Minnow Tank 2024

We return to Willow Lane Elementary and visit with a group incredibly ambitious and kind 4th graders and hear about their "Minnow Tank" Program.

Transcript

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Welcome to the Kindness Chronicles where we hope to inject the world with a dose of the Minnesota nice. That it desperately needs. We got a big, big show for you today. We are coming to you live from Willow Lane Elementary, the home of the Minnow Tank, and we're gonna talk to Lee Anderson, the person who put this whole program together. So, Lee, tell us a little bit about the, uh, the Minnow Tank program and where the idea came from. I have an idea where the, where, where the idea came from, but Yeah, well, there's a couple reasons for why this was started. And first of all, if you research shows that the happiest and the healthiest people in the world share two character traits, and that's the ability to serve others and gratitude. And these are traits that that can be taught. The other reason is Loneliness is an epidemic now after, especially after, um, COVID the CDC declared loneliness, loneliness and epidemic. And, um, let's say they say it's as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And in addition to that, they're saying one in five kids have a mental health disorder and willow and white bear school district is no different than any other district in this country. Kids are born into cycles of, you know, poverty or addiction or abuse. And, um, the, the research shows. The way to break those cycles is mentors, opportunities, and empowerment. And what this program, I think, does, the thing I love best about it is, it sends a message to each kid that their existence on this earth matters. And that they have a gift. And that they can use those gifts to make the world a better place. That's the definition of empowerment. Um, and then opportunity. Some of, um, A lot of kids in this world don't have opportunities. I'm sure you two grew up on being on sports teams and, um, it's where you meet your best friends. It's where you learn how to set goals. It's where you learn your mentors or meet your mentors and your coaches. And, um, and so I was able to bring those opportunities here. Um, teamwork is one of the top character traits that, Fortune 500 companies and many other companies look for in their, in their employees. So we need to be intentional about teaching those traits. So that's what the, the mental tank kind of brings it all together. It, it brings their coaches in and their mentors and kids will say one of their favorite things is It's that connection. That's the antidote to mental health disorder is connection. Um, and then it empowers them. They each have, we do so much on serving others before we even get to the charities. So they have an idea. When you learn at a young age how to serve others and the importance of it, it becomes part of your identity. And these kids are going to grow up and, and hopefully carry that into their, it's just part of who they are and, and hopefully they'll be happier and healthier as a result. And one of the things that I love about the program, and, uh, I know that these, uh, young people did Minnow Tank last year. So this is a second go round for them. And, uh, one of the young people, Tyson, for example, I remember Tyson, the very first couple of sessions that we had with Tyson, he was, he just wasn't Super connected. Now he could be running for mayor of Willow Lane. I mean, the guy has got just an enthusiasm. And I think a lot of it, you're giving these kids an opportunity to be the show. to stand in front of a group of people and tell a story. And I think that in every job, every occupation, you need to be able to sell. You know? And these people are learning, these young people are learning how to sell Something that is selfless. It's about something that's not about them. It's about another and they're kind of we're kind of tricking them into selling themselves Yeah, they're really representing themselves and representing the groups really well. I'm really impressed with these kids well, and what's amazing is just in one year from third grade to fourth grade the The advancements that they've, that they've all made is just incredible. That's what I love about it doing it two years ago. And I have to say, this would not be possible without the community and the coaches. Um, and I agree the first year, they kind of just get the concept of it. The second year, they really embrace it. The other thing when third grade, I remember telling the third graders about this, there were kids that are crying. I can't talk in front of strangers. And by the end of the project, they were. Grabbing the mic from each other and we talk about, you can do hard things. They know that when they step out of their comfort zone, that's when they grow, that's when they become more brave, that's when they become rock stars. So they know, they've learned to embrace hard things, and I agree John, the growth from third grade. to fourth grade. It's amazing. They'd had this. Some of them had a fear of speaking. They're all going to want to have to have all the speaking parts now in fourth grade. So the confidence that goes along with it, but again, wouldn't be possible without the coaches. And that's really the strength of this program too. Well, and just, you know, some of the coaches that have been back year after year, how many years have you been doing this? I think this is our fifth. Okay, wow. Yeah, and I remember, you asked how it started, the kids were working at Donatelli's, the fifth graders, and a guy came up to me and he said, I want to give each kid five dollars. And that's kind of when I was like, wow, that's great, it's very kind, but how can we use those funds to empower students and not enable them and just give them money? So that's, this man kind of planted the seed and, um, and so yes, when we do get donations, we don't just take them. We use those for learning opportunities, and the kids know that there's a kind person behind that donation. And, and that's why gratitude's a big part of it, too. Do we have any challenges with trademark infringement and the Shark Tank, uh, the Shark Tank people coming after you? No, I just think, I think it's just such a clever program, and if I didn't work so far away from here, um, I would love to continue being a coach, but I'm so pleased that my friend Mike McGinn, uh, has agreed to be a coach. In fact, I think he's part of our very first group that we're going to be bringing in here. I just think that opening kids eyes to the needs of others. And I think. Some of the charities that are involved in this, when kids learn that maybe folks don't all have beds, that folks need sandwiches, that pets are in trouble, I think it helps them understand, for a lot of them, how fortunate they are. And a lot of times when I grew up in Burnsville, In the 70s and 80s, you're in a kind of a cocoon or a bubble. You don't always, especially at that age, realize how lucky you are, but how much others need your help. And to start this process in third or fourth grade, where kids can have their eyes open to that. And make them aware and then how good it feels to give back. Um, this is a life changing experience. Pretty cool. Well, and I have to say, Lee Anderson is a treasure to this community. You really are. And it's reflected in your children. Jandy, who's one of my favorites. Josh Anderson is absolutely one of my Favorite people and Jake is okay, too But no sincerely, you know when you were working at st Andrews I know that their program like blew up because Lee Anderson was part of the program and the fact that Willow Lane has been able to get their hooks Into you and the fact that you grew up in the district I think is really special that you've come back and brought your talents to To serve the community. We're we're very very grateful. We'd love to have you in mata meet. I That was for you, Michael Dempsey. He always gets upset if we don't mention Mata Mida in the, in the program. Thomas is that we haven't brought up St. Thomas yet. And there has not been a single Seinfeld, uh, reference, but this is a very special episode. Um, the first time we did a minnow tank was I think two years ago and it was our most downloaded episode of the year. So apparently the kids, the kids are great. The kids are super fun. Well, we're looking forward to visiting with them today. and, uh, thank you for inviting us back. Thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it. And, uh, we hope to come back and, uh, find out who the, uh, the, the champions are. Yeah, that would be great. Alright. All right. Thank you. Alright, thank you. And with that, Could you introduce yourself, sir? Hi, my name is Taylin. Hi Taylin, how are you? And your name is? Mariyama. Mariyama, and then we got Coach Mike, but we're not going to let him talk for a little bit here. And, uh, we got Steve Brown with us. Okay. And coming to us from Minnetonka. Minnetonka is Kevin Gorg. Hello, Kevin. Good morning, everybody. Especially to those minnows. Outstanding stuff. Outstanding minnows. First and foremost, minnows, tell us about the uh, the charity that you guys are here to represent today. Uh, is H2O for Life. H2O for Life. Mariama, what is H2O for Life? What do they do? They give water. They raise money to give water to people in need. where are these people that are in need of water? Like, Ghana, Africa, Asia. Oh, really? Even here. Really? Okay. So, everywhere. And how long, what grade are you guys in? Fourth. You're both in fourth. So last year you were in? Third. Third. And did you guys do Minnow Tank last year? Yeah. Okay. What team were you on? Um, Mariam Bet. And I think you guys won, didn't ya? Uh, third place. Third place. How about you Mariam? Which was your, uh, charity? Coco's Heart Dog Recipe. Oh, that was a cool one. I remember that one. So tell me, what do you think of this Minnow Tank program? It's really cool. I like to help people. Like people in need, like for beds, water, everything. Very cool. And how about you Mariamma, what do you like about it? It's fun and we could hang out with our coaches. Okay, who's your coach? Mr. Mike. Mr. Mike. Mike McGinn. A legend of Hillmurray, we always have to mention Hillmurray. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Captain of we do. It always comes back to that. And we also, he was also Pa Pioneer, which is a very big deal. Yes, I remember that. He was, you know, you're with a legend here today. Are you aware of that? Mike, why don't you pull the mic over, I want to ask you a couple of questions. Alright. So, tell us, how did you get, well I know how you got involved with the Minnow Tank. He doesn't need the headphones, he can hear us just fine. a really good friend of yours, uh, invited you to come and help him and then he abandoned you. Why don't you tell us about that? Yeah, John, uh, John was so kind to, uh, ask me to join because, um, I was newly retired. coach. And oh, good for you. Wow. Yes. Thank you. And embarking on my pickleball career. And, uh, um, John felt that there were some kids that because of some of the coaching in the work I've done in the past. That I might connect with really well. And uh, so I was a coke or an assistant coach, a junior coach, junior coach. It's yeah. He worked for me last year on our team last year and, uh, this year, uh, John's schedule wasn't going to work doing Minnow Tank and he's very disappointed about that. But I chose to continue on with it because I really enjoyed working with these young people. Uh, they are so smart. Yeah. Tell me about these two rock stars you brought in today. Oh, these guys are fantastic. We here's the hard part. Everybody wants to do the work. And I mean, sometimes you have to pull kids forward and get them to do work. But these two, Taylor and Mariama, they are, I have to kind of hold up my hand and just like, okay, wait. Okay. So we've got a couple of ambitious ones with this year overachievers. That's a great way. You guys are in fourth grade this year. Next year, what? Seventh grade. Fifth. Oh, just fifth. So you're not going to be going straight into high school. Kevin, do you have any questions for these young people, these young minnows? Yeah, I do have questions. You know, what, what makes you so excited to be a part of this program specifically? I know at your age, there are all kinds of things you could be doing, whether it's sports, art, music. Why this program for you kids? Because I like to help people. It's like besides just to like have fun and there's like people out there that could not have fun because they're sick Oh, yeah Yes, and what's great about this? I think that that you and I work together once upon a time on one of these things you Are a guy with a great big heart. I can just tell you are a good man and The future is bright for you. And this one over here has got a million dollar smile. Unfortunately, you can't see it same question for you. What is it about, this particular program that you like the most? Donating the money to the charities. Yeah. And it's a lot of money too, isn't it? It's 1, 000. 1, 000 goes to the winning charity. It's very exciting. do you have any plans for your future? What would you like to be when you grow up? Doctor. You want to be a doctor? Of course. You want to help people. That doesn't surprise me. How about you, Taylin? You're going to be a chef, right? Now you're talking a language that we understand. Yeah. I love a good doctor, but I also really love a good chef. You married a good chef. I did. My wife can put together a meal. As you could tell, I. My clothes aren't as comfortable as they should be, but we're not going to talk about that today. All right. thank you very much. You guys. It was great meeting you. Uh, H two O for life is the charity. And, uh, Mike, do you have any final words? Uh, how are you going to make this team? The, how are you going to help make this team, the winning team? Well, we are working to learn as much as we can about this charity, what their purposes, what their mission is and be able to talk about it. And hopefully impress some very tough judges to get us to the goal that we're shooting for. Well, good luck to you guys. Excellent work. So nice to see you again. Dr. uh, Dr. Mariyama. Mar How do you say that? Mariyama? So, uh, I, my elbow kind of hurts today. Could you take a look at that and see what you think? Oh, you're not, you're not quite ready for that yet. She just gave me a look like, okay, this is getting weird. This is, Hey, it's Halloween. You guys trick or treating tonight? Yes. Huh? No, no. How about you? So what do you, uh, what are you dressing up as? As a zombie butcher. Oh, a zombie butcher. Well, as a chef, you're, uh, you're heading in the right direction. All right. Thank you guys. Thanks guys. Good to see you. Good to see you. Alright, thanks a lot. Alright, now we got, uh, the Kangas's. Dear friends, the Kangas's. We're still on, we're still on. It's all good. Oh yeah, we're still rolling. Oh yeah, we gotta, we've got, uh, Hygiene priorities. We've got to clean off the, uh, the headphones. Here come the Kangases. And it looks like we've got Everett. Everett, I remember you. So, your name again? Serea. Serea, that's a lovely name. And we got Everett and Serea and the Kangas twins. Um, the Kangas are, uh, dear friends of mine. They'll become dear friends of yours after hearing this, uh, this podcast. But, Serea, tell us a little bit about yourself. What grade are you in? 7th, 8th grade? I'm in 4th. You're in 4th grade, okay. I thought maybe you were a little older than that. And, uh, what is the name of your charity? Serea. Serea. Um, the Sandwich Man. So, you have the Sandwich Man? That is a very cool one. Everett, tell us about the Sandwich Man. It's, um, it's a great thing that we do. And the Sandwich Man helps homeless people. They give out, um, sandwiches. If they're kids, they give out, like, Cheez Its, snacks. Really? How are you learning about the Sandwich Man? Um, because we're, um, we're doing this, like, thing, um, and if you win, like, if you win first place, you get a thousand dollars. What? For our charity. Oh, it's for the charity. That's good. That's good. All of a sudden, Saraya's got all kinds of money falling out of her pockets. I was just going to tell them Or ask them to tell you what that thousand dollars could do for the sandwich. So this is Andrea Kangas. She's one of the coaches and her sidekick Kyle is also with us, but we're gonna ask him not to speak today. Yeah, it's 67 cents. 67 cents a sandwich. No, I'm not great at math. But that sounds like a lot of sandwiches for 1, 000. Yeah, it is. How many do you remember? It's like over 1, 400 or something. Holy buckets. That is a lot of people being fed. it's Halloween. Are you guys dressing up for Halloween? Yes, I'm gonna be the alien thing that's Um, he's carrying the kid. Oh, that thing is so weird. I love that. But, here's the thing. My brother's also wearing that. And his friend is also wearing that. Oh boy, so it's going to be three aliens carrying a kid. Soraya, are you dressing up for Halloween? Um, I probably just dress up as a baseball player. Oh, very cool. We love baseball. Very much. Kevin, do you have any questions for these young people? Well, first of all, with your costumes, uh, and looking at the weather forecast, you may want to. Bring a rain slicker or a parka tonight when you're trick or treating, but no kids. I asked the last pair of fine minnows the same question. You guys have a lot of options for extracurricular activities. You can do band, you can do art, you can do sports. What motivated you to take time to be in this program and give back? Yeah, what do you like best about being a part of the Minnow Tank program? Um, because I get to help people in need. That is wonderful. Wow. Everett, what's your favorite part? I get to be with my coaches, and I really like helping people out. Tell us about your coaches. What do you think about them? Other than the fact they're very attractive people. Well, they were with me last year. What? Yeah, and I was really devastated when they left. Oh. I was like happy because we, we just did this. And then when they came back, um, we, I was like very excited to actually like see them again. Are you sure you're only in fourth grade? Yes. You sound like a CEO, man. How about you, Saraya? Um, well, they were my coaches, too, last year. What?! And we were in the same room. Oh, you guys are cheaters. You got to pay. You got to pay. Oh, I see. Um, and, um, uh, well, like, when they left, I felt really bad, but kind of happy. Okay. Because we did the charity, and like And what charity did you do last year, do you remember? Make A Wish. Make A Wish. Yeah. Boy, you guys are doing some very important things in the community, aren't ya? Speaking of community. Okay, here comes Coach Andriuk. Everett and Saria can both speak to what You know, we're we said we're what we're doing for the sandwich man charity one sandwich at a time What do you tell them what we're going to provide? we're gonna provide sandwiches and We're just providing like snacks to the kids and stuffed animals, but more than personal things We're providing warmth joy Oh yeah, gratitude and, thankfulness. Wonderful. And are these sandwiches, do we do this in Minnesota? Is it like in Minneapolis or where are the sandwiches? Yeah, it's in Minneapolis. In Minneapolis. So have you guys, is there actually a guy that's the sandwich man? Yeah. Yeah. What does he look like? I want you to tell me what he looks like. He kind of looks like you. Wait a second! Okay, not really. Very handsome is what you mean by that, right? Yeah. Okay, thank you very much. We saw this clip where, um, He had like so much sandwiches in his house. Oh no! They were like filling up the floor. It was like a flood of sandwiches. So do I, Saraya, do I look like a guy who has a flood of sandwiches in his house? Kind of. I mean, you're not going to eat them all. That's true. I won't eat, I'll eat most of them. So what kind of sandwiches do they make? Saraya, what kind of sandwiches do they make? Um, they, they're not like, allowed to make any other sandwiches. Cause like, some people could be like, allergic to stuff. Oh, allergies. Yeah. Yeah, or allergies. So what kind of sandwiches do they make? Um, you could only add, um, bread, um, cheese, um, and, uh, meat. Meat? Okay. Yeah. A white meat, okay. I have, um, something to say. My family, um, when we don't know what to get for lunch, we just, um, they just say, Okay, what do you want for Jersey Mike's? And I was like, I don't want Jersey Mike's because we have it lots and lots of times when we don't know what to eat for lunch. And I'm just like, oh, I'm like, oh my god, I'm getting sick of this. So, real quick, what is your favorite Halloween candy? Uh, I don't really like candy, but I like What? Snickers! Wait, what? Oh, you like Snickers. Okay. Okay, there we go. So, are you hoping people put carrot sticks and celery into your, into your bag? No. Okay. Um. So besides Feastables bars, Feastable bars, um, I like Three Musketeers. Oh, Three Musketeers? Like when I was sick, me and my mom were at the grocery store and I saw Three Musketeers and I was like, get me that right now. So that's just nougat and chocolate, right? What is nougat exactly? We don't know. Neither of you know what nougat is. Kyle, maybe you should lean into this one. You seem like a guy who's kind of a nougat kind of a guy. It just doesn't seem natural. Nougat seems like it's made from, I don't know, like pillow stuffing. That sounds like a name of a candy. A nougat, yes. A nougat bar. Maybe if Soraya, if you don't like candy bars, if you get any extra Butterfingers, feel free to bring those in next week. Yeah, we're going to call your coach Mr. Butterfingers. How does that sound? It sounds pretty good. Okay, well thank you very much you guys. You want to see if the next team is out there? The Kangas, you guys have had great success here at Minnow Tank. I think there's been some, uh, hardware one over the years. No, I've gotten zero myself. But, thank you very much, Saria. happy Halloween. Everett, happy Halloween. for being here. Okay, this is too much. You guys are way too good. Who do we got coming in now? Oh my goodness. I know, I know this one. Welcome. So we have, uh, Kevin Gorg. He's kind of famous on the phone with us today. He's kind of a big deal, but we won't let him feel that way. For starters, let's have the names of all the people that are in here. Your name is? Gabe. Hey, Gabe. Are you going out for Halloween tonight? What are you dressing up as? Probably, uh, a hot dog or Yoshi from Mario. Yoshi. Or a hot dog. Fantastic. And what is your name? Noah. Hi, Noah. Are you doing Halloween tonight? I don't know. You don't know. Let me ask you this. What's your favorite kind of candy? M& M's. M& M's. I'm a big M& M guy myself. Teagan, my old friend Teagan. How about you? What are you doing tonight? Um, I'm gonna go to my mom's place and do Halloween there. Okay. Do you know if you're wearing a costume? I'm gonna be a dragon. Oh, no. Yikes, a dragon. Teagan, tell us the name of your charity. What is the charity that you're working on? Pet Haven. Pet Haven. What is Pet Haven all about? Um, it's about helping dogs and shelter pets. Okay. Helping dogs and shelter pets. Gabe, tell me about your coach. Who's your coach? Miss Laura. Miss Laura. Miss Laura, we didn't let her come today. We decided that we wanted to have all the students in the seats today. Um, no, she's babysitting. Oh, she's babysitting. Okay. So Gabe, you're in fourth grade. Have you done minnow tank before? So what was your project last time? Animals. So this is, you must love animals. Do you have any animals at home? Yeah. Tell us about your animals at home. I have, uh, five birds but one died. Five birds?! But one died so I have four. Wait a second. What kind of birds? Uh, parrots. Okay. You have parrots? Are you a pirate? No. No, you're not a pirate. Some pirates have parrots. Say that five times real fast. No, let's not do that. Teagan, why is it that you're interested in helping pets? I had a dog of my own. Okay. Um, and he was a really good dog. And I really liked him as a pet. But when he got like 14, we had to um, He got so old. Sent him off to doggy heaven? Yeah. Okay. So, I got this charity so I could help all the other dogs. Other dogs, I love that. And they can get families. Oh man. That's really nice. So, tell me, gabe, what's the prize if your team wins? The charity wins. guys. Money. How much money do you know? I think like$1,000. What? Isn't it like 1,050? Or Steve will, Steve will kick in an extra 50. Yeah, I think it's a thousand dollars. That's impressive. I get extra 50 for my charity. You're not getting 50. Oh, okay. Fine. Um, what's your favorite part about the Minow tank? probably because it's all about serving others and helping others. We're helping people who really need it, like the dogs. And this place that we're working on, when we watched some videos on it, it said they have a low staff of only, like, five or four. Oh, wow. And how about you, Gabe? What's your favorite part about doing the Minnow Tank program? I just want to win. So, so, so, so, like, our charity can, like, serve animals more often. Very nice. Do you know where this charity is located? Is it in Minnesota? Yeah, somewhere in St. Paul. Oh, okay. Kevin, do you have any questions for these rock stars? Yeah, I want each kid to tell me right now in 4th grade what they're dreaming about in the future. What they want to be when they're all grown up. Yeah, what do you want to be when you grow up? How about you Gabe? What do you want to be when you grow up? Probably like a YouTuber or a basketball player. A YouTuber? Is that a job? Who knew that being a YouTuber Everybody's shaking their head. They all know what a YouTuber is. How about you? What would you like to be? Uh, an animal helper. An animal helper! So like, maybe even an animal doctor. A vet. A veterinarian. Yes, like a vet. That would be super cool. Teagan, what do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be, um, a songwriter and a YouTuber. Oh, we got some really talented people here. And how about you? What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a police officer. A police officer? Great. I love that. We just had one of the coaches in here, Coach Mike. You remember Coach Mike, don't you? He, uh, is a retired police officer. Well, that is a great question. Well, once again, Tegan, what is the name of your charity? Pet Haven. Pet Haven. Well, I wish you guys the best of luck. I hope that Pet Haven wins a thousand dollars. And, uh, I hope you guys, uh, all have a wonderful night tonight. Happy Halloween. Happy Halloween. Alright, guys. Thanks, guys. Goodbye. All right. That's, uh, let the fun Joe, that wanna be a YouTuber. What is a YouTuber? I think you just do stuff on YouTube and take in a lot of money for it. That sounds like a good gig. Uh, oh, we've got two coaches here. Welcome. I can't wait to visit with you, uh, folks about your project. Now tell me, what is your name? My name is Victoria. Hello Victoria, and what is your name? Anai. Say that again. Anai. That's lovely. Anai. Very nice. What are the names of your coaches? Linda and Nan. Linda and Nan. We're not letting them talk today. No, I'm kidding. We'll hear from Linda and Nan in just a second. Anai, tell me about your charity. It's called Hope Rescue. Hope Dog Rescue. Hope Dog Rescue? what do you know about Hope Dog Rescue? Um, I know about it that it helps animals that, um, have a rough start. Is it here in Minnesota? yes. Okay. And tell me, what is your favorite part about doing the Minnow Tank program? Have you done it before? Yes. Okay. We did this in third grade. What is your favorite part of the Minnow Tank program? that we can see coaches. You can see the coaches. It is great to have these coaches that come in. Nan and Linda. Which is which? You're Linda? That would make you Nan. That's right. Very good. Nan, have you been a coach before? No, I was recruited by my friend Linda to be part of this, she says it's a great program. It's a wonderful program. And, um, so I jumped in. Okay. Linda, have you done this before? Just once before, last spring. Okay, how did your team do? it was such a fun, it was a successful process. So what was the charity that you worked on last year? It was the same one. Oh, it was rough. Stop. Rough. Start. Rescue. Rough. Start. Rescue. Okay. Is that R U F F? Yes. There we go. I like that. This guy is very clever. Yes. You are. Kevin, do you have any questions for our, uh, contestants here, our young people? Yeah, I do. I, I've asked a couple of the other kids the same question, but you got a lot of activities in school. There's music, there's art, there's sports. What made you decide to want to be a part of the mineral program? To like, help animals so they don't suffer. You know, I want to switch gears for a second. It is Halloween. what are you doing as Halloween? Um, I'm going to be Astrid from Beetlejuice. Astrid from Beetlejuice. That's clever. How about you Nan? Are you going out for Halloween? Uh, no. I'm just going to be passing out really delicious candy. What kind of candy did you decide on? Well, I've got, um, M& M's because they're very colorful. Linda, how about you? Are you dressing up this year? And I forgot I have a sweatshirt like Nan's, but I forgot to wear way to go. Way to go. And I know it was early. It was early. I'll, I'll, I'll grant you that. And yes, we'll be home passing out tootsie rolls. It's my husband bought. I saw. Okay. How about you? What are you dressing up at for Halloween? I'm going to be a skin Walker, a skin Walker. What is a skinwalker? Um, Like an alien? No, it's not really like a skinwalker, but that's what the costume said it was. I'm like, gonna be all black in a costume, and my lights are gonna be lighting up. Oh my, that's frightening. Do you have a favorite candy? Mine is, Hershey's. I love Hershey's. Do you have a favorite? There's a bunch of different ones I like. Me too. that's what I like most about Halloween is you just get the opportunity to eat so many different things. It's so much fun. Do you have any final words for us as it relates to your charity? That we're helping animals so they don't suffer and so that they can go into, like an adoption center. Okay, very cool. Love it. Well, I just want to thank you all for coming in. Nan and Linda, thank you for coaching. This is a very important program. Tell me your name. My name's Chase. Are you sure? Cause there's another guy here that looks a lot like you that has a different name. That's Owen. That's Owen and Owen must be your, he's gotta be a twin brother. My goodness. He looks exactly like you. You're probably a little more handsome. Let's yeah, we know that's true. And what is your name? My name is London. Hi London. I love that name. And coach, what's your name? My name is Miss Ellen. Miss Ellen? Yes. My grandma's name was Ellen. Miss Ellen. You don't meet many Ellens. You don't meet many Ellens. They're, they're a rare breed. So, tell me Chase, tell us about your charity. What is the name of your charity? Oh, you guys are doing Make A Wish. Okay, in London, what is Make A Wish? Um, Make A Wish is about, like, kids with, like, diseases. And, uh, like, and if, like, you go on their site, it has, like, donate, donates and stuff. And, like, they were, like, last year, there were so many, a lot of donations, I forgot how much. And, uh, and they're, like, charity. Um, and the, like, charity, uh, for, like, the donations. If you, like, donate to someone, like, like the, like, kids that's, like, having a life that need diseases or sick diseases, then, like, they get their prize if they want it from, like, the Wish Kids. Because, like, in the video, when I saw it and I first, uh, like, I went to like the site and saw it. Uh, it was this kid. He wanted to go to like space from like NASA. And then they were talking about it. London, you have a remarkable amount of energy for this early in the morning. How many cups of coffee did you have this morning? Zero. This is natural energy that you have. Chase, tell me, what do you like most about being part of the Minnow Tank program? I like to do teamwork with my teammates and meet new coaches. Very nice. And did you do this last year? Yeah. And what was your charity last year? My charity last year was, uh, poverty. Oh, really? Mm hmm. Okay, what do you like about the Make A Wish Foundation? I like how it, it makes kids wish come true and gives them joy. Can you give us an example of a wish that the Make A Wish Foundation supports? Uh, one of them on the video that we watched when we researched it, it was one kid that wanted to, uh, be a, to meet a baseball player. Oh. And he skipped school and went fishing with him. Skipped school and went fishing with the baseball player. Yeah. I think that sounds like he really just wanted to skip school. No, probably not. Coach Ellen, tell us, how is it that you got involved in this program? Oh, I was a former teacher in the district. Oh, you were? And then on the school board. And when I retired from teaching, I became a reading buddy. Wonderful. And I've been doing that since 2015. And then this opportunity came up. So I've been coaching Minnow Tank teams. Uh, since the inception of it. Very nice. What do we think of Lee Anderson? Oh, is there anyone better than Lee Anderson? The woman who can do everything under the sun and manage it all and Manage volunteers and explain things clearly to you and make sure the kids have success. For the listeners, Lee Anderson organized and runs the Minnow Tank program and she is an absolute dynamo. And, uh, we're very lucky to have her here at Willow Lane, that's for sure. Chase, back to you. is today a special holiday? Uh, yeah, it's Halloween. It's Halloween. Do you plan on going trick or treating? Yeah, I do. Do you have a costume picked out? Yeah. Yeah, my costume is a two headed clown. Oh, no. A two headed clown. Wait a minute, are you and your brother gonna be, uh, the two clown, two heads? Owen's gonna be Deadpool. Deadpool? Yikes. He learned the dance to it. Of course he did. And how about you London, what are you going to be for Halloween? Moana. Moana, I love Moana. Do you guys understand what the prize is if your team wins? Um, like, my charity last year was like Hope Kids and it got like 1, 000 I think. Your team won last year? Yeah. Wow. That's amazing. And I think it's still 1, 000, isn't it? Mhmm. That's a lot of money to make some wishes come true, that's for sure. Let me ask you this. If you had a wish, what would your wish be? To be an NFL player. Well, I'm not sure in the fourth grade they're going to put you in an NFL game. Maybe a kicker. Yeah, maybe a kicker. Okay, so there's a good question. What do you want to be when you grow up? Uh. NFL player? Yeah. Yeah. I wanna be a wide receiver. Wide receiver. Okay, so you're kind of a flashy guy. You must have some wheels. Are you fast? How about you London? What do you want to be when you grow up? Uh, I wanna be a lawyer. Really? Nice. Yeah. Guess who a lawyer is? This guy. We're gonna have to talk. Kevin, do you have any questions? I want to know why they got involved in the middle program. What was the, uh, the draw to be giving back like this? Yeah, let's start with you, Chase. Why, why do you enjoy doing this? I enjoy doing it because I like to, like, see, like, kids be happy and, uh, I want to give money to my charity. Wonderful. How about you, London? I wanted to be helpful in this charity and make good decisions and help other charities. And, yeah, and I just like helping. Uh, Charities of Diseases, and then helping out my team and letting them get up. And, when you're like in a charity, it's not always about you. Uh, absolutely. You guys seem like very, uh, thoughtful people. And the, uh, world is lucky to have folks like you. Doing nice things for people in the community. Coach Ellen, thank you very much for your, uh, commitment to these young people. And, uh, do you think the next group is ready? You wanna send them in? Thanks you guys. All right. Have fun tonight. Thank you. Bye-Bye bye. Thanks London. Well done guys. Welcome to the Kindness Chronicles what is your name? Chris. Hi Chris, and your name sir? I'm Mike. Hi Mike, Mike is our coach, and your name? Amory. Good to see you guys. So for starters, Chris, tell us about your charity. It's Hope Kids. Oh, Hope Kids, what is Hope Kids all about? serving kids. That has diseases. Oh, that has diseases, really. tell us, have you done, Minnow Tank before? Yes. So how many times have you done Minnow Tank? Is this your second time? Mm hmm. And what did you do last year? My Very Own Bed. Oh, with Coach Marty. Coach Marty. Is he still coaching this year? Yes. Oh, I bet he's doing My Very Own Bed. Mm hmm. Yeah, he's pretty good at My Very Own Bed. Coach, what was it that compelled you to become involved in this program? Well, just the opportunity to work with, uh, fantastic kids like Amory and Chris and the opportunity to spend some time with them. And, um, the opportunity to learn more about some of these, uh, fantastic charities as well. So, Chris, what is your, favorite part of the Minnow Tank? What do you like doing the most? Well, it, like, teaches us, like, about self control. Like, cooperation. And, we like learned a lot of new things. And what grade are you in? Fourth. You sound like you could be in sixth or seventh grade. You sound very smart. Are you a pretty good student? Yeah. I bet you are. What do you want to be when you grow up? A soccer player. A soccer player? So you must be a soccer player right now. What position Midfield. Midfield, okay. How about you? What do you, uh, what do you like most about this program? That it helps kids. It helps kids? Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Um You don't know. Are you going out for Halloween tonight? Yes. Do you have a costume figured out? Yes. What are you gonna be? Harry Potter. Harry Potter! That's a good one. Very fun. How about you, Chris? Chucky. Chucky?! Already in costume. I was wondering, I'm like, I recognize that, uh Yeah, but the bib, except that's, the bibs say good guys, right? That's not a Does Chucky have that on his shirt? Yeah. Oh, he does? Oh, he does. That's a total Chucky. I'm not my Chuckie. That's great. Um, so the Chucky thing, you just threw me off a little bit, So when you guys are going out trick or treating tonight, is there a type of candy that you like the most? Kit Kats Kit. I love a good kit Kat, how about you? Um, gummies. You love gummies? Coach, how long have you been coaching? Is this your first time? This is my first year. So how did you get connected to this program? Well, I got connected. I had four kids come through Willow. Oh, really? And so this is just a great way for me to, um, Continue to be part of this community and school that did so much for me and my family. So are your kids still in school? My youngest are seniors in high school. Okay. I've got twins that are seniors. Okay, and do they go to White Bear Lake? They do. At the new campus that looks like the nicest college campus in town? I know, it's crazy, isn't it? It's funny what 380 million will do for you. It's pretty remarkable. So back to Chris, Chris, you right now are in fourth grade next year. You'll be in fifth. Okay. I just wanted to check to see how smart you actually were. That's very good. We had people earlier today said that they wanted to be YouTubers. What is a YouTuber? A YouTuber is like. You can watch other people across the world. Okay. And they can get money from it, um, by like doing videos. By just doing videos. Yeah. Why haven't we figured that out? Maybe I should be a YouTuber. We've got to get off this audio platform, we should use a video to Get some video, YouTube videos. Go big time, yeah. Exactly. So, do you know what the prize is if your team wins? Um, money for the charity. Do you know how much? A thousand? A thousand dollars. A thousand dollars. That's an amazing amount of money. But if you get second place, I think you get 500. Well, I want to thank you people for coming in today. Um, good luck to you, Chucky. Good luck to you, Harry Potter. Coach, thank you for your interest in helping out these young people. And good luck this year. Alright, thanks for coming in. So who are my, uh, representatives that are talking? What is your name, sir? Wind. Love it. That's a cool name. And, uh, this young man in the middle here. My name is Marty. Marty Rathmanner. The legendary Marty Rathmanner. And who is this adult? You want to have the ear so it's on the ear. Okay. So, we got Coach, uh, Lee here trying to figure out how to use headphones. She's So She's, oh Lee, oh Lee, this is, this is not, this is not working out very well. There we go. Let's go. Okay, who's this squirrely girl? What's your name? I'm Aria. Hi Aria. Alright, Wind, I want to start with you. What is the name of your charity? My Very Own Bed. My Very Own Bed. My Very Own Bed has had some success over the years in this program. And, Aria? Aria, that is a lovely name. What do you think of My Very Own Bed? I think it's amazing because like it gives kids things to do. Beds, when like they don't have beds to like provide them, cause some parents don't have enough money to buy them. So this um, Minnow Tank program, you're trying to win what? What are you trying to win? We're trying to win money to give out to the charity My Very Own Bed to give more kids out around the world. Are you sure that you're only in fourth grade? Yeah. You sound like you could be a high school student. That's what my parents always say. Have you done, uh, Minnow Tank before? Yeah. What was your charity last time? I ran on a bed. Oh, so wait a second. We've got in a, a winger. A ringer. A wind ringer. That would be a winger. Okay, so you've worked with Coach Marty before. Yeah. Uh, is, are you going to work with Coach Marty someday? Uh, I don't know. You know, he's a very, very important businessman here in the, uh He's kind of a big deal. He is. There's Kevin Gorg is on the line, and he just referred to you as kind of a big deal. We're not letting Coach Marty have headphones on so we can talk about him behind his back. That's the best part. Absolutely the best part. So, tell me, what do you think of Willow Lane Elementary School? It's really fun because in my old school they didn't have, like, the things that you had to do, like cooperation, self control, and empathy, and they were all just, like, crazy. And a couple of them were mean to me, so my mom convinced me to come to a new school and try something new. Well, are you sure you're only in fourth grade? These kids are smart! These kids are really sharp! Holy cow! What do you like best about My Very Own Bed since you've done it before? I like how, like, they give kids out, I mean, give kids beds so, like, they can sleep and the parents don't have to buy them beds and the kids have, actually, energy. You know what? Sleep is very important, isn't it? So, Wind, um, What do you want to be when you grow up? An NBA player. A what? An NBA player. An NBA player. I was going to say you could be a game show host. Huh? Look, he's got that winning smile. I'll tell you what. How about you? What do you want to be when you grow up? My mom has this amazing job and she's been working there for a year. It's called Bobcat, like she makes the machines that like dig and stuff. She works for Bobcat? That is really cool. Wow, do you have any brothers or sisters? Yeah, I have a sister in third grade named Zoe. And does she go to this school? Yeah. Okay, very nice. Coach Marty, why don't you pull the mic over? You've been, uh, you've been doing this program for, for many years. I think this is year number four. Year number four. Love it. Can you tell us about the scholarship that you and a couple of your, uh, your, your people have created? Yes, um, I have a men's group that I'm part of and, uh, we decided, Mark Kramer and I decided that it would be important to help Minnow Tank get off the ground. So we made a five year commitment to the program to donate some funds to, um, Give these children scholarships when they get out of high school. And then there will be some tracking along the way to make sure they stay on track, but they will earn the scholarships through Minnow Tank when they're in third and fourth grade. And then those scholarships will actually go towards their college tuition eight years from now. That is very cool. And I understand there's a mentorship program involved with that. Correct. And Lee Anderson, who is fabulous, she runs, kind of runs the program here. She's, um, she is going to be, um, helping with that mentor program and she's gonna connect these children with, um, you know, depending on their interests with, um, people in the community that can move them forward and hopefully get them on the right path to the right universities. So for wind, we need to connect him with, uh, an NBA player. Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson? How about Michael Jordan? How about Anthony Edwards? I don't know who that is. So, Wynn, tell me, which basketball player would you want to be connected with? Stephen Curry. Of course you want to be connected with Stephen Curry. And you, we'd have to connect you with a Bobcat person? My mom. Your mom! There you go. She's got an awesome job at Bobcat. I already live with her. I already know a lot about her job and about her, you know? That's So you got this all figured out, don't ya? Spooky season. It's spooky season, that's right. So it's Halloween. Are you dressing up for Halloween? Yeah. As a Basketball player? I was last year. Oh, of course you were. I was last year. But this year I'm a, uh, I'm a movie character. Which movie? Cobra Kai. Cobra Kai? Oh boy. the character you're going to be? Miguel. Okay. So you're wearing like a karate outfit? Yeah. Perfect. How about you? Um, I'm going to be a zombie cheerleader. A zombie cheerleader. Yeah. That is weird. Oh boy. That's great. Do you have a favorite candy? Twix. You know what I love best about Twix? There's two of them. I love the caramel, too. How about you, Wynn? Hershey's. Just like a plain old Hershey's bar. Yeah, you guys have any favorites. I Like them all I am have you ever heard of the hundred grand bar? My dad my dad and my sister are just like yeah, that's that's how I yeah We steal hundred grand bars from from our children when they go home. That's the one I listen to the spooktacular Episode yes, and I understand that All three guys, like a hundred thousand dollars. We call it now the hundred grand bar. It's a club now. It's a new club. Kevin, do you have any questions I want to know what your favorite Halloween movie is. And I don't think at your age in fourth grade, you've seen all the super scary movies, but there's still might be a Halloween will be like. And what is it? I watch plenty of scary movies. You can't be talking. Oh! So what is your favorite Halloween movie? I like Hocus Pocus probably the most. Oh, Hocus Pocus is a good one. How about you, Wind? I don't really got nothing. Yeah, you got nothing. You got nothing. Seriously? Who's your favorite basketball team? It better be the Timberwolves. Yeah, I was gonna say the Timberwolves. Okay, that's good. It used to be the Golden State Warriors. Oh, of course. Very good. Well, very much for coming in. My favorite bed, er, my very own bed. Would become my favorite bed Has you've been doing my very own bed for a number of years now haven't you talking to the mic? It's best if you have the mic to your this is the third time I've been part of my very own bed, and it is a really cool Organization down in Minneapolis, and it's there They just keep growing and growing and it's it's fantastic to see the smiles on these kids faces when their new bed arrives And they also get a dream kit which has a pillow and books And stuffed animals and some other little things. And like a book. It's just amazing how it transforms their lives. Well, and, you know, for those of you that don't know, Marty is a, uh, a realtor. And I think that he understands just how important home is for people. And, the challenge that a lot of families have is, wherever they're living, it's hard to believe that people don't have beds. It's just, you know, Sad to hear that story. And when you hear about all the different charities that are trying to support something that seems so simple, it's just amazing. Well, thank you for all you do, Marty. Thank you for your commitment to the community. You've been, uh, well, thank you guys for exposing my very own bed to your, uh, your podcast community. We've to the thousands, the thousands of listeners, let's keep it going. All right. Thanks guys. And every week being in this community so much that they probably have like a They're going to have a connection. I think you guys have got some big, uh, big future ahead of you. Feels like Marty might have, uh, got a couple ringers in here. Alright. Thank you guys. See you guys later. Bye bye. Happy Halloween. Happy Halloween. Happy Halloween. this guy right here, he's running for, uh, for mayor of Willow Lane. Mayor of Willow Lane, Wind. Okay, who do we have this time? So Kylie and Chelsea? Yeah. Chelsea and Kylie? Yes. And Coach Bacon? Good to see you. Alright, let's start with Chelsea. Chelsea, tell us about your, uh, There's this little girl named Alex. She, she had a lemonade stand that raised money for kids who have cancer. The money was for kids that have cancer. The, um, she gave the money to those doctors. And the doctors, um, they researched about, um, How to help kids that have cancer. Okay. So that money goes to help kids with cancer. That's wonderful. What is the name of the charity? Alex's Lemonade Stand. Alex's Lemonade Stand. Kylie, what did you like most about Alex's Lemonade Stand? That we could help like kids with cancer and we could help like kids that have families and like are sick. it's a lovely program. Have you done Minnow Tank before? Yes, in last year. What is your favorite part of Minnow Tank? That I could be with my team and use teamwork. That is one of the things that I really am so impressed with with this. important teamwork is. Tell us, Chelsea, a little bit about, the teamwork that you've experienced. The team that I worked with was a kind, um, nice, and, cooperative? Yeah. Very nice. You know what? I'm going to ask a different question. Is today a special holiday? Yes, Halloween. Halloween. What do we do on Halloween? We get candy from neighbors. But before we get candy from neighbors, what do we have to do? We have to We have to dress in our costume. Dress in our costume. What are you going to wear for Halloween this year? Um, I'mma be a dolphin. You're gonna be a dolphin? Yeah. So, well there's enough water, it's raining like crazy outside, you should be able to swim around. Yeah. And how about you, what are you gonna be for Halloween? I'm gonna be Lydia from Beetlejuice. I see you've got a Beetlejuice sweatshirt on, so you are all over this. Coach Bacon, if you wanna pull the mic toward you. how many years have you been doing this? This is my second Minnow Tank. This is your second Minnow Tank. So last year, you were the winner as I recall. I was. Uh huh. First time's a charm, apparently. So what was your charity last year? Uh, last year it was Hope Kids. Oh, that was a good one. I do recall that. Yeah, my team didn't even place in the top three, but we had a very good looking group. That was what we really prided ourselves on. why is it that you volunteer for this? It's just a great program. I've learned, I had no idea that Hope Kids even existed until I, so I'm learning about different charities that are in our community, which is great. Um, and great to be part of these teams and to see these young people just Thrive and soar. Um, it's just really empowering. So do you work for the school district? I do. Okay. I noticed you have a name badge that suggests it. What do you do for the school district? I am an administrative assistant to, um, the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Dr. Gillespie. Okay. So you've got, uh, you're, you're in the corner office or in that neighborhood, in the neighborhood, in that, in the neighborhood of the corner office. Um, tell me Chelsea, What's your favorite candy on Halloween? Sometimes I like, um, sweets, and then I have chocolate. Okay. Yeah, so I have, um, it goes on and on. Okay. And how about you, Kylie? Jolly Ranchers. What? I always feel like they get stuck on my teeth. Which flavor of Jolly Ranchers? What's your favorite flavor? Blueberries. All those blue ones. Kevin, do you have any questions for these people? I know there's a lot of activities you could be involved in with sports and music and all that good stuff. Why did you choose to be a part of the Mineral Program? What brought you here? Because they make you? No. that's a good question. Um, is everybody in the fourth grade part of the Minnow Tank program? Yes. Oh, that's very fun. Yeah, one of the things that I have learned from the Minnow Tank program, as much as it's about learning about different charities, it's really about learning how to cooperate and how to, you know, your presentation skills. What I'm amazed at is by the end of the program, You guys are like professionals up there giving these, uh, giving these little presentations. And I'm most impressed with the fact that they know how to navigate the internet far more than I do. As a 50 something year old person. So, I just also have to ask. We asked some kids before what they wanted to be when they, when they grow up. I wanna, when I grow up, I wanna be like a nurse or a doctor. Oh, help people. Yeah. Very nice. How about you, Chelsea? Um, I wanna be a chef cause my dad insured that. I mean, like, he, he showed me about cooking and I really liked it, so. That's cool. That's our second chef. We had another chef in here earlier. It was, uh, Taylin? Yeah. He wants to be a chef. You know what, they, but You guys should swap recipes. Yeah, exactly. You've got good culinary experts. Well, I want to thank you guys for coming in. How many more weeks of, uh, Minnow Tank do we have? Are we just getting started? We're about halfway. We're about halfway there. Well, it's a really important program. It gives you guys an opportunity to learn about, uh, working with others and, uh, have a lovely Halloween tonight. Okay? Be safe. Thank you for coming in. Thanks for coming in, you guys. Alright. You're welcome. Okay, we got our last group here. I remember Tyson and Owen and Kalesa. Hello, hello. Hello. Welcome back. So I'm really excited about this group because I worked with a couple of these guys once upon a time. Tell us your name, sir. Tyson. Tyson, and what grade are you in? Fourth grade. Are you sure? You look like you could be in seventh grade. Okay, I'm just throwing that out there. And I know this guy. Well, what's your name? Owen. You know, this is an audio, format here, so it helps. Wait, hold on, we already talked to that guy. No! Well, no, he got his hair grew a little bit since we last saw him. We talked to his brother. Oh, wait, that was your brother. Yeah. You got a haircut since I last saw you. Mm hmm. How was the baseball season? Good. Excellent. And, Kalesa, what is your name? Wait, I just said it. I'm Kalesa. Hello, Kalesa, good to see you. And, um, we have a couple of coaches here. We've got Coach Greg Fry and who is this? I'm Chris Fry. Chris Fry. Are you related to Greg Fry? Greg Fry is my husband. Oh my goodness. So is your son the guy who comes to my house and tells me about my gutters that he can't put on? That is my son. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We have a very complicated, uh, setup at our house. Anyways, Greg Fry, uh, is a high school mate of both, uh, me and Steve, and Mike McGinn, who was here earlier in the day, and, uh, Greg and his bride own, uh, Bear Roofing, and uh, I've written a lot of checks to Bear Roofing over the years. Thank you. Yes, you're welcome. So, Tyson, tell me about your, uh, charity. What is your charity? Dog Rescue. You are doing Dog Rescue. Do you remember what you did with me last year? Um, Minnesota Cribs. Masonic? Masonic Cancer Center. Very good Owen, thank you. So, Owen, tell us about, uh, about Dog Rescue. the Dog Rescue is where By the way, the coach is, has notes here. It's like a teleprompter. Help lost animals abandoned by their owners to find help and love. Very nice. Kalesa, have you done, uh, Minnow Tank before? Yes. What was your charity last time? Um It was, um, my very own bed. So you were with Coach Marty last time. Mm hmm. Yeah, we just talked to him. He likes those beds, that's for sure. So, Kevin Gorg, uh, do you have any questions for these young people? Well, these kids sound really motivated. I want to hear what, um, the future holds. What do you guys want to be when you get, uh, out of school? What's your future plans? Yeah, Tyson, what do you want? And so, for starters, the name of this charity is actually I was second chance animal rescue second chance. And I'm an animal. Wait a minute. I don't want to ask you. I'm having an animal rescue. Uh, so, what do you want to, uh, do when you grow up? Um, be a basketball player. Yeah. Yeah. Do you play basketball right now? Um, I'm practicing. You're practicing? Okay. How about you, Owen? What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a soccer player or a track runner. Track runner. So we got some real athletes. Kalesa, how about you? What do you want to do when you grow up? Um, I want to be a nail artist. A nail artist? Very nice. How do my nails look? I could use some work. I could use some work. Do you know anybody that's a nail artist? Um, my mom's a nail artist. Really? Yeah. Where does she do nails? Um, I don't know what it's called. Is it around here? Um, no. So back to you, Owen. What it is about your charity that you, uh, that you like the most. It's that, it's animals and they're fluffy and furry and make you feel so loved. Oh, Owen. Now is it animals or aminals? I'm having trouble with animals. Animals. Okay, thank you. Animals. Do you have any aminals at home? Yes. You do, what do you have? A husky and a corgi. Oh, jeez, that's a lot of fun. So I want to ask Coach Fry, Coach Greg, put the mic up to your, um, How is it that you got, uh, involved in this program? My wife and I were at a, a booyah, a booyah, a booyah, cornered, I'm kidding, asked to do this. So, do you know Lee from a past life? Yep, I do. I graduated from Hillemary and she graduated from White Barrett the same year. The same year? And my wife graduated from White Barrett the same year. Okay, Class 87. Yep. so Owen, back to you. What are some of the lessons or the skills that you learn? I learned how they, how like, what happens when they get vaccines or worms or fleas. That's kind of gross. Kind of gross. But how about like through the whole process? I know that you guys learn about cooperation and teamwork. And what I remember when I was your coach, just what a great team you guys were. So tell me, now that you're in 4th grade, cause you were just little 3, 3rd grade punks when we did it last time, Um, do you feel like you're getting better at cooperation? Better at teamwork? Yes. Tell us about PACT. PACT stands for, the P stands for positive, the A stands for animal, and the C stands for crew. Okay. And, um, the agreements. Tell us, Tyson, what are some of the agreements that you made? Respectful, be kind, self control, corroborate, and empathy. And empathy. Kalesa. Of those things, which one do you think is the most important? I'd say all of them. You know what? This kid, she knows what she's talking about. That's pretty impressive. So, if your team wins, is there a prize? Um, yes there is. So if you're, if you're in first place, then you get 1, 000. Wait a minute, you get 1, 000? If we get in first. So they give you the 1, 000? Yes, but that goes to um, second chance and the rest. Okay, okay, just wanted to make sure. Coach Mrs. Fry, did you go to high school with Lee? I went to high school with Lee and I also taught in White Bear for a number of years. I just retired after 31 years of teaching. No kidding, what did you teach? 12th grade language arts. Are you familiar with the book Irregardless Ain't a Word? I have not read that book. It's a best selling, yes, I'll have to get you a copy of that. I would love that. It's one of my favorites. Oh, good for you. Kevin just said, oh, good for you. Grammar police. Grammar police is right. Well, I just want to thank you all. It is good to see you again. You seem to be growing taller. Your hair is getting shorter. There is another guy that looks an awful lot like you, uh, walking through this, uh, place. I think his name is Chase or something like that. Do you have any other siblings? Any, like, triplets or quadruplets or No. Okay, just twins. Yep. Okay. Well, thank you very much. Oh, quick! Halloween. It's Halloween. Yes. Are you guys dressing up for Halloween? Yes. Tell me, Tyson, what are you doing? I'm dressing up as Chucky. Chucky. We have another Chucky. Chucky. There's a Chris. Do you know Chris? Yeah. Um, oh boy. We've got a dad joke here. Halloween joke. Tell us your joke. Why didn't the skeletons cross the road? I don't know. they had no guts. Oh my gosh. Dad joke. Owen, what are you dressing up as for Halloween? Deadpool. Deadpool! Cause I know how to do the dance. You do the Deadpool dance, yeah. And Kalesa, are you dressing up for Halloween? Yes, I'm gonna be Sally from The Night Before Christmas. Oh, that's a good one. Um, do you have a favorite candy? I say Twix. I, you know what, that's a very popular candy. Owen, do you have a favorite? Yeah. What is yours? Between Twix and Reese's. Those are two good ones, and I bet you Tyson has a favorite candy. Uh, Reese's. Yep, absolutely. He's got a joke. So you got a joke? One more joke. What is, uh, which favorite school subject? Uh, which is favorite school subject I don't know. Spelling. Okay. Okay. A spell. Spelling. That's a thinker. Oh, come on. That is a thinker. Does Kalesa have a joke? We gotta have one more joke. What do ghosts eat for dessert? What do ghosts eat for dessert? I don't know. Ice cream. Oh, okay. On that note, enough of you people. This has been a lot of fun. Thanks everybody. Good luck, with your pet program. thank you coaches for, uh, for participating in this. They've done it for a couple of years. It's, uh, It's a lot of fun. It's good to see you, Greg. You've got a, Greg was a teacher in the school district for a while, right? Yep, 17 years. Until, uh, were you a math teacher? Math teacher. I do recall you were a smart math guy back in high school. We never had any classes together because my class was called math. Right. You know, that's what my book said. Math. Numbers. Math. Alright. Well, thank you guys very much. Thank you. This was fun. We got a pretty cool person with us right now. What is your name? My name is Audrey. Hello, Audrey. What grade are you in? I'm in fourth grade. You're in fourth grade. Now tell me, Audrey, are you involved in the Minnow Tank program? Yes, I'm involved with the Minnow Tank program. Tell me which charity you're working for this time. I am doing the Willow Advocates, and what we're doing is, we are doing the Willow Food Shelf, that's our team name, and, and we just, we wanna, you know, Give people food, and we're trying to save up money for shelves, fridges, all kinds of stuff. And, um, we're gonna ask like people to donate to us so then we can get the stuff that we need. And where is the Willow Lane Food Shelf? Um, we're probably gonna do it in the front of the school. Oh, right here at the school? Yeah. Very cool. Love that idea. Have you done Minnow Tank before? Yes, last year. And, uh, the Willow Advocates, I was in that exact same group. Oh, well, so maybe you'll be the CEO someday. You'll be the boss. Mm hmm. That seems about right. Yeah. So tell me, what is your favorite thing about going to Willow Lane Elementary? My favorite thing about going to Willow Lane Elementary School is, um, I just get to make, I get to make new friends, I get to do a lot of things, but my most favorite thing is to make friends, get friends, make more friends, and then, um, I think there's a theme here. Yes. You like friends. I love friends. They're so cool because, friends just make you feel more excited than you already are. Absolutely. It makes you move, and it makes you feel more happy. Are there things in the Minnow Tank program specifically Like, you learn about things like cooperation and teamwork. Yes, we learn about self control, empathy, and cooperation. Oh, wow. Are you sure you're only in fourth grade? Yes. I don't know. You sound awfully articulate for a fourth grader. Mm hmm. Pretty impressive. Mm hmm. Oh, and I forgot to say one more thing about my charity. Even if we don't win, we're still gonna do it. Because everybody needs food, they need water, they need food, they need everything. And we just want to help people in the world because I truly care about people. And if they don't like me, then That's their fault. Well, too bad for them. Yeah, because. They're missing out. I mean, if they don't like me, then they don't like me. Then, you know what? Then they don't know you. Yeah, because. I could tell already. It's their decision. Absolutely. They don't, they don't have to like me. I mean, it's just their, their point of view. If they don't like me, then they don't like me. You know what? You just water off a duck's back. You ever heard that saying before? No, I have not. That's a good one. You'll have to learn that one. So, let me ask you this, what do you want to be when you grow up? I want to either be a artist or an art teacher because I love art. I feel like art is so awesome and it's so creative and even if you don't think you're good at art, You could never go wrong with art. It's just art. Well, and you kind of look like an artist. In fact, you've got, um, you've got very colorful hair. Tell us about that. So, uh, my auntie, she cut my hair and, um, Me and my auntie actually had the same haircut, and she dyed my hair, but I dyed most of it, and um, I took a shower but, uh, um, it's like a lighter blue now. But it was like blue blue. Yeah, it was blue blue, and it was so cool, but like, I kinda like it more when it's like kinda faded, because I feel like that's just, I feel like it just fades into the purple in my hair. It's really cool. So, do you have a brother that goes to school here? Well, I used to last year. I was in 3rd 5th grade. Now he's a 6th grader. His name is Oliver. Oliver. I remember Oliver. I think I may have worked with Oliver as one of his coaches once upon a time. So, here's the, uh, is today a special holiday? Yes, today is Halloween. I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday. It's your favorite holiday. And what is your favorite candy? My favorite candy is either gonna be Milky Way or Kit Kats. And what's your costume for tonight? Um, my costume is. A carrot clown? No, a killer clown. Killer clown? Yeah. Oh no. I don't like killer clowns. I bet it'll be a cool killer clown. Say that three times real fast. Cool killer clown. Cool killer clown, cool killer clown, cool killer clown. Wow. I think that you could be like a radio host. You've got a really great voice for radio. Yeah. You're a very good conversationalist. Has anyone ever told you that? Actually, no. Okay, do you know what that means? No. That means you're good at talking to people. Well, I feel like I'm good at talking to people. I would agree with that. That is for sure. Well, I appreciate you coming back. I have to tell people that when we first did this interview, I forgot to hit record. Yeah. But, uh, we got it figured out this time. Yeah. And, uh, I look forward to, uh, to seeing how your team does this year. Mm hmm. All right. Well, thank you for coming in. You're welcome. All right. Off we go.