1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,760 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron. 6 00:00:19,359 --> 00:00:22,640 Go to thepekclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:29,960 your support. I'll be taking the next two weeks off, 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,280 but you've been hearing me discuss the fundraiser that we're 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,439 helping to do. We do it every year with Moments 12 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,079 of Hope Church and you can donate by going to 13 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,479 cityofhopeclt dot org. And I wanted to welcome to the 14 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,600 program the pastor of the Moments of Hope Church, that 15 00:00:49,759 --> 00:00:54,200 is Pastor David Chadwick. Hello, Pastor Chadwick. How are you, Sarah? 16 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 2: I'm well, Pete. Thank you for letting me have these 17 00:00:56,359 --> 00:00:57,920 minutes with you this afternoon. 18 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: Of course, of course, so first off, how's it going. 19 00:01:01,359 --> 00:01:02,479 How's the campaign going? 20 00:01:03,439 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're just about at fifty percent of what we 21 00:01:06,079 --> 00:01:09,239 desire to raise. And for those who may not know 22 00:01:10,239 --> 00:01:12,879 I have a weekend show on WBT. Been doing it 23 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,040 now for over twenty five years. It's been a great 24 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,640 gig and a wonderful run. And about five years ago 25 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,400 we decided, with the COVID crisis to try to raise 26 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,239 money around the Christmas time period with a matching gift 27 00:01:23,239 --> 00:01:25,319 from almost I hope to try to feed hungry kids 28 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,519 this year because of the devastation in western North Carolina, 29 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,640 we've tried to focus there on the needs that are 30 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,760 just huge and not going away anytime soon. So Moments 31 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,159 of Hope it's given one hundred thousand dollars matching gift. 32 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,840 Hopefully the listeners of WBT will match that gift and 33 00:01:40,879 --> 00:01:43,719 we can give two hundred thousand dollars, all of the 34 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,280 money going to the people, no administrative costs, to the 35 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,359 needs that are there and again aren't going to go 36 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,079 away anytime soon. And again Pete, we're about fifty percent there. 37 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: And so if people want to donate, they can go 38 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,840 to CITYOFOPECLT dot org. You can read more about all 39 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,879 of the work that you and your church and because 40 00:02:02,879 --> 00:02:06,000 it's a much larger effort than just this one fundraiser, right, 41 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,800 you guys are into and have partnerships with a lot 42 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,000 of other organizations. 43 00:02:11,159 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 2: We do, indeed, and what makes this one so unique, 44 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,840 I think is over the last four to five years, 45 00:02:16,879 --> 00:02:21,000 as we've done this fundraiser, we have seven vulnerable underserved 46 00:02:21,039 --> 00:02:24,879 communities in Charlotte that we've identified and they are working 47 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,680 together as a coalition, which is really remarkable because too 48 00:02:28,759 --> 00:02:32,879 often five oh one Seed three's work in redundancy, they 49 00:02:32,879 --> 00:02:35,280 don't talk to one another, but they really are working 50 00:02:35,319 --> 00:02:39,840 together with reading programs, feeding programs, healing programs. But this year, 51 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:44,560 those different communities identified partners that they have in vulnerable 52 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,120 communities in western North Carolina. So many of them have 53 00:02:47,199 --> 00:02:50,280 been going up there building relationships, and so as they're 54 00:02:50,319 --> 00:02:53,120 meeting people and finding those needs that are often hidden 55 00:02:53,599 --> 00:02:56,840 in the woods in the mountains, people who've lost everything, 56 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,280 we're going in and trying to help them rebuild their lives. 57 00:03:00,479 --> 00:03:04,680 And again, Pete, it's just worse than anything anybody can imagine, 58 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,719 and it's going to last longer than anyone can imagine 59 00:03:07,759 --> 00:03:10,759 as well too. I mean, the government's trying to say 60 00:03:10,759 --> 00:03:13,560 now it's going to cost fifty billion dollars to rebuild 61 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,000 western North Carolina, what's good. Are two hundred thousand going 62 00:03:17,039 --> 00:03:19,199 to do well? It's going to help somebody, It's going 63 00:03:19,199 --> 00:03:22,280 to help different people who are mostly hidden and mostly 64 00:03:22,319 --> 00:03:25,159 not known, but mostly have these great needs that we're 65 00:03:25,199 --> 00:03:26,639 going to be able to meet well. 66 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,479 Speaker 1: And also to that point, I mean the bigger the 67 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:34,360 projects and like road construction, you know, slope rebuilding on 68 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,479 the side of a mountain that has lost a bunch 69 00:03:36,479 --> 00:03:38,479 of land, you know that's gone down to the river, 70 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,000 Like that's not I mean, obviously that's a big lift 71 00:03:44,319 --> 00:03:46,159 and that may get a lot of the attention, has 72 00:03:46,199 --> 00:03:49,159 a huge impact, but a lot of the the other 73 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,719 work like that's I don't want to say in the gaps, 74 00:03:52,759 --> 00:03:55,280 but I guess it is. You know, these are these 75 00:03:55,319 --> 00:03:59,319 are opportunities where people can make direct impacts on people's 76 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,800 lives and do it for not a lot of money, 77 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,599 not a lot of time, not a lot of effort. Really, 78 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,840 if they just make some donations and you've got an 79 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,039 infrastructure already in place to get to the people that 80 00:04:11,199 --> 00:04:11,520 need it. 81 00:04:12,479 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: Yes, correct, here's a great idea and a statistic that 82 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,079 would help people get their hands around what this can do. 83 00:04:19,759 --> 00:04:23,800 For fifteen thousand dollars, you can rebuild a front door, 84 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,000 a back door, and a kitchen. And most of our 85 00:04:28,199 --> 00:04:30,959 studies and the people we've talked to, if you can 86 00:04:31,079 --> 00:04:34,160 just rebuild their front door and their back door and 87 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:37,079 their kitchen, they can move back into their homes. And 88 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,279 that's just a practical amount of money fifteen thousand dollars 89 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,560 that we can give to help people get back into 90 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,720 their homes, escape you know, living in a motel right now, 91 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,920 or in some cases Pete sadly still tends, Yeah, and 92 00:04:48,959 --> 00:04:52,040 get back into their homes and be safe, be secure, 93 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:55,439 be warm, and be able to feed themselves and their families. 94 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: We have been talking about the problems with the tents 95 00:04:58,879 --> 00:05:02,480 and the temporary struct maures. We've had numerous stories that 96 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:06,240 we have covered. You know, people that have organized fun 97 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,639 drives get to get RVs and campers and even sheds 98 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:13,600 and these you know, tiny homes and cabins and building 99 00:05:13,639 --> 00:05:16,879 codes have stood in the way from letting them do that. 100 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,399 And it's I always try to tell like, in the 101 00:05:19,439 --> 00:05:22,959 immediate aftermath, it was water, right, people will die without 102 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,360 without water in three days, and then it's food and 103 00:05:26,399 --> 00:05:29,680 it's shelter, and it's like first order problems, right, and 104 00:05:30,199 --> 00:05:33,800 shelter is a first order problem and whatever is stopping 105 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,839 that from occurring needs to get fixed. And you know, 106 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,839 luckily the state legislature has come in and they've they've 107 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,600 peeled away some of those regulatory burdens that have been 108 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,839 blocking it. But people aren't. They don't want to leave 109 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,839 their property because they're getting robbed, right, people will come 110 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,600 through and loot the property, and they want to be 111 00:05:53,639 --> 00:05:56,120 able to work on their house. And so, like you 112 00:05:56,199 --> 00:05:57,839 just said, like I had not heard, and I've been 113 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,680 I mean, I lived up there for eight years and 114 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,040 I've been reading a lot and covering a lot of 115 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,560 it over the last but eighty days, eighty three days, 116 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:10,800 and I've not heard front door, back door kitchen as 117 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,240 sort of a first order But it makes total sense 118 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:14,000 now that you say it. 119 00:06:14,959 --> 00:06:17,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll leave it to the Baptist. They're the ones 120 00:06:17,079 --> 00:06:20,160 who did the study and came up with that information 121 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,959 because they're there. Yeah, as a person of faith, that's 122 00:06:23,959 --> 00:06:27,399 who I am. Obviously. It's just great to see all 123 00:06:27,519 --> 00:06:31,759 the churches there not be myopic and coming together and 124 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,319 working together, and many of them are Baptist churches, but 125 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,879 others as well, and they've come up with this very 126 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,600 practical piece of information, and you know, in some cases 127 00:06:40,639 --> 00:06:43,439 they don't have to redo the building codes. The structure 128 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,639 is basically there. Again, what they need is just a 129 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,959 front door back door in their kitchen and they can 130 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,759 get back in and then over time reproduce the necessary 131 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,120 other elements in their house. But this is just a 132 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:57,480 basic living condition that we can meet with our gifts 133 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:58,480 to this campaign. 134 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,079 Speaker 1: So what other organizations are you partnered up with up 135 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,199 there in western North Carolina. I'm aware of the Hearts 136 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:11,439 with Hands organization and obviously Samaritan's Purse. I think Baptists 137 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,439 on Mission is a big one that's doing a lot 138 00:07:13,439 --> 00:07:14,879 of work as well. But I mean all of the 139 00:07:14,959 --> 00:07:19,439 churches it has been amazing and teaming up with like 140 00:07:19,439 --> 00:07:22,519 like far left and progressive types of you know, non 141 00:07:22,639 --> 00:07:26,959 Christian types of organizations. Everybody's just kind of they're all 142 00:07:26,959 --> 00:07:28,680 doing what they have to do. So who are some 143 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,839 of your partners up there? Do you have any names 144 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:31,199 for us? 145 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 2: Yeah? Well, the ones you just mentioned are all ones 146 00:07:35,199 --> 00:07:38,319 that we have been in conversation with and are talking with. 147 00:07:38,639 --> 00:07:40,959 But honestly, Pete, the way we're doing this is a 148 00:07:40,959 --> 00:07:44,560 little bit different on the organizations here in Charlotte, those 149 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,199 seven vulnerable communities with which we've been working over the 150 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:50,759 last years, they have people there that they know, and 151 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,000 I'm doing it probably more relationship to relationship. For example, 152 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,720 one of our partners just through a huge Christmas party 153 00:07:57,959 --> 00:08:00,959 at J. D. Williams Elementary School Wanna Noah, which is 154 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,959 one of those cities has wiped out. Four hundred kids 155 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,800 were there. They were able to get presents for themselves 156 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,319 and for one of their family members. The administrators, the 157 00:08:10,439 --> 00:08:12,800 teachers who are on the front lines of trauma care 158 00:08:12,879 --> 00:08:15,879 for those kids. We gave them Christmas presents as well, 159 00:08:15,959 --> 00:08:17,920 said you don't worry about it, We're providing that for 160 00:08:17,959 --> 00:08:20,319 you this year. Well, then the next step is, since 161 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,360 we built those relationships with those people, we're going to 162 00:08:23,399 --> 00:08:25,879 go back to them and say, let us know people 163 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,199 in your school who have lost these different things like 164 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,360 their front door, back door kitchen, and we'll step in 165 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:36,679 and person to person, relationship to relationship will help restore them. 166 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:39,200 And that helps eliminate a lot of the red tape 167 00:08:39,399 --> 00:08:41,720 and how it allows us to put one hundred percent 168 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,000 of these proceeds into the actual need. So it's a 169 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,120 little bit of both it's with organizations, it's also person 170 00:08:48,159 --> 00:08:48,639 to person. 171 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's not just monetary I see on the 172 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,159 website as well, people can actually get involved. So are 173 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,559 there opportunities for people and idea I just see you 174 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,399 got volunteer opportunities. Are you like sending people up there 175 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,799 to actually do the sweat equity, you know, to do 176 00:09:08,879 --> 00:09:11,720 the work themselves or is it is it a preference 177 00:09:11,879 --> 00:09:14,519 for the money so you can hand it off to 178 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,679 the people that are already boots on the ground. 179 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:19,799 Speaker 2: Well, it's a little bit of both. We've actually sent 180 00:09:19,879 --> 00:09:21,960 over one hundred people up there boots on the ground 181 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,120 with volunteers through Moments of Hope Church, but we've been 182 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:29,000 mostly working with Samaritan's Purse there. Mart Noonan who's West 183 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,600 Boulevard Ministry on the website, you can see what he's 184 00:09:31,799 --> 00:09:34,519 doing there as well. He's willing to take some people 185 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:38,360 up there as they may want to go. Also, Josh Meadows, 186 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,679 who does the neighborhood Hope on the east side of 187 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:43,320 town in the vulnerable community, he's willing to take some 188 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,440 people up there. He's taking about one hundred folks up 189 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,559 there as well, just you know, dealing with basic needs 190 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,240 that people have, so it's they both and but I 191 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,960 would say right now, probably the greatest gift is simply 192 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,360 the funding because a lot of people are still there. 193 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,480 We just got to get the money to them to 194 00:09:58,519 --> 00:10:00,159 supply the needs that people have. 195 00:10:00,639 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: Right in every dollar moments that people donate, they hear 196 00:10:04,519 --> 00:10:07,759 this interview. Every dollar they donate's going to get matched 197 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,240 by the Moments of Hope Church. Correct. 198 00:10:10,799 --> 00:10:13,399 Speaker 2: Yes, we've given one hundred thousand dollars as a matching 199 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,159 gift to the Charlotte listeners through WBT and other places. 200 00:10:17,519 --> 00:10:21,960 And your gift immediately one dollar becomes two, two becomes four, 201 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,399 one hundred becomes two hundred. Yesterday was so wonderful, Pete. 202 00:10:26,399 --> 00:10:29,279 Somebody gave us ten thousand dollars, Oh my god, Immediately 203 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,440 that becomes twenty thousand dollars. Obviously, another person gave seven 204 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,000 thousand yesterday that became fourteen thousand. So that's what's allowed 205 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,200 us to get to now fifty percent. And a lot 206 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,240 of people during that last week of the year are 207 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,759 looking at ways to not let Uncle Sam get their 208 00:10:42,799 --> 00:10:45,360 dollars but go to something that really is of help 209 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,799 to people, and this is an opportunity for that to 210 00:10:47,799 --> 00:10:50,120 happen before December thirty first. 211 00:10:50,519 --> 00:10:53,399 Speaker 1: Well, and also it is one of the lessons these disasters, 212 00:10:53,519 --> 00:10:57,120 especially of the magnitude that we've seen in western North Carolina, 213 00:10:57,159 --> 00:10:59,440 that they teach is that you know, you are the 214 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,360 first response under your neighbors, your community, your church. These 215 00:11:02,399 --> 00:11:04,600 are the first responders. These are the people that live 216 00:11:04,639 --> 00:11:08,639 there and you live with, and we are the ones 217 00:11:08,639 --> 00:11:10,679 who are going to be able to provide the most 218 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,879 immediate relief. You know, whatever happens with the funding and 219 00:11:13,919 --> 00:11:17,519 the Femius stuff and all of that that's on a delay, 220 00:11:17,639 --> 00:11:22,120 this is the immediate response. And yeah, and it really 221 00:11:22,159 --> 00:11:25,919 has been awesome to see groups like Moments of Ope 222 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,960 Church and you and all of the others that have 223 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,159 that have risen to the need. It's just amazing talking 224 00:11:32,159 --> 00:11:34,559 to people out there. There's there are many people from 225 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,159 all over the country and even from Canada that are 226 00:11:38,159 --> 00:11:39,879 coming down to help them. It's been amazing. 227 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, Pete, that's a great point. And the bottom line is, 228 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,919 you know, we're almost their neighbors. So many of us 229 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,879 love to go to the mountain area and enjoy them, 230 00:11:49,919 --> 00:11:53,600 especially during the spring and fall time periods. They're our neighbors, 231 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:57,200 and any know from my religious faith perspective, the Lord 232 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,440 told me to love my neighbor as I love myself, 233 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,919 and then I've as myself, Well, what would I feel 234 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,799 like if I lost everything and everything was washed away 235 00:12:05,919 --> 00:12:09,360 and within an hour or so I would feel hopeless. 236 00:12:09,399 --> 00:12:11,600 I would want people to feel empathy toward me and 237 00:12:11,639 --> 00:12:13,320 to come and help me. And I think that's what 238 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,480 has been created. There's a real empathy in people's hearts. 239 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,879 What if that had been me? What if that had 240 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:21,720 happened to me? And then if that's my neighbor within 241 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,440 a two hour drive of here, then I'm responsible, at 242 00:12:24,519 --> 00:12:27,480 least at some level for stepping into that space and 243 00:12:27,519 --> 00:12:29,080 caring as best I can. 244 00:12:29,799 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: It is through tragedies like this that we are called 245 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,519 to serve and I think a lot of people recognize that. 246 00:12:37,639 --> 00:12:39,799 And was it mister Rogers who you know, said look 247 00:12:39,799 --> 00:12:40,480 for the helpers? 248 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:43,519 Speaker 2: Yeah, and yeah. 249 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 1: That's that's always been so ever since I heard it, 250 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,159 that's what I always try to do. And it has 251 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,080 been really great to see the amount of people that 252 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,679 have risen up to help. So I thank you for 253 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:57,960 what you're doing and the moments of hope Church is 254 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,000 doing and you guys have done, and I think you've 255 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,919 you know, you're you're pointed in the right direction. I 256 00:13:02,919 --> 00:13:03,600 think so. 257 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 2: Well, we're trying to be the hands and seat of 258 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,039 the one who created us. And again that question, if 259 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,120 not me, who, And so if anybody's out there listening 260 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:14,919 right now feels a way of wanting to care. This 261 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,559 is a way go to cityof HOOPECLT dot org. And 262 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,080 you might not be able to go yourself, maybe because 263 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:21,960 of age or stage of life. But you know what, 264 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,840 when you send your dollars, you're sending yourself those hard 265 00:13:24,879 --> 00:13:27,320 earned dollars that you worked for. When you send your dollars, 266 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,879 you're sending yourself. So this is a way that you 267 00:13:29,919 --> 00:13:31,519 can actually be involved in help. 268 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,799 Speaker 1: Pastor David Chadwick, Moments of Hope Church, thank you very 269 00:13:34,879 --> 00:13:37,120 much for your time, sir, I appreciate it. Merry Christmas 270 00:13:37,159 --> 00:13:40,720 and have a great weekend. And again thanks for doing 271 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,879 this work that you do. We appreciate. I appreciate it. 272 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 2: Well. Thank you, Pete. Merry Christmas to you and all 273 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:46,080 your listeners. 274 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,639 Speaker 1: Thanks sir. That's David Chadwick from Moments of Hope Church. 275 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,480 Again the website City of Hope, CLT dot org. So 276 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,200 if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. 277 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:56,879 For over a month now, I have been reminding you 278 00:13:56,919 --> 00:14:00,559 to preserve your precious photos and slides, films, and tapes 279 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:04,000 with Creative Video based in mint Hill. These family heirlooms 280 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,840 hold priceless stories, moments from years past that are irreplaceable. 281 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,200 If you've thought about saving these memories before they fade away, 282 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,919 you are not alone. This is Creative Video's busiest season, 283 00:14:15,039 --> 00:14:17,360 and with the holidays fast approaching, there is no better 284 00:14:17,399 --> 00:14:20,720 time than right now, So you need to hurry. Imagine 285 00:14:20,759 --> 00:14:25,200 the perfect holiday gift. Memories from past family events captured forever. 286 00:14:25,519 --> 00:14:29,679 Creative Video skilled team will professionally transfer your family stories 287 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,399 onto easy to use USB drives or DVDs that won't 288 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,240 deteriorate over time, like the old photos and tapes are 289 00:14:36,279 --> 00:14:39,919 doing right now. Picture it sitting together after a holiday meal, 290 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,200 watching these family favorites, sharing laughs, shedding a few tears, 291 00:14:44,279 --> 00:14:47,559 and telling the stories that make your family uniquely yours. 292 00:14:47,919 --> 00:14:50,600 Get your memories in now and beat the holiday rush. 293 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,759 Visit create a Video dot Com to learn more. That's 294 00:14:53,919 --> 00:14:59,399 Create a Video dot Com. Kirk said that that dismissal 295 00:14:59,519 --> 00:15:02,519 of Frank the caller was the nicest dismissal of a 296 00:15:02,559 --> 00:15:11,120 dumbass I have ever heard. Well, it is Christmas, you know, so, 297 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,559 Dennis says, I am sure going to miss spending my 298 00:15:13,639 --> 00:15:17,120 three hours each day being entertained by you. No, met Oh, 299 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,840 it's a whamaclown. Now I'm here to amuse you. Is 300 00:15:19,879 --> 00:15:22,120 that what? No, No, matter where you go over the 301 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:23,759 next two weeks, I hope you have a ton of fun. 302 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,600 As long as there's not a Mecklenburg County Sheriff's car 303 00:15:28,759 --> 00:15:32,799 in your rear view mirror, you should be fine. That's 304 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,320 that's probably true. I'm gonna try my best not to 305 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,799 break anything for the next sixteen days. Merry Christmas, Happy 306 00:15:37,799 --> 00:15:40,320 New Year, and hurry back. Yes, sir, well, I cannot 307 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:42,840 bend the space time continuum, so I will be back 308 00:15:43,399 --> 00:15:48,559 at the normal rate of a day times two weeks. 309 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,000 So that's it. So just next week and the week after. 310 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,519 And look, you're gonna be doing other stuff too, you know, 311 00:15:53,919 --> 00:15:58,080 you got Christmas plans, New Year's whatever. So I'm actually 312 00:15:58,799 --> 00:16:00,600 I'm actually just gonna be doing a lot of stuff. 313 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,440 I've got days. I have filled my days with like 314 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:06,399 lots of things to do that I have to get 315 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,080 done that I haven't been able to get done. Yeah, 316 00:16:10,159 --> 00:16:13,799 that's what I'll be doing. It's not a honeydee list. 317 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,000 It's a me do list. It's like I got a 318 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,799 do list and it's it is very, very lengthy. So 319 00:16:21,799 --> 00:16:24,000 it makes me not like to take vacation days. This 320 00:16:24,039 --> 00:16:26,159 is why I don't take time off. It's because my 321 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:28,519 days off are filled with stuff that I've been putting 322 00:16:28,559 --> 00:16:29,840 off because I didn't want to do it in the 323 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,279 first place. So then I take the day off, I 324 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,960 do all this crummy stuff and I'm like, man, I 325 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,080 hate taking days off. So that's why I don't take 326 00:16:37,159 --> 00:16:38,519 days off. That's why I have so many at the 327 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,480 end of the year. All right. So Swanna Noah residents 328 00:16:44,039 --> 00:16:48,639 add Christmas cheer to overturned truck. After almost three months 329 00:16:48,679 --> 00:16:52,799 of staring at hurricane debris, folks in Swana Noah have 330 00:16:52,919 --> 00:16:56,840 decided to add some Christmas spirit to one particular overturned 331 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,240 container truck on the side of US seventy. By the way, 332 00:17:00,279 --> 00:17:03,039 if you don't know where Swanaoah is, if you take 333 00:17:03,639 --> 00:17:05,799 I forty, which by the way, if you're coming from 334 00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,920 the Charlotte area, it's best to take three twenty one 335 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,960 to forty. I know some people like taking it seventy four. 336 00:17:13,519 --> 00:17:16,000 It's ten miles shorter. Trust me, I made the trip 337 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:20,000 for like five years back and forth every week. I 338 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,519 can tell you ten miles shorter, but it takes you 339 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:26,200 more time. Now, if you want to stop and you 340 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,000 got errands to run, you want to get some food, 341 00:17:28,039 --> 00:17:30,200 that sort of stuff, then seventy four is going to 342 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:31,920 be a better option because you've got way more stuff 343 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,920 going through Shelby and all that area. But if you're 344 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:38,680 looking to make time three twenty one to forty, well, 345 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:40,880 when you're going up forty, you know how it gets 346 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,640 all windy and twisty as you go up the Intercontinental Divide. 347 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,039 That's what that is. As you're going up the twisty part. Well, 348 00:17:48,079 --> 00:17:50,839 Swannaoah is right on the right hand side there. You 349 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,480 know Old Fort. You've seen the signs for well, well, 350 00:17:53,519 --> 00:17:55,720 the sign fell down. Never mind, there was a big 351 00:17:55,759 --> 00:18:00,559 sign there for the Old Fort like business park, which 352 00:18:00,599 --> 00:18:02,759 was weird because then the sign kind of like halfway 353 00:18:02,799 --> 00:18:05,319 collapsed and they had cows walking all around it. So 354 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,960 that was But anyway, it's right near Old Fort. I 355 00:18:09,039 --> 00:18:14,599 did not realize this, it is neither. It's not a 356 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,039 town though, so it's not like in court or Yeah, 357 00:18:18,279 --> 00:18:21,799 it has no city council, and so this is a 358 00:18:21,839 --> 00:18:24,640 problem anyway. So Lindsey Banks writes about this for the 359 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,880 Charlotte Ledger in the Mountain Updates newsletter. They don't know 360 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,359 who set up the display, and they don't know where 361 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,559 the power is coming from or who's providing it. I 362 00:18:36,559 --> 00:18:39,559 should say, it's all still a mystery. She says. It 363 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,480 started as a strand of multicolored lights strung up on 364 00:18:43,519 --> 00:18:45,799 the underside of the truck because it's turned over on 365 00:18:45,839 --> 00:18:48,359 its side, so you can see like the axle and 366 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,079 all of the underneath of the truck, and so somebody 367 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:55,799 strung up some lights on that thing. It hasn't been 368 00:18:55,839 --> 00:19:00,200 moved since Hurricane Helene. And now the display has grown 369 00:19:00,319 --> 00:19:04,359 to include a couple of spiral Christmas trees, a blow 370 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:09,720 up Christmas gnome, a couple of candy canes are hung 371 00:19:09,799 --> 00:19:12,559 up on there, and the lights stay on twenty four 372 00:19:12,599 --> 00:19:18,440 to seven. So it's the Bunkop County area of Swanaoah. 373 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:20,720 It's not a town or a city, so I guess 374 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,160 it's not incorporated, so it does not have any elected 375 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,279 group of officials that you could go ask. So everybody's 376 00:19:26,319 --> 00:19:28,799 asking who is supposed to clean up all of this 377 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,680 debris and who's supposed to clean this up. That's one 378 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,279 of the reasons why Swananoah still hasn't had the kind 379 00:19:35,319 --> 00:19:39,400 of work done. There's no local government there. Those driving 380 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,279 to and from work and school or running errands have 381 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,079 had to look at the scattered reminders of Helene every 382 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,480 day since September twenty seventh, including clothing and toys, caked 383 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:56,000 and mud mangled vehicles, uprooted trees and branches, scraps of 384 00:19:56,039 --> 00:19:58,759 wood and metal, and all sorts of other building materials. 385 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,079 The crumbs of Helene's devastation have been piled up on 386 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,759 the sides of roads and the Swananoah River bank for months, 387 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:12,319 and this particular box truck with the floodwaters left near 388 00:20:12,599 --> 00:20:17,640 that the floodwaters left near Beacon Village in Swannanoah has 389 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:22,359 become sort of a landmark this holiday season. Whoever is 390 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,839 the creator, whoever is supplying the power is unknown. There's 391 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,599 a photographer named Ray Castillo Junior has been capturing images 392 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,759 of the aftermath of Helene on the Facebook and he 393 00:20:33,799 --> 00:20:36,160 took a photo of the box truck with all of 394 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,039 the lights on it. Lindsay Banks says she tried to 395 00:20:40,039 --> 00:20:43,960 call nearby businesses, and the theory is that it maybe 396 00:20:44,039 --> 00:20:47,000 was set up by the woman whose house used to 397 00:20:47,079 --> 00:20:49,799 be behind where the truck ended up, but the house 398 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,039 was destroyed, so they got a number for the woman, 399 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,359 and Lindsay Banks called that woman, but the inbox was 400 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,720 not even set up, so she couldn't even leave a message. 401 00:21:00,839 --> 00:21:04,839 Just down the road, in the parking lot of Athens Pizza, 402 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,039 which is still closed, a massive evergreen tree has been 403 00:21:08,079 --> 00:21:11,079 decorated with fifteen hundred feet of lights by friends and 404 00:21:11,079 --> 00:21:15,039 neighbors of Swana Noah That's a local group. A Facebook 405 00:21:15,039 --> 00:21:16,960 post calls the tree a beacon of hope for the 406 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:20,640 community and assigned to all who drive by on I 407 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,240 forty that Swanna Noah's spirit remains strong. So if you 408 00:21:24,279 --> 00:21:27,119 are driving up there and you see that Christmas tree 409 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,519 from I forty, that's what you're looking at. Bank says, 410 00:21:31,559 --> 00:21:33,519 my mother has lived in the area her whole life 411 00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:36,200 and drives by that truck every day. She told me 412 00:21:36,599 --> 00:21:40,039 the day that it's hauled away will be a symbolic one, 413 00:21:40,319 --> 00:21:43,039 not because people have grown attached to the Christmas display, 414 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,839 but because it'll be a big step in the area's recovery. 415 00:21:46,039 --> 00:21:51,799 When that truck vanishes, so will a little of the sadness. Finally, 416 00:21:51,839 --> 00:21:56,240 somebody has come to clean up Helene's mess. All right, hey, 417 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,559 real quick, if you would like to get your product 418 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,839 or service in front of about ten thousand people multiple 419 00:22:01,839 --> 00:22:04,319 times a day, send me an email at Pete at 420 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,759 the Pete calendarshow dot com and ask me about advertising. 421 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:11,480 It's super affordable, it's baked into this podcast forever, and 422 00:22:11,599 --> 00:22:14,880 podcasts have a higher conversion rate than other social media platforms, 423 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,119 making it the best bang for your buck. Send me 424 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,359 a message Pete at Thepete calendarshow dot com and I 425 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,079 can show you how it works. Run the numbers with 426 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,640 you again. That's Pete at the peteclendershow dot com. Let 427 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,720 me jump over here and let's talk to Alan real quick. 428 00:22:29,759 --> 00:22:32,720 Hello Alan, Welcome to the shoe Pete. 429 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 3: How are you? 430 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:33,559 Speaker 2: Hey? 431 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,759 Speaker 1: I'm good? What's up good? 432 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 3: I just want to give me a happy Christmas story 433 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:44,240 ver Swanna noah, okay okay o, says Shriners here in 434 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:49,079 Charlotte as Sam several times of supplies up there because 435 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,920 we know that they're hard hit at not getting the assertions. 436 00:22:53,839 --> 00:22:58,000 But this Saturday morning at nine o'clock at the fire 437 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,119 station bringing in loads of toys to give back to 438 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:11,039 the children. That's water no nice. Plus we're also hitting Burnsville, Bakersville, 439 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,759 Mars Hill, and Delle Rio, Tennessee. They're all in the 440 00:23:16,799 --> 00:23:17,680 same shape. 441 00:23:17,799 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. There, I was going to say, you're picking the 442 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:20,240 worst hit areas. 443 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,799 Speaker 3: It sounds like, well, that's where we've been in the 444 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:30,039 supplies and yeah, we've received toys from Vermont, Atlanta and 445 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,839 all over the United States, plus locally, so we've got 446 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,119 about forty thousand dollars worth of toys we're taking that bear. 447 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,559 Speaker 1: That's great, Alan, thank you for sharing that. I appreciate it. 448 00:23:41,599 --> 00:23:44,960 Thanks for serving the community and for doing that project 449 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,079 with your Shriners Club. That's awesome. 450 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,640 Speaker 3: Thank you, and appreciate being able to tell you back. 451 00:23:51,759 --> 00:23:53,759 Speaker 1: Yes, sir, Merry Christmas to you and yours. 452 00:23:54,839 --> 00:23:55,559 Speaker 3: Merry Christmas. 453 00:23:55,599 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: All right, take care. That's great. There's a ton of 454 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,160 toy drives that have been going on which have been fantastic. 455 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,440 It's gonna be tough. This is gonna be a very 456 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,960 difficult Christmas for a lot of people. There was an 457 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,720 anonymous secret Santa. Did you see this story? CBS news 458 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:20,000 reporter Steve Hartman followed a secret Santa around Avery County 459 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:25,480 where he was passing out one hundred dollars bills. I 460 00:24:25,519 --> 00:24:31,960 don't know if he had security, but the WBTV story 461 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:36,799 there a CBS affiliate. The county was one of dozens 462 00:24:36,799 --> 00:24:40,119 across western North Carolina that sustained major damage due to 463 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:45,960 Hurricane Helene. Cameras captured the beardless and far from overweight. 464 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,799 Why would you say overweight there? Like, come on, far 465 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:57,400 from portly? Right, exactly, far from portly? What did you 466 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,200 think I was gonna say, far from ob No, far 467 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,160 from fat Santa? All right, So it's a thinbeardless Anta. 468 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,039 He's walking around house to house, business to business, giving 469 00:25:08,079 --> 00:25:11,319 out cash. Sometimes it was to random strangers. Sometimes it 470 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,680 was to people that he knew that had a need, 471 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,759 and he said, that's the gift. Each year, this businessman 472 00:25:17,799 --> 00:25:20,640 gives away one hundred thousand dollars one hundred dollars bills. 473 00:25:20,759 --> 00:25:23,880 God bless him. All right, that'll do it for this episode. 474 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:25,960 Thank you so much for listening. I could not do 475 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,160 the show without your support. And the support of the 476 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,240 businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, 477 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:33,480 please support them too and tell them you heard it here. 478 00:25:33,599 --> 00:25:36,119 You can also become a patron at my Patreon page 479 00:25:36,279 --> 00:25:39,799 or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so 480 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:47,480 much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.