again, Lisa and I will be on Friday morning on WTAP Daybreak.
(30:43):
Looking forward to that.
Tomorrow's homecoming with Zach Huffman.
Next week we'll be talking to Amanda Stevens.
Then we're going to be again 96.9.
There'll be several more radio stations.
(31:04):
Then it's going to be an All Out Media Blitz.
The newspaper.
Watch for it.
Go on our website, PKBengagementproject.org.
And right there is the email address, the Gmail address.
Go on there and take a look and see what you think.
(31:25):
Leave us some thoughts on it.
And I'm not sure what that is.
I'm sorry.
I keep getting distracted.
No, I don't mean to.
Don't be bashful.
Come on and comment.
Maybe they think you're holding back, Bob.
I don't think so, Bob.
Well, yeah, because I don't like to talk a lot.
(31:48):
I mean, when we do this, because I want to, that's why we're glad you're on, because I
wanted somebody who could articulate this with me and go on.
We could talk back and forth about it.
But anyway, so again, we'll be on, watch this Friday morning at 6 45 a.m.
(32:10):
I know it's kind of a bad time.
Get up, get a cup of coffee and get your slippers on.
Or you can record it and watch it later when you wake up.
Yeah, but it's no fun.
I know.
I mean, Amanda told me today when I was on, do not talk with your hands.
(32:31):
Oh, my God.
That was difficult, Lisa.
I'm sitting there going with my hands.
And Emma, the newscaster, it was interviewing us.
She goes, I do, too.
She goes, I have to sit like this because she talked with her hands because the last
(32:52):
time I was on there, I was like, well, you know, that blah, blah.
And they got the laughing at me.
I'm like, stop it.
Everybody thought you were signing.
Well, no, you know, it's like my Aunt Debbie.
She does it.
And I tell my Aunt Debbie, I say, you know, what would what would happen if we taped your
hands to the chair?
This is how you'd be talking.
(33:12):
And she said, shut up.
Maybe we'll have you sit on your hands, Bob.
Oh, my gosh.
I'll tell you what.
You see, usually I sit next to here.
Then next Friday, you'll be here and I'll be over here.
And then I'll take a cue from you if I need to.
(33:35):
Edward Eskandon was on with me this morning for Parking for Homecoming.
I don't know if you know Edward.
I do.
Yeah, he was on this morning and him and him and I dazzled him with our brilliance.
Or something.
Not sure what we did.
We had some major computer crashes at Circles and the Cheap Geeks, which is he operates,
(33:58):
right?
Right.
They were incredibly helpful with restoring and being able to get our information back.
So I did have to get new computers, but they were able to restore the majority of what
we had crashed and oh, man, I was thankful because I thought, oh, Lord, I've lost about
five years of work.
Oh, my gosh.
(34:19):
I hate that.
That's what I did.
Remember, I sent you the PDF for WTAP on?
Well they sent me one for Homecoming.
So I get on my computer here and I go in and start to fill it out.
It disappears.
And I mean, gone.
I checked spam.
(34:40):
I checked trash.
I checked everywhere.
It was gone.
And so last night I said, please send me another one real quick.
And I had to get it done real quick.
I have no idea where it went.
And I'm like my friend Rick Sawyer.
I am not tech savvy.
But Rick, Rick does things that amazes me.
(35:04):
So again, watch for the survey.
Again, know that it is real.
Again, know that we will announce what the results of this survey is.
We need them back by March 12th.
And as fast as we can get them on, you know, the results, we will absolutely let everybody
(35:24):
know.
Know that we're not a government entity, but we want to work with the citizens in the government.
Know that we're not going to tell you something and then as the last you'll see us.
They're here till at least the end of December or they throw me out one.
So I am so thankful for you being here, Lisa.
I appreciate the opportunity.
(35:45):
Is there anything else you want to let the people know about what's going on that you
think they need to know?
Well, I do.
Yeah, just like you want to emphasize, you know, we really do want you to fill out the
survey and get it back to us or do the online version with the QR code or go onto the website
and do it from there.
(36:06):
However, you're most comfortable doing it.
And we we do have a project timeline, so we do hope by December that we will have a solution
implemented to whatever that problem is that we're going to work on.
It is a solution focused project solution based.
(36:26):
So we are trying to get, you know, not just to talk the problem to death, but to actually
do something about it.
And, you know, it takes your input to make that happen.
So we want that.
And then on a total other note, Bob, I would be remiss if I didn't throw out a shout out
(36:48):
for the Chocolate Creations Evening Extravaganza this Friday.
It's a Valentine's Day event that Circles is doing as a fundraiser.
It's going to be at First United Methodist Church Friday from 530 to 830.
And it's not you don't come and stay the whole three hours you come.
(37:10):
No, that's not it.
No, that's not that.
That's a good event as well.
But what it is, is it's an amateur chocolatier competition.
So the people will make a dish and those that attend the event will do the sampling and
(37:30):
have there'll be a ballot and they vote on which was the best chocolate dish.
It can be any form of chocolate, liquid, you know, candy, cake, cookies, anything chocolate.
And you know, the winner, there's some great prizes at stake for the winner.
But even better than the prizes is the title of best amateur chocolatier in the Mid-High
(37:54):
Valley.
So we will have live entertainment.
We have a pianist, Marcia Parsons, that will be there doing music for us.
And there'll be opportunities to get pictures taken for free.
Those pictures are part of the evening package.
(38:15):
Just a lot of delicious chocolate.
So it's a great, great way to support a nonprofit and also just enjoy some chocolate and a night
out with your partner, your best friend, your family member, whoever you want to come with.
We'd be glad to see people come out and embrace that.
(38:37):
And I need to add something if I can.
Yes.
Yesterday was Lisa's birthday.
Yes.
And I went for happy.
Did you get it?
Did you see it?
I haven't seen it yet.
You know how up in the corner when you come on Facebook, it shows people's birthdays?
Yeah.
Well, that's what I did.
And it happens to be the same day as my granddaughter Riley.
(38:59):
Nice.
Riley turned 20 years old yesterday.
Oh my God.
Make it stop.
I always granddaughter's 22, 23.
Sorry.
I heard that in the background.
Riley is 20 and our Aubrey next month will be 19.
She's at Marshall University.
(39:20):
Nice.
She's so SMRT.
I got to say, Bob, if there could be a competition on who is the most technologically challenged,
I might have you there because I haven't been able to retrieve all the wishes for my birthday.
I just like five or six of them and I didn't forget your birthday.
(39:45):
I appreciate that.
Yeah, I appreciate it.
I'm always glad to live another year because on the one hand, I was like, oh my, I turned
58, but 58.
I'm 63.
Are you?
And I don't want to be.
Yeah.
But on the other hand, there's a lot of people.
(40:07):
I'm sorry.
What were you, Rick?
I'm almost 80.
Oh, wow.
That's great.
He's almost 80.
Sharp as a chisel.
I love being on here with you youngsters.
Yeah, it's funny.
I feel like I've reached the point that I embrace it because not everybody has the privilege
to have another year ahead of them.
(40:29):
You can either be 63 in my case or act 63.
It's weird because everybody says act your age.
I've never been 63 before.
How am I supposed to, you know, how do you do that?
Is there a card somewhere?
There might be a manual.
(40:50):
63, sit in your chair with your cat with a blanket over your legs.
Okay, we'll do that.
Well, listen, we appreciate you and I will see you early Friday morning.
Yes, yes you will.
Let me tell you what happened.
It's hard to get in WTAP.
(41:10):
Everything's locked.
So this morning I get there and one of the producers, I walked in with him and I standing
out in the hallway and I was waiting on Edward to show up and Edward showed up and I walked
out and opened up the door and he walked in.
We turn around.
Well, the door I just walked out of locks automatically.
So here we are going and then the producer came out and he goes, when you go out the
(41:38):
door at locks, I went, what?
Who would have thought that?
So that was a funny for this morning and me trying not to talk with my hands was even
better because if you, some of the shots you can see me going like this because I'm trying
to hold my hand still so I'm not.
(42:01):
Anyway, because if not, I know I'd come home and Amanda would throw an egg or something
at me just because I was that way.
All right.
All right.
Thank you very much, Lisa.
Thank you both.
And I will see you Friday, if not before and we'll talk about the same thing Friday morning.
(42:22):
Yes.
All righty.
Take care now.
You too.
All right.
Let me see where we're going here.
Right there.
She's awesome.
Yeah.
So, I'm busy lady.
She is a busy lady.
She's very busy lady.
(42:42):
She does.
She's always very busy with circles and she's very passionate about circles and I wanted
to be on her board.
I wanted to be on her board of directors but I just, at the time I was working and I had
(43:03):
city council and I just didn't get to do it but I really wanted to.
Hold on.
Somebody was at my door.
So anyway, again yesterday was Riley's birthday.
She turned 20 years old.
Happy birthday, Ry.
That scares me.
It scares me that Nugget Aubrey is 19 and Sheridan is 23 years old.
(43:29):
I mean, it just, I can remember the day picking them up out of the bassinet and loving on
them in the hospital and here they are on their own with their own lives going to college.
Right Aubrey studying underwater basket weaving.
(43:50):
She almost flunked the first semester because she forgot to turn her oxygen tank on.
It's pretty cool.
So do you have anything missed or anything going on in your world besides our lovely
homecoming that is just wearing us out that we love?
Just very new homecoming stuff.
We love doing this homecoming stuff people.
Yes we do.
(44:11):
We love our homecoming stuff.
We have absolutely busted it and the entire board of directors has, not just me and Rick,
the entire board of directors has busted it to make this the very best possible year that
we can have.
(44:32):
So we're hoping we'll have everything looking good by April 15th or August 15th.
You can come down and visit with us at our tent that we're going to have sit up down
there and we're going to have a surprise guest.
His name is Scooby Doo.
(44:52):
He's going to be our special guest and he'll let you know that he's there.
But other than that I think we're pretty much done for the day.
It's been a great show.
I'm glad Lisa came on.
Wendy must be thinking about me.
I'm glad Lisa came on because that really brought forth what we needed to get the message
(45:18):
that we needed to get across for everybody that we want you to know that this organization
is about you guys, not about us.
I'm excited about it.
Can't wait.
So listen, I'll get ahold of you tomorrow morning.
We got things to do and places to go, people to see.
So they tell me.
(45:38):
And so that being said, have a good night everybody.
We will see you Saturday night possibly unless something happens.
See you Saturday night on Bobcast, MMOV and talk about other stuff that's going on throughout
the great state of West Virginia I guess.
So just bear with us and be with us and thank you for joining us.
(46:02):
And we love you guys.
You're the best.
And if you have any comments about tonight's show, Rick's email is wah.
No, wait a minute.
All right, guys, take care.
We'll talk to you soon.
(46:22):
Rick, I'll get ahold of you and we'll go from here, mister.
Sounds good.
Have a good evening.
See you.
Take us out of here.
What are you going to do?
What are you going to do?
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