Horizon Baseball Coach Casey Weatherford, Lauren Ham with the City of Acworth and Bob Brooks with American Eagle Mortgage

Intro: [00:00:07] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta. It’s time for Charitable Georgia. Brought to you by Bee’s Charitable Pursuits and Resources. We put the fun in fundraising. For more information, go to Bee’s charitable pursuits dot com that’s bee’s charitable pursuits dot com. Now here’s your host, Brian Pruett.

Brian Pruett: [00:00:45] Good, fabulous Friday morning. Everybody out there listening to us. We’ve got another great show with three fabulous folks today sharing. You know, what’s really cool about the show, obviously, is all the positive stories. But we talk about networking a lot. We all do networking. And everybody that I’ve had on my show so far, I’ve met somewhere or another in the networking and I’ve heard their stories by doing one to ones relationships or knowing some folks. And it’s really cool to hear all these stories, and that’s another reason why we’re doing this show. So we’re going to start this morning with Lauren Ham, who’s the therapeutic recreation coordinator for the city of Acworth. So, Lauren, thanks for being here this morning.

Lauren Ham: [00:01:19] Thank you for having us.

Brian Pruett: [00:01:20] First question I have for you, I know you’re originally from Wisconsin, So did you order the the weather for Christmas?

Lauren Ham: [00:01:25] I did not. No, that was miserable. I moved away from the cold weather and it followed me.

Brian Pruett: [00:01:32] Well, I also just kind of noticed that you’re carrying a Houston Astros bag. How does a Wisconsin girl become an Astros fan?

Lauren Ham: [00:01:39] Honestly, we went to the what was it I, World Series? World Series. Thank you, Bob. It was a blank. So we went to the World Series and they did an advertisement for our coach of the Year and our Horizon athletes. So we were able to experience that firsthand. So that was one of the swag that Chevy provided for us.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:02] Well, it’s free, so that’s why you keep it. It’s free. It is free is good.

Lauren Ham: [00:02:05] And it’s durable.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:06] That’s right. So tell me what the therapeutic recreation coordinator does.

Lauren Ham: [00:02:12] Basically, I program everything for anybody with physical, cognitive, social or emotional disabilities. I try to modify programs so they can participate in baseball, adaptive lacrosse, even something as simple as bingo. We modify it so they’re part of the community and they can participate just like you and I can.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:35] Awesome. And how long have you been doing this.

Lauren Ham: [00:02:38] With the Horizon League? I’ve been here for 14 years, but I started originally in Wisconsin over 20 years ago.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:46] Doing the same.

Lauren Ham: [00:02:47] Thing. Yep, yep, doing the same thing.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:49] So this is your your background. You’re you’re actually, I guess, your passion then?

Lauren Ham: [00:02:52] It is. Yes.

Brian Pruett: [00:02:54] Why? Tell me why this is your passion.

Lauren Ham: [00:02:56] Honestly, I started volunteering in high school with the VA, so I worked with the veterans and I saw the benefit of those just who couldn’t do a normal program. So the benefit of them getting out in the community, modifying their lifestyle so they can do recreation. And I saw the vets, you know, enjoy it. So then I kind of worked with children and really found my niche.

Brian Pruett: [00:03:19] So when you came to the growth area, are you the one that kind of got it started for the city of Acworth?

Lauren Ham: [00:03:24] Honestly, I wasn’t. There already was a nonprofit established, but I was the first coordinator that they hired on, so I was the first paid employee and since then we’ve just grown. I’m still a staff of one, but with these fabulous volunteers that we have, we can do so much more.

Brian Pruett: [00:03:44] Awesome. So for those who don’t know what the Horizon League, can you share a little bit about that and a little bit of the story you’ve just shared, but more of what it is and and what you do and how people can get involved?

Lauren Ham: [00:03:55] Sure. So we offer therapeutic programs. We offer, like I mentioned before, anybody ages five and older who have a social, cognitive, physical disability, they can participate in our programs. We have three different leagues where we go from a 5 to 12 year old youth league, 13 to 21 and 22 and up adult league. So our biggest program coming up right now is spring baseball. And we have over 18 teams and 200 athletes that come out on Saturdays and Thursday nights and participate. We rely very heavily on volunteers. We do the buddy system where buddies come from the community and they work one on one with the athlete on the field, in the dugout, and just kind of helping them have the experience and allowing those parents to have 50 minutes to sit back and enjoy and watch their child and know that they’re in a safe environment. So so the best way to get involved is probably to contact the Horizon website. So it’s at special needs dot com or Acworth Parks and Recreation, and I can get in touch with them and if they’re interested, we’re always looking for volunteers and even though we have 18 teams, we don’t require volunteers to stay all day. They can just come for that 50 minute game once a week or if they want to stay longer and come and help out and allow that child to feel like his peers.

Brian Pruett: [00:05:29] Yeah, Do the the the participants, the athletes, do they have to be an act with resident?

Lauren Ham: [00:05:33] They actually do not. Now, we don’t have any we ask them to pay a minimum donation of $15 just to cover a little bit of cost. So we don’t have any. On resident fees and we accept athletes from all over. We had one child come from Dyersville the other year, and Fulton County has a couple athletes that come down and participate.

Brian Pruett: [00:05:58] Awesome. Same thing for volunteers. You don’t have to be from Acworth, right?

Lauren Ham: [00:06:01] Right. Yeah. Just. Yeah. Come and we’ll get you scheduled.

Brian Pruett: [00:06:04] All shows up.

Lauren Ham: [00:06:05] Yeah.

Brian Pruett: [00:06:06] Awesome.

Lauren Ham: [00:06:06] Well, put you to work.

Brian Pruett: [00:06:07] There you go. What I think is really cool is share a little bit how the field. Because the field is a special field, right?

Lauren Ham: [00:06:13] Yes, it is Mondo turf. So it’s the cushion rubberized surface. So, you know, it’s easy for the anybody who utilizes a walker or a wheelchair, any kind of device. You know, we have the larger dugouts that you can get through. You don’t have to kind of kind of maneuver around. It’s easy to get in and get out the flat surface barrier free. We do have rain outs because we have our bases are painted on. So we do have that. But honestly, it’s a nice enclosed surface that is a safe environment for everybody.

Brian Pruett: [00:06:51] That’s awesome. So I know you guys do a big gala every year. Is that the only fundraiser? That’s really kind of what you do for the for the horizon we do.

Lauren Ham: [00:07:01] That is our number. That is our only fundraiser. And that helps us provide all our operating budget for the year. So that fundraiser, we rely heavily on silent auction donations and live auction donation. And it’s a chance for us not even just to raise funds for our operating budget, but just to celebrate our athletes. I mean, we’ve been doing this. We were incorporated in 2006 and the field was finally completed in 2009. So we’ve like I said, we have 18 teams and we like to celebrate them. And this is a chance to do that at the gala with the community and with the Horizon families.

Brian Pruett: [00:07:40] When is the.

Lauren Ham: [00:07:40] Gala? It is Friday, March 3rd coming up.

Brian Pruett: [00:07:44] Awesome. If somebody wants to get involved with that, be a part of that. And if somebody wants to be involved with the Horizon League itself, you already shared the website, but how can they get ahold of you if they have the questions or anything like that?

Lauren Ham: [00:07:54] The easiest way is. Elam Like the food jam at Acworth dot org or just giving me a phone call at the Acworth Parks and Recreation Department. I can get you involved in any aspect volunteering if you’re interested in attending the silent or attending the gala or donating the silent auction, any help is greatly appreciated.

Brian Pruett: [00:08:16] We’ll talk about this in a little bit, but Bob and I are going to kind of help you with that. We’re doing something into this month that’s going to help you guys as well. So we’ll talk about that in a little bit. But I wanted to ask you one more question. You shared a little bit why this is your passion, but why is it important for you to give back?

Lauren Ham: [00:08:31] Wow. Honestly, I am so fortunate. And can I tell you a story?

Brian Pruett: [00:08:39] Sure.

Lauren Ham: [00:08:40] I actually was a very, very bad driver. I don’t know if I’m any better, but I was actually ran over by a semi truck and put in an induced coma. And this was my final year in college. And I got out and just really reevaluated my life and I was given a second chance. And I think that really puts things in perspective. So that’s why I want to give back and provide things just to help everybody.

Brian Pruett: [00:09:17] Well, for those of you who don’t believe, but I’m a believer and so God has a purpose for you and I think you’re doing it. So that’s that’s awesome. I appreciate you being here. You mind sticking around a few minutes while we talk to these other two gentlemen?

Lauren Ham: [00:09:27] Sure.

Brian Pruett: [00:09:27] Thank you. All right. We’re going to move now over to Casey Weatherford. Casey, you are a volunteer coach for the Horizon League and but you also are a cancer survivor. And you’ve been around Acworth for a while. You’ve also owned a couple of businesses you do mentoring. So give us your story.

Casey Weatherford: [00:09:47] So my main story, you know, everybody thinks that they’re invincible, right? When they’re young, we all think that nothing can touch us. That was me. I was. I was that guy. I. I felt like nothing could touch me. I felt like I was on my path, and. And I was made to do that path at a very young age. You know, I was diagnosed with cancer, multiple myeloma. And I was I was a successful business guy that I loved what I did, you know, And and I was on that path. But cancer came in and and kind of smacked me in the face, brought me back to reality a little bit, and that I didn’t know where to turn. I honestly didn’t know where to turn. I felt like I was invincible insurance. I didn’t need you know, that was that was my main thing was, you know, I didn’t put things in place because I wasn’t thinking ahead, you know, And it was I think it was God’s way of telling me to slow things down and and look at what I had. So that was my big thing with life, you know, That was that was my big break. And then at 26, I kind of started over. I reset, you know, and I met a guy that was in the same hospital, Kingston Hospital, and he was in the room with me. He he heard them tell me the news that I was going to die in two weeks.

Casey Weatherford: [00:11:09] They they told me to go home, get comfortable. So we we put on that path that I was going to go home and get comfortable. My wife called around, found a doctor that did he specialized in in bone repair, and I had a tumor in the bone. That’s what multiple myeloma kind of does. It’s a blood cancer. So it it attacks bones, eventually turns in. Eric can turn into leukemia later on down the road. But I had that in my femur and no insurance. So I was kind of lost. He heard my story and says, you know, how can you take it so well? And I said, Well, what am I going to do? Is crying, going to help? Crying won’t help me, you know. So, you know, I just that was my thing. I was going to go home, get comfortable, you know, and that was going to be the end of my life. And, you know, he came out after my wife had found a specialist. He came out, he bought all my hospital stuff and everything. And and to this date, I don’t know if it was him or not, but my hospital bills were paid and I was two and a half million dollars in debt through Emory. So that was I don’t know who paid that, but I got paid forward and I begged, I begged for life.

Casey Weatherford: [00:12:22] I begged for a second chance at life. And I made a promise to God. I said, you know, I’m going to help everybody I can along my path that, you know, as long as you give me that second chance, I can do it, you know? So I begged for that. And and, you know, you don’t hear an answer right away. It wasn’t an answer right away. I didn’t even know if my prayers were going to get answered. It’s the first time I’ve ever turned to God for anything, you know? So you know that I didn’t know if I was going to get granted that, you know, it was and it was a shock. Everything happens, I guess, for a reason. And and so that was my purpose, you know, I was like, all right, now I got to start helping people, you know, I got to get back on my feet. And one thing was I was kind of feeling sorry for myself. I had to learn how to walk again and all that stuff. And one of my buddies had came to me and told me, you know, we coached together at a at a baseball field in Kennesaw. And he told me about a program. He’s like, Man, you should get involved in this program. It’s a Horizon League. And I said, Man, you know, I know I can go over there and buddy.

Casey Weatherford: [00:13:24] And so I went over there just a buddy. And when I went over there to Buddy, I fell in love with it. It was like I was meant to do that. It was like, that’s what that was my plan. So I went to Lauren Hamm. I asked her, I was like, What do I have? Do to coach. Like, what do I have to do to get involved in this? And. And she was like, Oh, we’ll sign you up. You know, you do the background check and we’ll get you out here and we’ll get you coaching. So I started doing that and it was a passion. It was love at first sight, man. I was I was hooked, you know, And and it’s amazing. It’s like I don’t ever pay attention to anything that happens off the field. So it’s it’s kind of like my space. So when I’m out there, I’m on I’m on the Oprah cloud, man, just looking down, you know, it’s awesome. And I was I was kind of put to him as angels because I think that they’re they’re angels. You know, they’re sitting here to teach us lessons. And I’m thankful for for giving that blessing. You know, that it was a it was an eye opener for me that this is where I belong. So I. Really love it. It’s an awesome program.

Brian Pruett: [00:14:28] Well, I don’t know about you guys, but that’s. That’s awesome. So you shared before we went on the air that you also help local business owners with their businesses and and give back that way. Share how you do that.

Casey Weatherford: [00:14:42] So you know different businesses there through even COVID. You know, it is hard for businesses to be involved in making money because we had dining rooms that were closed and some businesses, you know, that was their first thing was like, you know, we have to get on GrubHub and all this stuff, you know, just to to get food out. And so I tried to help out as many people as I can. Of course, that’s that’s my goal. That was what I was answered for. So I started helping out local businesses along the way. And and, you know, just to just to name a few. There’s generations Pizza, Bernie’s and all them, all these local businesses, they needed help. You know, they needed that. And, you know, running to businesses and stuff. That was kind of my thing, you know, like I was I had to to get in there to help them and kind of show them the way. And all these businesses, they you know, they appreciate it, you know, but it was it was a work in progress. So. But anything in the community, these businesses support our community. You know, that’s that’s who gives back to our community. So we have to look out for everybody that’s in in the same aspect that we are. You know, they deal with it just like we deal with it at home.

Brian Pruett: [00:15:55] Are you still currently helping businesses now?

Casey Weatherford: [00:15:58] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Anybody that. Yeah, I’m currently doing big house I’m doing their marketing and and director over there for, for all their events but you know this is just like I said they give back to our community. They they are the ones who donate to our baseball teams and donate to our community and put that money back into the community. And that’s what that’s why we do that. You know, it’s a complete turnaround, you know, So that’s kind of you build a platform for it. You know, you always want people to give and and you have to give to get, you know, so.

Brian Pruett: [00:16:33] If there are businesses out there that need the help and wanting to reach out to you, first of all, can they do that second? Well, how can they do that?

Casey Weatherford: [00:16:42] Yeah, so you can you can definitely do that. I would love to hear all businesses. And we do you know, one of my buddies, Bob, he he’s great at what he does. He does a networking. I tried to get businesses to go to that because that’s what that’s kind of what builds a relationship with everybody is that networking. People don’t realize how powerful networking is. Yes, it is. You know, you take those names, you take those businesses, you put them in your arsenal and and they come up, you know, somebody comes up to you, hey, you know, do you know anybody that does this? Well, yeah, You know that I met this guy. He goes to a meeting that we do and and that helps it out. So that’s that’s networking I feel like is a very important part of the role. You know.

Brian Pruett: [00:17:28] There are other ways that. Can anybody contact you for help?

Casey Weatherford: [00:17:30] Yes, you can get a hold of me. So I still have I still hang on to my old business, to the tire shop, but tire underscore, sole outlet at yahoo.com. Casey Jo W at gmail you send me an email and I’ll gladly answer it. You know, I love I love sitting down and I pay for conversations with with people. So I’ll have a lunch with you and and gladly pay for it because I want to hear everybody’s story and and how they have changed their world. I love those stories.

Brian Pruett: [00:18:01] Well, I don’t know. Many people turn down free lunches, so if you want some help and want a free lunch, reach out to Casey. That’s right. Casey, I appreciate you being here this morning and sharing your story. You mind sticking around for for this gentleman here?

Casey Weatherford: [00:18:11] Yes, sir.

Brian Pruett: [00:18:12] All right, Bob, I don’t know. How are you going to follow these two stories?

Bob Brooks: [00:18:15] I got nothing, Brian.

Brian Pruett: [00:18:18] Bob Brooks, American Eagle Mortgage, powered by Cross Country Mortgage. It’s a mouthful. Yeah, but, uh, you’ve had a pretty interesting background as well. You spent 25 years as an electrical engineer, correct?

Bob Brooks: [00:18:28] Yeah.

Brian Pruett: [00:18:29] Also a worship leader. And now you’re in mortgages and you help coach the youth. So give us a little bit of your story.

Bob Brooks: [00:18:35] Like I said, I have nothing compared to what’s going on. No. Well, I actually got involved. You know, like you were saying, networking. He was talking about networking. It kind of made goes hand in hand with whatever you do. And with Freedom Church, I was the worship leader over there and volunteered with the youth and everything else. And and what my co coaches, Christina, actually said, Hey, can you get some of the youth to come be a special buddy over here at Horizon Field? I went with it. We we had a great time. They still volunteer every now and then a lot for the dodgeball, right? Not dodgeball kickball. Sorry. That would be awful, I think dodgeball class. But anyway, now I got I went the first time with them and was being a special buddy and I looked at Lauren said, Can I come back next week? Nobody came with me. It’s just me. And like Casey said, you get into it one time and it’s it’s an endorphin that you don’t really think you’re going to get. And it’s amazing. And those kids became my kids. And I think this is my fifth year, eight, fifth year with it.

Bob Brooks: [00:19:40] And it’s been amazing. These kids I’ve watched these kids go from wheelchairs to walkers to braces on their legs to now running through the field by themselves. And it’s absolutely amazing. And I have a special heart for it. One of my neighbors whose son just turned five and she was so excited about getting involved. There’s two there’s four kids in the state of Georgia who have this syndrome. It’s called I’m going to say it wrong Pallister Kilian Syndrome or. Don’t ask me what it is, just look it up. But it’s the poor thing is is wheelchair bound for the rest of his life. But it he finally got to play baseball this year and to see all of our friends come out for that game, they were all crying because the mom looked at me and said, I never thought I would get to see my son play baseball, which was the coolest thing I’ve had the whole time on one of my teams, and I had two of the kids of the four playing on my team this year and they were really cool, really cool.

Brian Pruett: [00:20:41] We’re going to circle back around to the Horizon League and while you’re doing this and all that stuff, But tell me how you went from being an electrical engineer into mortgages and can you give any tips? Right now, people listen to you. I like to help people while they’re listening and give tips for that.

Bob Brooks: [00:20:58] Yeah, going from so electrical engineering, the last thing I built was a I was an engineering. I don’t know how to say it, really, but I built the machines a lot, and the last thing I built was a laser machine that put holes in suture needles. I didn’t realize how many suture needles they go through, but they do three a second. And there was something wrong with the machine. I got underneath the machine. I got up and there was needles all in my back. And I went, It’s not fun anymore. And plus, I was getting old. I couldn’t. I couldn’t get under the machine much, much anymore and saved my life. However, I got out of that business and jumped into mortgage reverse mortgages years ago and then said, I don’t like sitting at a desk because I get in trouble for talking too much to people in my office.

Brian Pruett: [00:21:50] Which not.

Bob Brooks: [00:21:51] You, not me know. I tell everybody I can talk to a brick wall as long as it squeaks back every now and then. However. So mortgages became a hard I started helping seniors with reverse mortgages. Learned that I don’t like it cramming it down people’s throats. I still sell reverse mortgage. However, I’m having a ball here in Acworth. I wasn’t really doing anything in the community that I grew up in, and part of helping with the horizon became my passion because I was helping people get new houses for the first time, you know, newlywed couples just to see their sheer joy who thought they could never own a house buying a house. And then I was like, Ooh, I like that endorphin. So now I started networking and growing in the community. I wasn’t doing anything in Acworth. And I said, I got to get back involved in Acworth. I mean, I’ve been there since 1972, so.

Brian Pruett: [00:22:42] And somebody in Acworth is related to you?

Bob Brooks: [00:22:43] Somebody in Acworth is related to me. You’re right. I actually sat next to a guy at a restaurant last night who said a guy’s name. I said, Well, that’s my cousin. And he went, What? He was blown away. But it was pretty neat seeing that. However, given back. And once I got back with Horizon, I started coaching and been there ever since.

Brian Pruett: [00:23:05] So you mentioned that you like giving back and helping businesses as well. So you started a group called the Acworth Connections.

Bob Brooks: [00:23:11] Five years ago.

Brian Pruett: [00:23:12] Actually share a little bit about that and how people can get involved with that.

Bob Brooks: [00:23:14] Yeah, Aqua Connections on Facebook, you can look this up at Acworth, connections on Facebook. There’s not really a dot com or anything like that. However you can contact me at Bob Brooks loans dot com and I’ll tell you all about it because like I said I don’t shut up Acworth connections. We started at Justin’s in Acworth five years ago. After the pandemic we moved it to Center Street and right now we’re having a really large surge. So I’m hoping we don’t have to switch, but we may have to switch soon. We we have anybody from other mortgage people like myself, real estate agents, builders. Got a comedian in there, which I think you had Rich on your show last week. And it just helps so many people. It’s collaboration over competition. We don’t I don’t fight with other mortgage people because I always say, why can’t we all get a loan? So it’s one of those things where I want people to come and be knowledgeable of what what happens with mortgages and houses and building. And because I’m not a builder and there’s a tree guy in there, I’m not cutting down another tree because one almost fell in my leg one time. And he always says, You know, I’d rather you call me and said a911, which is great. So accurate Connections is great. Accurate business association is great. A lot of good community stuff comes out of that with the years.

Brian Pruett: [00:24:32] So I really think it’s cool that you do the collaboration over competition and you and you really do preach that. I do. You know, not only is there a lot of enough business for everybody, but there are things there may be other mortgage people in the building that you can do something that you can’t do and vice versa, correct?

Bob Brooks: [00:24:48] Correct. Yeah. I mean, there’s 50,000 people in the city of Acworth alone. I can’t do 50. I’d like to do 50,000 loans. However, I can’t. So I would rather see my friends what I call my family, get a loan as well. So that’s why I say, why can’t we all get a loan?

Brian Pruett: [00:25:04] And you’re the you’re also there is a loan, Dad.

Bob Brooks: [00:25:06] Loan, Dad, Not your loan, daddy, right? Yeah, right.

Brian Pruett: [00:25:09] Well, okay, so you’ve already shared a little bit, but why is it important for you to give back?

Bob Brooks: [00:25:14] So this community basically raised me. I mean, you hear the stories about when you’re growing up. Usually if I get in trouble in Acworth, I had passed my grandparents house. I was getting a whoopin there, and then I got a whipping when I got home because my grandmother, I called my mom or my dad, either one. So this is a community for me that I’m passionate about. My dad was a local teacher, my mom was local banker, my grandfather was local mechanic, my grandmother was a local bus driver. My all my aunts worked at the post office, so his basically raised me. So I need I wanted to conserve, you know, I wanted to give back to Acworth in some way. But, you know, Horizon, like I said, is a special heart of mine, man. I just I just love them. I’ve seen what good they can do. I mean, one of the parents actually told me one time said, Man, I wish I could be in his brain or be like him. And I was like. He’s your child. And he was like, Yeah, but he has no cares in the world. He doesn’t know anger. He doesn’t really I mean, he’s he gets angry if he gets, you know, he’s hungry. He’s got to, you know, go to the bathroom, whatever. However, they don’t know, hate, they don’t know, you know, there’s wars going on. They don’t know anything like that. They don’t know real sadness like we’ve all encouraged. And, you know, I mean, with with Casey and Lauren here, you know, they’ve experienced tragedy like that. Thank God I’ve not you know, but it’s amazing to hear stories like theirs and make people happy again, you know?

Brian Pruett: [00:26:44] Well, speaking of making people happy, I know one thing that you do that you also have a passion about. I don’t know that you’re currently doing it, but you’ve had a band. People know you as Beeb’s, right?

Bob Brooks: [00:26:52] Beeb’s Yeah.

Brian Pruett: [00:26:53] So do you still are you still playing?

Bob Brooks: [00:26:56] Not right now. You know, getting older. I got a back problem, so I got to heal that first. And then coming back this year though, I’ll be back this year.

Brian Pruett: [00:27:03] Where can people see you when you do come back?

Bob Brooks: [00:27:07] Bars around here, restaurants around here. We got a I got my second band ever. We’re going to do like a reunion show here soon called The Mother Truckers. It’s we’re not going to be moving and jumping around on stage like we used to 20 years ago, but it should be funny and just look for the name Beeb’s, you know?

Brian Pruett: [00:27:27] Well, I’m excited. You and I met last year when I had another business doing direct mail and and promotional items, and you were one of my biggest clients. So first of all, thank you for that. But you are you and I are partnering and doing a business expo slash job fair on the 26th of this month where a portion of the proceeds are going to help the Horizon League. Talk about that. How can people get involved and when is it?

Bob Brooks: [00:27:51] Yeah, so that’s part of the networking stuff. It’s January 26, it’s from 2 to 5 at the Aqua Community Center located downtown Acworth. We’re pre-selling booths still. It’s $150 per table and we’ll supply the tables and two chairs. You just got to bring your your swag and your tablecloth and make it look nice. It’s the networking exploded, I guess I want to call it, because, number one, I get to help give back to the horizon as well, because there are things coming up March 3rd on a Friday night, like Lauren said. So we want to be able to help kick start that off, in other words, but also given back to the community to back forth again. I mean, there’s a lot of people that you wouldn’t see on a normal basis, like they don’t have a storefront, they don’t have a they’re not a Kroger or Wal Mart kind of thing, but they want to get their information out there or there’s jobs hurting out there, restaurants and all kinds of. I just saw the sheriff’s office is hiring at Parks and Rec is hiring. There’s a lot of people hiring right now. So we’re just asking for for those type of guys. We’re just asking for the donation of 100, $250 from them. And and they can set up a table and start hiring away. So we’re going to try to drive as much traffic as we can in there and really try to focus on the community again, getting kick starting off the horizon and getting people a job or getting people seen.

Brian Pruett: [00:29:21] Another advantage if you come to this is there is a good possibility at some point in time during the expo you might get on the air because Stone is coming and setting up and going to have a show live. Be very gracious. Yeah, very. So we appreciate Stone and Business RadioX doing that if one more time, if people want to get ahold of you for mortgages or act with connections or the Expo, how can they do that?

Bob Brooks: [00:29:41] Yeah. Aqua connections on Facebook and w w w w w dot dot brooks loans dot com are your loan dad dot com.

Brian Pruett: [00:29:51] Awesome. So I have one more question for the three of you. So we just started a new year 2023 by the way. Happy New Year to everybody. Lauren, I would like for you to start with this. Can you give one thing for everybody listening to maybe start off the new year or whether it’s I mean, your story is inspiration in itself, but something advice or your quote or word for the year or just something that just can be a good start for the year.

Lauren Ham: [00:30:15] I think quote or advice maybe, I guess be present, you know, make your life count and be present and intentional, you know, going forward and, you know, throughout the year. I think that would be my advice, right?

Casey Weatherford: [00:30:33] Kc So my thing would be, I mean, you heard you heard everybody here today use that one word that that I think is valuable to us as community. You know, get involved in your community. I was always taught when I was a kid, you give 100%, you get 100%. And so I really think that my biggest thing would be get involved in the community. You know, that’s that’s the thing that takes care of us.

Bob Brooks: [00:30:59] So big time. Yeah, mine is. You know, they always say success and failing is the same thing, however. If you you don’t fail until you quit. So that’s a big thing for me this year.

Brian Pruett: [00:31:14] Sharon, I want you to give us one.

Lauren Ham: [00:31:16] Oh, goodness.

Intro: [00:31:17] Um, I would say I like.

Lauren Ham: [00:31:19] The notion of mindfulness, of being really present in what you’re doing, because if your intention is is kind of an alignment with who you really are, then.

Intro: [00:31:27] The result is for the greater good.

Lauren Ham: [00:31:30] Think generally speaking, That’s awesome. Awesome about you. What is yours?

Brian Pruett: [00:31:34] Well, it’s the same thing I end with every year. Every every show. So I’ll do that in just a second. But it’s just it’s I’m having a blast with the show. I hope people listening are getting something out of the the four shows that we’ve done, including today. I don’t know how you can’t go out and be inspired by listening to everybody’s stories and everybody’s got a different story, you know, and we’re all called for a different purpose. I also think about the young man that was with the Buffalo Bills this past Monday night, and had that happened on the football field, which is just crazy in itself. But right now it looks like he’s on the right path to recovery. And that’s another way of God showing his his power. And again, let’s let’s think about the positive. There’s too much negative out there in the mainstream media. And let’s put the positive back out there, sir, by listening. Let’s be positive and be charitable.