Beyond the Ballot with Brett Topham

Brett Topham believes local government can be where big problems get solved. We dive into his unconventional path—from hospitality to finance to politics—and explore his ideas for smart fiscal planning, public-private partnerships, and why a hundred-year-old pool might just hold the heart of a town.

https://www.stephshanks.com

https://www.instagram.com/stephshanksphotography

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephshanks/

https://www.youtube.com/@stephshanks

https://www.tiktok.com/@stephshanks?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

https://www.facebook.com/stephshanksphotography

Transcript

0:00

Welcome back to unwritten. The podcast where we explore the stories that remind us it's never too late to rewrite your next chapter. Whether it's starting over. Stepping into your purpose or finding your voice for the very first time. This space is for the dreamers, the doers, and the ones still figuring it out. Today I'm joined by Brett Tap. I'm someone who believes that local government can be the place where big problems actually get solved. We dive into Brett's unconventional path, from hospitality to finance to politics, and explore his passion for smart fiscal planning, community collaboration and why a 100 year old pool might just hold the heart of a town. This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership doesn't always come with a title, and that it's never too late to step up, get involved, and make a difference right where you are. And speaking of fresh starts, I've got an empowering women's retreat coming up where we'll dive into self-discovery, connection and confidence. Plus, if you're ready to be seen and celebrated by portrait photography sessions are all about capturing the truest version of you. All right, let's dive into it. And I have been following you because you're all over social media, and I like what you're doing. I like what you stand for. I like that you're getting the community involved, and I like that you work for. Are you volunteer for the food pantry? So to me, it seems like you are being the change you want to see in the world. Oh, wow. Thank you. Would you say that's true? Oh, that's a that's that's that's a big compliment. I could only hope. Yeah. And so what is your what? You're doing this for a reason. And what is your reasoning? Are you a lifelong resident or have you how long have you been in Baraboo? I am what John Ringling would call a baboon. Okay. He he said it out of dislike for people. Unbearable. But, yes, I was born in the Ringling Hospital. Okay. And, of course, through work and professional practice, my wife and I, we moved away, a couple of times, and, of course, I couldn't get out of bed fast enough after high school to go to college. But then somehow kept meandering back. And about six years ago, I guess, retired, and we came back. Okay. So. But for the most part, I've spent most of my life unbearable. And you had a career as a financial advisor, is that correct? I did a couple of things. I, grew up in the hospitality business. Oh, okay. And, then I got very fortunate and got a, a job with, Hyatt Hotels and which we just loved, but we moved a lot. Yeah, a lot. But it was really a fascinating time in the hotel business, in the hospital and the service business in general. But then we wanted to come back to Baraboo to start a family. And so just kind of naturally, through a course of events and I guess really blessed to get into the financial services business, but kind of in a different way. It came through the bank trust office side, which is a unique kind of site to come through. But there was the local bank, which was the First National Bank, and they needed a trust officer, and I guess I looked like an okay candidate. And they said, well, we'll send you to school any place you want to go in the country, as long as you agree to stay with us and be our trust officer. And, well, that's a neat opportunity. So I did that, and that's how I guess that's now 35, 40 years ago. So you kind of had a, interesting path in life. I was just, you know, I was really blessed. It was really a neat opportunity. And I've always been curious and, boy, you being in capital markets. Boy, that's a great career for somebody who's curious because it there's so many different facets about it. And through the evolution of that, I became more of a portfolio manager than, financial planner or servant, although I was a certified financial planner. But, I spent the last, oh, probably ten years of my career as a senior portfolio manager for a locally Wisconsin firm. So you're doing all this. You're raising a do you have a family of kids? Oh, boy, I sure do. And they're above average, just so you know, to section Keeler. Yeah, I've been, I've got a daughter, and she lives in Minneapolis. Now, don't get me started on my kids this podcast not long enough. She lives in Minneapolis, and she's in theater. Okay. And, gig work, which I think is just fascinating. Yeah. So. And she's kind of like, she she's elevated to the position now. She has most of her work with a theater up there called the Guthrie Theater. And she's somebody you'll never see. She's, stage manager, director of that kind of thing. And then I have a son who kind of bit off on the hospitality. My dad, he's the fourth generation of the family to go through UW stout. Congratulations. And he's in San Antonio, Texas. Okay. Is there. What's what's down there? He is. Well, what's down there is really nice weather, but it's not nice here. But he runs he runs a chicken joint called Gus's world famous fried chicken. But it's an amazing operation. And he really learned how to do that from our friends in the Dallas, because there's there's almost more PR than there is chicken. It's an iconic, you know, the you can go there on the Vegas Strip there in Hollywood. They're those kind of places. And they're in the Riverwalk in San Antonio. That's awesome. Have you ever dabbled in politics before? Did. Always a local. I been I was on the council. You know, I don't know the number of years, but I'd say it was between 10 and 15 years. Okay. I, I had actually on the ballot was city council, and so was was in fact, there was a while, I guess I was president at the. Oh, I used to chair the finance committee. Okay. And so not unfamiliar territory. And that's a big part of what you want your message to. That's what your message is. Right? For Baraboo is how can we better. Fund certain things, but also like be smarter with money. Is that correct? What would you say your message, your core message is? I think, I think I have a couple on a on a more direct basis. Yeah. You stated it very sensibly. I think if I look out and I see Baraboo the next two, three, five years, probably one if not the greatest challenge we're going to face is fiscal is financial. And so that's, that's certainly draws you in. But I also think that, I think government and especially city government or local government, I should say, is really has a wonderful opportunity. Government can be the place that I really believe people can come together and they can fix big problems. And it can be a place where there's a variety of voices and we get our best solutions, and we get a variety of voices that Roosevelt used to say, if you and I always agree, one of us doesn't need to be here. And you knew who that was. And I think we get our best solutions when we get different ideas that aren't all the same. And that doesn't necessarily mean we give up our values. It means we just are willing to listen to the other guy. And I remember when I was on the council before and I really had the chance to serve with some neat people. Tom called John Petty. My last mayor I served for was Pat Liston. I go, there's nine people on the council, and I would go home some nights and it'd be an 8 to 1, and I was the one. But a lot of times I drive home thinking, you know, those folks are smarter than me. Just maybe, just maybe we came up with the right decision tonight. And that was a it's a government doesn't have to be continuous. It doesn't have to be divided. The idea that you have a different opinion that I have doesn't mean we have to be divided. As long as we're respectful of each other's opinion and say, what can we do to come up with the best solution? So I think that's a higher calling for government. And I think the present mayor has done a pretty good job of keeping things. Copacetic. But I think we could do more. Now we've got to be willing to take on the tough things. But government can do that. And it seems like this year here a lot of things came to a head with the pool and the cab system. I think there was another one, too. So maybe the zoo? I'm not sure. The zoo. Okay. I'm not sure what, but yeah, that would certainly fall in that same category. Almost. Yeah. Yeah. And it seemed like it was kind of an an opportunity for Baraboo to kind of come together. Yeah. And it did it it did. And it also we, we started about I guess I've been going to the city meetings in the finance meeting. And you know, I'm a finance geek like that. Right. We all have our gifts. There's yes I guess there's medicine that I take. And my wife says, and I won't be helping hurting anybody in the finance, but, so I, I think when I look, I think we it's a great opportunity to begin to think of maybe a little different course and the those three really it really identify it. If you let's just pick the pool. Here this the first off, I think the city learned a lesson. Yes. I remember back when I was on the first time we could talk about world peace, and there would be no one that would come to the council meetings. But if we mentioned we might put a sidewalk in front of your house, it would be standing room only. People galvanize and resonate with the local issues, and we've got to be respectful of that. So here's here, here, here's the pool. And I think the council was a bit shocked that they closed the pool. And here's I don't know how many people there were, but let's say 40 people that that came and expressed a concern. But something good came out of that that I'd been talking about before. I think we need to look at private public partnerships. That doesn't mean we're going to privatize the pool. Not a chance. And it doesn't mean we want to. It means we need to look at other sources of support. And that was a great example. The riptide Kids and I, they raised the money for the operating cost. This this the city came up with the maintenance cost and the city facilitated it, along with the leadership of the friends of the parks. And there's an example where different people came to the table. And I think we came up with a greater solution. Now I think we need to hang on to that because the pool is still in disrepair. It's it's an old pool. It's very old. I think it's like, oh, it's going to be a hundred years old. I don't care for that. But I think that's about right. And many of us have great memories. I remember every summer day riding my Stingray bicycle to the pool, and that's where I spent my afternoons. I mean, so that goes deep. So we've got to come up with a different way to solve this. We could. We should start now. And one of the things city government needs, I think, would be helpful. And they do a lot. Right. I don't want to be just, you know, brutal on city. You're not you're not. They do a lot. Right. But I, I'd like to see us start to think beyond one fiscal year. I spent the last ten years of my life working for a wonderful entrepreneur in his family, Sam Johnson. Okay. I don't know, Windex. Ray Johnson wax. I was on the financial side of, of the Johnson Financial, but Sam would say, I don't want to see a quarterly report. I'm interested in what this will do generationally for me. Wow. And I take that same, maybe not quite as a Wow statement, but in the city, we've got to think beyond one year or so. We know that. We know that the pool obviously is an area that I'm not the only one that says, hey, that's important. We also I think, I think the council maybe learned that, hey, that's more of the fabric of who we are then and then. And it might be more important than money. Here's a finance guy. It's more important than money. Wow. So why don't we come up with a six or a seven year plan and say, let's let's maintain it. You know, let's make sure that we can keep the lights on for seven years. But let's start now with, with a philanthropic campaign to replace it. I have to think somebody will step forward, just like they did the library. If we do it right, and they say you're being responsible and your plan is well thought out, and maybe there's some way this is. And I really want my name on a pool or my family's name on a pool, but we need to start now. It's it's the hard thing. But if you look at the people that are involved in that, they really are the leaders of Baraboo. If you go through who really stepped up and and they're drawn in, let's bring them in all the way and say, let's step off and do this now. The city can facilitate that. We can lead that. I don't necessarily think that we can continue to be the big check writer like the days of old, but that doesn't mean we can't lead and get that that's what leadership is and get the job done. Yeah. And set out. I don't know if it's five years or seven years. But it's not one year. And and in the thought of that, then what a great chance. Bring in the riptides. Maybe there's some other groups. Maybe Rotary or Kiwanis is. Hey, we'll we'll latch on to that for the next couple of years and see if we can help maintain that. So I think it's a matter private. You bring in philanthropy, but you also could bring in corporate sponsors and public, which is the city private public partnerships. Same thing happened on taxi, if you think about it. I guess we learned that the taxis pretty important, Yeah. I didn't know it before, but again, it's it's. You know what? You. I went through aging parents, and, the taxi was my mom's lifeline. So, now she would complain about the taxi. Must. Yeah. But it was her lifeline. And the truth is it was really, really important. So this was so neat how this the hospital steps up with their foundation and says here's 50,000 and the city supports the rest and they facilitate it. Now keep in mind the doesn't take $100,000 to run the taxi. It takes $600,000, but 500 is already there from state and federal support and grants. And if you take it away, you lose that piece of variable and and we have to be you got to remember, we're stewards of that. The zoo is a classic example. You take away the zoo. Close it. Yeah, we probably save about $220,000 a year. That's about the budget number. It's one and a half full time employees with a zoo director in there. And and and you close that now just try to get it to come back. Oh, right. It's. Yeah, but one of the things we lose sight of, and I think we've got to think bigger. A great example was the when you're running for office, the weeks off days are the is this week I'm I think was Wednesday. Yeah. It's this city before the city tore down the, stonewall on a street in front of the park. Okay. And by 1030 in the morning, it had blown up on social media. Well, yeah. We knew. I'm sure that the city knew there was in that little piece. It's gone now. So you drive by, you'll see it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I saw that the other day. So, you know, I think what it taught us is, first off, it's very difficult to overcommunicate. I never knew a great leader. This is how I really over communicated that message. No. So we have to look at other venues to communicate here. The Parks Commission, which is an awesome commission. We've had, I think, back at Greg Wise, who led it for I think decades and, and and now you've got Roy who's leading it and great people that that's a basically a volunteer commission that's responsible for all of our parks. Oh, wow. That lead that and those are volunteers. I didn't know that. So you've got them. They made a decision, which makes a lot of sense. It was the wall apparently was falling down. It was a risk and a danger. But we tore it down and people came just like they came to the council chambers. When we said we were going to close, they said they were going to close the pool. We probably could have handled that. Hindsight's always perfect. We probably could've handled that better. I mean, do we ever reach out and say, is there a corporate sponsor that would do this? Or at least communicate? No. My wife looked at it and said, you know, maybe it looks better. You can now see the animal things easier than you could before. Yeah. Just didn't communicate it. But the zoo, is a great example of how the private sector has supported that. Friends of the zoo. But we could do more. Imagine if, the crazy idea is you gotta gotta take a blank sheet of paper and, and then you gotta be willing to say no, that that's really a stupid idea. How about if you could adopt an animal? I mean, really adopt an animal? You get adoption papers, you get a picture of the animal, you get. You get a birthday card every. You know, we probably have to make up that date, but every every year, the animals and you create sponsorships that way. Or maybe you renew that adoption. How about corporate sponsors for every exhibit at the at the zoo? There's there's a few examples where you can begin to fund 200 and some thousand dollars for something that if you take it away, you'll never have it again. I don't want to sound bleak, but be pretty hard. I mean, yes, zoos are more of a thing. I can't think of the word, but they don't make them in cities anymore. They don't. And the ones that have are struggling, right? An interesting, communication. Somebody came up with the idea. Oh, he wants to sell the zoo. Yeah. You find somebody that will buy a, you know, the zoo? Free zoo. Oh, no. I don't want to sell the zoo. You can't anyways. It's it's just. That's where we started. Yeah, somewhere there is. Where the home first home invariably was. So. But I think you can continue. We've already started down that road. I remember being in the Rotary Club, and we did this duck drop at Zoo Days to raise money for the zoo. Just need to keep it and it takes the community to come together, which you already have. Yeah. The friends of the zoo is a very vibrant group, very engaged, very, very interested in their cause. I, you just need to support them. Yeah, I know, for me. So you met my dog? I did. We go to the dog park every day, and a couple weeks ago, it was really great. We had, I don't know his name. You probably do. Must be in charge of the parks. Is a younger guy with. Not sure who, but that's okay. Anyways, he came down to address some of the problems with the dog park. Oh, okay. It was fantastic because we were able to talk to him about some of the issues that we had and then our solutions, and then he went to the city with what they could do and what they could provide us. And, you know, we weren't you need to do this in this, in this for us. It's like, how can what do you have? What can you give us? And how can we take up the rest of the slack so that we get the changes? We wanted the dog park. And I think that is a really healthy way to go about communication. Right. But also to get things on within the city and how we can all work together. I, I agree, and so that's your that's your biggest message. I think it's it's work. It's one of the areas that I get the most excited about. Yeah. Because it's where government can do good. Yeah. It's where we we can. Yes. In the short term, two, three, 4 or 5 years, we probably need to fix our fiscal situation. Yep. But think generationally. And that's where it really gets. And I think we do I think there are people they do. And that's the exciting thing. So I want to switch topics just a little bit because you're obviously an older generation than me. Maybe not obviously, but and you are using social media like a 17 year old. So tell me about where that inspiration came from, because that's how you're sitting here right now is you're on LinkedIn. You're on Facebook. I don't know if you're on other stuff too, but I mean, you're getting people involved, and I, I appreciate you and and what you're doing. So what's your what's tell me about that. I guess it came to the idea that, you know, if we keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, that's probably silly. So I wanted to start a conversation. And most politicians now pick on the politics. You know. You know I heard this from a politician but you know the definition of politician. What poly which is many in tech which is blood sucking parasite. And I I'm a politician I guess this week I guess you are. Yes. They, you get a lot of lukewarm. This is what I want to do. I want to lower your taxes and increase your services. And you know what I have? I have a couple ideas. I'm interested in your ideas, because that's how I learned. And I found social media as a place that maybe I can say what I think we should do. And if somebody looks at that and says, well, that's the stupidest thing. And there are people that have and they've expressed that on social media, to me is the stupidest idea I've ever seen. I get it. It might be, but that's my idea. And social and I and I begin to explore it and expand it. So I said, yeah, I want a place for people to land where I can put out a blog and I can express the things that I think we should be that I'd like to see us talking about. Yes. There was an interesting story I heard once where this is back in the Clinton President Clinton era, and he was going through New Hampshire, of course, which is where everything kicks off in every town. He went to. There was this lady on the corner with a sign. I mean, every time he went to this. There she is. And so it was the same lady. The same lady, okay. Same sign. And he was a pretty dynamic, extroverted person, a people person. And he finally. And what can I ask? And what she was. Because when you're in my state, I'd like to see you talk about my issues. So I thought, you know, I want to know what's on your mind. What are your issues? And the two way communication is what I found interesting about. So not only did I want to put out a blog that said, hey, here's what I'm thinking, here's here's some ideas I've got, but I wanted to know your ideas. And so LinkedIn was really the format to only because I'm, I'm somewhat technologically hampered. I thought that'll be the format. I can actually post the, the thoughtful, if you will, ideas. Yes. And then I can use Facebook for the conversation because that's more more people at the found. I get some messages on LinkedIn but more conversations happening on Facebook. That's what got me into is just to say, hey, these are some things that I think these are some ideas I have. What do you think? And let's talk about it. Yeah. And that happened. I mean, I'm not sure what the statistics mean, but I have 35,000 views in the last 14 days. I'm not really sure what that means on, on a post. On a video. And basically, that's my when you go into Facebook and you look for your analytics. Yeah, that's your first analytic. And I started with no friends. Well, I had my wife and one friend I started started the campaign with one friend because this is a new page. This is brand new. I mean, I hope did okay. And then, you know, I went through the things that you put my first picture up and realized, no, that doesn't really work on an iPhone. You know, you kind of go through that. E I, I'm doing social media like a 70 year old, which. Yes, but you want to. I should put out a paper on my greatest social media failures. Well, I think that's a compliment. First off, because I've had friends in politics before, and they. They'll do the photo shoot with me, but then you never see them again. Or they want they put it on a sign out in front of their house. But I don't get it. If it's not in front of me, I I'm not looking at it. And so I'm that generation that spends a lot of time on our phone and on our laptop. And you've caught my eye. Thank you. And I think you've caught a lot of people's eye. Obviously, it's like some great conversations. Yeah. And some issues and and some, some of those people have gotten back to me and think I'm dead wrong. And other people have gotten back and said, oh, there's that, that, that, hey, that that resonates with me. That makes some sense. So it, it's been whatever happens Tuesday. It's been, a fascinating exercise. And if if for some reason Tuesday I win, I just can imagine how you could grow this you do podcast. Yes. Imagine a district nine every 14 days podcast. I just think what we could do one is you're right along with a snowplow driver during the first snow. Now what I read across when I was seeing all the person before I did write a blog. It's fascinating. Yeah. It is more skill than you know not to take out mailboxes and storm sewer covers. Yeah. These guys are actually pretty pretty experienced in what they're doing right along with a car. Now obviously you'd have to edit it. So private information, you know, if we if we, you know, arrest John Dillinger, you probably can't publicize it. But, right along with go volunteer day at the fire department, you can spend a day with the zookeeper and other issues that are that are pertinent to people. Yeah. I thought, you know, maybe a podcast would be, again, great leadership. I've never seen a great leader say, yeah, just way over communicate. And I think you you come at people, people listen in with different messages and, and they hear different things. And social media gives you the opportunity to expand on that. So how do you handle some, some of the haters or do you get a do you get any bad stuff. Because I see some of the different Baraboo sites and some people not, not at all directed at you, but some people can be pretty, pretty brutal. And I'm only saying that even for myself, you know. Comments I'll get on YouTube. It's like, why would you be so mean? Like, how do you handle do you get those? And you do? I think the first thing you have to realize, if I look at great leaders, the common denominators, humility, you can't take yourself that important. And it doesn't take me long to read a message and realize, this poor person is just probably a little bit out there and I move on. And you but if you don't, I mean, I think I try to put a lot of thought and care in what I say and the ideas I've got, and I realize they're not going to match up with everybody. Right. Yes. Like you said at the beginning, them. Now one of the interesting things is you watch the dialog. This is a really important election. And it's not because I'm running for alderperson. There's some pretty important things on the ballot. And one is the school board. I mean I we did some work the last time I was on, I partnered with Gene and we wrote this paper that is, it's online. And it actually got picked up by the Secretary of Education for the United States. And it kind of thought this be before social media. So following that, we got a couple of newspaper articles out of it. Yeah. That's but it basically said, the traditional thinking was if you, if you, if you create a great economy, it can create a great school system. And we said, we think you got it wrong. We think a great school system creates a great economy. We think that people come here because of the school system, not necessarily because of the economy. It was a, it was that it was a fun exercise. We had a lot of people that said, you're stupid, you're an idiot. But it was it was a it was a very, very neat process. So I wish we had social media back then. You just. I'm used to a cute story on disagreeing. Back before, when I was on the council, it used to be on TV. Now. Now it's YouTube, but not TV. Am I right? It was Tuesdays. My wife would watch it and depending on the degree of the discussion, I would come home and at the kitchen table we'd have a decaf coffee, or she'd have a bottle of wine opened up. And this was a wine night. And I remember saying, you know, I've been on the council longer than those guys. I know more about finances than those guys. I'm older than any of those guys. I can't believe they can't get into my ideas. And she picked up her glass of wine and she goes, that's right, dear, you are older than most of those guys. And walked out of the room. So not everybody is going to agree with me, right? And so you can learn from that. I also have to say what I was on the council before. I got a lot more. Hey, thanks for serving. Then I got, you know, people being rude. Yeah. By far. And even now, if you. Hey, I appreciate the likes. If you push the like button makes you feel good. So they say. Okay, maybe my ideas aren't totally off base. Yeah. And we'll kind of start wrapping things up. But can you talk a little bit about the Beyond Plus Pantry and because again, I'm at the dog park and, and when you see our cars, I see the cars. And one of my friends down there, she looked at me and she's like, I can't believe how many people beyond this pantry food pantry serves. Well, you opened up the topic, so I get the right just like I my kids. You're supposed to be humble, but on your kids you don't have to be right. Is that fair? That's. Same with me. I'm blessed. It's. First off, it's it's a it's a wonderful nonprofit. I think great non-profits, to some degree. Great organizations. They need a lunatic at the head and at the helm. And in all good ways. We have a great lunatic that runs beyond blessed. She lives and breathes, providing food to people that don't have food, and will walk through fire to find food for people that don't have food. And it takes 100 volunteers about. I think that's right to to make that happen. I it takes just I think Bill's got just 15 people directing traffic. Wow. So shameless plug Wednesday nights or any day. There's there's things you can volunteer just about every day. There's things to be done. So that's what makes it happen. And we will serve well Wednesday night. We just at. This is Friday. We did, we did. I remember the number because we had all we did 699 families. Well, I know why. Can't talk about this. Can't we find one more family in 699? And in the in the math is such a that's about 3000 people. And the team served 3000 people in two hours. Wow. Isn't that amazing? Now, the only thing, that we ask is how many families are you picking up for? Because we have some people that it's their ministry and they will pick. And sometimes we get a little bit of interesting comments because you'll go by and say that's a Escalade, you know, what are they doing in the food pantry line? Well, they might be picking up for nine seniors that are shut in. And so we and we probably have a good number that pick up for more than one family. And then the other thing we ask is, where are you from? Just so we can kind of, I guess that's our communication that we do we we and we get 70% say, bearable. Now, if you live out in Greenfield, you'll probably say bearable. And so it's not like it's we don't ask your address or anything like that. And then from we will do whatever we can to get you food. I would say out of it and I don't know, statistically, but I'd say probably 20%. I, I'm a I'm the traffic coordinator at the actual pantry. Okay. I see everybody and I try to make their day a little better if I can. So you engage them. I mean, you want to talk to. Unless it's 660 below. And some nights it's bad. And then their windows are rolled up and they're like this. And so am I, Eve. And I'm trying to direct them through. I'd say about 20% live in the cars that they're picking food up in. I've noticed an increase in the number that don't speak any English and I just think, wow. How could I one side how scary. And on the other side, how courageous to be in a country, you don't speak the language and you're trying to take care of your family. And a lot of people, you realize this is it. This is their lifeline. It's it's that thin. And and this makes or breaks them. So if that gets you interested and come on down and volunteer. It's truly been a it's been truly been a blessing. I can tell you the number of God stories that have come out of there. And also it's just like, wow, I can't believe that, you know, we were able to make that happen. But it goes back to Shannon. A huge shout out lunatic CEO. And she's our one page staff person. Yeah. And they really, I think of the thousands of people that come to the warehouse on a Wednesday day

about 3: 31:53

00 to start service, about four. And it's piled high with food. I mean, it's to the rafters and I go out and direct traffic then for two to 2.5 hours and meet the people and schmooze and you know how you do it and, and try to lift them up a little bit. And I guess you'd say that's my ministry. And then I come back in that warehouse, usually very exhausted after having a few, as my daughter would say, I, Vitamin Eyes ibuprofen. Yeah. And it's empty and there's nothing but cardboard and trash on the floor. And for the last 2.5 hours, dozens of volunteers have taken just tons of food and put it in cars. Then Thursdays kind of clean up, and Friday and Monday it starts all over again. Pack cans, Tuesday produce shows up. Wednesday milks all put out. Everything's ready to rock and roll Wednesday night. Here we go. It's amazing you got to come down. If you're curious, you got to come down and try. Yeah. That's really there's there's my shameless plug. It's every every week. Every week. The only time it fails is if schools are closed because of snow. Okay. Which is were Wednesdays a great day for that? Because it's half day for school. So we rarely, rarely close. And we try this. We say, you go, you go, you go to the circus world. So here we have a traffic problem. We never even asked. We're trying to figure this out because there's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cars. And in fairness, the first night we did our new headquarters, I came up with this traffic plan. That was it. Disaster. I had them going out the lake road, and it was like trying to get into a Packer game. It was it was not. And and and thank God for the city police and the sheriff's office. They saved us and they got it all squared away. And they said, guys, this is like Lambeau Field. You need that kind of traffic direction. What are we going to do? Where can we stage these cars? We didn't go out to the community and ask for help. The circus lady at the Circus World Museum called us and said, hey, I was wondering if you could use our parking lot, our really big one, because we don't and we have no trouble if you want to stage down there. And then we had no volunteers, and all of a sudden we had 15 people step up and say, hey, we'll help direct cars down there and we'll help to a pace car to get the people over. And again, a big shout out to the the police department because they they really helped school us on how to do that. And the city in general, it's not this Wednesday. This Wednesday was delightful, but last Wednesday was ice and snow. And the city deployed a salt truck so we could get the people up Hill Street. You know it. It's a community effort. Yeah. So I'm sorry, that was that was probably a yes or no question. I don't think so, no. So with the podcasts, the more you talk, the actual, the better it is. Oh, good. Good. See, they asked you to the time, and you told them how to make the watch. So elections happening, and like I said, this is going to come out Monday. Any last I mean, obviously, get out and vote, right? Yeah. I mean, that's the only that's the this is this isn't a this is the local election. Yeah. This is, this is really, I think, important and can get involved. Now, in talking to the city clerk. She said we have like 400 people that have already voted. So. And she kind of said, this is way more people than we normally have. So that's exciting, isn't it, that people are getting out to vote. Yeah. So they but and they do a terrific job and, you know, getting the lines through. It's not this, you know they move the people through. Yeah. It's not too bad. I know even at the the presidential election I had to reregister because I moved and it wasn't that bad. And this is this is as important on a local level, but I don't think as many people will be. Yeah, I don't it'll be interesting to see. Yeah. I know one year when I ran for council, I got all 35 votes. So there should be more. So I'm hoping. Yeah, I'm hoping hundred one. Well, yes. Writer for the city. And so if not necessarily for district nine. Okay. And I'm not so sure if you're supposed to feel good about that or not, but, you know, I just cleaned the tables. Yeah. Any last words? No. Thank you for your time. All right. Thank you so much.