COOPERATION & OUR PEOPLE

Hello everybody and thanks for checking out the blog. Dave, our internet guy, tells me that we get lots of hits on the blog, the only problem is that the posts are sometimes 2 weeks apart. I could probably post more often, but I'm not inspired to do so. I think there's enough blah, blah, blah on all forms of media to do for a lifetime, so when I'm inspired I post, if not then I don't. I'm not too bad to blah, blah, blah.

My inspiration this time is the intensive care waiting room at Pikeville Medical Center. I am fortunate to say that I have only experienced an ICU waiting room once in a hospital other than PMC, but I have experienced it 3 times here. I barely remember the experience at the other hospital, but my most recent experience at PMC was this past week. This post has nothing to do with the hospital, it has to do with the people in those ICU waiting rooms and the cooperation, care and compassion of those who are...waiting.

In this particular ICU waiting room there were several families, including my own. Well it's actually my wifes family, but after 36 years with them and the relationship we share, they ARE my family. In that room there are two phone extensions that seem to ring all the time. I called a couple of times for my wife, and if she was available she was called for and answered right away. If she wasn't readily available then someone went across the hall to see if she was in the other waiting room. As I was sitting there during one of my visits, people were constantly opening the door from the other waiting room asking if the So&So family was in there.

Then the question hit me! Does this happen everywhere? You know, places like New York, California, anywhere in an area where people don't make eye contact and say "hey how ya' doin' when they are walking down the street or going down the aisle in the grocery store; do they cooperate like our mountain people do in times like this? I was raised within 3 miles of where I'm sitting right now. I grew up in a little country store. When people in the community were experiencing such things as would land a family in an intensive care unit of that era, everyone helped as best they could. It wasn't taught; it was understood. Why? Because it was the right thing to do.

Here is what I know; times have changed and people have changed. A lot our culture and customs have evaporated, but taking care of each other, acquainted or not, during those bad times remains in our Hillbilly DNA. When it's bad and I mean really bad, I am thoroughly convinced that you'll answer that call from my family and my family will certainly do the same for yours.


Stay tuned and thanks
Randy

p.s. Sign the guest book while you're on the website and say howdy. Make comments or whatever. We won't spam you or sell your information to some list that will. It's just between us.

Bad Weather Days

WOO-EEE! Yesterday (January 9) was one of those days we all look forward to (not) in the radio business; a school/no school day. Here at WDHR we have 10 telephone lines and it is not unusual to have all 10 ringing at the same time, and honestly this can go on for 24 hours at a time. We try our best to answer every call in a timely manner, but sometimes that's a bit of a stretch, even with everyone in the building trying to man the phones. In the evenings and overnight our staff may be one person and they definitely earn their money. Please don't think that this is one of those gripe posts, because it's not. It's just to give you a little insight as to how things go for us on those days.

When anyone here complains about the calls, management is quick to remind us that these callers depend on us. It says a lot for our company. We make school announcements what seems like thousands of times on the air, but even if someone won't turn on the radio or look at the website, they think of us first when they need information.

Most of our calls are from school agers hoping against hope that school is dismissed, but we get our fair share of adults. I assume these are from parents hoping that the kids won't be in the house all day and teachers hoping for the same thing as the kids.

Just for fun I'll describe some of the calls we receive and kind of categorize them:

"The Cute Little Kid": These sound so sweet, are exceptionally polite and it just melts you and you go into that "O.K. Sugar" mode. They're precious.

"The Little Snot That Needs His/Her Legs Striped": They quickly ask "Zay gawn be skoo 'day in Pike County?" and when you answer it's (click). No thank you, no goodbye...just (click---buzz). GRRRRRR!

"The Genius Adult That Thinks We Make the Go/No Go Decision":
Genius: Zay gawn be skoo' 'day in Pike County?
D.J.: Yes, there is.
Genius: Well let me tell you something. Our road's slicker than a minner's tail and I ain't sendin' my young'uns and if you fellers don't like it that's just too bad.
D.J.: We don't make that decision sir/mam. We just report what they tell us.
Genius: Well who makes it?
D.J.: the Transportation Director at the school system.
Genius: Well what's his number?
D.J.: I have no idea.
Genius: Well, that beats all, you all don't know nothin' ....(click--buzz)

"The Geographically Challenged":
Challenged: Zay gawn be skoo in Pike County?
D.J.: Yes there is.
Challenged: What about Johns Creek?
D.J.: The last time I checked Johns Creek was in Pike County.

"The Don't Know How To Ask"(these come on very bad days):
Don't Know: Do you have any information on schools today.
D.J.: Yes I do let me see; there's Pike County, Floyd County, Martin County, Mingo County, Buchanan County, Southern West Virginia Community College at Williamson, Southwest Virginia Community College at Richlands, Christ Central, Big Sandy Community College-Pikeville and Paintsville Campuses, Mountain Mission, National Business College. (You get my point)

Well, that's a little taste of life in radio. If you can, listen to the radio or check www.wdhr.com.
If you can't and really need to know right that minute, don't hesitate to call.

Stay tuned
Randy