February 2026

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:18] Speaker B: Well, good morning, everyone, and welcome to the February edition of the Chamber Chat. Boy, Dan, you made it just right. [00:00:24] Speaker C: I am here. [00:00:25] Speaker B: Well, you know, February is the month of love, dog. Doc Sherwood got some big plans for you. [00:00:30] Speaker C: Yeah, he's gonna go fish and. No, well, I think. I'm sure we'll get there. We just went to Philadelphia. [00:00:39] Speaker B: Oh, you did? Oh, the city of love. [00:00:41] Speaker C: The brotherly love. So there we go. We went to the brotherly love place. [00:00:44] Speaker B: Well, my pastor husband and I would be going to a church dinner for Valentine. Just us and 50 intimate guests. That's what Brother Joe's gonna be with his wife, too, I'm sure. So anyway, so such is my life. But I love the whole bunch, so it's okay. [00:00:59] Speaker C: Right? Right. [00:01:00] Speaker A: So. [00:01:00] Speaker B: So, Jen, talking about love. Oh, you're gonna be so excited about this. So, you know, not too long ago, we had the off the Beaten Path. [00:01:06] Speaker C: Studio tour, which I do love. [00:01:09] Speaker B: I know you do, but Louis Colomborini and Kathy Reed Nelson's here this morning to give away the prizes that everybody registered for. [00:01:18] Speaker C: I'm so excited. And look at this. Beautiful. So those on the radio, go ahead and describe what you have and tell. [00:01:26] Speaker B: Us how the event went this year. [00:01:27] Speaker C: This is one of yours? [00:01:29] Speaker D: Yes, it is. It's a collaborative piece that Christine and I both worked on. It is a primitive, fired, lidded form that can be used to store things or just admire. [00:01:41] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness. [00:01:42] Speaker B: Well, I'm admiring it right now. [00:01:43] Speaker C: I'm admiring it, too. [00:01:44] Speaker B: So what else you have here? Black onyx and sterling necklace and earrings. [00:01:50] Speaker C: It would look so good on my neck right now, today. I think I need that. [00:01:56] Speaker B: We're pathetic. Are you in the bag? [00:02:00] Speaker E: There's only two names. There's just two names. There's a lot of them. There's only two names. [00:02:04] Speaker C: I don't know how that happened. [00:02:06] Speaker B: So what we're doing this morning, we have a pastor here at the table, so he's gonna do the drawing because Jen and I apparently can't be trusted. [00:02:12] Speaker A: Right? [00:02:12] Speaker B: Yeah, we like this stuff way too much. Let me go through here and see. No, we wouldn't do that. But we'd be tempted, so we're not gonna do that. But anyway, did you have a great year this year? [00:02:22] Speaker D: It was a good year. Everybody seemed to be happy with the results. That would be last year. This year was. [00:02:28] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. We sort of flipped into 2020. [00:02:30] Speaker C: So it was the last weekend of November or last week of October, and. [00:02:35] Speaker D: 10 to 4 or 10 to 5 each day. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And we're gonna keep it the last weekend in October and the same hour so people will remember a lot of things. [00:02:46] Speaker B: I love that. It makes it so easy. [00:02:47] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. And it's amazing the number of people who travel from over. I mean, it is so such a wonderful event for people to enjoy. [00:02:57] Speaker A: Yes. [00:02:57] Speaker D: It's very unique. We have visitors that come, like you say, from all over. Family will invite their relatives or friends, and they'll come just for that because it's so interesting and special and a. [00:03:09] Speaker B: Real adventure and one of a kind thing. [00:03:12] Speaker C: Yes. [00:03:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:03:13] Speaker C: Good. Good Christmas shopping going on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:03:16] Speaker B: So are we ready to do a drawing here? [00:03:19] Speaker A: Yes. [00:03:20] Speaker B: Okay, we'll hand it over here. We'll pass it over to the pastor. [00:03:22] Speaker C: Oh, it's heavy. There's all. Oh, my God. [00:03:26] Speaker B: Okay, give it a good shake over there, Brother Chad. [00:03:28] Speaker E: There's a lot of. Pretty heavy. [00:03:30] Speaker B: Yeah, no, don't be looking. So every wife not being there. [00:03:34] Speaker C: So every location, there's what, 14? [00:03:38] Speaker D: I brought a little. This is last year's postcard brochure. There are just under 30 stops. No, 15 stops with 30. [00:03:48] Speaker A: Yes. [00:03:48] Speaker C: So all of these that we're drawing from are people who had the opportunity to put their name in at any one of those stops or as many. [00:03:56] Speaker B: Times as they were. [00:03:57] Speaker C: Oh, stop. In the ballad. [00:04:00] Speaker D: I might also. I might also mention that if anybody's interested in signing up as a guest list on our website, off the beaten path tour.com, they can do that. And that way they'll get a brochure or notice when it's coming around. [00:04:14] Speaker C: And I get an email highlighting different artists upon occasion. And I love that email. That kind of year round is allowing people to stay connected and feel. Feel like they're seeing what. What neat things happen. Not just that weekend, but all the time. [00:04:32] Speaker B: So what are we drawing for first? [00:04:35] Speaker D: Either or. [00:04:36] Speaker B: Okay, so let's go for the lovely pottery. [00:04:39] Speaker F: All right. [00:04:39] Speaker B: Brother Chad, what do you got? [00:04:41] Speaker E: Sue's. I'm just kidding. Pam, Charles. Pam Charles from downtown Tennessee. [00:04:47] Speaker B: Oh, I can walk it to him. Okay, so, Pam, you want Charles. [00:04:55] Speaker C: We are golden. I know, Pam. [00:04:58] Speaker B: You do? [00:04:58] Speaker G: I do. [00:04:59] Speaker C: She and her husband are both retired helicopter pilots. [00:05:04] Speaker G: Black. [00:05:05] Speaker B: She's going to love that. [00:05:06] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, she'll love it. [00:05:07] Speaker B: Okay, so now we got the black onyx necklace and earrings. And earrings set. [00:05:12] Speaker E: A full set. [00:05:13] Speaker B: Full set. [00:05:13] Speaker E: Linda Human from Lebanon, Tennessee. [00:05:17] Speaker B: Oh, congratulations. One local and one right over there in Wilson. [00:05:21] Speaker C: Right, Great. There you go. It looks very legible, like you'll be able to Get a hold of them. [00:05:26] Speaker D: I want to thank you for this opportunity to bring it to light and get these out the door. We should have done it a lot sooner, but it is what it is. Better late than never. [00:05:37] Speaker B: Well, I'm opportunity getting to know these wonderful artists. Aren't you. We've known Louis forever. [00:05:42] Speaker C: I tell you, I know both of you for a long time, but that's great. It's so great to have you and thank you. Off the Beaten Path also does some fabulous things throughout the year that gives back to children. And as. As an artist group, you all are just an important part of our. The fabric of our community. So thank you very much. [00:06:06] Speaker D: Very much. Thank you. [00:06:08] Speaker B: Well, be careful of that messy weather out this morning. [00:06:10] Speaker C: Yeah. You know, they said it was just cloudy in Nashville and maybe some precipitation. I'm like, you're so wrong. [00:06:18] Speaker B: You're so wrong. [00:06:19] Speaker H: Yeah. [00:06:19] Speaker B: At least it's not snow, Jen. [00:06:21] Speaker C: That's right. [00:06:22] Speaker B: Okay, so, Jen, we're switching the program around. [00:06:24] Speaker C: Okay. [00:06:25] Speaker B: So instead of starting with our new members, because brother Chad's being difficult this morning. He needs to be somewhere busy. [00:06:30] Speaker E: Difficult. Very difficult. Very difficult. [00:06:34] Speaker B: He's awesome. We love Butterhead. We let him do whatever he wants. [00:06:36] Speaker C: He doesn't look like he's being dis. [00:06:38] Speaker B: No, it's probably. I'm projecting. [00:06:40] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:06:41] Speaker E: Yes. She's very frustrated about this Valentine's dinner. She just doesn't want to say it out loud. [00:06:46] Speaker B: So, yeah, I'm thinking there ought to be something, you know. [00:06:49] Speaker C: You know, we'll have our therapy session later. [00:06:51] Speaker E: If you show up to church and there's nobody there and it's just one table, you're like, that's it, that's it. That's it. Romance in the fellowship hall. [00:07:02] Speaker B: That's being so romantic. What'd I get from marrying a pastor? [00:07:08] Speaker I: Right? [00:07:08] Speaker C: Right. [00:07:09] Speaker B: Okay. Oh, let me say I did not marry a pastor. He became that after you created a pastor. [00:07:15] Speaker A: Pastor. [00:07:16] Speaker B: Me and Jesus created a pastor. [00:07:18] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:19] Speaker B: He did not start out that way. Okay. Moving, riding along. [00:07:25] Speaker E: Show my end. [00:07:26] Speaker B: Okay, so my little mean streaks popped up this morning. All my other guests are gonna be scared to get on now. Okay, Brother Ted, what's going on in church world? [00:07:35] Speaker E: Just, you know, like, all of us trying to survive this weather lately. It has been. But we're excited that, you know, it looks like we finally get to meet in person again and not have to plow through snow or ice to get there. So that's all. All good. I'm really excited about something that's going to our Church, we are right in the midst of opening up the harvester. Last couple months ago, we were able to purchase the harvester from Bert and had a good time doing that. And basically some of our groves. [00:08:10] Speaker C: My head was still at plowing snow and harvester. I'm like, wait, do you really think you needed a snow plow? I mean, it doesn't happen then. Oh, there you go. [00:08:22] Speaker E: There you go. But so, like, it's a great facility, and right now our students are using it on Wednesday night, and then the adults are. We're creating some space in there for the adults to be there on Sunday mornings and hoping to have that all up and running sometime early March. But the nice part about that is. And one of the things we want to let the community know is it's not just going to be just for us. The one thing we want to be very careful of this time was not just take something away from the community so that it affected the church, but also that the community could still use it for events or whatever. So we're going to continue to offer that service to the community where they can come and rent it or whatever they need to for a space. It's a nice space. [00:09:05] Speaker C: Yeah. It's a beautiful space. And it already has church pews. [00:09:08] Speaker E: Yeah. So, you know, half of it was already there. [00:09:11] Speaker C: Right, right. [00:09:11] Speaker E: But we are. That's hoping to get started up in. In March at some time. So I've learned with construction, be patient with timelines, stay tuned. [00:09:22] Speaker B: Right. [00:09:23] Speaker E: Yeah. But we're. That's something that is happening in our church. We're excited with all that going on, a lot of just mission trips. We just got back from mission trip in Pigeon Forge and other mission trips. We got set up to Germany and other places this year, so just, you know, get plugged into a local church, get plugged into missions, but also just want to let the community know that the harvester will be available very soon. So. Yeah. [00:09:47] Speaker A: Awesome. [00:09:47] Speaker B: Hey, the name still works. [00:09:49] Speaker E: That's what we said. We're like, all we're gonna do is add Smithville FBC next to it. [00:09:53] Speaker C: Gather. Gather the. [00:09:55] Speaker B: That's biblical. There you go. [00:09:56] Speaker E: There you go. So. And we'll be praying for your Valentine's dinner, so hopefully it goes very well. [00:10:02] Speaker B: My husband comes up with something fabulous. [00:10:04] Speaker E: And different, so, you know. [00:10:06] Speaker B: Okay. I can't really complain. He cooks dinner for me every night. [00:10:09] Speaker E: Is that a date? [00:10:09] Speaker F: I know he won't. [00:10:10] Speaker B: Yeah, I guess he's gonna say, you know, you do this like 350. How many dates have been here? [00:10:15] Speaker E: Yes. [00:10:15] Speaker B: 350 something. [00:10:16] Speaker C: 65. [00:10:18] Speaker E: Sometimes you might need. You might need to remind him what a date looks like. You know, like, you know, just Waffle House or something. [00:10:27] Speaker B: Going over to cook. Well, going to Cane's. [00:10:29] Speaker E: I mean, you know, for some people, that's. That's a big deal. [00:10:33] Speaker B: That's a big deal. [00:10:34] Speaker E: You talk to my daughter? If I took her to Cane's, that's a. [00:10:36] Speaker B: That's a big deal. [00:10:37] Speaker E: It's a win. Win. Yeah. [00:10:38] Speaker C: That's a big check mark. [00:10:39] Speaker E: Yes, yes, yes. Big. [00:10:41] Speaker F: Not so much. [00:10:42] Speaker B: Anyway, I'm gonna get him to give you a call. I'm sure you'll have some brilliant ideas, and maybe for your congregation this Sunday you can give out some ideas for you. [00:10:50] Speaker E: We'll step it up. And you get to huddle House this time. [00:10:55] Speaker B: Y' all are crazy. Forget that I asked y' all for any help. Okay? Now then, Brother Ted, get off to your. Yeah, get off on your trip. Whatever you gotta do. Is Mercedes up next? Oh, come on. Oh, you're gonna. All right, Jen, you're gonna love Mercedes. Don't you love the name already? [00:11:10] Speaker C: I do. [00:11:11] Speaker B: It's like we became best friends in, like, two minutes when she came to the office. She is? Absolutely. [00:11:15] Speaker C: Did Suzanne tell you that her husband drives all over for things like Mercedes? [00:11:20] Speaker H: Oh, no, no. [00:11:22] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness. Do not bring up the car question. [00:11:25] Speaker C: The four wheel things. [00:11:26] Speaker B: Yeah, the four wheel things. [00:11:28] Speaker H: Thank you. Thank you. I'm so good. I'm so happy to be here. I've been excited and waiting. [00:11:33] Speaker B: So, Mercedes, let me see what I'm trying to find here. Nakano. Is that how you pronounce your last name? I'm sure that I butchered that because it's Japanese and I am pure Southern. [00:11:43] Speaker E: Yes. [00:11:44] Speaker B: Yes, you are. [00:11:47] Speaker C: And you're one of our new members that we'd like to highlight for this. [00:11:51] Speaker B: We had so much fun when she came by. I mean, I'm like, I forgot I had to go actually work that day because we just had the biggest time. But she's with Buffalo Health Advisor. She's the insurance bill agent. And what do you want to tell us about that? [00:12:04] Speaker H: Well, I started dabbling into it, doing the training and education back in 2017, until I've been doing it since. It's just a calling, I feel. And it started with me taking care of my mom for 10 years, and I got very familiar with Medicare, the state assistance programs, and this was in California. I'm sorry. [00:12:26] Speaker E: And. [00:12:27] Speaker B: But you're here. But I'm in Here. [00:12:30] Speaker H: And so I, I, I, My whole calling is helping the seniors. Because Medicare is such a confusion. Confusing. [00:12:37] Speaker B: It is. As my grandson says, it's tricky, hard. [00:12:41] Speaker C: Tricky, hard, tricky, hard. [00:12:42] Speaker B: That's what we say. [00:12:44] Speaker H: Everybody has an opinion about it, what to. What to get. And so I try to educate and inform my clients so they can make the decision of what's best for them. I don't tell people what to do. I just give them the info. [00:12:57] Speaker B: Great. [00:12:57] Speaker C: And how might somebody contact you? [00:13:00] Speaker H: My phone number is 931-357-1523. I'm open. I answer the phone, I return tax versus calling an 800 number. It's more personal, and I'm there to really help people. So the, the, the, the positive issue here is that my husband and I, we're both on Medicare, so we know firsthand, you know, how to get around. [00:13:26] Speaker C: Somebody, how to help somebody understand the system. [00:13:28] Speaker H: Right. [00:13:29] Speaker C: Awesome. [00:13:29] Speaker H: Yes. [00:13:29] Speaker C: Well, thank you so much for being a part of the chamber and being here today. [00:13:34] Speaker B: Okay. [00:13:34] Speaker H: Well, I appreciate it. Thank you for the invite. [00:13:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:36] Speaker B: Thanks again. [00:13:37] Speaker C: Have a great day. Be careful out there. [00:13:39] Speaker B: You will love her. [00:13:39] Speaker C: Yes, yes, please call me. [00:13:43] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:13:44] Speaker H: Have a good day. [00:13:44] Speaker C: You too. [00:13:45] Speaker B: So, Jim, we had a few other new members. [00:13:46] Speaker C: Yes. [00:13:47] Speaker B: Look here. The Savage Good Nurse Sons of the Confederate Veterans. [00:13:50] Speaker C: Call me. [00:13:50] Speaker B: They said, we want to join. We go. I want you to join. So they did. I'm so excited about that. The Mercantile Markets of Liberty, let me tell you. [00:13:58] Speaker C: They, I, I have not been there yet, but they came in, they went into the bank, right? [00:14:05] Speaker A: Building. [00:14:05] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:14:06] Speaker B: The former Liberty State Bank. [00:14:07] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:14:07] Speaker I: Yeah. [00:14:08] Speaker B: It is beautiful. [00:14:09] Speaker C: And, and they did the pictures on Facebook. Look like they had such fun stuff. [00:14:14] Speaker B: Well, I gotta tell you about the pictures. So I didn't have anybody to take my picture that the picture that day. [00:14:18] Speaker A: Cheated. [00:14:19] Speaker B: No, I asked my husband. [00:14:20] Speaker C: Oh, God. [00:14:21] Speaker B: And then he ended up spending over $100 in that store. So it's like, really? That's probably what I made for the day. [00:14:28] Speaker C: Maybe it's for your Valentine's present. [00:14:30] Speaker B: No, I already saw it. It had man written all over it. [00:14:33] Speaker C: Okay. [00:14:34] Speaker B: No, well, still gonna be around anyway. [00:14:36] Speaker C: In my house, that's what I get. [00:14:38] Speaker B: Next time I'm calling you to go take the picture. That way, brother Richard will not be able to spend my money. Well, his money, I guess. [00:14:46] Speaker C: We're very proud that they are making great use of that space down downtown Liberty. Everyone just needs to go check it out because. [00:14:53] Speaker B: And they're gonna be doing lot stuff too. I mean, it's, it's just amazing. [00:14:56] Speaker C: It's a great. It's a great space. I'm so glad that the building is getting used and. And I'm so proud for the mercantile markets that they've decided to expand. Well, I mean, this is their. Is this third shop now because they've got Alexandria, Liberty or Gazway. I think Gazway. Y. So good for them. All kinds of good stuff. [00:15:15] Speaker B: Well, talk about new stuff. We got new board members. I know. And one of them is something here. I know. I think I scared him at the first meeting. He's like, what have I gotten into? Because, honestly, the way I act here is pretty much the way I did the meeting. [00:15:32] Speaker A: Right, Tripp? [00:15:32] Speaker C: Yeah. Just about anywhere. [00:15:34] Speaker B: Well, our new board members, Connor Edcock of Middle Tennessee Natural Grassy also was leadership DeKalb last year, class of 2025. [00:15:42] Speaker C: Such a good local person, you know, Lots of. Lots of family in this area. Knows the area very well. [00:15:50] Speaker B: All these young people might be feeling mature. He's mature. Yes. Right? I mean, Tina Abston. [00:15:57] Speaker F: Yes. [00:15:57] Speaker B: I love Tina. She's so sweet. And we already have her on the executive committee. She's gonna be the secretary. Oh, good bless her. [00:16:03] Speaker C: She jumped right in. [00:16:04] Speaker B: Well, she didn't jump. We pushed, but she's with tentaco. Clean air. [00:16:09] Speaker C: Yep. [00:16:11] Speaker B: I was looking at Trump, and he. [00:16:12] Speaker A: Was like. [00:16:15] Speaker B: I'm the numbers guy. [00:16:16] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:16:17] Speaker B: Isaac Gray with Smithville covered in Presbyterian Church. He was appointed, so he got to be elected if he wanted to be. [00:16:23] Speaker C: And he's also a repeat. He's been. This is not even his first. [00:16:26] Speaker B: Oh. Back in 2015 or so. Yeah. [00:16:29] Speaker C: We love Isaac and all the. All the great work. [00:16:31] Speaker B: The Presbyterian decided, you know, since we're going. Isaac, we'll just get another Isaac. [00:16:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:36] Speaker B: Isaac Heller. [00:16:36] Speaker A: Yep. [00:16:37] Speaker B: From Ascension. St. Thomas. [00:16:39] Speaker C: Shipped a cab person. [00:16:40] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:16:41] Speaker B: He's going to be here this morning, but he's under the weather. He'll be here next month. And then our very own. But I was so okay when Jen said, you gotta get Tripp Hess on the board with Star Manufacturing. And then it said vice president of finance. Well, I was just intimidated immediately. I was like, I don't know about this. I'm not sure. Cause that sounds like, ugh, you know, and then I met him, I was like, oh, I love this guy. His mama's a mayor and she loves the Smithville parade in downtown Christmas events. He won me over like, boom. [00:17:16] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:17:16] Speaker C: And we're so glad that Star Manufacturing is represented on the chamber board also. This is. [00:17:21] Speaker B: And on the chamber chat. [00:17:23] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:23] Speaker C: And Here today on the Chamber Chat. [00:17:25] Speaker B: Yeah, well, I just mean every month on the Chamber Chat. That's where you are. [00:17:29] Speaker A: So. [00:17:30] Speaker B: And then also I want to say a big thank you real quick to our 2020. No, no. First we're going to do the 2026 executive board. I've already said Tina's going to be secretary because of all I'm told. Our president is Kathy Hendrickson, very own. [00:17:48] Speaker C: Coco with the DeKalb Library, which people always wonder where that comes from because she's the co host Philippine. She's also like just the runner and goer and so she's. [00:17:59] Speaker A: Oh, my word. [00:17:59] Speaker B: I could not function in this job without her, without Coco. [00:18:02] Speaker C: And she will be make a great president. [00:18:04] Speaker B: Our vice president is Emily Bell from Hosanna Farm. Well, childcare and. And also Camping Kings. She and her family, they're entrepreneurs. They're always. I mean, it's amazing what they do. [00:18:17] Speaker A: Yes. [00:18:18] Speaker B: The treasurer is Isaac Gray Smith will come from Presbyterian. And the secretary is Tina Abstin. As already said, Tina Co Clean Air. And our past president, Shara Edcox, CNS Farms and the realty firm. Does that sound like a great group? [00:18:30] Speaker C: Oh, you're going to have a great year. [00:18:32] Speaker B: And then Ryan Vaden of NHC Healthcare, let's say huge name meeting there every. [00:18:36] Speaker C: Monday feeds us wonderfully. [00:18:39] Speaker A: So. [00:18:40] Speaker B: Okay, so dawn doll was normally scheduled way down here, you see on the program. But she texted, she said I got to be somewhere. So I said, get in here. [00:18:50] Speaker C: And when you get here does not surprise me. [00:18:51] Speaker B: We will. We will get you in. Oh, my goodness. So we're gonna wet hair and all things, you know, just Suzanne sends the last minute message. She comes with her wet hair. Didn't she look fabulous? Even with wedding. Always, always. [00:19:07] Speaker I: We tried to break into the community center last night in Putnam county to see what the damn stage was gonna look like. And you know what we ran into? [00:19:16] Speaker C: No. [00:19:17] Speaker I: Your daughter. [00:19:18] Speaker B: Oh, she's gonna be the host of that. I didn't know that. Oh, say I contacted Chef. [00:19:23] Speaker A: Wait, wait, wait. [00:19:24] Speaker C: Tell us what you're talking about. [00:19:25] Speaker B: Okay. Oh, this is the way I talk to my husband. He'll go now. What are we talking about? I forget to bring the subject. Cause it's already here. [00:19:32] Speaker C: Right, right. [00:19:33] Speaker B: I just start. [00:19:33] Speaker A: Right. [00:19:34] Speaker B: You know, so we are talking about. All right. So one day I got this message from WCTV and they said, I'm building up to it. And they said, we need some blood form in your county that will actually come and dance on live tv. And I went, oh, I got the people. [00:19:52] Speaker C: So WCW is the public radio station in Cookville. [00:19:56] Speaker B: Try to sound unprofessional. [00:19:57] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:19:59] Speaker B: And so I said, I know who will do it. Don Dahl will do it, and Randy Caldwell will do anything for me. He's like, suzanne, I got two left feet. I said, so does that mean you're gonna do it? [00:20:07] Speaker C: And he went. So anyway, so you guys have been practicing forever and ever since October. Since October, yes. And the. [00:20:17] Speaker A: And. [00:20:17] Speaker C: And now it's come the baby dance sale next Thursday. [00:20:21] Speaker B: I've already got my tickets. Beth's going. Shan's gonna be, you know, MCing. My granddaughter Emily's gonna be doing the backstage, I think Sam, my son in law, he said, you know, so is. [00:20:31] Speaker C: It a Dancing with the Stars kind of thing? Tell us what kind of dancing it is. [00:20:35] Speaker I: It really is a Dancing with the Stars. And I'm not sure I'm a star, so, like, let's go with that. I'm from DeKalb county and I'm dancing and that's happening. [00:20:48] Speaker B: Well, you decided to go on this journey of self discovery. So this is part of it. This is part of, you know, learning to dance, learning to be outside, put yourself in front of people. [00:20:59] Speaker C: So. So you'll have to come back and tell us, like, after you have time to process how. Because this is the time of year where people are trying to stick to New Year's resolutions and personal growth. And this just seems like one of those areas that you have excelled. [00:21:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:16] Speaker I: I love you so much. You were great friends. I love these conversations. And this is great. Yes. So Brandy and I are both, like two leaders of this community, and we are taking the stage literally. [00:21:30] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:21:31] Speaker I: And we are doing a very hard dance, and it's very. Going to bring in fundraising, and, like, that's our focus. And we love the whole genre of the whole thing. And yesterday, like, going into the Putnam county, like, community center and, like, convention center. [00:21:56] Speaker B: It's beautiful there, isn't it? [00:21:58] Speaker I: And we had just a great time. And, like, we sat on the stage with your daughter and it was so fun just to, like, sit and, like, do the things. We are trying to bring community to the table. And that's what's so hard about DeKalb county, is that we are so far apart, like just from a linear perspective, and that we have to bring people together. And so that's our goal. And we want people to come out and support us. [00:22:31] Speaker B: And if you want a ticket, you better get going fast. [00:22:33] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:22:36] Speaker B: There'S 20 left. [00:22:37] Speaker I: I think that's over 300 years old, just an FYI. [00:22:40] Speaker B: And this is like. This is Dancing with the Stars, basically. Let's dance is what it's called. Couples from all across the upper Cumberland. The 14 upper Cumberland counties are going to be there. I think that Randy and Dawn are going to be the last ones to dance. Wouldn't that be awful? I think that. [00:22:56] Speaker C: So nervous to get it out of the way. So there's. [00:23:00] Speaker I: There's four things that you can. [00:23:02] Speaker B: I'm so nervous. [00:23:02] Speaker I: There's four things you compete on. [00:23:04] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:04] Speaker I: It's philanthropy, which our goal is to build community. About DeKalb county, obviously. [00:23:11] Speaker H: Right. [00:23:12] Speaker I: So you can donate on the page. And I hate doing that. Just post the holiday there is fan favorite. [00:23:21] Speaker B: Oh, fan favorites. That means DeKalb County. We know who our favorites are going to be. That's right. [00:23:26] Speaker C: We gotta vote. [00:23:26] Speaker B: Even if they. Yeah, we. No matter. [00:23:28] Speaker I: During the competition. Which is live. [00:23:31] Speaker B: Oh. [00:23:32] Speaker C: Televised on. On wcte. [00:23:34] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:23:35] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:23:36] Speaker C: We can tune in. [00:23:39] Speaker I: Jeez. Best costume. [00:23:44] Speaker C: You know, she's gonna rock it. [00:23:46] Speaker I: Yes. I got hives from my actual costume. Actual. Because it's like bedazzled and I don't do that thing. [00:23:53] Speaker C: Oh, it sounds fantastic, though. [00:23:56] Speaker I: And so there's a couple other ways to donate. So please see our website. Please post our things. [00:24:03] Speaker B: Yeah. You can find it on the chamber page. Just click on it and support our local team. And because you know they're gonna be awfully mad at me. [00:24:13] Speaker C: This goes badly. [00:24:16] Speaker I: I love you so much. [00:24:18] Speaker C: Well, best of luck to you. In the gray. I know you and Randy will. Will have a blast. [00:24:24] Speaker I: The song is about fundraising, so just please think about PBS and that whole genre and like, everything that they do from a community perspective as an organization. PBS and wct. [00:24:39] Speaker C: Great. [00:24:40] Speaker B: Thank you. Thanks, Dawn. [00:24:41] Speaker C: Thank you, Dawn. [00:24:42] Speaker B: Be safe. Traveling. [00:24:43] Speaker I: All right, love. [00:24:44] Speaker B: Okay, Jen. So, you know. So the new we've started. [00:24:48] Speaker A: Yes. [00:24:48] Speaker B: I don't know if I broke this to you, but I'm guessing you figured it out. We're going to have industry highlight every month. [00:24:54] Speaker C: Yeah, I love that. [00:24:55] Speaker B: And this month, we brought in the stars. Sorry, the star manufacturing. Oh, my goodness. So, like a couple of weeks ago, I got invited to come out. Jen, thank you for the invite. And with some of the state people and we got to tour. I hadn't done it in a while. The star manufactured. I was like, wow. I mean, it's like a city within city. It's huge. And so many products, so many brands. [00:25:20] Speaker A: Oh, my God. [00:25:20] Speaker C: So many good things going on. [00:25:22] Speaker B: And the people I love the people out there, every single one of them. And three of them are here this morning. [00:25:26] Speaker A: Yes. [00:25:27] Speaker B: Good morning, everybody. You want to introduce everybody? [00:25:30] Speaker C: Sure. Closest to Suzanne is Tess Tripp. Trip Hess, test phone Tess. He goes by Tess. Tripp Hess, who is VP of Finance and he is one who just came on the chamber board. And Kara Davis is our Director of hr and she is in the current leadership decade. [00:25:52] Speaker B: In the community. [00:25:53] Speaker C: And Anthony Brewer, who is director of our operations. Anthony has been with Star for how many years? [00:26:00] Speaker A: 34 years. [00:26:01] Speaker C: 34 years. So thank you all very much for coming and tell us a little bit about what Star manufacturing is up to these days. Anthony, he's the guy. [00:26:14] Speaker E: I would say that Anthony needs to. [00:26:15] Speaker F: Answer this because he's been here for. [00:26:16] Speaker D: 34 years and he's a pillar of consistency. [00:26:19] Speaker B: Well, I know too that Anthony came taught because he led our tour that day. [00:26:22] Speaker C: Yes. [00:26:23] Speaker B: And yeah. [00:26:25] Speaker C: So let's start. Some. Some people may know somebody who works at Star, but there may be folks who don't even know what Star Manufacturing does, what they make, what they make, and who their key customers are. [00:26:39] Speaker D: Star produces and makes commercial cooking equipment. And I'm all. [00:26:43] Speaker B: And if you think of a piece. [00:26:44] Speaker D: Of equipment in an industrial environment, I. [00:26:48] Speaker B: 99% confident it will be made right here in Smithville, Tennessee. I've been in San Francisco, North Dakota. [00:26:55] Speaker D: And you go to eat, just ask. [00:26:57] Speaker B: To go in their kitchen. You will find a piece of equipment. [00:26:59] Speaker D: Made right here in Smithville, Tennessee, which I find amazing after being there for 34 years. [00:27:04] Speaker E: It's one of the only international. [00:27:06] Speaker F: Yeah, it's one of the only places. [00:27:08] Speaker E: In the US that can totally outfit a whole kitchen. [00:27:11] Speaker B: And we want 270 ways to toast bread. [00:27:16] Speaker F: I thought it was 271. [00:27:18] Speaker B: Now, I told my son, I used to be a Barbie doll, now I'm a carby doll. I love carbs. So, yeah, you're starving. [00:27:27] Speaker C: Pension got you covered. [00:27:30] Speaker B: Okay, well, I know you've got eight brands, you said. And he mentioned California. I was in California and I ran in to get some food somewhere and it's in Smithville, Tennessee. Right there under their equipment. Yeah. And of course, you know, I made a scene. But anyway, tell us some more because I think people would be surprised, I mean, about all the things you make. Yeah, I mean, we have customers all across the world. I mean anywhere from your waffle houses. [00:27:58] Speaker H: Taco Bell's, McDonald's, all the big name. [00:28:00] Speaker B: Brands, even down to your local mom. [00:28:03] Speaker H: And pop shops, convenience stores. We outfit all of those. [00:28:06] Speaker C: Your hot dog rollers when you buy a hot dog. [00:28:08] Speaker B: When you buy a hot dog at a convenience store, it's probably coming in off of a Star or APW brand that's made here in Smithville. It makes me proud, doesn't it? [00:28:16] Speaker A: You? [00:28:16] Speaker C: Yes. [00:28:17] Speaker B: I'm like, oh, yep. So, Trip, what do you add to the Bud? Oh, you keep them under the comedy. [00:28:25] Speaker C: Yeah. It's the comic relief of the bunny. Like all finance guys, he's the comic relief. [00:28:32] Speaker F: Comic relief. They don't really talk much. [00:28:36] Speaker B: They don't say, can we do this? You go, uh, we can. He's more like, Well, you know what I found out when I went on the website? [00:28:48] Speaker C: What? [00:28:48] Speaker F: That. [00:28:49] Speaker B: Chef Frank, have you seen that? You've got a blog. [00:28:53] Speaker H: Yes. [00:28:53] Speaker B: So if you click on, you go to Star Manufacturing, you click blog at the top, Chef Frank comes up and gives you all these ideas that you can do. So if y' all ever need me to have a test kitchen at my house, my husband will run that for you. [00:29:06] Speaker C: To that point, we did just hire. [00:29:08] Speaker B: A corporate chef that will be cooking and testing with some of our customers in the kitchen. [00:29:13] Speaker H: Yeah. [00:29:13] Speaker B: So Chef did. Chef Frank did retire. [00:29:15] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, he did. [00:29:16] Speaker B: Okay. He did retire. [00:29:17] Speaker H: He was Michigan, I believe it was, I think. [00:29:21] Speaker B: Well, I've been using his recipes. I'm like, hey, yeah. [00:29:25] Speaker C: The website will continue on. [00:29:27] Speaker B: The blog will be. [00:29:28] Speaker H: Shelby is now a part of the team. [00:29:29] Speaker B: And Shelby, she will be. She's been in the kitchen slinging some stuff over the last few weeks. She started with this earlier in January. It's fun to watch them do it. I mean, they show you, like, step by step for us, people who don't have a clue what we're doing in the kitchen. So I'm a sous chef. I can't chop. I have it on my finger. But we are so good. Glad, though, to have this wonderful. We have lots of industry here in our county. People would be surprised, but Star is a star of the community, let me tell you. We're so grateful to have you here. [00:30:00] Speaker C: There are lots of people who still talk about popcorn machines. That was that. Once upon a time, the. The thing that everybody got a popcorn, you know, all you had to do was ask. And we don't produce those anymore. But. But folks are. We're still trying to reach out to commercial type kitchens, and we really want to have a partnership with our community. And where there's a school, a culinary school, or churches or new prison, expansion of any type of commercial kitchen, we really want people to feel as if Star is not Just a great place to work. Work or a great contributor to our local economy. But also that we are well connected and partnered with. With how people eat. [00:30:53] Speaker B: The first stop shop is to go to Sliddell in the Gibson County. Star's been in business for over 100 years and been here since the early 80s. And a lot of people don't know. Still don't know about Star, because we are kind of off the beaten path. But it is a good place to work. We got some great people. [00:31:08] Speaker C: And also because it's not really residential, you know, I mean, it. Unless you were cooking on a Star kitchen in one of the facilities, like a Waffle House or, you know, I mean, like, unless. [00:31:21] Speaker F: Unless most people don't go into the back end. Most people don't realize you can't see that. [00:31:26] Speaker C: Like, yeah. [00:31:27] Speaker B: I encourage you to ask to go back there. [00:31:29] Speaker C: Oh, and say, hey, I'm from Smithville. [00:31:31] Speaker B: I don't see Smithville, Tennessee. [00:31:34] Speaker C: I'd like to see how clean you keep that equipment from Smithville. [00:31:41] Speaker B: And, you know, I even have my kids who've moved away. They'll go and they'll see a piece of Star equipment and they'll send me a picture from all over the world. [00:31:48] Speaker D: It's something else. [00:31:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:31:50] Speaker C: Something very much to be proud of. [00:31:52] Speaker B: So thank y' all for being so involved in the community. Thank you for the invite. Thank you for all you do. Thank you. That just another reason to be proud to live here, here. [00:32:00] Speaker A: Right. [00:32:00] Speaker B: And I'll see you at the next Word meeting and you at Leadership Decay, and we'll get Anthony pretty soon. [00:32:05] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:07] Speaker B: Thank you for having me. [00:32:10] Speaker C: Have a great day. [00:32:12] Speaker B: Thanks. Oh, well, let's see. Where are we? We're just all over the place today. [00:32:15] Speaker C: Downtown Smithfield, Merchants events. [00:32:18] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. All right. [00:32:19] Speaker B: How about let's. I know one of this has changed, so let me just mark out what is changed, and then you can start reading everything else. So. [00:32:25] Speaker C: So as is tradition, we have first Friday, late night this coming Friday, and so day after tomorrow. [00:32:36] Speaker B: So that's February 7th, my birthday. [00:32:39] Speaker C: Is it the same? [00:32:42] Speaker A: Oh, my word. [00:32:43] Speaker B: Okay, so I've never had trouble having a birthday in my whole life. [00:32:45] Speaker H: I've been fine. [00:32:46] Speaker B: Even when I turn 30 this year, I'm totally losing it. I'm gonna be 70. [00:32:51] Speaker C: Big 70. [00:32:54] Speaker B: I know everybody says we ought to be happy to be there. I am happy. But I am still struggling a little. [00:33:00] Speaker C: And Honestly, you're still 50 in your mind. So there you go. It all works out. [00:33:05] Speaker B: 70 in my body, though. So. [00:33:09] Speaker C: On Friday night, okay. Friday night, lots of variety of all of our downtown shops. So you can't just go to one or two and feel like you have, you know, done it all. [00:33:20] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:33:21] Speaker C: Because several of them are doing kind of a Valentine's Day theme. Cheryl's Bobies is doing a Valentine's Day dinner and live music and she always has the most fabulous live music. [00:33:36] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:33:37] Speaker C: You, you'll want to go even just for that. The purple door legacy house and vintage owl are all open late and having Valentine's day day specials. The mail room is doing a Super bowl inspired event called game face Friday. So yeah, Super Bowls, you know, on Sunday. So that's a perfect fit for the mail room to. To focus on football and Rocky James, my favorite little pet store will be open late with puppy love Valentine's parties. You do. That is a ticketed I. That is a ticketed event. And there's only just a few list left, but they, you know, even if you just went by their store anytime in the month, in the month of February, I'm sure you'll find something for your favorite little fur. Fur baby. [00:34:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:26] Speaker B: Oh, that's cutest store. Well, all downtown is looking so good. We're about halfway through the grants now and we still got another that much to go. And so. And speaking of grants, I want to mention this real quick. [00:34:37] Speaker A: Jen. [00:34:38] Speaker B: I just found out. I just found out that we got. Well, I think. I don't know if I've even been announced first. I've got two announcements in. All right, Alexandra, we got $100,000 for downtown. Alexandra Grant. And I keep telling them, don't start anything yet because I gotta have the commissioner's signature on the paper before you start anything. So we hadn't started it yet, but I've got a meeting with the state next week. And then this is a really excited one, you know, cuz we got the new road coming to Alexandria right through there. We got the downtown, you know, we're going to be revitalizing. Yep. And I just got word like day before yesterday that we got the 250,000 for the new bridge going over to the DeKalb County Fair. [00:35:19] Speaker H: Yay. [00:35:20] Speaker B: So anyway, I literally, I was with my. It was a snow day thing is, oh, it's bad, it's bad. And you know, I was sitting there at home, it was a day. I found out the day the. The ice storm and I was at home and my heart broke out in tears. I don't know. My husband's like, why are you crying? [00:35:38] Speaker C: It's good. They're good tears. [00:35:40] Speaker B: We got the bridge grant. I know I get excited over the most dumb things, but I was. So that's a good thing. It's a wonderful thing. And oh, Jeff McMillan, God love him, he helps me so much. I'm not even worried about this Grant because he does almost everything. He's wonderful. He's working with engineers and I'm just so grateful to him. I want to do a shout out. [00:36:00] Speaker C: Yes. [00:36:01] Speaker B: So anyway, where are we, Jen? [00:36:03] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness. We are at Edgar Evans or wait, Justin Porter. Do we want to do Justin? [00:36:08] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, we got Kathy. [00:36:09] Speaker G: All right. [00:36:09] Speaker B: And I gotta call Emily on the phone here in a minute here too. [00:36:13] Speaker F: Oh, look. [00:36:14] Speaker B: Yeah, she didn't get here, so we'll probably bring her to next month. [00:36:17] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I was looking for her, though. Okay. [00:36:20] Speaker B: It's all over the place. [00:36:21] Speaker C: So, Kathy, tell us what's going on in the month of February for the library. [00:36:26] Speaker A: There's not a lot going on. [00:36:27] Speaker B: Well, you did get elected president of the chamber. [00:36:29] Speaker C: Well, yes, but that's not the library. [00:36:31] Speaker B: Oh, well, I'm sorry. It's all about me, apparently. Yeah, it's about you, Suzanne, as usual. Sorry. [00:36:40] Speaker A: Well, after all the snow we did get back. Hopefully we're back to regular schedule again because we had to close a couple of days because of the bad weather. No light closing. But you know, I don't want to people out in it either, you know, and I've got staff that comes from, you know, quite a ways range. [00:36:54] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:36:56] Speaker A: But you have to do some things that you don't want to do. But we are going to have another story time in February 27th at 10 o' clock for the preschool children. We had one this month and I had eight children there. I was shocked because the weather was, you know, I guess people were wanting to get outside. They were getting cabin fever and wanted to get out. So I don't blame them for that. But we've been really busy since we've, you know, the school's been out. We had, I think a couple of days. We had 80 people in there and then Monday we had 70 something. So we, that's amazing. We've been really busy. So a lot of families coming in with children, so that's great. And getting library cards. So that's, that's, that's a good thing. [00:37:30] Speaker C: So it's actually super easy to get a library card. [00:37:33] Speaker A: You just have to have two forms of id. [00:37:34] Speaker C: Two forms of id. I mean, you're not that particular about. [00:37:37] Speaker A: What those are well, driver's license, and then something else with your name, current address, like a bill that you've paid, a hunting, fishing license, a, you know, car registration, something that proves that you. [00:37:46] Speaker C: Are who you say you are, who you are. [00:37:48] Speaker A: Because, you know, I don't know who I'm happy. I'm half my time. So there you go. There you go. But anyway, and then something coming up that I will talk about is our 46th annual Older Americans Day celebration, which will be Wednesday, May 13 this time. And so I will be sending out letters to our businesses. I will be sending out letters to the businesses. This is the first part of March because we couldn't do it without our businesses giving us items for our door prizes and also our goody bags for the. For the people. So we appreciate them doing that. So I will be sending the letters out 1st March, and then they can bring. They can bring things by the library or I pick up. So I just like to have everything in by the. At least the end of April, the first week in May, so that I can get everything done. Because we. [00:38:33] Speaker C: And those goodie bags are really good. Very nice. [00:38:36] Speaker A: We do. We get a lot of wonderful things in our goodie bags. And we give away about 50 door prizes. It takes me about 30 minutes to give the door prizes away. So that's a good thing. That's a good thing. And then we have about 20 vendors that come and set up in the gym area. So I've had a couple new ones that's gonna be wanting to come this year to give information to our senior citizens. And so the vendors start at 9 to 10:30. And then at 10:30, I start giving the door prizes. And. And then 11 is the entertainment. And this year, since it's our 250th anniversary of our country, we are going to have one of our founding fathers. We're going to have Benjamin Franklin come. [00:39:12] Speaker C: You know, in Philadelphia. We just went to the Ben Franklin Museum. [00:39:17] Speaker B: Well, sort of, yes. [00:39:19] Speaker C: I mean, there were lots of images of him, but how fun. [00:39:22] Speaker A: This gentleman, he does a lot of schools and puts on programs, educational programs for kids. And so he's gonna do an adult program. [00:39:31] Speaker C: We all know the name. We have all seen his image, but he had a very interesting life. That would be fantastic. [00:39:36] Speaker A: Well, he's gonna dress in full costume and has props and everything. So that will be our entertainment. And his name is Dave Mitchell, so we're gonna have fun with that. And we always partner with our Smithville Senior center and the Alexandria Activity Center. So we appreciate all of everyone helping us out. We couldn't do it without, you know, my board makes the sandwiches, and the senior center puts the bags and the goody bags together for us. And then summer reading kicks off at the end of May, and that's coming up. [00:40:02] Speaker B: Man, this year is going. [00:40:04] Speaker A: I don't know. So we'll start that, and then every Thursday in June, we'll have a program. So that's kind of what's going on in the head and what's going on the nails. And contact the library at 615-597-4359, our Facebook, Instagram or DeKalb libraries.net for further information. [00:40:22] Speaker B: Well, hang out with us. [00:40:23] Speaker C: Perfect. [00:40:24] Speaker A: All right. [00:40:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:40:25] Speaker A: All right. [00:40:25] Speaker B: So. Oh, the Ranger Lee Chadwell is here, as I like to call him. Ranger Chad Leewell. And then I start. I get all crazy. I get all mixed up, you know. [00:40:36] Speaker C: And you want to start breaking in the song. I'm proud to be in America. All right. [00:40:43] Speaker A: How are you? [00:40:44] Speaker F: I'm doing well. [00:40:44] Speaker C: Happy New Year. [00:40:45] Speaker F: Well, thank you. Happy New Year as well. Y' all been doing good? Yes. [00:40:49] Speaker B: Was the park beautiful during the snow. [00:40:51] Speaker C: At Griffin State park, you guys kind of had some. A little shutdown here and there. [00:40:56] Speaker F: We did. We had to close down when we get ice. Some of those hills get very slick. We had. [00:41:02] Speaker C: And it's not just that the road is slick. If you start sliding, you're. You're going. [00:41:06] Speaker F: You're going somewhere, you're going down. And hopefully a tree. Hopefully a tree will help stop that. But if not, you keep going. [00:41:16] Speaker C: You just never know. [00:41:18] Speaker F: So the salt truck only comes part of the way in up to the office, and even that makes it dicey. And once you get past there, there's no hole. And the sun does not hit the roads, so it stays there for a long time. So we actually just opened up everything Monday morning, I believe. Yep. [00:41:39] Speaker C: So we were there New Year's Day. We missed the 9am hike, but we. We did our own highland rib hike. And such a fantastic place. I mean, I. We had out of town guests, and it was just so much fun to show off at Graven State Park. What a beautiful place to be. [00:42:00] Speaker F: Well, thank you. You know, we. We work hard on trying to make it like that. We. We always say that if you want to guarantee a storm, let us go out there and clear the trails. Because the next week the storm will come. [00:42:14] Speaker B: The opposite. [00:42:14] Speaker C: If you build it. [00:42:15] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:42:17] Speaker C: If you clean it. Yeah. [00:42:19] Speaker F: Yeah. So we get out there when we try to make everything nice and accessible for everybody. And that's why we've got a lot of people starting to come right now. Because like you said a minute ago, everybody's got cabin fever. Everybody's wanting to get out. [00:42:32] Speaker C: Yep. [00:42:34] Speaker F: And if you're looking for a cabin or something for July or July, February 14th, Valentine's Day, we'll have. We'll have cabins available. And now we have WI fi. This past year we got WI fi installed. Some people like that. I personally like to get lost and not be. [00:42:54] Speaker C: I like to go places where I don't have signal. [00:42:57] Speaker F: Exactly. But now you don't have to tell people you have signal there. If you go. [00:43:03] Speaker C: Could just put it on airplane mode and go with it. [00:43:06] Speaker F: That's right. But it's. So we. We've been working on getting a few programs out right now. I know we're gonna have a bluebird box building program coming up soon. Fun getting ready for spring. That way you can put it out for the bluebirds. And I know we'll have a few more. And in March 20, 21st, 22nd, that Saturday we have our ranger led summer or spring hike. And they'll probably be hiking the. Not Merritt Ridge, the Highland Rim Trail right there at the office and hopefully start maybe starting to see some flowers pop out. Hopefully we get some flowers. [00:43:51] Speaker C: You just never know what the spring brings. [00:43:53] Speaker F: Never know. But. So that'll be that Saturday morning and that should be posted soon on our website as well. [00:44:01] Speaker A: Great. [00:44:02] Speaker C: And junior Ranger, when should people start thinking about signing up for that? I know that's summertime, but it is. [00:44:10] Speaker F: I think it's gonna be the second full week of July. [00:44:17] Speaker C: Yep. And that usually fills up pretty quick. [00:44:20] Speaker F: It usually fills up pretty quick. It'll probably be posted in. One of the other rangers is taking care of that this year. So he'll probably post it in May or early June. [00:44:31] Speaker A: Okay. [00:44:33] Speaker C: That's always fun. [00:44:33] Speaker F: So. Yeah, that'll be fun. Right now we've actually got a lot of park rangers staying with us right now. You know, we've had a lot of bad storms, a lot of ice. We've got about 50, I think anywhere between 45 to about 60 rangers across the state that have been coming and they stay with us if they're working in Macon County, Nashville area, and going out and helping with tree service and helping work the Red Cross stations. Yeah. [00:45:08] Speaker C: Wow, that's good to know. That's good to know that that resource is being used here in DeKalb for good work. [00:45:15] Speaker F: Yeah, we're one of the closer places for them to stay. So we're housing a bunch of them. So if you come to the park and see a lot of ranger vehicles early in the morning or in the evening. [00:45:30] Speaker B: Well, thank you for giving us the update. [00:45:32] Speaker C: And where might somebody find more information about upcoming events for Edgar Evans? [00:45:37] Speaker F: If you go to TN Parks and you scroll down and look for Edgar Evans and you look for, for their upcoming events and that'll have all our events on it. You can also go to Facebook and we will be posting them on Facebook as well. [00:45:56] Speaker C: Great. Well, thank you very much. We love our park. Thank you. [00:46:01] Speaker B: Well, hang out a minute. So we're the next guest is going to be by phone. Let me see if I can get. [00:46:05] Speaker I: Her on the phone here. [00:46:05] Speaker B: So we're calling Emily Bell here. [00:46:07] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, she couldn't be here. [00:46:09] Speaker B: She's, she's just opening that new child care, Rosanna Farm Child Care, which is going to be, is fabulous. So let me see if I can get her on the phone here. Hello there. Emily Bell, is this you? It is me. How are you? Well, you're live on Chambers. [00:46:26] Speaker C: We're so. Good morning. Good morning. [00:46:29] Speaker B: Turn this up a little and get myself. There we go. Okay. So I heard that Hosanna Farm Child Care is open and going strong. [00:46:40] Speaker G: We are open for business. We are so excited to finally open our doors to the community. And we've had such an incredible response from everyone around. It's. It's humbling. [00:46:52] Speaker B: I'm not gonna lie. [00:46:53] Speaker G: It's really humbling how much to see the community come together and so exciting to see all the children coming every day and having fun at school. School and, you know, getting to do all the fun things on a farm that you don't often get to do at a day, you know, traditional daycare center. [00:47:11] Speaker B: It makes me want to go to the farm. [00:47:12] Speaker C: Does it, Eugen? [00:47:16] Speaker B: I want to go to the farm. So this is a really unique experience for, for the children who stay there. You know, you're going to have, I mean, you've got, and you got the whole farm, the farm experience. [00:47:27] Speaker C: Right, Right. [00:47:28] Speaker G: So they can get out and about experience for them. Do you know they have taken to feeding any of their scraps from, you know, lunch and from breakfast. We feed the children all meals every day. So if they have any leftovers at the end of the day, they've taken to going and throwing those leftovers out the chickens or to the goats. Nothing is wasted and they are loving it. They go on up there and they throw it over the fence to the goats. I Mean, the goats are loving it. My chickens have decided that they're going to just sit at the front door of the center and wait for the leftovers to be thrown out to them. Then as they're arriving for school every morning, they get to. They're welcomed by all of the chickens and the ducks and everybody else who decides to come down. But it's so fun because they get to experience something very different and normal. And, you know, certainly some kids that maybe don't have, you know, animals and different things like that, they own homes. They're getting to experience something new. We're also getting to promote children agriculture and the importance of. Importance of farming and which is obviously so important here in DeKalb County. We're getting to promote what it means to have, you know, backyard chickens and, you know, get your own eggs and. And things like that. So, you know, there's a lot of sides to this. But honestly, their squeals of delight as they throw, you know, the leftover. [00:49:09] Speaker B: Chickens are delighted. [00:49:13] Speaker G: I don't know if my animals have ever been so well fed. [00:49:17] Speaker B: They'll be waddling around the yard. Your husband's also got a business. Cabin Kings. How's that going? [00:49:27] Speaker G: Very good, Very good. [00:49:29] Speaker B: So we. [00:49:29] Speaker G: We were so blessed over the winter. Obviously, winter does slow us down as far as cabin restoration is concerned, but we were so blessed over the. Over this snowy period that we've actually had the internal of a cabin to work on. So, you know, while a lot of our work is all the exterior and. And, you know, refurbishing, you know, restoring cabins back to their former glory, this time we actually got to work inside a cabin and restore the internal. And it's. It's looking beautiful. It's looking so good out, and the clients are so excited about seeing that come together. And that is actually a local project here in Smithville as well, which is really exciting. We love working with families and local people. But business is going great. We're busy and definitely getting as. As that warmer weather is starting to show its face on our forecasts. We're excited to get into that and, you know, get going where we are a little while booked out at the moment with cabins good. We're probably booked out for a month. Well, probably two or three months at the moment. But, you know, if you own a cabin and you want to get on our schedule, now's the time to do it, especially for the spring summer season. [00:50:42] Speaker B: That'S coming up, which gets only busier. Yeah. [00:50:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:50:46] Speaker B: Well, I can't wait to get down there and see all the renovations and see the. Meet the children and. And we just appreciate all you do. [00:50:54] Speaker C: And, Emily, thank you so much for helping with Leadership de cab this last session. [00:50:59] Speaker B: Yeah, we're about to talk about that. [00:51:01] Speaker C: We're about to talk about that. And I just want to say that was so, so great. [00:51:06] Speaker G: Oh, no, we appreciate you guys, and we're so grateful to have leadership DeKalb come out here and see what we're doing. And we'll be having an open day. Once this rain and this snow and ice all passes, we will be having an open day here at the farm where families that have young ones as they want to come and check out what we're doing here and think about our child care care needs. They can come out and. And visit with us, but if you want a tour before then, they can also reach out to me and I'll be glad to give them a tour and get their children booked in. We've got limited spaces available, but if you're a family that needs child care, definitely give us a call. [00:51:38] Speaker B: So how do they reach you? [00:51:40] Speaker G: They can reach me on 615-529-2401 or just go to Facebook. Hosanna Farm Childcare, our website, Hosanna FarmChildcare.com all of our contact details are on there. Honestly, give me a call. I'd be glad to talk you through our care options that we have available and definitely book in that tour. But we appreciate the Chamber and all their support. You guys are always our biggest cheerleaders in all the crazy ideas we come up with. [00:52:13] Speaker B: And congratulations on being the new Chamber vice president. President or My condolences. Whichever one. Or the other one or the other. [00:52:23] Speaker G: Mrs. Vice President. [00:52:25] Speaker C: Yeah. Here on out. [00:52:27] Speaker B: Thanks, Emily. [00:52:28] Speaker G: No, I love it. Well, thank you, guys. [00:52:31] Speaker C: Thank you. [00:52:31] Speaker B: Stay warm out there. [00:52:33] Speaker A: Bye, Emily. [00:52:33] Speaker C: Bye. Bye. [00:52:34] Speaker G: You take care. [00:52:35] Speaker A: Bye. [00:52:35] Speaker C: Bye. [00:52:35] Speaker B: Bye. You take care. [00:52:37] Speaker C: You take. [00:52:37] Speaker B: You take care. So I feel so country after talking to. [00:52:41] Speaker A: So. [00:52:42] Speaker B: So, Jen, you know, I know your favorite thing in the world is. I'd like to think of the Chamber, but it's really leadership business. [00:52:47] Speaker C: Yes, it is. [00:52:48] Speaker B: And we weren't here in January, so I put on here our last three. Can you do a little short thing on that? [00:52:56] Speaker C: So the last time we Talked about leadership DeKalb was December. We talked about November session, so in December, our facilitator for our community heroes, which is law enforcement, first responders, Justice Department. Our facilitator was Beth Chandler, none other than Beth Chandler. Our sponsors were Chris Allen of Smithville Marine De Cab Ace Hardware, Smithville Alderman Beth Chandler. She not only led it, but she was a sponsor. Sponsored break and Tisha Puckett Pryor and Tennis Center Hill title was also at lunchtime. Yep, January was our community day and our community highlight was Alexandria. And of course so many things going on, so many great things going on in Alexandria. But we got a tour of the fairgrounds, a big healthy dose of history to, to know where we've been and where we're going. Hosanna Farms, Childcare, Alexandria Cafe and Coffee and DTC Communications were all our sponsors for January. So this month in February, just next week, we get to visit all of the schools and focus on education about that. And our facility facilitator for that day is April Martin. And of course we want to say a big shout out to April, recently retired. So she has just been just a cornerstone of UT extension for so long. Yeah, over 30 years. So just a big shout out to April. Congratulations on just a tremendous career there and best of luck. I, I say retirement but I know April, I mean her fingers in a lot of power. She is not going to be in a rocking chair doing knitting. She's, she's just on to the next thing. But we do want to say a big thank you to our sponsor. Is it First Bank? Uh huh. All right. [00:55:12] Speaker B: Well I sent a bill to Casey yesterday, so I'm thinking it. Oh great. [00:55:16] Speaker C: Thank you to First Bang for being our February sponsor. [00:55:20] Speaker B: We'll see. Yeah, no, I know, we know, we know. I know for sure. I'm joking. Well, and I just want to remind everybody, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Project, Hometown Hemp. Please contribute to this worthwhile program by just agreeing to round off your gas bills. Less than 50 cents a month. So. [00:55:37] Speaker C: Right. [00:55:37] Speaker B: Anyway, it's only a few cents. It helps so many organizations, including us at times and some of the events that we put on. [00:55:42] Speaker C: Absolutely. [00:55:43] Speaker B: So we're so grateful to them. [00:55:44] Speaker C: And we do want to say a huge shout out to Minnow Tennessee Natural Gas to all of our utility workers. [00:55:53] Speaker B: Oh my goodness. [00:55:54] Speaker C: All of our amazing linemen who every single one of those utility workers. When our heat stays on or when our power goes out and then it comes back on, it's because somebody is out there. We're were hunkered down thinking how cold it is and they're out in it. And so just a big shout out to all of those individuals who helped to keep the heat on and the lights on. So grateful and being out there during the storms that we've had. [00:56:23] Speaker I: Really appreciate all of them. [00:56:25] Speaker B: Well, the Chamber wants to help promote your news or special events. Call 615-597-4163 or email me at director@dekalb countychamber.org or tag me on a Facebook post. I'll help you spread the word. [00:56:38] Speaker C: And thank you to all of our guests. We had such a good morning. We are so grateful for WJLE Radio and DTC TV for sponsoring us month after month after month. So thank you so much for sponsoring our Chamber. [00:56:52] Speaker B: So hand that over to Lee. [00:56:54] Speaker C: Lee's gonna say. [00:56:57] Speaker F: You can watch chamber chat on DTC3 as well as the website. Just go to DTC3TV and click on Chamber shows and you'll be able to view each program for the month. [00:57:12] Speaker C: Man, just throwing it at him. [00:57:13] Speaker B: He did a great job. Great job. [00:57:16] Speaker A: We appreciate all our listening and viewing audiences. And we'll be back on March 4. [00:57:21] Speaker C: Same chat time, same chat channel. [00:57:23] Speaker B: And happy February. Happy February, everybody. We wish you a wonderful, wonderful Valentine's Day. And let's show the love, everybody. I can't talk, but I can make a heart. [00:57:33] Speaker A: I can't make a heart. There you go.