Moments of Hope for Western NC (12-20-2024--Hour3)

[00:00:04] What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to 3 on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content, like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepetekalendershow.com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button, get every episode for free, right to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for your support.

[00:00:28] I'll be taking the next two weeks off. But you've been hearing me discuss the fundraiser that we're helping to do. We do it every year with Moments of Hope Church. And you can donate by going to cityofhopeclt.org. And I wanted to welcome to the program the pastor of the Moments of Hope Church. That is Pastor David Chadwick. Hello, Pastor Chadwick. How are you, sir?

[00:00:54] I'm well, Pete. Thank you for letting me have these minutes with you this afternoon.

[00:00:57] Of course, of course. So first off, how's it going? How's the campaign going?

[00:01:03] Yeah, we're just about at 50 percent of what we desire to raise. And for those who may not know, I have a weekend show on WBT. Been doing it now for over 25 years. It's been a great gig and a wonderful run. And about five years ago, we decided with the COVID crisis to try to raise money around the Christmastime period with a matching gift from Moments of Hope to try to feed hungry kids.

[00:01:25] This year, because of the devastation in Western North Carolina, we've tried to focus there on the needs that are just huge and not going away anytime soon.

[00:01:33] So Moments of Hope has given a $100,000 matching gift. Hopefully the listeners of WBT will match that gift and we can give $200,000, all of the money going to the people, no administrative costs, to the needs that are there.

[00:01:48] And again, aren't going to go away anytime soon. And again, Pete, we're about 50 percent there.

[00:01:53] And so if people want to donate, they can go to cityofhopesclt.org. You can read more about all of the work that you and your church and...

[00:02:02] Because it's a much larger effort than just this one fundraiser, right? You guys are into and have partnerships with a lot of other organizations.

[00:02:10] We do indeed. And what makes this one so unique, I think, is over the last four to five years as we've done this fundraiser,

[00:02:18] we have seven vulnerable, underserved communities in Charlotte that we've identified, and they are working together as a coalition, which is really remarkable because too often 501c3s work in redundancy.

[00:02:32] They don't talk to one another, but they really are working together with reading programs, feeding programs, healing programs.

[00:02:39] But this year, those different communities identified partners that they have in vulnerable communities in Western North Carolina.

[00:02:46] So many of them have been going up there, building relationships.

[00:02:49] And so as they're meeting people and finding those needs that are often hidden in the woods, in the mountains, people have lost everything.

[00:02:56] We're going in and trying to help them rebuild their lives.

[00:03:00] And again, Pete, it's just worse than anything anybody can imagine.

[00:03:04] And it's going to last longer than anyone can imagine as well, too.

[00:03:08] I mean, the government's trying to say now it's going to cost $50 billion to rebuild Western North Carolina.

[00:03:14] And what's good are $200,000 going to do?

[00:03:17] Well, it's going to help somebody.

[00:03:18] It's going to help different people who are mostly hidden and mostly not known, but mostly have these great needs that we're going to be able to meet.

[00:03:26] Well, and also to that point, I mean, the bigger the projects and like road construction, you know, slope rebuilding on the side of a mountain that has lost a bunch of land, you know, that's gone down to the river.

[00:03:38] Or like that's not I mean, obviously, that's a big lift.

[00:03:43] And that may get a lot of the attention has a huge impact.

[00:03:47] But a lot of the the other work like that's I want to say in the gaps, but I guess it is.

[00:03:53] You know, these are these are opportunities where people can make direct impacts on people's lives and do it for not a lot of money, not a lot of time, not a lot of effort, really.

[00:04:05] If they just make some donations and you've got an infrastructure already in place to get to the people that that need it.

[00:04:12] Yes, correct.

[00:04:13] Here's a great idea and a statistic that would help people get their hands around what this can do for $15,000.

[00:04:21] You can rebuild a front door, a back door and a kitchen.

[00:04:26] And most of our studies and the people we've talked to, if you can just rebuild their front door and their back door and their kitchen, they can move back into their homes.

[00:04:36] And that's just a practical amount of money, $15,000 that we can give to help people get back into their homes, escape, you know, living in a motel right now or in some cases, Pete, sadly, still tense.

[00:04:48] Yeah.

[00:04:48] And get back into their homes and be safe, be secure, be warm and be able to feed themselves and their families.

[00:04:55] We have been talking about the problems with the tents and the temporary structures.

[00:05:00] We've had numerous stories that we have covered, you know, people that have organized fund drives get to get RVs and campers and even sheds and these, you know, tiny homes and cabins.

[00:05:13] And building codes have stood in the way from letting them do that.

[00:05:17] And it's I always try to tell like in the immediate aftermath, it was water, right?

[00:05:21] People will die without without water in three days.

[00:05:25] And then it's food and it's shelter.

[00:05:27] And it's like first order problems, right?

[00:05:29] And shelter is a first order problem.

[00:05:32] And whatever is stopping that from occurring needs to get fixed.

[00:05:36] And, you know, luckily the state legislature has come in and they they've peeled away some of those regulatory burdens that have been blocking it.

[00:05:43] But people aren't they don't want to leave their property because they're getting robbed.

[00:05:48] Right. People will come through and loot the property and they want to be able to work on their house.

[00:05:54] And so, like you just said, like I had not heard and I've been I mean, I lived up there for eight years and I've been reading a lot and covering a lot of it over the last.

[00:06:03] It's about 80 days, 83 days.

[00:06:06] And I've not heard front door, back door kitchen as sort of a first order.

[00:06:12] But it makes total sense now that you say it.

[00:06:14] Yeah, we'll leave it to the Baptists.

[00:06:16] They're the ones who did the study and came up with that information because they're there.

[00:06:21] Yeah.

[00:06:21] And, you know, Pete, as a person of faith, that's who I am, obviously.

[00:06:25] It's just great to see all the churches there not be myopic and coming together and working together.

[00:06:32] And many of them are Baptist churches, but others as well.

[00:06:35] And they've come up with this very practical piece of information.

[00:06:38] And, you know, in some cases they don't have to redo the building codes.

[00:06:42] The structure is basically there.

[00:06:44] Again, what they need is just a front door, back door in their kitchen, and they can get back in and then over time reproduce the necessary other elements in their house.

[00:06:53] But this is just a basic living condition that we can meet with our gifts to this campaign.

[00:06:58] So what other organizations are you partnered up with up there in Western North Carolina?

[00:07:05] I'm aware of the Hearts with Hands organization and obviously Samaritan's Purse.

[00:07:10] I think Baptists on Mission is a big one that's doing a lot of work as well.

[00:07:14] But, I mean, all of the churches, it has been amazing.

[00:07:17] And teaming up with, like, far-left and progressive types of, you know, non-Christian types of organizations, everybody's just kind of—they're all doing what they have to do.

[00:07:27] So who are some of your partners up there?

[00:07:29] Do you have any names for us?

[00:07:31] Yeah, well, the ones you just mentioned are all ones that we have been in conversation with and are talking with.

[00:07:38] But honestly, Pete, the way we're doing this is a little bit different.

[00:07:41] But the organizations here in Charlotte, those seven vulnerable communities with which we've been working over the last years, they have people there that they know.

[00:07:50] And we're doing probably more relationship to relationship.

[00:07:54] For example, one of our partners just threw a huge Christmas party at J.D. Williams Elementary School in Swannanoa, which is one of those cities that's wiped out.

[00:08:02] About 400 kids were there.

[00:08:04] They were able to get presents for themselves and for one of their family members, the administrators, the teachers who are on the front lines of trauma care for those kids.

[00:08:13] We gave them Christmas presents as well.

[00:08:16] Said, you don't worry about it.

[00:08:17] We're providing that for you this year.

[00:08:18] Well, then the next step is since we built those relationships with those people, we're going to go back to them and say, let us know people in your school who have lost these different things like their front door, back door kitchen.

[00:08:30] And we'll step in and person-to-person, relationship-to-relationship will help restore them.

[00:08:36] And that helps eliminate a lot of the red tape and how it allows us to put 100% of these proceeds into the actual need.

[00:08:44] So it's a little bit of both.

[00:08:45] It's with organizations.

[00:08:46] It's also person-to-person.

[00:08:48] Yeah.

[00:08:50] So it's not just monetary.

[00:08:52] I see on the website as well people can actually get involved.

[00:08:55] So are there opportunities for people?

[00:08:58] And I have no idea.

[00:09:00] I just see you've got volunteer opportunities.

[00:09:02] Are you, like, sending people up there to actually do the sweat equity, you know, to do the work themselves?

[00:09:09] Or is it a preference for the money so you can hand it off to the people that are already boots on the ground?

[00:09:17] Well, it's a little bit of both.

[00:09:18] We've actually sent over 100 people up there, boots on the ground, with volunteers through Moments of Hope Church.

[00:09:24] But we've been mostly working with Samaritan's Purse there.

[00:09:27] Mark Noonan, who's West Boulevard Ministry on the website, you can see what he's doing there as well.

[00:09:33] He's willing to take some people up there as they may want to go.

[00:09:36] Also, Josh Meadows, who does the Neighborhood Hope on the east side of town in a vulnerable community, he's willing to take some people up there.

[00:09:44] He's taken about 100 folks up there as well, just, you know, dealing with basic needs that people have.

[00:09:49] So it's a both and, but I would say right now probably the greatest gift is simply the funding, because a lot of people are still there.

[00:09:56] We just got to get the money to them to supply the needs that people have.

[00:10:00] Right. And every dollar, moments that people donate, they hear this interview, every dollar they donate is going to get matched by the Moments of Hope Church, correct?

[00:10:10] Yes. We've given $100,000 as a matching gift to the Charlotte listeners through WBT and other places.

[00:10:17] And your gift immediately, $1 becomes $2, 2 becomes $4, 100 becomes $200.

[00:10:23] Yesterday, it was so wonderful, Pete, somebody gave us $10,000.

[00:10:28] Oh, my gosh.

[00:10:28] And immediately that becomes $20,000.

[00:10:30] Obviously, another person gave $7,000 yesterday.

[00:10:33] That became $14,000.

[00:10:34] So that's what's allowed us to get to now 50%.

[00:10:37] And a lot of people during that last week of the year are looking at ways to not let Uncle Sam get their dollars,

[00:10:43] but go to something that really is of help to people.

[00:10:45] And this is an opportunity for that to happen before December 31st.

[00:10:50] Well, and also it is one of the lessons, these disasters, especially of the magnitude that we've seen in Western North Carolina that they teach,

[00:10:57] is that, you know, you are the first responder.

[00:11:00] Your neighbors, your community, your church, these are the first responders.

[00:11:03] These are the people that live there and you live with, and we are the ones who are going to be able to provide the most immediate relief.

[00:11:11] You know, whatever happens with the funding and the FEMA stuff and all of that, that's on a delay.

[00:11:17] This is the immediate response.

[00:11:20] And it really has been awesome to see groups like Moments of Hope Church and you and all of the others that have risen to the need.

[00:11:30] It's just amazing talking to people out there.

[00:11:33] There are many people from all over the country and even from Canada that are coming down to help them.

[00:11:39] It's been amazing.

[00:11:40] Yeah, Peter, that's a great point.

[00:11:42] And the bottom line is, you know, we're almost their neighbors.

[00:11:47] So many of us love to go to the mountain area and enjoy them, especially during the spring and fall time periods.

[00:11:52] They're our neighbors.

[00:11:53] And, you know, from my religious faith perspective, the Lord told me to love my neighbor as I love myself.

[00:11:59] And then I've asked myself, well, what would I feel like if I lost everything and everything was washed away within an hour or so?

[00:12:08] I would feel hopeless.

[00:12:09] I would want people to feel empathy toward me and to come and help me.

[00:12:12] And I think that's what has been created.

[00:12:14] There's a real empathy in people's hearts.

[00:12:16] What if that had been me?

[00:12:18] What if that had happened to me?

[00:12:19] And then if that's my neighbor within a two-hour drive of here, then I'm responsible at least at some level for stepping into that space and caring as best I can.

[00:12:29] It is through tragedies like this that we are called to serve.

[00:12:33] And I think a lot of people recognize that.

[00:12:37] And it wasn't Mr. Rogers who, you know, said look for the helpers.

[00:12:41] Yeah.

[00:12:42] And that's always been – ever since I heard it, that's what I always try to do.

[00:12:49] And it has been really great to see the amount of people that have risen up to help.

[00:12:53] So I thank you for what you're doing and the Moments of Hope Church is doing.

[00:12:58] And you guys have done.

[00:12:59] And I think you're pointed in the right direction, I think.

[00:13:03] Well, we're trying to be the hands and feet of the one who created us.

[00:13:07] And again, that question, if not me, who?

[00:13:10] And so if anybody's out there listening right now feels a way of wanting to care, this is a way.

[00:13:15] Go to cityofhopesclt.org.

[00:13:17] And you might not be able to go yourself, maybe because of age or stage of life.

[00:13:21] But you know what?

[00:13:21] When you send your dollars, you're sending yourself.

[00:13:24] Those hard-earned dollars that you worked for, when you send your dollars, you're sending yourself.

[00:13:28] So this is a way that you can actually be involved and help.

[00:13:32] Pastor David Chadwick, Moments of Hope Church, thank you very much for your time, sir.

[00:13:35] I appreciate it.

[00:13:36] Merry Christmas, and have a great weekend.

[00:13:38] And again, thanks for doing this work that you do.

[00:13:41] We appreciate it.

[00:13:42] I appreciate it.

[00:13:43] Well, thank you, Pete.

[00:13:44] Merry Christmas to you and all your listeners.

[00:13:46] Thank you, sir.

[00:13:46] That's David Chadwick from Moments of Hope Church.

[00:13:48] Again, the website cityofhopeclt.org.

[00:13:51] So if you can make a donation, that would be awesome.

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[00:14:55] Kirk said that dismissal of Frank the Caller was the nicest dismissal of a dumbass I have

[00:15:03] ever heard.

[00:15:03] Well, it is Christmas, you know?

[00:15:07] So...

[00:15:10] Dennis says,

[00:15:11] I am sure going to miss spending my three hours each day being entertained by you.

[00:15:16] No matter...

[00:15:17] Oh, it's a while I'm a clown now?

[00:15:18] I'm here to amuse you?

[00:15:19] Is that what...

[00:15:20] No.

[00:15:20] No matter where you go over the next two weeks, I hope you have a ton of fun.

[00:15:23] As long as there's not a Mecklenburg County Sheriff's car in your rear view mirror,

[00:15:30] you should be fine.

[00:15:31] That's...

[00:15:32] That's probably true.

[00:15:34] I'm going to try my best not to break anything for the next 16 days.

[00:15:36] Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and hurry back.

[00:15:38] Yes, sir.

[00:15:39] Well, I cannot bend the space-time continuum, so I will be back at the normal rate of a

[00:15:45] day times two weeks.

[00:15:48] So that's it.

[00:15:49] So just next week and the week after.

[00:15:51] And look, you're going to be doing other stuff too, you know?

[00:15:53] You got Christmas plans, New Year's, whatever.

[00:15:56] So I'm actually...

[00:15:58] I'm actually just going to be doing a lot of stuff.

[00:16:00] I've got days...

[00:16:02] I have filled my days with, like, lots of things to do that I have to get done,

[00:16:06] that I haven't been able to get done.

[00:16:09] Yeah, that's what I'll be doing.

[00:16:12] It's not a honey-do list, it's a me-do list.

[00:16:14] It's like, I got a do list.

[00:16:17] And it is very, very lengthy.

[00:16:20] So...

[00:16:21] It makes me not like to take vacation days.

[00:16:23] This is why I don't take time off.

[00:16:25] It's because my days off are filled with stuff that I've been putting off

[00:16:28] because I didn't want to do it in the first place.

[00:16:30] So then I take the day off.

[00:16:32] I do all this crummy stuff.

[00:16:33] And I'm like, man, I hate taking days off.

[00:16:36] So that's why I don't take days off.

[00:16:37] That's why I have so many at the end of the year.

[00:16:39] All right.

[00:16:41] So...

[00:16:41] Swannanoa residents...

[00:16:42] Add Christmas cheer to overturned truck.

[00:16:46] After almost three months of staring at hurricane debris,

[00:16:50] folks in Swannanoa have decided to add some Christmas spirit

[00:16:54] to one particular overturned container truck on the side of US-70.

[00:16:59] By the way, if you don't know where Swannanoa is,

[00:17:02] if you take I-40, which by the way, if you're coming from the Charlotte area,

[00:17:07] it's best to take 321 to 40.

[00:17:09] I know some people like taking 74.

[00:17:13] It's 10 miles shorter.

[00:17:14] Trust me, I made the trip for like five years back and forth every week.

[00:17:19] I can tell you, 10 miles shorter, but it takes you more time.

[00:17:24] Now, if you want to stop and you got errands to run,

[00:17:27] you want to get some food, that sort of stuff,

[00:17:28] then 74 is going to be a better option

[00:17:30] because you got way more stuff going through Shelby and all that area.

[00:17:34] But if you're looking to make time, 321 to 40.

[00:17:38] Well, when you're going up 40,

[00:17:40] you know how it gets all windy and twisty

[00:17:42] as you go up the intercontinental divide.

[00:17:44] That's what that is as you're going up the twisty part.

[00:17:47] Well, Swannanoa is right on the right-hand side there.

[00:17:50] You know, Old Fort, you've seen the signs for...

[00:17:52] Well, the sign fell down.

[00:17:54] Never mind.

[00:17:55] There was a big sign there for the Old Fort,

[00:17:58] like Business Park,

[00:18:00] which was weird because then the sign kind of like halfway collapsed

[00:18:03] and they had cows walking all around it.

[00:18:05] So that was...

[00:18:05] But anyway, it's right near Old Fort.

[00:18:08] I did not realize this.

[00:18:10] It is neither...

[00:18:13] It's not a town, though.

[00:18:15] So it's not like in...

[00:18:17] Yeah, it has no city council.

[00:18:20] So this is a problem.

[00:18:22] Anyway, so Lindsay Banks writes about this for the Charlotte Ledger

[00:18:25] in the Mountain Updates newsletter.

[00:18:28] They don't know who set up the display

[00:18:32] and they don't know where the power is coming from

[00:18:34] or who's providing it, I should say.

[00:18:37] It's all still a mystery, she says.

[00:18:39] It started as a strand of multicolored lights

[00:18:41] strung up on the underside of the truck

[00:18:44] because it turned over on its side.

[00:18:46] So you can see like the axle and all of the underneath of the truck.

[00:18:49] And so somebody strung up some lights on that thing.

[00:18:54] It hasn't been moved since Hurricane Helene.

[00:18:57] And now the display has grown to include

[00:19:00] a couple of spiral Christmas trees,

[00:19:03] a blow-up Christmas gnome,

[00:19:06] a couple of candy canes are hung up on there,

[00:19:10] and the lights stay on 24-7.

[00:19:14] So the Buncombe County area of Swannanoa,

[00:19:18] it's not a town or a city,

[00:19:20] so I guess it's not incorporated,

[00:19:21] so it does not have any elected group of officials

[00:19:23] that you could go ask.

[00:19:25] So everybody's asking,

[00:19:26] who is supposed to clean up all of this debris

[00:19:29] and who's supposed to clean this up?

[00:19:31] That's one of the reasons why Swannanoa

[00:19:33] still hasn't had the kind of work done.

[00:19:36] There's no local government there.

[00:19:37] Those driving to and from work and school

[00:19:41] or running errands

[00:19:42] have had to look at the scattered reminders of Helene

[00:19:46] every day since September 27th,

[00:19:48] including clothing and toys caked in mud,

[00:19:52] mangled vehicles,

[00:19:53] uprooted trees and branches,

[00:19:55] scraps of wood and metal

[00:19:56] and all sorts of other building materials.

[00:19:58] The crumbs of Helene's devastation

[00:20:01] have been piled up on the sides of roads

[00:20:04] in the Swannanoa River bank for months.

[00:20:06] And this particular box truck

[00:20:09] with the floodwaters left near,

[00:20:12] that the floodwaters left near Beacon Village

[00:20:15] in Swannanoa

[00:20:16] has become sort of a landmark

[00:20:19] this holiday season.

[00:20:21] Whoever is the creator,

[00:20:23] whoever is supplying the power

[00:20:24] is unknown.

[00:20:25] There's a photographer named Ray Castillo Jr.

[00:20:28] He's been capturing images

[00:20:29] of the aftermath of Helene on Facebook

[00:20:33] and he took a photo of the box truck

[00:20:35] with all of the lights on it.

[00:20:38] Lindsay Banks says she tried to call nearby businesses

[00:20:41] and the theory is that it

[00:20:43] maybe was set up by the woman

[00:20:45] whose house used to be behind

[00:20:47] where the truck ended up,

[00:20:49] but the house was destroyed.

[00:20:50] So they got a number for the woman

[00:20:52] and Lindsay Banks called that woman,

[00:20:54] but the inbox was not even set up.

[00:20:58] So she couldn't even leave a message.

[00:21:00] Just down the road,

[00:21:01] in the parking lot of Athens Pizza,

[00:21:04] which is still closed,

[00:21:06] a massive evergreen tree

[00:21:07] has been decorated with 1,500 feet of lights

[00:21:10] by friends and neighbors of Swannanoa.

[00:21:12] That's a local group.

[00:21:13] A Facebook post calls the tree

[00:21:15] a beacon of hope for the community

[00:21:17] and a sign to all

[00:21:18] who drive by on I-40

[00:21:21] that Swannanoa's spirit remains strong.

[00:21:23] So if you are driving up there

[00:21:25] and you see that Christmas tree from I-40,

[00:21:28] that's what you're looking at.

[00:21:30] Banks says,

[00:21:31] my mother has lived in the area her whole life

[00:21:33] and drives by that truck every day.

[00:21:35] She told me the day that it's hauled away

[00:21:38] will be a symbolic one.

[00:21:39] Not because people have grown attached

[00:21:41] to the Christmas display,

[00:21:43] but because it'll be a big step

[00:21:44] in the area's recovery.

[00:21:45] When that truck vanishes,

[00:21:48] so will a little of the sadness.

[00:21:51] Finally, somebody has come

[00:21:53] to clean up Helene's mess.

[00:21:55] All right, hey, real quick.

[00:21:56] If you would like to get your product

[00:21:58] or service in front of about

[00:21:59] 10,000 people multiple times a day,

[00:22:02] send me an email at

[00:22:03] Pete at the Pete Calendar Show dot com

[00:22:06] and ask me about advertising.

[00:22:07] It's super affordable.

[00:22:09] It's baked into this podcast forever

[00:22:11] and podcasts have a higher conversion rate

[00:22:13] than other social media platforms,

[00:22:14] making it the best bang for your buck.

[00:22:16] Send me a message.

[00:22:17] Pete at the Pete Calendar Show dot com

[00:22:19] and I can show you how it works.

[00:22:21] Run the numbers with you.

[00:22:22] Again, that's Pete at

[00:22:23] the Pete Calendar Show dot com.

[00:22:26] Let me jump over here and

[00:22:28] let's talk to Alan real quick.

[00:22:29] Hello, Alan.

[00:22:30] Welcome to the show.

[00:22:32] Pete, how are you?

[00:22:33] Hey, I'm good.

[00:22:34] What's up?

[00:22:35] Yeah, I just want to give you

[00:22:37] a happy Christmas story

[00:22:38] for Swan and Noah.

[00:22:40] OK.

[00:22:41] OK.

[00:22:42] Oasis Shriners here in Charlotte

[00:22:44] has sent several tons of supplies up here

[00:22:48] because we know that they're hard hit

[00:22:51] and not getting the acceptance.

[00:22:53] But this Saturday morning

[00:22:55] at nine o'clock

[00:22:56] at the fire station,

[00:22:58] they'll be bringing in loads of toys

[00:23:01] to give back to the children

[00:23:02] at Swan and Noah.

[00:23:03] Nice.

[00:23:05] Plus, we're also hitting

[00:23:07] Burnsville,

[00:23:10] Bakersville,

[00:23:12] Mars Hill

[00:23:13] and Del Rio, Tennessee.

[00:23:15] They're all in the same shape.

[00:23:17] Yeah, I was going to say,

[00:23:18] you're picking the worst hit areas,

[00:23:20] it sounds like.

[00:23:21] Well, that's where we've been

[00:23:23] sending supplies.

[00:23:24] Yeah.

[00:23:25] We've received toys

[00:23:26] from Vermont,

[00:23:28] Atlanta

[00:23:29] and all over the United States

[00:23:31] plus

[00:23:32] locally.

[00:23:33] So we've got about

[00:23:35] $40,000 worth of toys

[00:23:37] for taking out there.

[00:23:38] That's great.

[00:23:39] Alan, thank you for sharing that.

[00:23:40] I appreciate it.

[00:23:41] Thanks for

[00:23:42] serving the community

[00:23:43] and for doing that project

[00:23:44] with your

[00:23:45] Shriners Club.

[00:23:46] That's awesome.

[00:23:48] Thank you

[00:23:49] and appreciate

[00:23:50] being able to tell you about it.

[00:23:51] Yes, sir.

[00:23:52] Merry Christmas

[00:23:52] to you and yours.

[00:23:54] Merry Christmas.

[00:23:55] All right, take care.

[00:23:56] That's great.

[00:23:57] There's a

[00:23:58] ton of toy drives

[00:23:59] that have been going on

[00:24:00] which have been fantastic.

[00:24:03] It's going to be tough.

[00:24:04] This is going to be

[00:24:05] a very difficult Christmas

[00:24:06] for a lot of people.

[00:24:09] There was an anonymous

[00:24:10] Secret Santa.

[00:24:11] Did you see this story?

[00:24:12] CBS News

[00:24:14] reporter

[00:24:15] Steve Hartman

[00:24:16] followed a

[00:24:16] Secret Santa

[00:24:17] around

[00:24:18] Avery County

[00:24:19] where he was

[00:24:21] passing out

[00:24:22] $100 bills.

[00:24:25] I don't know

[00:24:25] if he had security.

[00:24:27] But

[00:24:29] the WBTV story,

[00:24:32] they were a CBS affiliate.

[00:24:34] The county was one of

[00:24:36] dozens across

[00:24:37] western North Carolina

[00:24:38] that sustained

[00:24:38] major damage

[00:24:39] due to Hurricane

[00:24:40] Helene.

[00:24:41] Cameras

[00:24:41] captured the

[00:24:43] beardless

[00:24:44] and far from

[00:24:45] overweight.

[00:24:46] Why would you say

[00:24:47] overweight there?

[00:24:49] Like, come on.

[00:24:51] Far

[00:24:51] from

[00:24:53] Portley.

[00:24:54] Right, exactly.

[00:24:55] Far from

[00:24:56] Portley.

[00:24:56] Wait, what did you

[00:24:57] think I was going to

[00:24:57] say?

[00:24:58] Far from obese.

[00:25:00] No, far from fat

[00:25:01] Santa.

[00:25:03] So it's a thin

[00:25:04] beardless Santa.

[00:25:05] He's walking around

[00:25:05] house to house,

[00:25:06] business to business,

[00:25:07] giving out cash.

[00:25:08] Sometimes it was to

[00:25:09] random strangers.

[00:25:10] Sometimes it was to

[00:25:11] people that he knew

[00:25:12] that had a need.

[00:25:14] And he said,

[00:25:15] that's the gift.

[00:25:16] Each year,

[00:25:16] this businessman

[00:25:17] gives away

[00:25:18] $100,000

[00:25:19] and $100 bills.

[00:25:20] God bless him.

[00:25:22] All right, that'll do

[00:25:22] it for this episode.

[00:25:23] Thank you so much

[00:25:24] for listening.

[00:25:25] I could not do the

[00:25:26] show without your

[00:25:26] support and the

[00:25:27] support of the

[00:25:28] businesses that

[00:25:28] advertise on the

[00:25:29] podcast.

[00:25:30] So if you'd like,

[00:25:31] please support them

[00:25:32] too and tell them

[00:25:32] you heard it here.

[00:25:33] You can also become

[00:25:34] a patron at my

[00:25:35] Patreon page or go

[00:25:36] to thepcalendarshow.com.

[00:25:38] Again, thank you so

[00:25:39] much for listening and

[00:25:40] don't break anything

[00:25:41] while I'm gone.