Welcome, everyone, to Midday Magazine for this March 26, 2024.
Have your host, James J. Mailoff here at part two, today at 330, we're going to talk
with Jessica from the Wisconsin Rabbits Family Center, looking forward to that.
Right now we have in studio with us our great friend, Lacey Ailing, events and engagement
director with the Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce.
Lacey, good to see you.
Good to see you.
And you brought a friend.
I did.
We have Sean Rumpfield with us from the leadership class, Sean.
Thanks for being here.
Thanks for having me.
Appreciate the time.
We'll talk more with you in a moment.
Lacey, looking forward to diving into some great local events that we have going on.
One of our favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite events in this area is lunch by the
river.
Yes, we are.
We're in the middle of it already.
I feel like the weather has been a little back and forth, but definitely excited for
lunch by the river this year.
We are still looking for sponsors, entertainment and food vendors.
We don't have a lot of spots left for entertainers, but I've got a couple dates.
So just reach out to me at communications at WisconsinapolisChamber.com for more information
or you can absolutely stop by if you want to come and sit down and have me learn a little
bit more about what you do as an entertainer.
We have some exclusive dates, so that's going to be just you where you can talk.
I will actually walk around with my Facebook live so you can have your little time to kind
of talk about your business, maybe something that's coming up, any kind of things you want
to promote.
And then we also have some food-bending opportunities.
So that's going to be a couple spots I want to bring in preferably something sweet.
And then obviously I want to have some activities.
So if you are interested, please reach out.
I'm very excited to have some changes and make this a little bit bigger than last year.
It's been going great.
Last year's was really fun.
I could see some of the touches that you had to it and everything.
And this year can only get even bigger and better I can imagine.
But we do need the communities help to do that.
Lunch by the river has always been a community event and community involvement event.
The chamber does an amazing job with this, but they can only do so much.
Lacey, I imagine has some great entertainment talent, but she's busy during the day.
So you can't probably, I don't know if you're saying dance, whatever you do, Lacey, but
I imagine you do something.
We need other entertainers.
Lacey, you guys have had such a wide variety of entertainers too over the years.
I think that it might be good for the audience to keep that in mind that, oh, I don't have
an entertaining talent.
Do you do martial arts?
Do you do something like that?
You might not think of that as entertainment, but we've had martial arts there before.
We've had, it's not just singers and that that come down to lunch by the river.
All kinds of things can be entertainment.
Absolutely.
And I definitely want to try to reach a wide demographic.
So if you have something that you'd like to feature, I would love to have a local talent.
I think it's really important to definitely kind of put a spotlight.
And everything we have here, and I want something for the youngers and for older.
So definitely reach out.
If you want to give me a call, 715-422-4859.
When it comes to food businesses, it's such a great atmosphere and such a great place
to be, the press that you get from being down at lunch by the river.
First word of mouth always goes farther than we always, anything we can ever do.
So you have an opportunity for that more and more.
You have something that it's sort of like when you go to the grocery store and try a sample
of something, you're able to really let people sample your food that might not get a chance
to otherwise.
It's such a wonderful opportunity.
So there's plenty of reasons to be a part of lunch by the river, or some of the other
great local events we have wherever you are, like gathered by the gazebo.
Another one of our favorite events, Lacey.
Yes, that is our event in Rome.
I am still looking for sponsors, entertainment, and one exclusive food vendor.
So you would be the only one there that is going to be, the Rome area is just flourishing
right now.
So a great way to get your business out there.
You can bring your booth, set it up, there's going to be music, obviously, under the gazebo,
and then kind of walk around.
There's a huge park out there and they're definitely growing.
They have a lot of really, really cute little shops, little boutiques that have been opening
and meat market.
They've got, you know, they have a whole bunch of stuff we actually got to sample.
The cupcakes were phenomenal from the bakery and they brought them in and they don't
need them.
And I was like, oh my goodness, our whole back was just covered in cupcakes.
So it's so great.
I love having these local businesses supporting local and then definitely bringing them out
there.
So please reach out if you are interested in sponsoring the event or having some kind
of entertainment.
We'd love to get the younger kids involved.
I've been reaching out to the school to try to get them in there.
I think it's really fun to have different things and definitely the parents then they
can come watch their kids and I think it's a really, really great time.
And that's going to be June 11th, July 9th and August 13th.
So that's the second Tuesday in that in each month for just a summer months for gather.
Hmm.
At least we're on the save wave with this.
The Nikusa area whether because of spring valley and some other reasons has really been
blowing up and it's just continuing to every time we had the visit Rome gang on, there's
more events out there, more businesses opening up with an event like this, especially if
you're not already known in that area or you haven't, you know, maybe done a lot of work
in that area.
Here's a great way to introduce yourself to the community.
Absolutely.
Here's a great way to really, and especially if you could be the one food sponsor, you've
got every one of those Tuesdays that you can really hit up the Rome area.
Absolutely.
And they, you can absolutely just do one if you want.
We want to try to feature as much as we can.
So if you are a food vendor and you live by Rome in that area, I think it would be a really,
really fun thing to bring out.
Obviously they're going to kick off May 17th for their outside farmers market and it
is huge out there.
And it's really fun.
I think that it's a great little community and I think that they're definitely doing things
to kind of get on the map.
Yeah.
And it's only getting bigger over there.
It's a great time to get in on that and get in on the ground floor almost with getting
your business out there and letting people know about it.
rendezvous in the park also coming up.
Yes.
Nikusa.
So third Wednesday of the month, and that's going to be also June, July and August.
So that's the 19th, 17th and the 21st.
So also looking for sponsors, entertainment and one exclusive food sponsor for that as
well.
I really, really love that space.
It's so perfect for, it's easy to get in, get out, you're not getting congested as
well as you can just stop by, listen to something, you know, if it's, it's really fun, especially
with it being five o'clock to seven o'clock.
So you can kind of come there, come have dinner.
And we are, we are really, really excited to have, I'm hoping to have some different activities,
just trying to get them cleared with insurance right now, but I really, really want to put
a focus on our, our smaller, you know, townships as well as Wisconsin Rapids, which is great
here, but we definitely want to show that we have a flourishing community that is growing
in, I think that Nikusa, I mean, they have wonderful businesses out there.
They were featured a lot for our annual awards.
And I think they're definitely, they, they invest locally and they really care about the
community.
So I think it'll be a fun time.
Lacey's having a hard time getting the insurance from my fire breathing entertainment that
I want to do.
I'm working on it.
I'm working, it's a, it's a working progress, but it's probably a good idea for me.
I make no bones about it.
I love Nikusa.
I love that area.
And I'm so happy to see that area doing so well and thriving so much.
And again, just like with Gather By The Cazeebo, this is an opportunity to get your business
out there and really let people that, the people in Nikusa know who you are and how great
your food is and how great the work is you're doing as an entertainer.
It's another opportunity to get seen by other eyeballs, which if you're an entertainer,
it's everything you're looking for is getting a chance to be seen by different people and
new people and turn, turn them on to your, whatever it is that you do.
Absolutely.
And it's not just, I think we, we, we think of entertainment at these events.
We're thinking of like a band or a singer.
I would love to feature the more the merrier.
So if there is a group that does something or I mean, we've, I've gotten some acting things
set up for lunch by the river and I'm very excited to be, to be bringing in different
things.
I think it's fun to show the, like, I think growing as a kid and as an adult, I think it's
really important, but I think that I'm having a stage presence and having the opportunities
to be able to get out there, especially if they are, you know, they're really, really
passionate about something they want to be out there.
So if you want to be a part of it, if you're from Nikusa, if you're from Rome and you
have, you know, a talent that you think will be really fun, even if it's just painting,
I think anything can be, anything can be entertaining as long as you make it fun.
So please reach out.
Lacey, oh, we're really looking forward to eat, drink and buy local as well.
Yes.
You want to encourage everybody to get ready for this is one of our fun signature events.
Yes, we are.
So we've actually extended the deadline as well, too, because you want to try to feature
more.
You do have to be a chamber member.
We got, we've gotten a lot of interest.
We may change that in the, in the future, but currently it's just remember only.
And then I did actually do a little breakdown.
So it's obviously a $35 fee and you're going to be on that bingo card and you'll be at
all the businesses that are also participating as well as on our Facebook, our marketing
things like that.
But essentially it's $55 costs with that, you know, the fee and the raffle prize.
And it's 14 days that we run this.
So if we break it down, it's essentially around $3.92 a day, which is less than a Facebook
boost.
I looked it up.
So definitely reach out.
We met with some businesses and they were like, oh, we haven't really gotten a lot
of return on this.
And I know a lot of them are worried about that, that ROI.
But even with you just being in other businesses, because this is going everywhere.
So your business will be featured, you know, in other businesses when they pick up that
bingo sheet.
So they're seeing your logo.
They're seeing that you support local and they're seeing that you invest in this area.
So even if you only get five people, the traffic isn't the greatest, they're still seeing
your logo.
It's in the back of their mind.
And I think that I know it's hard with this marketing time and marketing costs a lot of
money and advertising and things like that.
But $3.92 a day is not a huge investment.
You know, that you mentioned the Facebook post, which is where a lot of people will advertise
these days.
The catch with that is you're advertising within your bubble.
And the people that are seeing that are tend to be people that already know about your
business.
If you advertise with the chamber, you're spread your spread out.
You're getting seen in avenues and places that you wouldn't normally right there.
I can make the argument that I'm making my money back.
But even with that, if you tack on to that piggyback to it, the fact that I'm tying myself
to the chamber that I'm showing that I am supporting local that I am supporting my community.
You can't put a price on that, especially in this day and age.
And I know a lot of people are like myself out there.
I only shop at businesses to do that to put back into this community.
That's just the way I am.
I don't tell anybody to do that, but that I know a lot of people that I brought this up
on the air and do a very similar thing.
When you are putting your business with the chamber, you are showing that.
You're showing that you're putting back into this community.
You support this community.
I don't know how you put a price on something like that.
I think it's a great idea, a wonderful opportunity for people.
And Lacey, we'll tell people how they can get in touch with you, it would be a part of
this more.
Is there any other details they should know right now?
Just make sure that you reach out as soon as the better.
Obviously, we're extending the deadline a little bit because we want to try to feature
more businesses.
So, you can call Holly Ann at 715-423-1830 or office at WisconsinapolisChamber.com.
Speaking of Lacey, ailing events and engagement director with our Heart of Wisconsin Chamber
or commerce.
Lacey, one of the things that you do from time to time is bringing some people from the
leadership class so we can focus on that great program that you guys have at the chamber.
Today, we have with us, Sean Rumfield.
Sean, thanks a lot for being here.
What business do you work at?
I'm with Paper City Savings Association.
That's all.
Big shout out to you guys.
We appreciate you guys.
And speaking of businesses to put back into this community, you see Paper City Savings
name on all kinds of stuff at any time, local high school events, all kinds of things that
we do here at the station.
Big fans of yours and big fans of the company.
Lacey, you bring Sean in.
We're going to talk a little bit about the community leadership program here.
Let's tell people what that program is real quick, just in case they are not aware.
Yes.
So it is a program.
It starts in October finishes in May, where we bring in, it can be, we have nonprofits.
We are actually accepting right now for 2024, 2025, 14 and community.
But you are going to visit different businesses.
You're going to learn more about your community.
You're going to use, you can use the time before and after for a lot of networking as well
as we do a project or two projects, depending on the interest level as well as how big we
think that this can really grow.
But working together, learning, kind of just growing professionally, having a better understanding
of your communication styles, how to communicate with others, how to foster a win-win scenario
at where you work.
There's so many great tools and things that I've been able to add that I definitely didn't
even think about before.
I hadn't really ever thought about, well, is my boss someone who talks this way or how
do I communicate to someone who, it's just very interesting and the dynamic of how the
things you don't think about that now, I think about every day because of it, as well
as the connections that I've made and the people that I've met and the group that I know
I will continue to work with.
So it's been really, really great to be a part of it.
Sean, how has your experience been with the leadership class?
Yeah, and I'd echo the same thing, Lacey said, I mean, you're going through the program
and there's these things you don't think about, but just every day communication, you
kind of learn a little bit about yourself and kind of how other people interact with
you as well.
And while you're doing that, you kind of have these aha moments of maybe some own examples
you have, whether that's at work or in your own personal life and being able to identify
those and kind of go forward with those.
Before the class, Sean, would you consider yourself a good leader or a leader at all?
I'd like to think of myself as a leader, but I think one thing being a leader got to know
that you have to grow, continuously growing throughout this time.
So I think this has really helped me kind of learn more about my community and also just
maybe some areas that I need to improve on.
Isn't that, I think with leadership and like with a lot of things in life, you could
have this, you can have confidence in this, but I think the other key part of that and
what builds that confidence is understanding what Sean just said there that you can always
get better.
It's one of the things that I actually enjoy about life, no matter what it's radio,
acting, whatever it is I do.
A part of what I love about that particular thing is that I'm always working to get
better at it and I can do it the rest of my life and maybe never perfect it, but I can
always keep getting better.
Leadership is a lot like that.
And I generally believe like like the arts, everybody has that in them.
It's fine tuning in, it's discovering it and I think it's discovering one of the most
important things to learn and Sean, you've already got this down that good leaders realize
they can always get better, they can always learn more.
This program really feels like it does that for people, really helps you find those things
inside of you that you may not know that you had or if you did, to really fine tune them.
Is that how you, it was for you, Sean?
Yeah, I agree with that.
Lacey, with this program, it's great for adults, it's great for our community, but you
guys saw kind of an expansion of that and turned it in with the teen leadership as well.
That program very similar to this one, the, yeah, so that one they visit, the mid-state
has these clusters.
So they have kind of broken down into different areas for the kids to kind of learn more
about.
I think our huge, our biggest focus is trying to keep the talent that we have here and
kind of show them the opportunities that there are here and that they don't have to move
to a big city.
I think that they are like so hurt, like there's such a hurry to grow up first of all.
But then second of all, they're like, I need to get out of here.
I want to go somewhere new, I want to spread my wings and I think that if we can show them
that there is opportunity, they are more likely to stay here as well as have a better understanding
and having different plans in motion.
So when they're going and doing these tours, they're learning exactly what they would need
to do to be in that position, how much is going to cost them, what classes they have to
take, how they can start now, as well as explaining, I mean, even some of them, they already
know, they know what they want to do.
And then they go and tour, they learn more about it, they learn what they're actually doing
day to day and then they decide, maybe I don't want to do that.
And that's been, I think that's been really, really interesting because I think that they're
saving themselves a lot of time as well as money and not going to school for something
that they're like, and they're going to change and change and change.
And so I think it's really, really nice.
I actually already signed up my daughter for next year, but I think it's, it's really
great, especially with, I mean, even the community leadership, you can't lead people beyond
where you are.
And they have said that to us, I think almost every month.
And it's, that was huge to me because I can't lead someone to be, you know, in these huge,
you know, situations, if I haven't been there and I don't understand it, as well as just
the thought process, like in how you react to things and being less reactive and being
more professional.
And I think you can always grow and learn things from your peers.
And I think that community leadership, teen leadership, they're both a great asset and
a great thing to add to your tool belt if you're, you know, you're growing in your career.
And Sean, for you, one of the other things that we touch on with this program is being
able to, the relationships you make and the different people you run into that you might
not in your day to day life, were you able to experience some of that?
Yeah, I mean, all the people in the program have been great.
You know, everyone's got that mindset where they want to continue to learn and grow.
And I've made some personal relationships that I've talked to outside of this.
I've even joined a couple of boards in the local community.
So I think it's been a great opportunity for me to just get more involved.
And if you're looking to get more involved in community, I think this is a great opportunity
for you.
Definitely something you'd recommend.
Yes, for sure.
Right now.
Sean, really do appreciate the time.
Thanks a lot for being with us today and I'll shout out to you and your team at Paper
City Savings.
Thanks for everything.
Thank you very much.
Are there any other notes that you wanted to share with us today?
So Stacy wanted me to share kind of a recap on for legislative breakfast.
So we had the local mayoral candidates come and the event sold out.
And she was really, really happy to get to talk to the candidates, ask them those questions
and get answers in the room.
And that is on the Facebook page, the link is on there as well as the community media
that recorded everything is also on YouTube if anyone wants to check it out.
A lot of information pertinent to our area as well as there was some changes made in
where Krug is and where Testin is.
So that's really interesting to kind of see, okay, that's now who I would talk to if I
need something.
They did talk about a TV TV things, which that's been a pretty hot topic for this area as
well as nonprofits.
So definitely check that out.
She was very, very excited.
It's sometimes it's hard.
People don't really, sometimes people don't want to share how they feel about politics.
So it was really nice to have people be open and honest and have a safe space where they
could be able to talk about their concerns in Wood County.
Yeah, we have a lot of people these days that can talk online and be keyboard cowards.
We have plenty of that.
We don't have a lot of people being able to have an opportunity in person to be able
to talk to a representative Krug or representative Testin or somebody like that and be able to speak
face to face to them.
And having an opportunity like that is something that we as a community appreciate, the chamber
and everybody that worked on that, especially a big shout out to the League of Women voters
and the work that they have been doing in this election cycle and all of those and all
the guests that have joined us on the morning show here.
We've been fortunate to have all of our guests joining us and talking with the candidates
and being able to get to know them a little bit better.
Encourage people to check out that video.
It's a great video and it's a really informative one.
Yes.
I'm very happy that it was so well attended as well as being able to talk about affordable
housing.
That's a huge issue right now as well as child care.
So I think it's great when we're actually talking about the issues that actually matter.
Yeah.
And we are affected by.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And it's a light watch.
No, no, it's not.
But it's a needful one.
Yeah.
That's an informative one.
Encourage it to.
I'm really glad you guys put it out there.
It wasn't able to be there.
So I was able to catch it online.
And I think a lot of people might have been in that situation.
So very appreciate that.
Absolutely.
Well, and sometimes people like, oh, they're a little bit, they're a little bit long-winded.
They're a little boring.
And then I heard someone that was like, the tea was spilt at this one.
So I was like, yeah, I agree with you there.
But yeah, definitely check it out.
Lacey, if people have follow up questions, want to know more about some of the things
we've gotten to get into today.
How can they get in touch with you?
Absolutely.
You can also go on either the Chamber website, or you can give us a call, definitely stop
in, as well as just giving any one of us an email.
My email is communications at WisconsinAppisChamber.com, or you can call me 715-422-4859.
But definitely check out our website.
Our new one is going to go live April 1st.
So it's going to be easier to navigate, and obviously we're really, really excited
for that.
And talking about it, I'm sure next time you join us, thanks again for the time.
Thank you.
Well, a more midday magazine coming up for you right here at 975 FM 1320 AMWFHR, locally
grown radio.
