Now the 490.

With Gretchen de Bakker might kill them.

And Kevin Mullin.

Welcome to the 419, powered by CTE and presented by Retro Wealth Management.

I'm Kevin and.

Gretchen de.

Becker, and I tell.

Em, we got an exciting show today.

Every Tuesday, our friends at Community Foundation, kind of help, support and encourage us to talk to the people that are making our community a better place.

And there's no question that we've got two of thos individuals on the show today.

John Amato, the owner of Joop mode, is going to be on.

Of course, we'll talk about, what we're sporting yet.

And then Mike Keady from Metroparks Toledo.

He is, without question, this show's favorite Metroparks employee.

I agree.

What?

Gretchen.

What?

Let's describe what we're wearing.

So we are wearing for our, audio listeners, we are wearing shirts that say public media Nerd and has a logo at the bottom.

We're going to talk to John Amato about his here for good campaign that they're doing, at Jew Mode.

And this shirt is one o the shirts that are available, as a fundraiser for.

Well, I'm not wearing a full shirt.

Yeah.

Yes.

So it's we wanted to ask you on the the origin story of all of this, but bu when he handed you your shirt.

Yeah, it it cuts off its crop.

Is that it?

It's a midriff Is that what that's referred to?

I don't know what it's called other than, not unattractive.

That's I think that's the cut, if you will.

I was emailing John and telling him the shirt sizes and stuff, and he said, Matt, Matt shirt should be cropped.

Right?

And I was like, yeah, yeah, of course, naturally.

And then he brought it cropped, which is hilarious.

Isn't that hilarious?

So we'l have to clarify that if people, participate in here for good campaign and they purchase, one of the t shirts, it will come as a full shirt.

Like Gretchen and I got, I mean, like, you really have to ask for the Matt Killam special.

Yeah.

If you wanted the the cropped version.

And you might have to.

Don't have to pay extra for that.

Yeah.

That's right.

Maybe, All right.

And then, of course, you know Mike Keady.

What is Mike's title at the Metroparks?

Here we go.

He is.

Well, anyone that knows my kids has worked with him.

He is a jack of all trades.

I've never met anyone or worked with anyone that was so good at managing time and space.

Details and also good with people.

Yeah.

So, he is our chief enterprise officer, which has a clinical sound to it, but he is anything but that.

Yeah.

Mike and I work together at the Mud Hens, and I'm sur identical experiences with him, that it was like he was the guy that, like, you're excited for him to be in the meeting because he's just fun to be in the meeting?

Yes.

And then you walk away and you're like, he is.

Cool.

Wildly capable, that even cool.

Like, I mean, like that good.

Like really good at what he does.

And a lot of the envisioning and execution of what the Mud Hens have have brought about around Henryville.

And he and I trauma bonded over planning the City of Toledo's fireworks.

Yes.

I remember that experience.

But again, usually don't get two things.

People, this is a generalization, but in my experience, peopl that are hyper focus on details, usually are a little deficient on the people portion of it.

And, Mike is equally great at both.

Yeah.

All right Let's just let's take a break.

When we come back, we'll have John Amato from Jupe Mode talking to us about the here for good campaign.

We'll be right back on the 419.

Fix My Shirt.

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Introducing the local Fred, a community news series uniting voices and storytellers from across the region in partnership with La Prensa, the Toledo Free Press, the Sojourner Truth, Toled Public Schools, and Rethinking Jails and Justice.

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The local thread only on GTV.

Welcome back into the 419.

We're talking with John Amato, the founder and owner of Juke Mode, incredible t shirt apparel branding company, in downtown Toledo.

John thanks for being on the program.

Yeah, thanks for having me back.

We had you on, so you were on the podcast as Matt surprise guest, an I think he knew less about it.

Was a surprise to him as well.

Yeah, yeah.

But then you're also part of our very first show, on this program as well.

So.

Yeah I like we like him or something.

Yep.

Just shy of that.

That is one of my favorite stories about podcast.

And although we do obviously gives you the hard time, you are someone I care about.

A great deal, but the reality of me also learning a great dea about you as my own death and.

Then you learn, like on the podcast where he graduated from school, or that he even some kind of teacher or something.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Tell me that the, kind of what inspired you to give Matt half of a t shirt today?

Well, inspired is probably generous.

Yeah, that's the one who's always playing jokes on other people.

And so I thought it was appropriate, to give him hard time every once in a while.

And so I think for everybody who's been in the seat here.

Yeah, they've won the dish back a little bit and this is my opportunity.

Is considered, you know, so I've got a, a almost teenage daughter and which I teach her how to handle bullies.

Yeah.

Is this considered a win or a fail for you that Matt is proudly wearing the crop top on television?

Well, I expected nothing less, but I did bring it back up just in.

Case he has a full shirt ready for.

You as well.

But this is a shirt that's, just one of many.

Yes.

That people can get, jumbo t shirt that supports, local organizations, all par of the here for good campaign.

Right.

Talk about what that campaign i and where that idea came from.

The here for a good campaig came about during the pandemic when never heard of it.

Yeah.

People were, things were shut down, and there was there wasn't an opportunity for people to make money.

And we said, hey, we do onlin source for people all the time.

We can help people right now by running online stores for any organization, individuals, they can sell shirts, proceeds can go back to them.

And it was so successful that first year that we've maintained it.

And this year we have over 560 participants.

That's actually 200 more than last year.

So we're excited to see so much growth.

It's called here for good.

Yeah.

Which is a perfect it is for it.

Right?

I mean, I know that seems like maybe a silly thing to highlight, but that is exactly what it is.

That's exactly what it does.

So yeah.

So what's the proces if I, if I have an organization I submit a design and you guys tell us how that works.

And so there are a few restrictions.

Primarily you can do one color on one side of the the shirt.

People send us the design.

It doesn't matter how finished it is or not.

We have designers that can get it across the finish line.

And we sell them for a few weeks online.

We close the sale so it's effectively a presale, and then we decorate all the shirts.

We also offer sweatshirts as well.

And then about ove the next month, we will fulfill those on the on our own and ship those to their customers.

We've done this for six years, and we've contributed over $420,000 bac to participating organizations.

So this year, we expect to exceed half a. Million because per shirt, you're donating about 50% back to the organization.

Exactly.

Yes, John, here for good is the name of this specific program that you run.

But can you talk a little bit about, the duality between here for good and running, the small branding business in your hometown?

Yeah.

We work with all types of organizations locally.

And, this is, this for us is about giving back to the organizations that support us as well.

There's there are no fees to sign up.

We make it as simpl as we can for anybody to do it.

Anybody who has a design idea at any point, who wants to have t shirts for their customers but maybe doesn't want to hold the inventory or guess or spend more money than they need?

We offer this solution for them.

It's very important for us to be involved in the local community, to show our customers and our community how much we care about them, and this program highlights that for us.

But the store itself, even prior to this specific program, has really been here for good also in its own right.

Right.

The shirts are designed to celebrate not just who we are today, bu honoring our past conceptually.

I can't imagine anyone not knowing the mode exists or it's sort of mantra philosophy, but if you can tell the story for probably the millionth time, can you walk us through what it is and why it's important?

Yeah.

So, you might be surprised, but there are a lot of people who still don't know who we are.

And, you know, that's part of our job is to help them know.

And we like to we like t highlight the history of Toledo.

We do that with vintage Toledo t shirts that we have a retail store where we sell those, and they celebrate the good stories about Toledo's past.

And I think Toledo's past is a reflection of what is possible for us as a city as well.

And, it's so fun to talk to people about Lyon store because we have a Lyon store shuttered or tied keys or whatever it might be.

People tell us stories about how their parents met in the shoe department at Lyon store.

That's the one that I think of, the most fun story that, we just hear so many.

Thank you.

We hear so many stories that people share with us because of what we do.

Yeah.

It's fun to be connected to Toledo and to Toledo in in that way.

We talked a little bit about the process for how you pick the designs or when you're going to be honoring, at the risk of putting you on the spot.

And I hope to God isn't just the dreadful story you just regaled moments ago.

But is there a particular image or old story that was, like a warm to yo or particularly special to you?

Yeah.

Well, Lyon store.

Yeah.

Once again, is something that I remember a lot.

Yeah.

We have a sufficient ground.

Sure.

Yes.

Which you're actually printing in the next the actual printing logo.

And our proceeds go to the Arts Commission.

Yeah.

How fun is that?

You know that?

Yeah.

And I also like the factories.

One good one.

I get my dad that every year, for Father's Day.

Because he never members of.

We do it right.

And this is a real good go to.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

I think I have heard people use dupe mode, in the same way that they use, you know, Kleenex, right?

Like, you go give me a Kleenex.

It's like, well, that's a brand.

But I've heard people say, like, you know, when we're talking with when I'm talking with clients or folks about, you know, trying to orde apparel for their organization, they're like, yeah, but I want to, but I want a dupe mode shirt.

Yeah.

And they're not saying necessarily the brand.

They're talking about the comfort.

The right, the style.

That's the true.

There's some I know there's som intentionality with you about, from the very beginning about the exact shirt that you were selling.

Yeah, absolutely.

We want to we want to produce a shirt that people want to wea and will wear more on every day.

And a softer shir generally gets you there, but, we print custom shirts for other people, and we don't always do that.

But with the here for goo program with our retail shirts, that's what we like to do.

And so the shirt that you guy are wearing is a softer shirt.

And generally speaking it's still technically a shirt, but the inside is very soft.

Yeah.

Some of it's the way we print it and the print technique that we bring to it.

But, you know, for us, one thin that we tell our customers is, a nicer shirt is worth the, the value because it will be worn more, it will be seen more.

It will create a stronge connection with your customer.

And then other people that see that.

Can tell us a little bit about, I'm sorry, Kevin, a little bit about the retail space that I think it's only about a year old, maybe two on Monroe Street.

Yeah.

So, going back to our connection with the community, it's it's very important to me and us as a company that we invest in downtown Toledo.

And so, we renovated our second building in downtown.

It's in the Uptown neighborhood.

So we're very involved with Uptown.

It's on Monroe Street, just a couple block away from Cherry Street mission.

It's a building that, it was a huge renovation project for us.

27,000ft.

Wow.

And we actually had to replac the roof in the front portion.

There was that much work that had to be done.

And, we did expand our storefront.

And so, that's where we sell all the merchandise that we have that celebrates Toledo stories.

And the area and, and so it's nice to have more space.

It's a very welcoming space, at least we hope it is for our customers or anybody who comes in and may be looking for something.

And we are right on Narrow Street.

So anybody who's driving i the downtown from the west may, pass that on the way in.

It's a lot more accessible way or a parking lot.

And, we'd love for, people to stop by it.

Yeah, the renovation looks mean.

It looks.

Great.

It really.

We're talking with John Amato, the founder and owner of Jump Mode.

You guys are more than just an apparel company, though, as well, because I don't, you know, the folks that know you, they probably have no idea that you guys.

I mean, I've worked with you guys on doing signage, right?

What, what?

Give me the breadth of what you guys are doing no that you're in this new space.

Yeah.

So, we're especially with our expanded space, we are able, like you said, to do signage.

One thing that comes to mind are vehicle ramps.

But we fall into what we call the, custom decoration space.

So anything from screen printing, embroidery, promotional products, signage all falls into that.

And so, we work with anybody who needs that, but a lot of local businesses.

You started out in a lightless room, print t shirts if my memory serves.

Yeah.

There is, a absolute must in terms of learning how all the equipment work and be able to do it yourself.

What's been the most challenging thing for you to be able to learn t do underneath your own shingle?

You know, starting, startin or running your own businesses?

It's a very difficult thing.

Small business is hard.

Yeah.

And, that's one thing that I love about the here for good program is that we're able to support so many small business owners or small organizations, whether it's non-profits, schools, and so on.

And, there are countless examples of things that were hard, whether it's really basic, like learning how to burn a screen.

Yeah, I'm a screen printer at heart, and I almost stop befor I get started because I couldn't figure out how to burn a screen.

And now what's burning a screen?

Well, screen printing is called screen printing because you use a screen, to apply a, to apply, ink onto a substrate in our, in our specifi case, it's generally clothing.

Okay.

And you think of a screen like a screen door.

It's got a frame, the holes are smaller, and, and so every shirt that we screen print, we're using one screen per ink color on that.

And, it's kind of one of those things that you need to see in person.

And we do like to walk people through that.

But, that was a very challenging thing.

When I started, I didn't have any formal education in it wasn't trained anywhere else.

And and so to learn that on my own was a challenge.

The here for good program is going on right now with Jim Mode continuing through March 22nd, supporting nonprofit organizations.

I know I do a lot of wor with connecting kids to meals.

We've had Wendy on the show.

They've got a take a bit out of hunger shirts, proceeds going back to support the organization.

Of course, our public media nerd shirts that we're sporting on the program today, available supporting incredible community organizations, small businesses, entrepreneurs, neighborhood groups, PTA.

I mean, it's the 536.

560, this.

506 different organizations.

You can find an organization to, support where people go to find all of these shirt designs.

So the, the, the collection page fo this sale is on mode supply.com.

But if you do go to our website JunoCam you can find a redirect link.

But, all of the, shirts are listed on jute mode supply.

It's quite a few pages to scroll through.

If you're on Facebook or Instagram, you are going to see a lot of people sharing it.

It's really cool to see how many people are participating, the responses fro their customers and their fans.

Out of 100, shirts, screen printing, how many?

We just grew up, 100 from, you know, the industry standard is, 2% or less.

Okay.

And, you know, it all depends on the design, a more complicated one with a question to be harder but you know our screen as well.

But last year.

Yeah.

You know, that's why that's why we try to stay out of it anymore.

Yeah.

We're talking with John Amato from Jupe mode.

All right, John, it's now tim to play Gretchen's wacky quiz.

We need a shirt.

For that, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Stay out of this.

Right?

Yeah.

This is if you got figured out your shirt for.

Me had been for me.

Sign up for here, here for next year and put that shirt.

You should go.

Wait.

All right.

I'm sorry.

Before rapid fire questions, Gretchen's asking for your favorite thing in or about Toledo, and then you are going to work together on really anything you want.

But specifically nine words to describe Toledo.

All right, rapid fire.

What was the last time you wanted to scream?

Well, I have, we have three boys.

They're, seven and five.

So they're twins that are five and.

Oh, my God.

You know, it happens, quite a bit.

And so you could probably say it yesterday and your next door to the fact that it is a dream come true, that actually takes a lot of pressure off.

And the boys, get together and play.

Wow.

I've had the privilege of knowing both, your mom and your dad.

What's one thing that your parent would constantly nag you about?

Oh, jeez.

I was that ki who loved to sleep in late, and, And so they were always bugging me to to get out of bed in the morning and get to work.

And, I had the best parents, and they, you know, some of that is the work ethic that they instilled in me.

And they had us doing chores all the time.

And I still, I think about that from time t time, and I think I have PTSD.

You're still tired?

Yeah.

Yeah, right.

They make you make your bed.

Was that a, like a thing?

You know it.

I don't remember it that much, but my mom was, like, a professional at making a bed.

Yeah, I don't know if you know anybody who was that way.

And there's something special about, You may not use one.

Word to describe your computer abilities.

Oh, boy.

Oh.

One word.

Well, amazingly, I'm like, I feel that role.

This is more of an order, clearly.

But I feel the role of tech support within my company sometimes.

And so, I think it's, adequate.

Yeah, it is, it's just so.

Right.

And you say it.

Well.

Last and certainly not least, what is the best purchase you've ever made?

The the best purchase that I've ever made.

It's it's, I'm fortunate that I don't have to buy clothes very often, so there' nothing like that on the list.

I I'm pretty frugal.

I come from a frugal family.

And so the best purchase I think I've ever made, is that I made an hour long show job, I make it, I make sourdough bread.

That's right.

And I have this container that the dough rises in, and it's last me a really long time, and I lose it.

I do three, four times a week.

Bring any breakfast?

That's fine.

I have, what is the most favorite thing, or were you considered to be the best thing about the city of Toledo?

So for me, I, I moved bac to Toledo because of my family.

And so, that is the number one thing for me, right?

And, I, I just say Metroparks anyway.

All right, give me brother, who I cannot deny.

Where's the stratosphere?

Yeah, let's do it.

I, I barely have a vocabulary for nine words.

I think that's okay.

I can do it together.

Metroparks run into Central Park, I run into.

Okay, that's good stuff, I think, artistic?

Yes.

Is a good one.

Industrious.

Industrious.

Good.

I think it's welcoming.

It is welcoming.

I think it' accessible to, What am I to do?

You've also said that you've got to love, I think it's supportive.

I do too, and, It's home.

Home, I love it.

Great.

Thank you so much for coming in.

Thank you for our shirts.

People can get information about the here for good campaign through March 22nd, where.

They can get it from any of our social media, which is generally just group mode.

The website that you need to go to is group mode supply.com.

You'll see all the shirts available there.

You can shop your favorites and see some of the neatest organizations that are from northwest.

You can hear the expertise of that answer.

Yeah.

John Amato, thank you so much.

We come back, we're joined by Mike Kinney for Metro Parks Toledo.

We'll be right back on the 490.

To me, community means connecting to others.

I'm Danny Miller and welcome to the point.

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Discover new ideas, dive into exciting subjects, and engage with the world around you.

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Where you come to watch, listen and learn.

Welcome back into the 419 just wrapped up in conversatio with John Amato from Jupe Mode.

Of course, we're all sporting our public media nerd, t shirts and crop tops.

Joined now by Mike Katie from Metro Parks Toledo.

Mike, if first of all, I appreciate you wearing a full shirt.

I didn't realize that crop top was the uniform for metro parks now.

Yeah.

I mean I wanted to try out logo Matt.

But I did.

I forgot my vest.

Oh, yeah, that that is really the tradition.

Well.

I think yeah, we've got a whole slew of them here.

What?

Mike, what is your official title at Metro Parks?

I'm the chief engagement enterprise officer for Metro Parks.

And what does that mean?

That's a great question.

I, you know, throughout my career, I have gotten to champion some of the most fun and engaging things happening in our community.

And that's the best way I would describe it, is, all the all the fun and exciting ways that we get to connect with the community throughout the entire county at Metro Parks, is what I get to work on every day.

What a back up you and I met, through the mud hens and walleye.

Folks are getting a chance to see and experience kind of the Mike Katie magic with the Metro parks, but there's a lot of great things you did with the met with the Mud Hen that that folks would be like.

Oh, yeah, I was a part of that, I know that.

What are some of the moments you're most proud of, of your time with that organization?

And how long were you there?

17 years.

Wow.

And I would say I am, you know, fortunate that I a a great example of right place.

Right time.

I started working at the Mud Hens.

Until this morning.

I started working at the Mud Hens in oh five.

And, that was when the ballpark was brand new.

The teams won the championship in oh five and oh six.

Are there for that?

Yeah.

And then I was there when when, we launched the walleye and opened up the Huntington Center in oh nine.

I got to plan the first outdoor hockey game, with, you know, a lot of people involved, at fifth or field, where we actually built an ice rink at the field.

Yeah.

I was there when we opened up Henryville and then to today, getting to join the Metroparks team and work on the Glass City Riverwalk and all these, all these massive projects.

Right place, right time.

So fortunate to be a part of it.

Are you sure it's not just you?

I am absolutely sure.

Timing was righ and with with a lot of things.

You know, we talk about it a lot, but, we do have a small community that is well connected.

But also, a lot of times people that get those opportunities are literally just there at the right time.

And I did take advantage of that.

Anytime I talk abou the Metroparks, I talk about it.

I mean, your mission and your execution of that fascinates me because at your core, Metroparks Toledo is a conservation agency.

But any time we're interacting with Metroparks, it's sort of because you've done the opposite of conservation, right?

I mean, you, you know, certainl as you develop and an ice rink that's not conservation, but it's allowing people to engage with it.

Talk to me about kind of why that why that engagement is importan to the mission of conservation.

Well, I mean, first of all, I would have to credit Matt's leadership for for really stewarding that for the Metroparks about creating that, connection with the outdoor in many different ways because, it was his good work.

And a lot of people at Metroparks that preceded me that, that really started that conversation with the community, that, all the ways that you connect with the outdoors generates an appreciation for the outdoors.

And when you appreciate time outdoors, you appreciate what it takes to take care of them.

And, that really opened the door.

So when I started working at the Metroparks, it was, you know, that core, mission that you just talked about was not so different from sports.

And entertainment, where, you know, we want to get people to baseball games and hockey games through Harry Potter nights.

And, you know, we talk about everything but baseball and hockey to, to create that family fun, fun experience.

So when you shift to that core conservation mission, we want to connect as many people to that and to that appreciation, through a variety of different fun mechanisms.

And specifically with the Riverwalk.

I mean, part of the conservation message is you may be going down to the Riverwalk to, go to the playset or to walk, but you're down by the river, you can see it, you engage with it in ways that you may not.

You may go years of your life in the city of Toledo never seeing it.

Maybe you cross the Cherry Street Bridge, but it's.

But it's the ability to be down there and engaging with that that's so important.

I think Glass City Metropark which is what you're describing right now is the perfect example of that because people didn't engage with it forever.

And now when you reclaim those spaces and return them back to the community, and you have millions of people that get to engage with it in a new way in a fun way, in a memorable way that connects to the mission of taking care of our natural resources.

Let's talk about some of the I'm sorry.

Go ahead.

As they were talking with Mike Katie with Metro Parks Toledo, I want to back actually back way up.

A littl Mike Katie, where'd you grow up?

What was the the what was the dream job?

What was the kind of th the dream when you were a kid?

Tell us about your family as well.

Probably was never too little, grew up on a, a corn, a sweet corn, a potato farm in Erie, Michigan, right over the border.

There was.

A potato.

Potato, Potato.

Potato.

Yeah I think it's milk potato land.

Yeah, yeah.

So you wash your clothes?

Yeah, yeah, sure.

Yeah.

But I did.

I quite literally, my grandfather, owned Smith Brothers Farms in Erie, Michigan.

So if you stop off of the first exit as you go.

Yeah.

North over 75 and you see all the farmland.

That was my family's, farm in Erie.

And, our claim to fam was the potatoes that they sold were called Barbara and potatoes.

And Barbara was my mom, so, yeah, we had the the local potato named after us, which, is as exciting as it sounds.

Er, to the potato empire 100%.

Mike, we've been friends for a long time in business.

They did not know that.

Yeah, yeah, that's.

You'r the first person I've ever met since potato named after.

So the potato a little bit.

Yeah, as it were.

That's a little my kid.

I think every meal, on our table had, sweet corn and potatoes, which builds this foundation that you see today.

And, you know, as a kid that grew up kind of, out in the farm, I I spent a lot of time, playing, you know, in tree house and running around the farm and, you know I was kind of able to roam free.

I would play baseball on my own all the time in the backyard where I would, I can remember, trying to mimic the entire Detroit Tigers lineup, Like the batting stance.

Playing entire games, by myself as a child?

No, I had an older sister.

She wasn't so interested.

So it's.

Kind of a sad story.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So I played alone in my backyard.

I mean, the natural fathers were your only child.

No.

And the only wrong answer there.

No.

A lot.

Of kids?

No.

Littered with kids.

But the best part was the the summers where the the field corn was growing around my house.

I had the Field of Dreams backyard.

Yes.

That was completely surrounde by the, you know, ten foot tall.

Better than children of a corn.

Yes.

Backyard.

That came up a lot, too.

Yeah, yeah.

So the, the mechanism that, makes you, really good at what you do.

They're just making you feel uncomfortable.

You've always been, in had attention to detail.

You were always in the, fancy rotisserie baseball.

What?

What are all the things that might that makes my kid tick?

And where did you ge those from?

From your parents.

My parents are both public school teachers.

So I, I definitely think, you know, they they were really intentional about, their philosophies on how they, taught us to experience things.

So I credit a lot to growing up in that household.

Also, having my parents available all summer long.

Yeah.

Being able that my dad was a basketball coach, being able to go to basketball practice as a kid.

And, you know, I was very much a part of of their lives.

I thin when I look at my grandparents, you know, I was I literally lived next door to my grandpa who ran that farm, and later my uncle ran the farm.

We called the compound.

All my mom's brothers and sisters all lived right next to each other.

So I was always around a community.

And then I look at my dad's father, who came over from England when he was 12 years old, came u during the Great Depression and, in the Detroit area, worked fo 50 years at Great Lakes Steel.

And I hear stories about, you know, he was a foreman, at Great Lakes Steel.

And he would when my dad would come home from college, he would put them on the first shift to come start his summer job.

And my dad would always say he'd walk around and he would start assigning work to people, and he would always assign work to people that were already in the middle of doing something, and never the people that were sitting off to the side.

And one time he asked him what those guys don't have anything to do, why don't you ask them to do?

He said, if I want something done, I'm going to I'm going to ask somebody that's busy.

And that that has always stuck with me.

So I, I've always felt like I want to be the busy person and I want to be the one that gets things done so that, that.

Brother you sir, you made him true about you.

He would be very proud.

Did you ever have any thought to go into agriculture or do something with farming?

I have to admit, I probably am the only boy in the entire family that never worked a day on that farm.

Okay.

So I hate you.

Okay.

My cousins all did.

Everybody, I just I just never did.

Yeah.

So.

No.

So tell us a little bit about your high school.

College career.

What?

Where'd you go for that?

I went to Michigan State.

So I, I, I went to Michigan State.

I, I wasn't a great student.

I, you know, like I said, I like to be busy.

So sitting in a, in a classroom for a couple hours, never worked very well for me.

But I did, get to a point where I had to pick a major, and I had to figure out what I was going to do, and that's how that's what led me to working in sports.

I was talking to a counselor, and and it was, you know, what do you like to do?

And, I like to play golf.

I like to play basketball.

I like to play baseball.

Do you mean therapist?

And you were telling her that back back backyard baseball story.

Exactly.

I was pretty much saying all the things.

If you could go work for somebody else, they would pay people to play with you.

Right.

And then.

Yeah, but, I mean, it really had never dawned on me.

Yeah.

And the guidance I got was, have you ever thought about working in sports?

Yeah, that that's a job.

Right.

And, I I hadn't even thought about it.

And I swear to you, I applied for an internship with the Mud Hens that night.

No.

And that was it.

So, and my family was around this area, so, it was great to be able to com back to Toledo and and do that.

And where did you meet your bride?

Okay.

How much time do you say we have?

As long as you.

My brother.

My wife and I, grew up in the same neighborhood in Monroe, Michigan.

Okay.

And we were right around the corner from each other, and my family moved from Monroe to Erie, which is what we've been talking about.

When I was in kindergarten and her family moved from that neighborhood in Monro to Grand Haven in West Michigan, about 15 years ago or so, two families from that neighborhood had weddings with their kids that were getting married, one month apart.

And both of our familie were invited to those weddings.

So we reconnected as adults at those weddings from that neighborhood that we both grew up and, and we started dating after that.

And, we've been married for about 12, 12, 13 years.

She is a beautiful person in every conceivable way.

And she also, rules the roost of three kids who are now used as much as we possibly can on marketing material.

Tell us a little bit about the beautiful boys that you're raising.

And unfortunately for the county you live in, in close proximity to the Amato clan as well.

That's right.

We have three, three boys.

11, seven and four.

Wow.

My 11 year old is Gus, which was my grandfather who owned the farm.

That was his name.

Gus.

And then we have Joe.

Joe was, my grandfather's dad who brought the family to, America from England.

And then we have Frank.

Frank is my dad's name.

My wife's grandpa's name.

Many many shared names in our family.

Frank is our Free Ranger.

He kind of goes as he pleases and does what as he pleases.

And he does everything for you.

Yeah, yeah.

Ever considere naming one of your boys?

Spud?

That wasn't a thing.

Spud was my mom's nickname.

I'm a manager, so.

And, well, it's mentioned everything about each boy.

And you already told us about Frank.

Gus is a budding, musician.

And not too long ago certainly wasn't his debut because he's got already quite a few.

I think I. I think I saw him play at Levis.

You play Levis.

Square?

He played lunch at Levis last summer.

Yeah.

And then he just performed a acoustics for autism recently.

So he does.

He plays guitar.

He sings.

He writes his own songs.

How.

Did he get interested in that?

He has always.

That's the thing is, so I credit everything to my wife and her family.

They're all very musically and artistically inclined.

Her my father in law still performs to to this day.

My brother in law's is is an exceptional musician.

So I do.

What's his name?

His name is Michael.

Okay.

Well, what was your past that?

Well, I so I'm Michael.

Yeah.

My wife Michelle.

Yeah.

Her brother is Michael.

My sister married Michael.

And so my kids have two Uncle Mike's.

My dad is Michael.

So none of my kids are Mike.

I want to.

Create a family.

And then you've got, you know, one of your boys has the same name as one of John's boys.

So basically, any any time someone's gettin yelled at around the household, no one knows.

You could blame someone else.

But we're missing the middle kid.

Who?

Tell me something special about Joe.

Joe is is is our outdoors kid.

He's our nature kid, okay?

He's, he thinks about things really deeply, and he asks questions about things.

He doesn't ever take anything at the surface level.

Sometimes thinking of things much deeper than I want to at the time.

Right.

But he challenges things, and it's, so he's he's our our our explorer here.

Remind me of their ages.

Four is Frank.

Joe is seven and Gus is 11.

We're talking with Mike.

Katie from Metroparks Toledo.

When we come back, let's talk about more about Metroparks.

Toledo.

And I mean, there's so many cool things coming, but I'd love to see what some of your vision and dreams are, for.

Not just the riverfront, bu but all of Metroparks.

Toledo.

We'll do that when we come back after this break on the 419.

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Welcome back into the 419.

Every Tuesday, our friends at Community Foundation, encourage us to talk to folks that are making an incredible impact in our community.

And no question, we've got one here.

We're talking with Mike Keeney from Metroparks Toledo, who's just doing incredible work, connecting people to some of the most beautiful parts of our region.

Mike, as we talk about, you know, we've obviously Matt been on the show.

We talk about Metroparks a lot at a, at a brand level, but we don't really I don't thin we've really dove into correct what actually is Metroparks Toledo and and what makes up the organization kind of tell us what what is the breadth and depth of Metroparks?

Toledo.

Well, I think first and foremost, it is, it is taking care of our natural areas in this community.

And then the way that we, the way that we champion that is, is that we create spaces for the community to come in and use them, enjoy them, and become, fans of, their natural areas.

And, you know, at its core, that's what it's about.

And there is a commitment to the community.

A number of years ago that we were going to put a metro park within five miles of every house.

Either other communities where that that promise exists.

It's so nice to not have to answer the.

We're also very happy that Matt is an answer.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah.

But he is the perfect person to answer, to be honest.

And, because I do thin that bold strategies like that is not normal for a park system like Metroparks.

Toledo.

We are so fortunate, in our communities to have a park system, that is trying to achiev those types of things because it is so important to take care of our natural areas.

Everybody benefits from that in a major way, and it is so important to connect as many people as possible to, the ability to be outdoors.

You know, we'll talk about this a lot.

But just spending time outdoors, just spending time outdoors has such a measurable impac on your health and well-being.

Mental health, physical health.

Just so if, certain areas don't have access to that because there's no access to, parks or experiences like the ones we're talking about, that's a critical issue in a community.

So having bold strategies and things like that.

I think is what makes metro parks stand out.

Can you talk a little bit about the Metropark as economic driver as economic development driver, when you when you g into these areas and renovate?

That's probably not the right word, but a marsh area, turn it into a park with paths and clean up the, the entire area around it that contributes to the neighborhood and to the, other economic drivers in that area.

In every way.

I thin I mean, if you go back in time and you start looking at things like the, like the, downtown, master pla that was done over a decade ago that took communitie like Toledo, not just downtown communities like Toledo.

And it said, you know, her are the models of success, here are the communities that are strongest.

And here's Toledo, and we had a lot of pieces alread that were really, really strong.

But some of the pieces that we didn't have was, you know, people, communitie that thrive have downtown cores with, you know, 300 acres of greenspace and access to trails and greenways and access to and at that time we had almost none.

So when yo talk about economic development, there's a reason why some of that stuff starts to, to really start, rolling downhill as more and more of this greenspace and connectivity starts to happen, because that's what happens.

And that's the proven model all throughout the country.

And by the end of this Glass City Riverwalk development, we will have 300 acres of green space in our downtown core.

I I've heard the metric and I'll let one of the two of you kind of get it right, but there's like the number of park that were added to metro parks for X number of years was like this.

And then in the last ten years, it's been something along those lines about the growth of this organization.

Talk to me about the new park that have been developed in the just the the rapid rate of growth from, from an acreage standpoint of metro parks.

Well, I think, you know, we've the agency added, what, ten parks in ten, ten years?

But but again, with the, under that bold strategy of making sure that everyone in the communit gets access, making sure that, there's connectivit from green space to green space, making sure that, we ar affording the same opportunities to, the suburban rural areas and now the, the downtown urban core.

So.

It's also not growth for growth sake, meaning this isn't easy to do.

You go in somewhere and it's based on a mandate, candidly, polling that we do i the community, people want park.

They want well-maintained green space.

As an economic driver, certainly.

But I think we were sort o dragged to that dance candidly.

But people want access to clean, safe and natural space.

We talk a little bit of.

What uniquely makes a metro park.

In question.

Like, versus just a just a park, right?

Or just any given you know, a plot of land, right?

I mean, it's it's not a field.

It is a for you guys when you're saying that is a metro park.

I mean, I think the main principles is clean, safe and natural.

And we show up every day to maintain those things clean, safe and natural.

Those are your principle as well, aren't Detroit?

Yeah.

That's what the crap tab is all about.

Yeah.

That's right.

But at the end of the day, all questions and all issues and all things come back to is it clean, safe, natural?

It's interesting to have two team members from Metro Parks here with us today.

Matt knows, that I respect him and his work.

Certainly the work that all of you work under the leadership of Dave Zink and your and your board.

But talk a little bit about the team.

How what what's the philosophy of the team, who, who's who's setting this value system, who's driving you, to get to be able to develop, fundraise, take care of ten parks and in this period of time.

Right.

What do you what are you experiencing as part of the management of the organization?

Well, our reviews are coming up.

So, So, so take him home and talk about how great you guys are.

Ignore everybody else.

No.

So, Mike, I'll take it.

And you fix it, which is our natural, order of things.

I mean, at the top of th pyramid, just as it sounds, are Lucas County residents.

So they are our bosses.

They drive our expectation.

We are driven by their expectations.

We also have a giant pool of volunteers.

The trail patrol, in relative short order.

Or right now they'll be two by two marching through the trail system.

They're there for sure to give guests of the park information they might be looking for or need, but just as muc they are holding us accountable to Metro Park standards.

We have a board that has, both had some, lineage and also is new that represents all demographics, and all geography within the county that we get to serve miles long, 20,000 people.

So they certainly give us, a policy, a drive there that keeps us not only on our toes and up to date, but pushes the envelope on, you know, equitably, and, making sure that we're honoring our core values.

Dave Zink is our boss.

He's at the top of the food chain from our church standpoint.

Dave has been there.

I've been there nine years.

He's been there nine and a half or ten years.

And he would say that he gets to stand on the shoulders before him as well.

But Dave is, driven really the two principles that Mike, has suggested.

We do a lot of things, but we really only do two things.

When you get down to it is we conserve green space that's globall rare and globally significant.

And then we do absolutely everything we can to connect people to it.

Following th work truck down and we say this, with some regularity, there's about 220 some people that work for Metro Parks system.

200 of them are really, really nice, great people.

But even then, no, I mean, there's even a 20 people who I don't care for.

I promise you, we actually do care about th guest experience in their parks.

There's a tremendous amount of pride and that they care about their park.

The park within five miles makes sense to residents because people care about their park.

That' exactly how the staff sees it.

They're advocates for their acreage.

They're saying they wan more programing in their park.

One great example of this is I remember when I first started there.

We were moving a bunch of things around and we were having some capacity issues.

So I canceled an event in one of the parks, and I thought that the staff there would be thrilled.

Right.

It's less of a burden.

They were furious.

Because they want people in their parks, right?

Our bathrooms go through a rigorous check, down or mechanism for maintenance.

And when it comes down to it, again, people talk about our trails and our bathrooms.

So, Dave is our leader.

But it is just as critical.

The people that are opening the gates in the morning, an you can tell it's a Metropark.

And this is an increase in the park systems because the attention to detail in the green space and attention to whatever you're doing is our route and excellence.

But that's that's sort of my point in the question.

That doesn't just happen.

That's a leadership decision.

That's people caring in the mission.

That has to be throughout every all of your every day management, training and and recruitment people that that share the mission and believe in what it is you're trying to do.

Like when you when you go to unplug, where are you going?

Right.

I mean, what's what's your like, hey, I just clocked out a potato.

What's what's the park that you and your family love to go experience?

Well.

We like them.

Of course we love them all.

But, side cut's always been kind of our our our families park.

I think if you talk about my wife and I, I'd say, like the river parks.

Yeah.

The Farnsworth bend view.

Providence.

Because when we were dating, those are the places that I would take her when she visited for the weekend.

Matt.

What's yours?

I grew up in Wildwood, so it's near and dear to me.

Manhattan marsh, which is the, park that, completed the promise to have a park within five miles.

And I got to b a part of the tail end of that.

So I got to be there for the party and the ribbon cutting.

Yeah.

Admittedly.

Okay, Gretchen.

Let's talk a little bi about the ribbon, if we could.

I know that we're, it's it's another example of a tremendously successful new aspect of the Glass City Riverwalk.

It's getting ready to close for the season.

Can you talk about.

I think this was the second ful season for the for the ribbon, third season for the ribbon.

You talk a little bit about, how it went this year.

It I mean, it it continues to exceed our expectations.

And I think, the way that I would frame it is you're going to be bus during the holidays every year.

Yeah.

At an ice skating ribbon.

But on February 15th we had 1500 people that skated that, you know, and, and last weekend we had 800 people that came out and skate at the ribbon.

We work with people that have and operate places like this around the country, and that is not typical.

Yeah.

So I think one it's a it's just a beautiful setting.

It's a great experience.

We we've connected it with the Market Hall building where we have, you know food and beverage and comforts, and we have the Cabana village where groups can gather.

You know, we have about 2500 group outings a year that happen.

It's a very fun thing to do.

So there's there's something for everyone and there might be 100 you know, there might be 50,000 people at ice skate every year, but yet about 200,000 people that visit the space just to enjoy that atmosphere every winter.

And doesn't it transition to roller skating?

Yeah.

And so when does that happen?

Whenever you want it to.

Just a little harder.

It's not on the ice.

We aim to have it, cleaned up and ready to go for for roller activity by April.

Wow.

Okay.

Talking about Glass City Riverwalk.

What's what are folk going to see this summer coming?

To the downtown.

To the Riverwalk.

Well, this is going to be a big year for.

For the Riverwalk.

For Metroparks, and, specifically at the Riverwalk.

This spring, early June, we will be opening, two of the newest areas of the Riverwalk that have been in development the last couple of years.

In the significanc of that milestone is, you know, you may have heard someone with Metroparks talk about how Glass City Metroparks had, nearly 3 million visitor since it opened in June of 2023.

That only represents 25% of the entire Glass City project.

And, when we open these, these newest areas i June, will be at 50% completion.

And we're going to celebrate it in a big way, but the way that we know how to, by connecting people outdoors in a variety of ways.

And then it's great momentum for what's coming next.

Which is.

Well, we've we've got 50% more to go.

Yeah.

Nailed it.

The pickleball facility.

I know there was a partnership with Metroparks on, Toledo Pickle as well.

It's the thing that fascinates me at Metroparks is just the diversity of opportunities across the different parks.

Right?

You've got, you know, Oak openings that has the, bike trail and, mountain bike, obstacle course and things like that.

You've got the treehouse village and, you know, playgrounds and all different kinds of playgrounds and opportunities.

It isn't just, hey, here's a trail, you know, make your wa through the woods and good luck.

There's a lot of different ways to do it.

I love the work that you guys are doing.

All right, you want to wrap?

We want to rapid fire through the quiz.

All right, here we go.

All right.

You know how it was for questions for me.

What is your dream house look like?

I am a creature of habit, and I. I'm content with where I'm at right now.

I I'm at my my dream house right now.

How do you how do you start every day?

Weeping.

Yeah.

I get up early and I start drinking coffee, and I don't finish drinking coffee till it's about 3:00 in the afternoon.

Your parents are both teachers.

If you had.

If you could teach any subject, what would it be?

It would probably be something, like physical education, where I could be moving and not standing in front of a class.

And what's the biggest phobia that you have?

Heights, maybe.

Okay.

I'm not a fan.

Yeah.

What's your number one most favorite thing or what you consider to b the best thing about the city.

And you can't say Metroparks.

Oh, goodness.

Well I, I think, you know, the experience that that the community offers.

You know, raising a family in, in Toledo.

We have access to everything.

And we are never without things to do.

So that's my that's my favorit is just access and experiences.

Love it.

We'll end it right there.

Yeah.

Nailed it.

Mike Katie with Metroparks Toledo.

Thank you so much.

You owe Matt 20 bucks for letting you off the hook with the nine words.

When we come back, we will wrap up this Tuesday edition of the 419.

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Welcome back into the 41 as we wrap up a Tuesday edition and an incredible conversation with two great community leaders, John Amato with Ju mode, Mike Keady.

Clearl the best thing about Metroparks.

Toledo.

Yeah, one of their best employees, certainly.

In this room.

There's, 219 great employees.

That's for sure.

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Yes.

We're rocking our public media.

These shirts are so good.

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We know if we'd asked him t describe Toledo in nine words, he would have just listed of his nine favorite metro points.

It would have just been a little wet.

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So the hand, the walleye, all that stuff.

Three great kids, great white pizza.

He's a great.

Yes.

If you missed any part of the show, there's three great opportunities, to enjoy the program.

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