Now the 419 with Gretchen DeBacker, Matt Killam, and Kevin Mullen.

Welcome to the 419, powered by WGTE and presented by Whetro Wealth Management.

I'm Kevin Mullenn, Gretchen Debacker, and Matt Killam.

It's our toledo.com community calendar driven by TARTA!

Yes, our friend Jon Eikost from Toledo.ccom is going to come on.

We'll talk about the top five events happening this weekend in the region.

And then we've got a couple other, movers and shakers in the community going to be joining us on the show.

Some very nice guests, ways to get involved, in the community this weekend.

Well, said.

Gretchen, also, what top five is, the sixth thing is Gretchen's leaving town.

Yes.

Yeah.

I mean, that is one of the top things happening, right?

Where are you going?

I'm going to Boulder to visit my niece.

Who goes to the University of Colorado.

Sure.

All right.

Have you been and never been there?

Pretty cool.

Never seen the campus.

So she's got a little.

It's mom's weekend, and her actual mother can't go.

Okay.

And so I'm going in her stead.

Yeah.

It'll be fun.

She's doing her sorority, does a bunch of stuff for the weekend, so it'll be fun.

All right.

And she told me there might be a fraternity party we go to, and I asked her if it started at six and ended at eight.

Yeah.

Cool.

Did your parents come to, like, Parents Weekend when you were in college?

I don't remember them having it.

I'm sure my parents would have, but I don't remember them having it.

I don't remember my parents coming.

My dad came.

Yeah.

You schedule.

It was fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

What about you?

Yeah.

No, no, but I also, like.

I wasn't living with them at the time.

That's that's exactly right.

So.

Oh my goodness.

No.

I went to the.

No, I went to the I went to Miami.

And so I was like the perfect distance far enough away that cookies arrive the next day.

Right.

But they're close enough.

The cookies are the next day.

So that's a way.

That's right.

The far away that they would call before they visit.

But no, I was I was not social at all in college.

So if they had come down, we would have done nothing.

Oh.

So, like, I worked the whole time.

So I work, a bunch of different, like, jobs I announced.

For athletics.

And whatever anyone says about Kevin, they can never say that he's not a hard worker.

Yeah, he is.

He works.

That's just out there for someone to say.

But yeah.

Yeah, that's not the first thing they say.

Oh my goodness.

All right, so in addition to John, I guess, Gail, Kayla and Donna Whitley.

Yeah, talk about the Peace Choir and the Love Your Neighbor organization.

And then we have Adrian Dean, who's going to talk to us about the brand new, Eat Well cafe, which is the new cafe that's inside the main branch of the Toledo Library.

Love it.

All right.

Yeah.

Exciting.

It's going to go.

It will be another busy show.

And we appreciate you being with us here today when we come back.

John, I just from toledo.com, takes a look at the top five events in the region with our toledo.com community calendar driven by.

Tada!

We'll be right back on the 419.

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Welcome back into the 419, powered by Wjrt.

We're taking a look at our toledo.com community calendar driven by Tada and our good friend John.

I kissed the man, the myth, the legend behind toledo.com is here with us.

John welcome back.

Yeah, great to see you guys.

Thanks for coming in.

Oh, and before we get started, we have a very important question to ask you.

Oh, wow.

It's a trending thing on social media right now.

Okay.

Is I'm probably right on top of it.

You are.

I know you are cutting.

It is the name of the store PetSmart or PetSmart?

Yes, I think it's PetSmart.

Okay.

But there's no apostrophe.

Yeah, I don't know.

Okay.

Is the inference that the pets are smart or is it a mart for pets?

It's probably more of a mart for pets.

There's a lot of pets that aren't super, super smart.

This is not that show job.

Take it easy with the hot takes.

Yeah.

Like like bearded dragons for example.

My bearded dragon mirror.

Yeah.

It's not smart.

You routinely try to jump into the background of bird cage, which is it doesn't seem.

She's trying to escape.

Try to escape.

Great story.

Yeah.

Oh, well.

We can't just learn from you.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah.

I think the lesson is don't get a bearded dragon.

Yeah, that is the lesson.

Yeah.

Don't have children.

Is actually.

There's a lot.

All right, John, let's turn to this week the top five events brought to you by toledo.com.

The first we've been talking about, I'm sure you tune into the show every day.

So you know that for the past week we've been highlighting Restaurant and Restaurant week.

But can you tell us a little bit more about that?

That started Monday?

Yeah, started on Monday.

So, you know, we're right in the middle of it.

It goes through Sunday and dozens of restaurants all around the region are participating.

There's usually special dishes involved, and certain deals and that type of thing.

And I believe there's, some kind of incentive to get to a bunch of different, restaurants.

Yeah.

Destination Toledo is sponsoring the Restaurant Week Toledo passport.

That's where you can check in, and get, you know, 100, 200 plus points per check in.

And then you can redeem those points, at the end for a chance at, restaurant gift cards.

Nice.

Very fun.

You can go out to any place, you know, I'm not a big foodie.

You know, my reputation precedes me, but, I'll find some chicken tenders somewhere, okay?

I am I am actually, legitimately surprised that you're not a foodie, is that right?

Yeah.

I did not know that.

Like, I just, I you I think just I associate, like being class and like, social class.

Well, you're German.

No one knows cuisine like German.

That's right.

So.

So are you.

Just like a chicken finger, peanut butter and jelly guy?

That's surreal, I love it.

Oh, is that going to be okay?

So restaurant open a place.

Restaurant week supporting leadership Toledo.

Yes.

Have you have you did you go through leadership for those program?

Yeah, I did actually in 93.

Wow.

I worked for City Fest at the time, and, someone, sponsored me to go through a gentleman named Lloyd Colin back, and he was, maverick businessman on one Lake Erie center back in the day.

At the time, I thought, I can't afford this, but it sounds totally fascinating.

And I got a call one day and someone said, someone has sponsored you to go through the program.

And I would say, you know, I was just telling someone last week, it's such a great program to really learn all the different layers of Toledo, everybody that's doing things kind of behind the scenes that you might not expect from in government, in business, in the arts, all these different, you know, sectors.

And, it really it really gives you a sense of all the work that people are doing.

Thank you.

Great.

I, I went through the program, I equally enjoyed also being in a room full of other people that are seeking that out.

Right.

So I think there's just as much value in the class, right, as there is in the curriculum.

And I think it really gets you in that community minded, you know, mindset where you are like, how can I volunteer?

How can I plug in, how can I use my time and talents to make the city a better place?

Next up is the margarita night, Margaritaville night at Toledo.

I mean, it might be margarita night.

You never know.

That's right.

Friday.

Every night, Friday, March 6th, you're going to have a specialty.

Jerseys.

You can win a weekend to go to a margaritaville, hotel somewhere.

They're giving trucker hats away.

So, walleye is always bringing some kind of cool new, some way to engage with their fans.

Yeah, yeah, it's just like you said, it's just an added bonus if you go to the game and, yeah, first 1500 people through, you get that limited edition trucker cap, those kinds of things.

Many people are into that.

But I also think that I want to acknowledge your bravery, because I know that you've been in mourning since Jimmy Buffett's death.

So it's a it's a big year for you to be able to talk about it.

That's right.

But I pulled myself together, and I'm here.

I'm here today.

Thanks, John.

We'll talk about what you're doing.

Is just celebrating a thing that is celebrating a community.

And in the darkest hour, your words that.

Sometimes Matt is just in his own space.

Yeah, sometimes.

Yeah, yeah.

I've been listening to a lot of the show.

It sounds like you're opening your own restaurant.

Yeah.

That's right, it's a cereal bar.

Yeah, yeah, Mac and cheese.

And when you're making margaritas, that's not actually a bad idea.

The third event, which is also not a bad idea.

Saturday, March 7th, is the Glass City Wine Festival.

This is going to be at the Glass City Center.

20 plus wineries will be there.

You get a keepsake glass.

Should be a fun day.

Yeah.

I think, you know, there's, an afternoon session and an evening session.

So you you buy a ticket for a certain time period.

There's early access for people who are really into it and want to get there and maybe be a crowd.

But like you said, 20 plus Ohio wineries and, Oh, yeah, that's a good time.

I've been to it.

It's way to celebrate things.

It's making you think to people don't know about.

There is a bit of a wine culture around here, definitely.

And you can get around and talk to local vendors.

And the winemakers are usually there.

So they talk about, the harvest and things of that variety.

So it's a fun, interactive experience.

I've been to it a couple times when in Europe.

Somalia.

Yes.

Yeah.

So like you're like, yeah, you're I mean you're into this.

I'm not like even when I drank I was never like smart enough to like, pick up the notes in wine.

It's just like the cheapest I can find is great.

Sure.

Well, it's something you like.

If you like it, you like it.

I think there's the binding principle that everyone should live by in this period of, like, your certification.

Right?

If somebody asks you someplace, if you ask for support and wine or food or anything, the first thing they should ask you is, what do you like?

Yeah.

If not, then it's just a trip on the pretentious.

I'm always asking for wine with my chicken tenders and my PB and Jay's several good books that would go with that.

Absolutely.

I have had more, the opportunity.

I think that's reasonable statement.

Something sucks, to have lunch with John.

Various Bob Evans.

I mean, I can't figure out the answer on this, so we're sponsored.

We're done on the farm right now.

So, John, who's a dear, dear friend of mine we've been meeting and eventually I just came clean.

I was like, John, I cannot go to Bob Evans for lunch.

And then later with that sodium intake, John was going, yeah, food snob.

And it was just that I had trouble digesting 3500 calories at lunch.

And then being a functional adult, I like sausage gravy.

I'm going to tell you, it wasn't the calories and it wasn't the calories.

I think you have to have been a functional adult no matter what the meal, irrespective.

That's a fair, fair.

That's a fair point.

I'm coming after you.

Yeah, okay.

Let's move the.

Well, I'm not done talking.

I don't.

They're in a sausage gravy smoothie is good for anybody.

Don't get me wrong, it is good, but it is not okay with our biscuits at 11 a.m.. That's just a tough ride for the rest of the day.

I'm sorry, John, I'm glad you have more ability to digest food.

The fourth event is Girl Power, right?

Brought to you by Imagination Station.

Our friend Lori Houser, Andy Roman and others have been on the show, but it's a fun event.

It's it's Women's History Month, 12 to 4 on Saturday.

They're having a luncheon, all kinds of learning activities, basically.

This is a message that, science can be fun.

Yeah.

Girls.

Leaders.

Yes.

Steam.

Steam leadership.

You know, I mean, that's something that Imagination Station focuses on year round, but this is a specific event with a keynote speaker, a lot of activities, and just a chance for young girls to really see, role models and talk about everything related to steam, you know?

So you know that, you know?

Yes, I do, yeah.

Pretty cool.

I know that you were just mocking me.

But I, you know, done.

All right, let's not fight it.

It's women's history month.

The final event for the toledo.com top five events of the week is the Greater Toledo Train and Toy Show, which is Saturday, March 8th.

This happens.

Howard Owens, this is a huge it's a huge event.

And I think that they have been doing it for 28 years.

And in a way that the wine festival is for people who are in a specific lane and really love a thing.

I think that train collecting and train modeling is also a subculture antique toys and antique toys there.

There are a lot of collectible toys out there as well.

The focus is trains and I think, again, there's like a way for people who are collectors to go again in the early hours and then in the afternoon, just people who probably want to take their kids and see model train sets set up.

If you don't mind, do you mind looking at the camera, talking about, wine and alcohol consumption and proper toy train operations?

Those two things should mix in moderation, right?

Do you mind just for the church, a little, a little, a little public service announcement.

There's a safe way to drink in moderation.

When the when the lights are flashing at the railroad crossing, you should stop.

That's right.

And not the drinking.

Yeah, definitely not just the train.

That's right, that's right.

I mean, I, I, I was like, kind of curious, like, is this something that is like purely for the enthusiasts, like the, like the die hards.

No, it's very much so like the all kids 12 and under get in free.

And so it's the kind of thing where you take a family.

And there are a lot of my understanding is a lot of train tables set up and even Lego display, you know, all, all kinds of things.

A group of them, set up in the, the manor house annually, and that moved over to, another part of the park during the holiday celebration because it's so popular.

And I will talk about in the same vein as the enthusiast about winemaking, the people that bring these out are really excited to talk about it.

And I think we all sort of said from this cup that talking in discriminative what the subject matter is, talking to somebody who's wildly interested in is infectious, right?

Yeah.

Just for a few minutes, no doubt.

It's a really interactive thing and the people are great.

So I do encourage people who don't care about model trains at all to at least head out and check it out.

It's worth it.

So you can find out all the details about these events and more.

At cedar.com, it's brought to you by Tada!

John.

We have you in, once a month now, because we also want to do a little bit of a planning ahead, if you will, and look at some of the other events that are coming up.

This spring.

So happy to be able to say spring so into March in the first part of April.

What are some things that you would toledo.com are looking at?

There's so many things I actually have this long list, but I'll try to pick some of these, something that's happening at Bgsu on, I think it's the eighth, ninth and 10th.

Rhiannon Giddens is a musician who well known in her own right.

She does this thing called Silk Road's ensemble.

Now, the the the event that's on the 10th is sold out.

But they have, I think, expanded what the offering is.

And this is on campus at Cobb Acker Hall.

But live music and a chance for the community.

There's an open rehearsal that people can go to.

If you didn't get tickets.

And then there's also kind of a community, conversation with a little bit of a jam.

And that's again, maybe I'm just tuned into that because I love music, but that's going to be really special.

The there's a party in the park.

It's kind of like an early version of what we'll see this summer.

So party in the park here on yards on the 13th of, March.

And a band actually called Lead Foot Granny Young.

I just saw them at acoustics for autism this past weekend.

Great band.

Kind of bring the, like, a LED Zeppelin vibe.

But really talented musicians.

That is something that's going to be big.

And again, one of those things where I think that they're trying to get people hyped up for the party in the summer.

So yeah, that's coming up and it's all free.

All free.

Yeah, yeah.

And here on yards, that's kind of, you know, right by that block right next to the stadium.

Yes.

By the blarney.

And I can bowl.

Matthew Rubin and Crane Development are working on that.

Yeah.

They're done a great job over there.

Absolutely.

And then, of course, you start to get into the all the festivities around, Saint Patrick's Day.

And so there's the Shamrock Shuffle, which is a run or a walk and, or a clap.

Yeah, yeah, from from the stands side of the street.

But then that is coordinated with it's Saint Patrick's Day.

So that's something that the walleye are doing primarily at Fleetwood's.

Think of it as if you're not in the race.

I mean, it starts at maybe 4:00.

And if you're in the race, that's where the after party is going to be.

And then again, around Saint Patrick's Day, I mean, certainly the blarney always turns out a good closing down the street.

Good time.

And then Molly's Irish Pub, is another place that has, if you check their schedule, they have multiple days this year.

Saint Patrick's Day is on a Tuesday.

But I think that, people will still find a way to.

Yeah, I just think we don't work the whole week, basically.

Maybe.

Well, the the month ends with the national holiday in Toledo.

That is Mud Hens opening day.

Yeah, well, April 7th.

Yeah.

So it is.

It's.

Yeah, this year it's April 7th.

So in between that, there's so many things that, you know, Coffee Quest kicks off.

That's again you mentioned Destination Toledo earlier and they're heavily involved with kind of coordinating that.

And again an app type thing where you can check in and earn points and all that kind of thing.

So your coffee drinker, Jeff, you were hitting on all the things that I am not, I'm not one.

I've actually never had a cup of coffee in my life.

Get out of town.

So you just do that and just wake up.

I mean, I'm here.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You don't use methamphetamines or anything?

Coffee?

Well, we didn't say that.

Wow.

Okay.

That's impressive, John, but, and then, you know, I don't know how much more time we have, but, like, the walleye, the real walleye, the fish, the walleye run starts to take place in March, and I drive actually past the side cut on my way to work.

Everything so cool to see them lying there.

Yeah, it's going to be really interesting because this year I think that the water is down.

Right.

So the water is unusually down.

So it'll be interesting to see how that affects.

So hopefully not too detrimental.

But it is fun to watch these, you know, people come in from all over the place to watch it.

Like, if you're not doing it.

Sure.

I mean, there's a bunch of pull ups.

I mean, it fills up pretty quickly, right?

Along the banks of psi cut.

And you can certainly go into Wood County, as well.

And I'm not as familiar with those locations, but I do t it is typical John fashion.

It's really it's lots of flushing of things.

So still bringing things that was somewhat manufactured in terms of events, but from a national perspective.

We are the the nation's leader in this while I run is a big deal.

And although there's another kind of lays claim to it in Minnesota, we are actually this.

So we are creating great things and the natural resources that we are lucky enough to live amongst also creates this opportunity to and it's it's it's nationally unique.

John.

We're, we're pretty much out of time, but thank you always for your very thoughtful list.

People can get all of this information and more at slate.com.

Yeah.

Thank you so much.

I can thank you.

Again, we're every week, every Thursday, we're taking a look at our toledo.com community calendar driven by Tada.

And you can find the best events that are happening, at toledo.com.

And of course, Tata can always get you there.

When we come back on the other side of the break, we're going to be joined by Gayle Katz and Ella, Reverend Gayle Candela and Donna Whitley from the Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative about, what the Love Your Neighbor campaigns looking like as we move into 2026.

We'll be right back on the 419.

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And Gretchen, we talked about you attended a cool new event.

And we've seen these pop up around the country, but it came to Toledo, and thanks to these nice ladies here with us, Reverend Gayle and coming.

I'm sitting next to you, Reverend Gayle and Donna Whitley from the Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you for having me.

Let's talk about.

So I teased this event.

Gretchen, what did you do?

So there was, some trending, sort of, videos on social media all around the Minnesota protests.

And it was these choirs of people, really just everyday residents of Minnesota, that would go out in front of the hotels where ice was staying or just in their air areas where people were hurting and they just sing these songs.

And I'm going to ask Donna about these songs and specifically the sort of peace songbook.

But it was incredibly impactful.

There was no music.

It was just sort of this, chanting, you know, singing.

Then people sometimes do harmonies.

And so it was very simple and beautiful and impactful.

And I started texting my sister, I'm like, we gotta do this.

Someone has to do this.

I feel scared and someone has to do this.

And the next thing I know, I see posts from, Gail that, a peace choir is going to be, started in Toledo, and the first event was last weekend, about 70 or so people showed up.

Wow.

It's great.

So there's another one this coming weekend, this Saturday from 10 to 11 at Wildwood, we're going to sort of meet in front of the manor house, sort of just look for the people that are there.

But anyway, I've talked enough.

Tell us why you guys just started decided to start this choir.

Well, I was having breakfast with a friend and she said, you know, we used to have this choir that used to just show up and sing.

And I said, oh, I want one of those.

So I, I called Donna and I said, you are the most capable person for this task.

And, and talk to me for a week, and then you will say, I was sick and, and, and we just decided that, getting together to sing.

I mean, there's no downside to it, and everyone can sing, so there's a joy to that.

There's a physicality to that.

There's a letting go of emotions to that.

I mean, so many people plug into music for their emotional life.

But also there's community to that and just seemed like such a good idea.

So, so I gave it to Donna and she made it beautiful.

So, I mean, obviously this, you know, we're we've seen this pop up around the country has been, you know, largely around protests.

But this is a peace choir, not a protest choir.

Explain to me why when I think I think there's enough of that.

I think there's enough of the resistance choir idea.

And the, the fighting.

And we can do this if we work harder, if we fight more, if we sing louder, if we are louder and just a little bit uglier.

I don't take that away from anyone.

People.

People do what they need to do and what they feel and what is real to them.

For me personally, I talked to Gayle about, you know, what songs we would sing.

And I said, the Justice Choir, which is something that came from, actually the George Floyd horror, three Minnesotan composers reached out to friends around the country and said it was because they wanted to start something in, Minneapolis Saint Paul.

And they, got 800 submissions of people.

Yeah, make up this choir choral songbook and put this song in, in this song in.

And they said, well, we can't do 800 and found some friends in Minneapolis, and they got it down to 43 songs.

And that has sort of been the guide for me.

We're also, and one of the songs said, one of the things we did right was fight, fight, fight.

And I agree with that, actually.

But I think I thought that this gathering of people in Toledo maybe could be around something a little gentler.

I don't know if I would say kinder, but I would say gentler, for sure.

And, that so that's what we did.

We also sing songs that everyone knows, like, gonna lay down my sword and she's down by the Riverside, the Hammer song and I'm sure land just land this land was a favorite.

And I'm going to add blowin in the wind to this week's thing and imagine, and and so I think that idea, you know, Grace Kelly, grace is my daughter, and I'm sorry I keep I always say that, and Gail mentioned the idea of this connection that it's made and it's an emotional connection, and you don't even know it necessarily.

But, at one point last Saturday, I asked everybody to just turn to someone next to them and just say hi.

And introduce yourself and, you know, shake hands, maybe give a hug or whatever.

And I think that that is something that brings us together along with the music.

The music was the impetus.

Can you talk about why it's important for people to that feel like they don't have the voice to use their voice in this way, and that you don't have to have a skill set here, like it's not choir singing, it's anybody can come to this.

And one of our taglines is, everybody's welcome because everybody can sing.

And I, I think that that's the bottom line.

It doesn't require any training.

Experience is nice but doesn't require that either.

It's I think some people really find that an important way to express themselves.

And I think it's extremely personal that if they're doing it as much for themselves as they are for any cause or any other human being.

But I think it really touches some people in a very direct way.

I think that one thing that, to, get by either is just, showing up.

Right?

Both of you, if you don't mind, now there's a very specific application to, a congregation to you.

But we talked a little bit about the simplicity of gathering and being together.

Well, and that's what damage has been done.

That's never has been.

Excuse me.

Count?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh.

Both sides.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, you get enough from enough.

You have your own day.

Yeah.

It's our time to talk.

Oh, no.

I'm sorry.

It's a blessing.

Yeah.

To avoid purgatory.

The the good, I still can.

Please go ahead.

All right.

So go, go, go.

Neighbor to neighbor has always been about that, about coming together, about the power that happens when good people gather to do good things.

When we tell our stories, when we listen to our stories, the bonding that I mean, when you are singing this land is your land, you don't hate the person standing next to you.

You're not going to get into a fight when you're singing at the top of your lungs.

Some people next to you harmonizing.

I mean, I didn't know half the people who were there.

I there there are people in wheelchairs or babies in buggies.

I mean, there is this, this community that that bonded over the need to be together, the need to speak to peace because we are all longing for peace.

We are all desperate for peace.

and this is one way to come together.

I mean, I don't know what ultimately will come of this, but what I know is that every time we gather, it matters.

Yes.

Thank you.

And what made me think of that?

Or at least want to reflect on it?

You made mention of that.

Just taking the person.

And next time.

Right.

That is, and I know that there is a sign of peace, you know, that's traditional, but it has really little things that we blow by so quickly that, have such a value to them.

So I much please go ahead.

I was just, just going to say, and there seems to be a fear of doing that, anymore.

Well, this is a waste of time, even.

Yeah, it's that's fear.

It's just like saying hello to somebody.

Yeah.

You know, it was really impressive to me.

Or important.

I was surprised by the people that were there because it's people that I, we that that I know.

But I know when you think about it, I wonder who will be there.

None of the people that I knew, people from high school that I knew our friend Sarah Best brought her 90 year old mother, our friend Yvonne Du black and Kim were there.

I mean, it was all of these people that we know.

It was so nice to see people out in real life.

And you're like, oh, other people are feeling this.

Other people are, needing something.

And the and they showed up on a Saturday morning when it was freezing out.

And so that also is impactful.

We're talking with Reverend Gayle Kenton Ella and Donna Whitley from the Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative.

70 people showing up.

I mean, that's the you know, you and I talked before it and I said the goal of any first time event is just to have it, and then you don't tell people how many people showed up.

But we can.

But you can.

I mean, 70, that's that's great.

Well, I think people feel so isolated in their grief and in their anxiety and in their fear, sometimes anger.

And when you come together and realize you are not alone in that, that's it.

And that you can be positive, do something positive about it.

It just it's just a relief.

It's just such a relief.

Donna, you were in on the ground floor of The Neighbor a Neighbor initiative.

Kind of talk to me about this if folks aren't familiar with that.

What?

What is neighbor to neighbor?

Neighbor to neighbor is an opportunity to be kind to one another in a huge variety of ways.

There are, they were there was a sign program.

Steve, my husband designed a sign up which is on those stickers, on your bumper stickers and, they, are in over a thousand yards.

And the area and all over the.

Oh, yes.

All over.

Yeah.

I mean, I saw it.

I saw the sign in a storefront in Adrian, Michigan.

Yeah.

Our daughter was doing something up at Crosswell, and she said, dad, dad.

And she took a picture of this.

You know, one of those those country roads.

There was a sign.

And who knew who that was?

But who cares?

You know.

That's right.

And you see it.

You know, it's bright and it's clear as clear as a bell.

People describe me.

Yes.

Clear as a bell moment.

Yeah.

That's right.

And kind of said that.

Yes.

That's right.

Yeah.

That's what this show is about.

It's just, feeding my fragile ego.

I noticed.

Yeah.

You're doing okay?

No.

Okay.

So let's let's feed Matt's ego.

I know the Metro parks played a big role in, in sort of launching this neighbor to neighbor initiative.

And, and so, you know, I think there's a, there's a piece of this that, you know, coming together as a community, you know, loving the space we have, loving our community.

And certainly loving your neighbor is is what makes this work.

We have over 60 community partners at this point who want to participate in want to make a difference.

We have, we have some wonderful upcoming events.

We're focusing on kids this this time and the leadership that kids just naturally have toward kindness and toward being a good neighbor.

We're also we're going to have an event with Daniel Tiger, who does not have a middle name.

Took me a while to learn that.

Anyway, on September 19th, we have, Steve Hartman coming October 6th, to the Franciscan Center to talk about kindness.

So a lot of things coming up, a lot of things we're still planning.

But the whole point is just to b people together and just to realize that we're going to be still neighbors no matter what crisis happens in the world, no matter what what happens here, we are still neighbors, and we have to be we have to be kind to one another.

And when we hear each other stories, at least we've taken the time to listen.

It might not change a thing, but it might.

But kindest thing we can do is make both of you play Gretchen's wacky quiz.

Are you ready?

All right, here we go.

Yeah, we've had you on the podcast before, but this is your first time on the new show, powered by GTP and your first chance to get thrown into the gantlet that is, you mess up.

What this skill.

All right, for rapid fire questions for me.

Gretchen's asking for your favorite thing in or about Toledo, and then Matt's going to work with you to describe the region in exactly nine words.

But you get you guys get to work together.

So this will be great.

Good.

I'll do for you two five.

Okay, I like that.

I like that.

That's dangerous negotiating.

Can I go for.

All right.

Here we go.

So the four rapid fire, we're going to have to move.

How would your parents describe your personality?

Oh, goodness.

That's an answer.

Scary.

Kind.

Okay, we'll take it.

We got it.

Which musician do you think would make the best teacher?

James.

Taylor.

Bono.

Nice.

What?

Luxury is totally worth the price.

Scallops.

Good answer.

Warm bed.

Yeah.

All right.

And then I say this time and time again, I love how this works, that I grab a random card and I get a question that totally applies.

Who has been your favorite neighbor?

I think the point is not to have a favorite neighbor.

I think the point is to love everybody.

You know that's a cop out.

Donna, I told you I wanted to go with you because that would have been really good.

What a coward.

Growing up my next door neighbor, Mimi Fury.

Miriam Fury, out back in New York.

And she and I just hung out all the time.

We skinny dipped in the local pool.

This is a this is PBS.

Oh, sorry.

Yeah, we had our bathing suits on and in the local portrait.

What's your number one most favorite thing, or what you consider to be the best thing about the city of Toledo or the region?

People are so generous here.

I mean, when I say I need something, I guess one thing they'll.

The one word idea.

Come on.

Yeah.

Love your neighbor, Matt.

The the arts.

Yes.

The arts in our area are strong and vital.

All right.

Nine.

We're going to do it together.

Just rapid fire here.

And words to describe the Toledo or region people is one of them.

Mr.. Enough.

Hot.

Green.

Green.

Thank you.

Accessible.

Accessible.

Thank you.

Friendly.

Friendly.

Yes.

Small.

Small person.

Generous.

Generous.

Yeah.

Three more.

Pretty.

Pretty good.

Two more.

Accessible Festival.

Who gets through it twice, then I see success.

That's okay.

That's how accessible it is, man.

It's so accessible.

One more word.

So I had to say it twice, people.

Okay, we said that twice.

Well, we reinforcing certain we don't have enough show to fix YouTube.

So let's just get these.

How can I come back?

Thank you so much for coming on.

The event.

Is this Saturday at 10 a.m.

at Wildwood, where how can people get information about future events and about neighbor to neighbor, neighbor to neighbor?

Toledo.com we we're on Facebook.

Neighbor your neighbor Toledo.

We are on Instagram.

Neighbor to neighbor Toledo.

And just ask me okay.

Yeah.

Great answer I love it.

Just ask me the same story.

All right.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for everything you're doing with neighbor to neighbor.

Thanks to Reverend Gayle, Cat, nella, and Donna Wesley for joining us.

When we come back.

Adrian.

Chance.

Steve.

Yes, we talking about the new cafe opening at the main library downtown.

We'll be right back on the 419.

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Welcome back into the 419 Powered by.

There's great things happening all over the community.

And of course, we've got a new one opening up, in downtown Toledo at the main library.

There's a new cafe.

We've got Mitch, Magda and Adrian.

Justine joining us to talk about that effort.

Thanks for being here.

Yeah, thanks.

Tell us what.

What is the new cafe?

Well, eat well cafe.

It's located in the main branch of the Toledo Public Library, downtown Toledo.

It is a community cafe.

We call it a participatory cafe.

So basically, what that means is that the entire community, city of Toledo, white and small, assist us in providing healthy meals for anybody who comes into the cafe.

So the volunteers run the entire kitchen.

Is there is it a paid staff?

How is it?

How is it operate?

Yeah, it's kind of a mixture.

So we have a group of core volunteers that come into the kitchen.

They're there every Thursday and Friday, and they basically helped the chef who's a paid employee.

And then we have another paid employee part time, who's our cafe coordinator.

So yes, we rely heavily on volunteers to help us do all the food preparation to help us with guests.

So yeah, it's a team effort for sure.

Adrian, what are the different ways that that participate?

What is what does participation look like within.

It's a participation based model.

You know, we and make sure that we're able to provide across the board.

And so what we have is a suggested donation of $12 is what the meal costs.

But then, we have a minimum suggested donation of $3.

And then if someone cannot provide that, then what we do is we ask them to help out, wiping a table, sweeping a floor or helping a staff member, and then they're able to be able to have the meal.

So how did you get involved in this?

Well, Claudia, she was the executive director, for same.

And, before they ended up closing their doors, we connected.

I've, we have a, long history and, just asking about funding and stuff.

I have my own marketing agency and, do a lot of, fundraisers and sponsorship, and she was asking if I could be on the board and, be able to help in different ways.

And so, I have a huge passion for, what Eat Well Cafe is doing and their mission.

And so I thought it was a great fit.

And so I'm very happy to be able to serve on the board.

Good for you.

Which how'd you get involved?

Well, I was involved with same cafe.

Okay.

So same that was a predecessor of Eat Well Cafe.

So Sam was in, is actually based in Denver, Colorado, and I went out to Denver to see their operation several years ago.

Me and another individual here in Toledo.

And then we brought it back here, and we actually convinced same in Colorado to come here.

So I served on the national board for same after they closed, a group of people, we wanted to make this work.

And so a group of us came together, we tried to figure out a other business model that would work better in Toledo.

And so we opened up our doors on January 15th for the first time.

Why is this important?

Because a lot of people don't have access to healthy, food, right?

Right.

So, not there's no equal access across the board.

I mean, to be honest with you, you can get food, but it's not necessarily healthy, right?

And so we we feel that everybody deserves to have a healthy meal.

It's not a privilege.

It's a right to have a a good meal and talk a little bit about the location it is in, a fabulous facility and in the heart of a fabulous institution, Lucas County Public Library.

Why is that location important, and what is it like working with the library o the libraries?

But you're anti literacy.

You said that off campus.

What are you going to give me a time to announce your plan I love you, I know your role now with this whole thing.

Okay.

Yes.

So role is general.

Well you know what I mean.

It's a great partnership with the library.

There really is.

They're great people.

Jason Kuzma has been extremely helpful.

And supportive of what we're doing.

And we serve the same.

Yes.

To be honest with you.

Okay, so it's a community center.

That's right.

It's especially during the winter time if you're under housed or unhoused, that's where you're hanging out to stay warm.

All right.

And if you're unhoused or under housed, you also probably don't have access to to good food.

Yes, sir.

All right.

So it's a really good marriage.

Absolutely.

Isn't it also an equalizer?

Right.

So someone you don't have to be unhoused to eat.

They're people that work downtown, in an office building, can go across the library and buy the exact same food.

What?

What is the symbolism or the meaning of of that?

Well, actually, I mean, we're all in this together.

All, all part of the same community.

I don't care if you're a person of privilege or if you are unhoused.

We all live in the same community.

We all share the same problems, the same, great things about the community.

Why not, all be seated at the same table.

As a matter of fact, we have a community table in the cafe where all people can sit together, and it's really great to see people do that.

Actually, it was said when I toured the same cafe for the first time, there was a, like, a subtle piece of of the cafe that I totally overlooked.

And that's the concept of choice, of allowing people to choose what they want to eat.

Right.

When you go to, you know, you're going to, food pantry or soup kitchen, air street.

Yeah.

You get served what everybody's eating, right.

You don't actually get a choice in that.

But choice was a big piece of same cafe.

Does that same model exist, with it?

Well, yes.

No, we have, a handful of different bowls.

And then we're also in the process of being able to, like, kind of create your own, you know, so there is a lot of variety, that we do have.

And so and that's one of the really cool things that same did not have that eat Well cafe is we're doing carry out to go and then we're also, getting ready to do our catering as well.

And so I think that's going to be able to also that's cool, you know, kind of help combine the community together.

You know, like Mitch was mentioning, it is a community cafe.

And so, one thing being, you know, in the marketing and doing the communications piece of it, you do see kind of that, that stigma of that gap that's in there.

And so I feel like having the catering is really going to kind of help.

People are going to see who we are, what we're doing.

And then also be able to taste our nutritious food and, you know, and it's going to find a way to be able to kind of, target that corporate, per se and still be able to, you know, serve the unhoused community.

I mean, it's it's a community service organization, but it's also a good restaurant.

Absolutely.

Talk to me about the menu.

Yeah.

No, I mean, the menu is great.

I mean, like, Mitch was saying everything that we have is, is very healthy.

You know, farm to table.

There's a lot of different, things that we do have and that we offer.

And you.

Yeah.

I mean, every single bowl has a complete protein in it.

Yeah.

So, like, they have greens, we have grains.

Sometimes we have meat.

If you're vegan.

And one thing we don't often think about is if you're unhoused or under house, it's really hard if you have any kind of nutritional issue.

Yeah.

All right.

So let's say if you're lactose intolerance or something, you're you're going around sick most of the time.

Yeah.

Okay.

Because you can't get a meal that caters to your needs.

We cater to people's needs regardless of where they're from or their ability to pay.

Talk to us about, the chef, obviously, that's a linchpin of.

Yeah.

Tell us about that individual.

Yeah.

Chef.

Alex.

So he was trained in different restaurants here in the city of Toledo.

So we hired him at the end of, towards the end of Sink Cafe.

Stay here.

And basically he stayed in the wings where we got everything, in gear to open up, eat well cafe.

So Sam closed in April of last year.

We didn't open until January, and he really wanted to be part of this.

And to me, what's really important is not only is he a great chef, but he gets the mission of what we're trying to accomplish.

Okay.

And you need to have both.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Yeah.

Talk to me about, I mean, the two of you, although you just, shared with me that you retired to.

Now you got all the time to work.

Okay, what's really is the two of you don't.

I mean, you've got, stuff going on.

You presumably had other hobbies, and, So now, is this just a way of you getting out of cooking at home?

Or doing the dishes?

And you're like, well, hey, I do this all the time.

The answer to that would be no.

Until you talk to me about the balance in your lives, this is a big deal.

And I dined, the cafe quite a bit.

I had friends that work there.

But you've made this conscious decision for the two of you personally, if you don't mind me asking.

For what reason?

Well, I've been committed to food insecurity issues in the city of Toledo for almost 20 years now, so I've served in a lot of capacity.

I've served for other nonprofits on the board, etc.

with food insecurity issues, it's important issue to me.

It's funny you mentioned me about my former job.

Okay, I'm a conservationist.

So many ecologists, you can't care about the environment unless your basic needs are met.

Okay, so there is a method to my madness.

Yeah.

All right.

So it's hard for me to preach about, like, hey, take care of the environment when you don't have access.

That's right.

All right, so the two are married together, and that's that's a way I look at it.

If, you know, I'm asking, you know, you're not off the hook, okay, I gotcha.

What, was there an moment?

Was it, a similar experience or it was there a moment when this rhetoric was like, I need to get more involved in helping this?

You know what?

Actually, it was when I went out to.

Same in Denver.

Okay, okay.

There cafe model out there was something I thought was awesome, and I thought it would fit well into Toledo in our community.

And when we brought the executive director out here, we basically sold him Toledo.

Okay.

This is the kind of community we would think this would work in.

And at first they were like hesitant.

Sure.

But when he came out we actually paid for him to come out and we took him around Toledo and we showed him how generous the people here are in Toledo.

Yeah.

And he he bought it.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

And he went back and he sold their board and they came here.

Well, let me ask you the same question.

Again, you you own your own business.

You're in the fucking field, which is excruciating.

And thankless.

All of our words.

But this is important to you.

Did you have an moment here?

What what what what suckered you into devoting a portion of your life?

Well, and honestly, when I was 17, I was homeless, okay?

And so.

And I had a two and a half year old child, and, you know, being in that position, kind of gave me the opportunity to pay it forward.

Yeah.

And so, that is one of the biggest reasons why I am very passionate about, what I do.

And just to have the opportunity to be able to give back.

And, you know, I, I feel like I've had a lot of different walks of life.

And to be able to have and share those opportunities with other people, you know, I think and, you know, it's very close to my heart.

Well, thank you for sharing that with us.

Yeah.

We're talking with Adrian Chastain and Mitch Magnet from Eat Well Cafe Cafe downtown.

Kevin's a pretty heavy drinker.

Yeah.

It's really I started this intervention.

These cameras have been on.

What's in your cup?

Yeah.

So let's get down to the bottom of it.

Okay.

Don't ask.

Maybe this is.

I don't know if this is of interest to anybody else.

You know, listening or watching to this, but I'm.

I'm interested in the business model of this, because obviously, same cafe, did not stay open.

And so you had to reinvent yourself.

And you said you, you revisited and came up with the business model to work in Toledo.

What was the word?

What are those differences?

You know, a great question.

And that was a big concern when we started.

We wanted to restart this whole thing.

A couple of things.

One, we're starting out slow.

So we're not starting out in a spread.

Okay.

We're starting out in a marathon, so we're only open two days a week.

That's one thing.

We only have two part time employees.

We have no executive director.

So basically the board runs the cafe.

And that's giving us enough time to build up a donor base.

Guess customers who are going to be using the cafe.

As Adrian mentioned, we are also starting the catering program, so we feel that that's going to be of interest.

Basically, it's a catering program with with a mission attached to it.

And the other one is the To-Go menu.

So we feel like those two things because those are that's going to be help us sustain the cafe.

If people want more information on Eat Well Cafe, where can they find it?

Well, you can go online to eat Well Cafe Dawg.

You know, or feel free to go downtown.

You know, I think the more people go downtown and actually, again, go and see the environment, taste the food, get the opportunity.

I think that that's the best way, you know.

And what are the two days that and the hours that you're open?

Yeah.

They're open, we're open Thursday and Friday from noon to 3:00.

Okay.

Right.

What do you hope?

You know, five years from now?

We have you guys back on the show, and we're talking about kind of what you guys have accomplished.

What do you, you know, what's your vision for?

What?

Eat Well cafe looks like?

Well, obviously expanding our hours.

So we'd like to be open Monday through Friday at least.

Expanding our staff, so that we can serve more people.

Also, so that we can expand our catering program, our to go program.

So five years from now, I'd like this to be a basically a linchpin in downtown Toledo, to be honest with you, that people know about, Eat Well cafe.

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

Same.

I feel, this is such a need in the community, you know, with where, especially with where it's placed, you know, like, Mitch was saying, there's so many, unhoused that do go there for a warm place.

And so to be able to sustain and be there for that, you know, to just really be more of a community, go to and then also, for lunch, you know, and I think with the model that we've built now and not just being on grants and in front of foundations, right, that having these other things in place are going to help us maintain and be strong.

I think it's, it's it's interesting when you think about, you know, homelessness, you know, it's easy to kind of think of it as an all or nothing thing, right?

Like either you have a house or you don't.

And the reality is there's so many folks that are in there that that fall into that category of being unhoused or under housed.

I think the same is true with food insecurity.

Right?

It's not an issue of either you you have food or you don't.

There's a ton of people that don't have access to healthy food, don't have access to consistent food.

You know, I do a lot of work with connecting kids to meals.

And so the thought of, you know, kids that, you know, rely on school for their meal, well, that's great Monday through Friday.

But when they hit the weekend, what do they what do they do?

And so for you guys to be filling that gap, and providing another resource for people, that's really incredible.

You know, I mean, you mentioned kids in school, but like, also summertime.

What do you what how do kids eat during the summer?

We want to be able to fill that gap, right?

Yeah.

That's awesome.

Mitch Adrian, thank you so much.

Thank you again.

More people want more information on Eat Well Cafe.

Where can they find it?

Eat well cafe.org.

Awesome.

Yeah.

Thanks guys.

Thank you so much.

We come back we'll wrap up this Thursday edition of the 419 every day when you laugh with us, you learned with us a neighbor.

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Tada!

There's some great events.

Very good.

Coming up and a lot of great things happening in the region.

Absolutely.

Well, said Kevin.

And, that that's is that the most amount of guest we've had on the show?

No, we've had segments with two guests every segment haven't we?

Maybe our first show since show number one.

I don't think we've had five people on, like I say that two, that was too many guests.

But I've got a couple.

I've got a couple that I want to cut a couple of notes.

Yeah, we can talk about it.

Yeah.

And why is it Reverend Gayle?

Yeah, all of the people mentioned in here, I mean, that's God's plan.

Oh my goodness.

Amazing.

Peace Choir happening this weekend.

That'll be awesome.

I have to mention, certainly we didn't talk about the segment, but Adrian, had actually reached out to us by email.

Send us an email, email@419.org and said, hey, can we get on the show and talk about, the great things that are happening?

Eat well and we love it.

So we were appreciative having them reach out and want to be out here and share their story.

That's what we want to do with this show, is share the great things that are happening all over Northwest Ohio.

Of course, if you have something cool that's happening, whether it's you're involved in it, you just see it and you think we should be talking about it.

Shoot us an email for 419@wgte.org.

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