It's all about respect

My daughter Rayanne asked me if I would come to the Military base to help welcome her boyfriend Nate back from his 7 months of 'fighting for his country' in Afghanistan last night.

It took me about one second to say "absolutely.'

I'm glad I did because I 'upped' my respect not only for the Military who make the world a safer place for all of us - but for the women, children, and spouses who also pay a huge price while they stay back here in Canada.

Like most of us the longest I think I've seen a report on the terrible war is about 'twenty seconds' - because that's about as much content television shows give us during the nightly news - that is until there's a death over there and then we at least get to know 'a little' about the military men and women who lost their lives.

I walked into a very empty 'gym' on the base thinking we had the wrong spot - then one by one - the place began to fill up. Tim Hortons donuts and coffee were provided for us (Thanks Timmy!) - and then a four piece military band showed up and started to play songs.

After about twenty minutes the room started to fill up with Mothers - Fathers - Wives - children - and 'babies' - many of them clutching gifts for the soldier. Flowers. Pictures. Balloons.

Most of the groups sat 'alone' - not in large groups - which only magnified the 'personal" aspect of the welcome back event.

There was no look of 'happiness' on their faces - it was more a look of "thank god they are coming home safe" look.

I tried to guess the ages of the babies in the mothers hands - and, with help from my wife Kim, figured that most were "under" one year old - meaning that the Fathers probably were fortunate enough just to welcome their child into the world only to kiss the wife and baby goodbye - and to fly half way around the world to fight somebody else's war.

Finally - the door to the gym opened up and a beautiful large bus poked it's nose into the hall. Later we heard that the POLICE had ushered the troops from the Edmonton Airport all the way through town to enjoy this moment without interruption from traffic - which surely helped the Troops hearts beat just a little bit quicker.

As the door opened - 'everybody' in the room cheered. The band hit a high note - and one by one 'in full uniform' the soldiers walked into the gym. It was virtually impossible to figure out who was who quickly as they simply all looked the same.

The moment that the eye to eye contact was made by soldier to family member a most beautiful look became visible on their faces. A massive hug took place - a sigh of relief was felt - and that moment or two of 'love' that was being shared simpy overwhelmed me.

The most touching moment for me was standing beside a mother who was holding about a six month old child in her hands. "Dad" walked over - she handed him his new baby - and all i could think about was quickly snapping a picture and placing it on my Facebook site with a small caption that said "Dad - meet your son!"

Nate simply walked over to us - hugged Rayanne - and about the third phrase that came out of his mouth was "I don't ever want to go back there."

After seven months; after living in foxholes - dodging IED's' - losing some friends - he stated "I really don't know how much progress we made - they don't seem to want to change anything - and their religious beliefs can not be overcome."

He had flown for 25 hours - was 10 and a half hours out of whack time zone wise - and was now back on 'secure' land for the first time in more than half a year.

I shook his hand as firm as I possibly can - but don't know if there was 'any' way I could tell him how much respect I have for what he had just accomplished. My generation can only be described as "spoiled" - and never had to serve in such a situation.

We have overpaid hockey payers whining about their lots in life and I could only think how wonderful it would be to exchange that hockey stick for a gun and see how much their lives and their families lives would change.

In any case - life becomes 'normal' again in our household. My daughter doesn't have to stay up worrying anymore when another military death occurs over there and we all wait until the announcement of their names to make sure that Nate was still alive.

Oh - and the most ironic part. The news clip on their arrival was on the television this morning. I timed it. Twenty seconds.

That's way too little to express what I saw last night.

God bless our military and their families - they all pay the price for our wonderful life on this side of the world.

Radiothon's are more than just $'s

Our big Astral Media "National Day of Caring for Kids" Radiothon goes Thursday, April 29th, from 6am to 6pm, coast to coast across Canada - and for those involved for the 'first time' in an event of this magnitude let me tell you some of the 'bonus aspects of the Radiothon.

First off, we will raise 'millions" of dollars for Children's Miracle Network Hospital foundations and many various child related hospitals or organizations. That's our job.

But the 'bonus' part happens in the most personal of manners when you 'get it.'

Let me explain.

The Bear/EZ Rock/Team 1260 in Edmonton has been doing a Radiothon for the Stollery Children's Hospital for the past several years. The team of broadcasters; support staff; and foundation members co-ordinate a most amazing day of fund raising 'inside' the hospital.

A few years ago, when we added the Sports station to the broadcast, one big burly Talk Show host who hadn't done one of these events before gave me a bit of a bad time about why he "had" to do his show from the hospital - in that "it wasn't sports."

We discussed the situation, and we made sure that he knew that the guys he'd be "talking to" on the air we're actually sports personalities. Edmonton Eskimo CFL players; Edmonton Oiler Hockey Players - "Dads."

As the broadcast started one of the families we were dealing with had a piece of equipment called a "Berlin Heart" being used on their child. He was only about six years old and this "plastic looking" heart was keeping him alive while they waited for a heart transplant. As you can imagine the only way he was going to get a new heart would be if there tragically was a death of another child who could provide a 'compatible' organ.

This Berlin heart is visually overwhelming.

Here's how it works:

http://lane.stanford.edu/portals/cvicu/HCP_CV_Tab_1/BerlinHeart.pdf

While interviewing the parents of the child my big burly sports guy welled up with tears. His heart was in his throat. The mother spoke confidently about the process and the child, in fact, was simply playing with one of his toys beside us like it was just a normal day.

When my sports guy finished the interview the family moved on to the FM stations to conduct interviews on those stations and my guy walked over to me - looking me right in the eye and said "Sorry..I get it."

He's a dad of two small children himself and until you sit in an atmosphere like this; expose yourself to the children, the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, Doctors, Nurses and Foundation members assisting with the cause - you too won't know the magnitude of this amazing day.

The "millions" of dollars are the goal.

The "appreciation' for the incredible people involved in the Health care industry is the bonus.

The 'love' and respect of the parents - says it all.

Thanks for your help guys.

You will sleep with great satisfaction this Thursday.

Jackie Rae Greening

Last week I was invited to speak at the Power Luncheon for the Canadian Women in Communications – Edmonton chapter – which I highly enjoyed.

Today I attended the Edmonton Broadcasters Club Spring Luncheon and listened to guest speaker Jackie Rae Greening.

Too bad these two events weren’t connected because Jackie, as expected, “knocked it out of the park” as I totally knew she would!

First off please understand I have ‘huge’ respect for what Jackie has accomplished ‘not only in radio’ but also for her connection to the community – which is substantial – and also for her being an amazing ‘role model’ for Women broadcasters, heck lets not be sexist for “all” broadcasters.

Jackie prepared her speech on “bar coasters” just like the late Wes Montgomery taught her how to do. She chronicled ‘exactly’ how she got to the top of her field…
a) by paying her dues in smaller markets b) by taking on new positions for the ‘experience’ and not the ‘pay’ understanding that she needed this knowledge to take the next step in her broadcast career.

Next she highlighted how she carefully moved from city to city – station to station – company to company – because each move “lead to the next best thing.”

This did NOT take overnight (sorry kids) – and in between she not only got married (to a rich guy – cuz he had $10,000 in the bank) – but also became one of the top notch curlers in our Province.

Jackie, as classy as she is, carefully ‘thanked’ and acknowledged the people who helped her in her career; but not without the odd witty funny shot or ‘secret’ that had many of us grinning in the audience.

She spent a great deal of time talking about another ‘radio great’ (they won Country Morning show of the Year twice at CMW) – and was very emotional about the moment she had to announce to the CFCW audience on the morning show ‘live’
that the beloved Wes Montgomery had passed away.

She now runs CFCW Camrose/Edmonton, one of the biggest and best Country Music stations in Canada!

So – very simply – the reason I wish these two events had been held together is for the simple fact that the #1 question I was asked at CWC was “how can a women get ahead in broadcasting? – and my answer is simple.

Pretend you’re Jackie Rae Greening.

The world will be your oyster.

Friendship

My father told me many years ago that "if you have three very close friends at the end of your life count yourself lucky." Well I found that hard to believe and I can say I've got a 'plethora' of good friends who'd go to the wall for me - and vice versa - as well as 'friendships' with my family. (I simply can't believe more than 800 of you count 'me' as a Facebook friend - cool)

When you leave a job - a position of influence - and become 'not important' to people anymore it truly is amazing how you can quickly separate friendship from people simply using your 'influence' in their lives.

As well - when you leave a job - a position of influence - and old friends come out of the woodwork and 're-engage' with you that friendship becomes even more important - because these are the friends that are with you 'thru thick and thin' in life.

I often thought a 'friendship' should have a pledge like marriage does "Do you Friend X take me as a friend for life - in sickness and in health - in good times or bad? Because at the end of the day, no matter who you are - what you've accomplished - what you own - or how 'big' you were in your chosen field - friendship is not judgmental in any manner.

They love you for "who you are."

Over this past year in my 'semi-retirement' I've found out that several of my friends were, well not really friends at all. No problem. I move on.

The up side is that some people who were what I would simply call "casual friends" have become very very close friends.

I'm spending more time with them. Laughing with them Creating new ventures with them. Sharing thoughts with them. Traveling with them. Riding motorcycles with them and I haven't missed the 'old friends' at all which I can safely say is "their loss."

Radiowise Inc

Who am I and what am I doing here? I'm a 40 year radio vet - that operates a little consulting company called - ok you allready guessed. Radiowise Inc. With the cutbacks and layoffs prevalent in the industry over the past several years there's a great lack of 'mentoring' out there and this seems to be a role that fits my skills to a tee.

Now - I get to not only work with new - young - upstart companies in small to medium markets - but also with companies that need "media liason."

I do a monthly column for EDMONTONIANS magazine (www.edmontonians.com) and a radio column for Puget Sound Radio (www.pugetsoundradio.com) - but from time to time I just like to vent and spew about the 'rest of life' so that's what you'll find in this little 'blogspot' down the road.

Some of the projects I've completed this past year include all media for the Edmonton Shrine Circus; forming a grassroots advisory committe for the Alberta Research Council; I helped launch a 'great' radio station in Red Deer (Kraze); work with another 'excellent' company in Lethbridge/Medicine Hat (Clear Sky) plus the 'big one' - Astral Media Radio's National Day of Caring for Kids Radiothon (both I and II) - where we'll be raising close to $10 million for Children's Hospitals in Canada on Thursday, April 29th 2010: and I get calls almost weekly from companies in Canada attempting to understand "Social Media" (which has allready exploded in the United States.)

In between 'working' I ride motorcycles in both Alberta and Arizona - spending time in both great areas.

So "just saying hi" - brief introduction with "more to follow."