VET CHECK WITH VWHRC'S SCOTT DULEBOHN 8/12/26

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

It's perfect yet with the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center. It's got a pull of thank you for your service on the Liz Halloway show with next number.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Scott and his little one. Mini Minnie. Does he know how to do do?

SPEAKER_02 0:16

I don't know. Let's see. You want to do do? Doo doo doo doo. You want to do doo-doo. You don't want to play? Put him right on the spot. That was perfect. Oh man. Yes, Deputy Game. Doubles his mask. Almost 12.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 0:34

Next week.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Wow. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

Next Tuesday, and then Wednesday they go back to school.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Wow. My goodness. Okay. It's a great day. Yeah, it is a great day.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

Thinking about it at my house, too. It's like, uh, no more, you know, and Nicolina's gonna be eight.

SPEAKER_01 0:51

Yep. So second grade. Yeah, absolutely. Well, Scott Dilabon is here from the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center, and so is Maddox, who is with Mad Dog Media.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

How's it going?

SPEAKER_01 1:03

And uh good to see you. We've seen you at a couple of those events uh with the camera in your face, so it's good to see what you actually look like.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Nice, yeah, right. Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Yeah. So he's been blowing up their social media, which is really important when you are um looking to spread the good news about what the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center has been doing with the Hutton House, of course, the tiny home village with the Veterans Cafe and Museum. Um but one of the things that uh we saw was that um the passing of Dale. And uh I I did a little tribute. Um I I believe um it was the next morning.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

Yeah, it was supposed to come in uh last Wednesday. Yeah, right. It was very nice, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

Wednesday morning I was speaking about uh Dale and it was very um it's just very sad and I can't believe he's gone. Um, but maybe you can give a little tribute.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

Yeah, uh it's uh terrible, but uh Dale came in, I don't know if any of you know, but he came in probably two to three weeks, probably about two weeks after I started over at the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center volunteering. Um he actually drove his Ford Ranger down from New York uh to Merle's Inlet and he was at the VFW down there, and uh Todd Havilland gave me a call and uh said uh I've got this veteran down here and he has nowhere to stay and he's actually living out of the back of his truck. He's like, You think you guys could do something? And I was like, get him up here, we'll see what we uh what can happen. And uh that day we got him into the Hutton house. Um Dale had actually built a pretty much a house on the back of his Ford Ranger out of plywood. Um so he built a cab on the back of the truck. He had uh a foam mattress that was inside of it, he had a hot plate so he could cook. Um and and that's where Dale was staying and living. Um and that was Dale was 75 when he passed away, so Dale was probably 68 years old, 69 living like that.

SPEAKER_01 2:59

Wow. Um what was the nature of his story? Um, because I remember him telling us his story. We've had him on the air um over the years, and um his you know, he kind of uh kind of brought it all full circle, I think, and made amends to people in his area.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

He w his brother lives down here, so that's kind of why he came down to the Merles Inlet area um was to be down here. He's actually from Wisconsin, um which was something different. You're like, all right, Dale's from Wisconsin. Um yeah, so then he was over to New York uh and then came down here. Um but came in, came to the house, we got him in. Um and it it's been a long ride. It's been six years with Dale. Um that dude.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

I was just gonna say that uh this morning we were on Facebook Live and we were talking about Dale because Nick didn't know. I just told him this morning on vacation. He's very sad about that. Yeah. So I said, you know, he came in with a lot of needs, but we uh soon figured out that he was what you guys needed.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

Dale was Dale is a giver all day long up until the day he passed away. He would do anything for any veteran. Um, he would jump in his car, his truck, go pick veterans up, lend veterans his vehicles. Um he would do absolutely anything.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

He was a man with a truck. Because that's how it started. That was what we would say.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

The man with the truck. He would go and pick everything. The thrift shop, but he just loved that thrift shop and helping those veterans with those items and getting them to him. Um it didn't matter what time of day it was, he would go grab something and take it to a veteran and and get it to him. If they didn't have clothes or a blanket, he would go grab it from the thrift shop and take it. Just all kinds of stuff in the background that nobody saw or heard. Um and he didn't even it didn't matter if he felt good, felt bad, he would jump in there. Um it was probably a month ago he went down and picked up two veterans that were were homeless down in Myrtle Beach and he didn't feel well, his ankles were starting to swell up, um, his pacemaker was slowing down. That's kind of what happened here is he went in for uh to re redo his pacemaker and get a different one, and after that surgery, it he just kind of wasn't the same. Um so yeah, he went in for surgery and came out and he was not the same at all.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Um and do you know why?

SPEAKER_02 5:25

He was getting weak. Yeah, his it was congestive heart failure. Um it was the his ankles were filling up with fluids. Um so they were trying to get that out and um get it out of him, but uh the the surgery it got him because he he was not well enough to go do that. Um so that was terrible. Uh so that that was Monday. We got to go up to the hospital and for almost a week he's just kind of been he just jibber jabber, he couldn't really know what was going on, where he was at, and uh I thank God for for that hour sitting at the hospital because he woke up and talked with Walt and I for over an hour and remembered everything and just it was wild. I've never experienced a moment of clarity as clear as could be, knew everything. Wow remembered stuff, talked, um and then about and then all of a sudden just kind of right back to couldn't talk anymore. Wow and it was it was wild. But uh thank you, God. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Yeah. And so uh this Sunday, August 16th, uh from 3 to 6 PM Uh there's going to be a celebration of life beginning with military honors at the American Legion Post 186 in Little River, which is on Pine Drive. Uh tell us a little bit about what you've set up. Uh I'm thinking you've had a hand in it. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:59

Um definitely had a hand. Uh Dale's really good friend Walt uh and his brother Cal. They've kind of they've said what they want to do here. I've kind of said whatever you guys need, I'll help out. Um so we've got this set up. There'll be food. Um we're gonna do the military honors at 330. Uh Dale's favorite drink over there was a rum and coke. So I'm pretty sure everybody's gonna get a rum and coke when they show up. Um so uh we'll make sure you get a rum and coke in Dale's honor there.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Uh and I remember I told the story about how CCMF uh you asked me to help you do all the announcements on stage. You remember all that? All right, I'll be there. Uh you said I want to surprise Dale with some keys to the first tiny home uh when the project was almost done. Yeah. And um wasn't that a big moment.

SPEAKER_02 7:50

That was amazing.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

That was a really big moment.

SPEAKER_02 7:53

That was that was all crazy. CCMF asked if we could bring a tiny home to the the the country music fest and then give it away on stage, and I was like, I uh a house over there, sure. And Augie and I looked at each other like, oh, what do we do? Um but they put it together and Wayne was a big part of that, and and getting this house ready. I think we built that home in less than 10 days, um, a tiny home on a on a trailer to go to CCMF. Um it was crazy. And then we got done, we're like, we have to get a veteran to to give this house to, and we're like, Dale, it's gotta be Dale. Um and Dale was like, Heck yeah, son, I'll be there. Well, at first he was like, What? Huh? Because he couldn't hear you. Um but then and he he loved that moment. He ate it up and enjoyed it so much and being around all the veterans. Um and then we called you.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

He always had a and I remember him coming to the Reckless Rooster for um He was always over there. Yep. He came to Thanksgiving dinner that we did and and all that.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

So And he loved it, and he would bring more veterans with him every time. It wasn't just Dale showing up too. He I mean, for the last year he's bringing the veterans from the Hutton House to the cafe, the guys who can't drive and making sure that they get down there to get to see it and uh experience it and without being asked. You never had to ask Dale one time to do anything. He was on top of it and just ready to rock and roll. Um and he will be greatly missed. Uh it's messed me up pretty good for a week.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

So yeah, no, I'm it's gonna be something that will uh be hurting for a long time. But you're going to give him a a wonderful celebration of life.

SPEAKER_00 9:36

And um I are you uh in you know in play here, Maddox, with all your video work and uh I'm in play just to make sure that Dale um actually gets his memory, you know, honored. You know, I I met him one time at the uh Hutton House and just to piggyback off of what Scott said, you know, he was just from that one meeting with him, he was a good guy. You know, he was very honorable and he was just about the people and about the veterans.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

So very loving.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

He's always like wearing his heart on his sleeve, and he was just uh so happy to be there and always gave me a big hug and uh always getting a hug from Dale for sure.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Oh yeah, all the time.

SPEAKER_01 10:13

So uh Maddox uh is a uh Maddox McDonald is a U.S. Marine Corps and uh and uh the uh president and executive director and s co and and founder of Mad Dog Media.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

That's right, the janitor, don't forget that either. In the janitors Marines are professional janitors, if you haven't heard.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

And you have, you know, social media is really important to a nonprofit organization. Um and so what um how are things going with that? Because um you never really had someone steady for like.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

No, it's been me kind of doing it. We've had some folks in. Um, we've used a lot of folks with the the Coastal Carolina coming in, but then it ends, so they're there for a month or two, and then it it kind of falls back off. So it's it's great. Got to meet Maddox. Uh I think I met you over at the golf tournament in North Carolina the first time. I believe so, yeah. Um, and then I reached out. We saw his video because he's got some wild videos on there. Um he was over at Bowie's, I think he came running out of the beach and tripped over a chair, and I was like, I gotta beat this guy. We gotta see what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

Yeah, we do some fun stuff.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Was that because of Rum and Coke?

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Uh yeah, yeah, we'll see that. Dale had something to do with it. We'll say that.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Um yeah, so um this this whole um concept of all these videos. I mean, this is what you need to do in order to get attention. And you've had a couple get great attention.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Oh yeah, I mean, we have we have two that just kind of blew out of the park, and it you know, it wasn't anything intricate or crazy, it was just videos that show what it what's the real thing is. Um and you know, social media is big on what appeals to people. Um, and for this mission alone, you know, being a veteran myself, it's obviously you know something I enjoy doing, but double down on that just because I'm a veteran, you know. So just to have the opportunity to spread awareness for an organization such as the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center, it's a true honor and it also helps me hone in on my craft.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Yeah, and a lot of people, um, you know, a lot of influencers uh love to show off different things and stuff. Absolutely. And if you can have you gotten a few influencers coming in?

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Not yet. We just started blown up and just the couple of videos that blew up within the last week. I mean, the page has grown over a thousand followers in the last week, which is awesome because I mean this is this is a mission you want people to see and want people to support. So the more the merrier.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

You know, when you have these um influencers come to the restaurant and actually look around. You did have one influencer there, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

Yeah, we have the Keith and Jess and then uh Fireball Bobby came in. Um so they've both come in and both posted. It definitely helps. It it gets everybody's interest, and then all of their followers start seeing it. So that's what we got to get is them on board and following us and donating six dollars a month to this mission.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

Yeah, we've got you six.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

That's it.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

We came up with that on the air, didn't we? We did. Yeah, so that is uh yes for six dollars a month.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

That's what Maddox just did, was the that next one right there. Yeah, that one right there, flying over the tiny homes with the aerial.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

So you do all the uh drone and the editing and all the social uh content creating.

SPEAKER_00 13:21

Every everything that I can do to to spread the word in in a creative way, that's that's what I try to do.

SPEAKER_01 13:27

And this is your business and life's work?

SPEAKER_00 13:30

Yes, well, not life's work. I started this about a year ago. Um my dad was one of the co-founders of TB33 back in the day. So I think I inadvertently gained that uh that camera work and everything. Yeah, exactly. So I'm just it's something that I enjoy doing. And you know, when Scott reached out, I said this is a perfect opportunity. I get to do what I want to do and I get to work with veterans.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

So yeah. Awesome. That's awesome. Mad Dog Media. Do you have your own social media?

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Yes, I do. I have a Facebook, I have an Instagram, that's what I primarily use.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Um, and you know, I do photo shoots and and stuff of that nature as well.

SPEAKER_01 14:05

Very cool, very cool. My son's in the same business in Florida. Oh, nice, awesome. He works for a nonprofit too. Really? Yeah, he works for comfort cases for foster children. Oh, that's awesome. Out of Maryland. So that's really awesome. Yeah, so it's kind of I bet you two would speak the same language. Probably. Probably. Very much. And the apple tree thing is true with us too.

SPEAKER_00 14:23

Yeah, exactly. I wonder why he got into it.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

Yeah, exactly. Okay, so Scott Dilabon, Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center. Uh, if you got there six, uh donate six dollars a month regularly. You could do that at VWHRC.org. Uh they have the Veterans Cafe and Museum, which we'll be broadcasting live from on August 28th. It's a Friday morning, 6 to 10 a.m. And then you have the car show, the Shakora Car Club Car Show happening there September 26th. It's a Saturday at 10 a.m. And Nick, we have to make an announcement. Yeah. Because uh, Scott, you know how they do the uh the stand downs for veterans where you have these uh great resources all in one place where veterans can get their teeth checked and the hair cut and whatever they need um in one spot. Uh you're rebranding.

SPEAKER_02 15:13

Yes, we are. Uh they're gonna be called Dale, uh Veteran Resource Day, deploying aid, linking everyone. I love that in his honor because he loved helping veterans. Um and we're gonna switch it up. It's gonna be once a month now uh at our tiny homes instead of waiting and having a delay there. Uh so we have a giant military tent now, and it is gonna be set up full of resources for veterans that are struggling to be able to come through. Um not just once a month. If you got a veteran that's in need, this thing is just gonna be locked up and we'll be able to open the door, and our veterans will be able to walk through and get resources and care right there on site. Uh that's what Dale would want. Um he he loved helping. It's gonna be called Dale. And it's called Dale. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

Where'd you get the tent? Dale day. Those are hard to come by.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

And uh, so Save 22 called. They had a tent up at Fort Bragg. Um it's it's massive. One of the big ones. Oh, yes. So we got it. It's set up, it's in place. Um, we've got resources in it. So next Friday will be our first day that uh veterans get to come over there.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

Are you calling it like Dale Day or what is it?

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Dale Veteran Resource Day.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Dale Veteran Resource Day, okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:20

Yep. So they'll be able to come over. Coin aid linking everyone.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

I love that. It's pretty good. It's awesome. Who came up with that? And it's got his Were you behind that?

SPEAKER_02 16:31

And it's got his picture on there, so he's on the he's on our flyers. I can't wait to see the flyer.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

But uh Do you have a set day every month?

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Third Friday every month.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Third Friday every month.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

Ten to noon.

SPEAKER_01 16:43

Ten to noon, okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

So we'll get that out. We want all of the the veterans groups as well. If you'd like to set a table up for that day for those two hours, we want you over there. We want you to to meet with these veterans, we want you to bring veterans over.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Okay, so I'm thinking of this, how I can make uh insert us. Because I'm always thinking about how we can do it. So one of them will put on our map for um a live broadcast so we could do the precursor leading into Dale Resource, Veteran Resource Day. Yes. Okay, and that's what we'll do.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

Veterans Day this year. So instead of doing the golf tournament, we're gonna have everybody over at the cafe, and we're gonna give veteran any veteran that shows up free breakfast, and we want you guys over there to interview all the veterans. Oh. Um and we don't have to go down to the golf course and play golf. We get to enjoy the day, we get to celebrate our veterans, and I will feed any veteran that comes in for free that day because we want to come, we want you to come in and we want to meet you. Amazing. Um, and I think it's gonna be logistically speaking. I love the idea. I bet. Oh, that is amazing. I I think that's gonna be great, and I think that's gonna bring more veterans uh together that day um and celebrate them.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Will I see you on September 11th at the Elks Lodge?

SPEAKER_02 17:56

Absolutely. We've got it on our schedule.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Okay, yeah. So September 11th will be at the Elks Lodge um commemorating 25 years. Can you believe it? I know. And a lot of veterans joined the military um after 9-11. A whole bunch. And um they I mean, and so many were injured and need help and you know, all that stuff. So all right, Maddox, great to to get to know you a little bit better. Thank you for having me. And thank you for all the great content creation. And it's good to hear from you because I see you popping around taking all the pictures. I'll say hello.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

I'll pop in when I can, you know.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

If you haven't seen his page, you need to jump on there. He's got some good videos, they're hilarious.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

I'm an insta chick. I love to scroll my Instagram.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

Do the scrolling late at night. He will keep you entertained. That's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

Yeah. All right. Uh well, thank you so much, and good luck in school, Max. What grade are you going into? Seventh grade.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

Seventh grade.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

Such a tough, tough, tough, tough time. I don't like that. It's like you're just becoming a young man and oh man, you're gonna kill it in a good way.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Look at him. Look at that face. That's not the face of a killer.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

You're gonna bring home A's, triple A's.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

He's like, uh just go to sleep and play Fortnite.

SPEAKER_01 19:11

All right. Um, thank you so much. Uh go to VWHRC.org.