hello and welcome to the peach buzz by Tidwell's Strimban injury lawyers. Woodstock's full service, personal injury law firm. The peach buzz is a podcast dedicated to showcasing people who are making positive impacts in our communities and Woodstock, Cherokee County, Metro Atlanta, and all of North Georgia. Today, we are very excited to have with us a special guest and a dear personal friend of mine. Uh, Mr. Zach can blend the chief executive officer of the Goshen Valley boys ranch. Welcome to so the peach buzz act.
Zach Blend:Oh, thank you, Robert. It's great to be here today. It's always nice to have the chance to talk about what we do at Goshen, especially with friends like yourself. Well,
Robert Tidwell:I appreciate that. Uh, I'm pretty excited about what we're going to talk about today. Goshen is very near and dear to my heart. It's a place that I've had an opportunity to serve, uh, in the past. And for a number of years now, I've had an opportunity to go up there and be a part of some pretty special projects. And it's one of those things that's near and dear to my heart, just because of, you know, sort of my background, a lot of people might not know this, that, uh, I myself was in the foster system as a young child and was fortunate to be adopted by a loving home, through the efforts of other people that do sort of what you guys are doing at Goshen. So it's a very, uh, Exciting for me to have an opportunity to be a part of what you guys are doing. And I'm looking forward to sharing with everybody here in our community, why Goshen is so spectacular.
Zach Blend:Yeah. I appreciate that. It's a, you know, it's definitely a place of purpose and it's a place that's benefited significantly from Cherokee County and. The fact that so many, whether it be through their church, through their business, through a civic group, but more and more men and women, families, especially are connecting with our work. They're finding it to be important to them. They're finding it to be a passion of sorts. And when they had the chance to hear really from someone like yourself, who. Has experienced in, in some cases, a lot of what those we serve are, are facing. I think it just brings so much more of an understanding to those that are invested
Robert Tidwell:for those who don't know, uh, tell everybody where Goshen Valley is located.
Zach Blend:Yeah. So, so it's really cool. You Goshen Valley, um, you know, it was really, you know, uh, a vision that was first cast by my father, uh, John. back in the early eighties, he and my mother moved to town. My sister moved to town and my dad had this dream of, you know, always, you know, owning a hobby farm. And, he grew up in actually was born in, in, uh, Brooklyn and grew up on long Island, uh, spent time, uh, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and when he was in school and, um, Muellenberg college. And worked on a hobby farm when he was in college that kind of birthed this idea when he was in a position to own something for himself that, uh, he would, you know, find a piece of property. And when they moved to Georgia, uh, he was actually 36 years old. I just turned 37. So kind of at the same period of plate of time, where, where I am today, um, he found this piece of property in the silicone Northwest Cherokee, that, he bought from all people. Uh, the local moonshiner knew Klein who, uh, who told my father, he had. Uh, never really dealt with the Yankee before at that point. And he was in his eighties. And, um, my dad tells the stories of sitting out on the front porch and people driving up on a Saturday and Newt Stephan inside. And it was a little house and, you know, pulling out a Mason jar and watching these transactions take place and, uh, you know, believe it or not knew for whatever reason sold my father from New York, you know, 50 acres. And that was, you know, the, the, the first piece of what is now a 300 acre ranch. That was truly just a hobby farm or place that, you know, we lived in Dunwoody and we would drive up on Saturdays and we were there. We had horses and, you know, we would kind of hang out, but it wasn't necessarily purposeful. It was important to my dad for different reasons, but even the early nineties, um, he and my mother found themselves in a new church and it was really that pastor at Redeemer Lutheran in Atlanta who planted a seed by sharing to the congregation that they had this vision of a children's home, but they didn't have any land to build it on. My parents had only been at the church for a short period of time. And my dad that next day went and saw the pastor and said, Hey, you know, this might sound crazy, but I've got this land and we're not really doing anything with it. Maybe the church can, you know, think of different ways that it could be put to use. And that in itself was the, the, this planted seed of sorts that is Goshen Valley, boys ranch. And from that day, over the next seven or eight years, my father and a team of people from Redeemer worked on the licensing, worked on the contracting and the curriculum and all the things that needed to be in place for the ranch to open specifically for teenage boys that were living in the state foster care system that had been removed from their home circumstances out of their control. And. That was the first of what's now been a 20 year journey where specifically the ranch that's still the most well-known in terms of the work we do has served, you know, over 700 boys, ages, typically 12 to 18, who are in a position where typically they would be absent the opportunity to be part of a family because of the circumstances surrounding, you know, their, their, their past experiences. There just aren't enough foster homes for teenage boys. And what has happened in this, the creation of a family model where these young men now live on this beautiful ranch horses, cows playing fields. We built a gymnasium a couple of years ago that has really transcended, um, our ability to serve at a unique level. But most importantly, our boys are living with families, house parents. And they have the opportunity to receive their, their therapy, receive educational support, you're on their campus. And that program, the success that we've had in terms of driving families through the attitude of service, really local churches in particular who have found their way to Goshen. The resources that have come into play. And the reputation that we've established has allowed us to now branch into other work within the foster care system.
Robert Tidwell:Let's talk a moment about those homes. A lot of times, I think when people think of a group home. Yeah. So almost like a dormitory idea that there's this big building that everybody kind of has that, you know, they're all in one big Bay or something, but that's not how it Goshen is set up. Uh, Goshen has several houses on the property.
Zach Blend:Is that right? Yeah. There's six different homes. Uh, and, uh, the houses themselves. I remember my father saying, you know, it's, you wanted to build a home that he himself would be proud to live in. And he wanted to ensure that the boys felt a sense of I think significance in terms of the home itself. Every boy has their own bedroom, uh, has their own bathroom. The houses themselves. Most, most of them are over 6,000 square feet with basements, uh, where, you know, there's plenty of room for them to be active and to be connected, you know, with their house parents, as well as with the other boys in the home with in many cases they think of as brothers. I remember a story from years ago. You know, one of the boys was, you know, at school, all the kids attend the local public schools there in Cherokee. And, um, he was, you know, talking about the home that he lived in. And, you know, what that meant to him. And these are kids that typically, you know, were coming from circumstances where some of them may not have had running water. You know, some of them may have been living from hotel to hotel. Some of them may have been in the back of someone's vehicle for a period of time. So to be able to have pride in where you live, that was important and, and has always been part of the Goshen model. And, uh, I think people sense that, uh, when they step onto our campus, um, that, you know, there's a certain type of standard that we want to set, um, in terms of what we want to offer and what we want our, our young people to experience while they're with us.
Robert Tidwell:Each time that I come and visit at Goshen, I'm struck it just how great you guys are at providing structure for these young men. A lot of times they're plucked from a situation where it's. Quite frankly, it can be chaotic. You don't know where you're going to stay that night. You might not know what you're eating, what you're wearing. And then you get put in this environment where you have house parents, you have structure, you have certain rules. And I love the way the kids seem to maybe not at first, but they seem to really get on board with that notion of, you know, I have certain responsibilities while I'm staying here. Could you share
Zach Blend:that? Yeah, I think not just for, for, you know, youth and foster care, but really for everyone, you respond to two things, you respond to relationships and you respond to the environment in which you're in. And that really is at the core of what we try to provide and try to ultimately provide influence around, um, first and foremost, that connection that, that, that our boys have with their house parents and. The accountability and the responsibility that comes with a healthy relationship, which in a lot of ways they haven't experienced before. It can be difficult for them to kind of acclimate to at the same time, it's the environment that they live in. We talk about some of the niceties that we've created. There's also responsibility and keeping it that way. So Robert you've been to New York campus and you, if you step into one of the boys' bedrooms, there's an expectation that that rooms claim that the beds made. Not because we're trying to prove a point, but because we're trying to build maturity, you know, for however long that young man is with us, we want to ensure that they're building some discipline that they can take with them. And. When they do that and they take ownership in themselves, they then can start to develop an understanding of how they can take ownership in someone else as well. And that's at the core of our outcome is personal responsibility and self-awareness no different than your children are mine.
Robert Tidwell:That's outstanding. You and I were talking a little bit before we got on air and I had shared with you that when the snowpocalypse hit here in Atlanta, We were trying to figure out if it was seven or eight years ago, somewhere around in there. And I was actually at Goshen when the snow started to fall and it was beautiful. We were in this, uh, this conference room type area and I could look out over the ranch and I mean, it's just a beautiful place as it is. But within goodness, 15, 20 minutes, that place it covered up in snow. And it was just absolutely gorgeous. And, uh, that's when my wife called that she was stuck trying to pick up our oldest daughter from school. So I had to leave. But thinking back on that day, when snowpocalypse hit and I was there at Goshen, Goshen was primarily a boys ranch, and you guys were doing some amazing things as just a boys ranch. But now Goshen is so much more than just a boys ranch. What share, share with our listeners, just the different things that Goshen is involved in and the different services that you guys provide now.
Zach Blend:Yeah. I appreciate that. And I remember that day as well. I almost got stuck at one of our staff member's houses for four days. It was really, you know, inexperienced. So I'm glad that that's a lasting memory. Um, yeah. You know, Goshen's become. To be honest, pretty entrepreneurial in the last couple of years, we've diversified our services. And what we've done is we've looked specifically at areas where we know that we're limited in the ranch in a sense where if all you do is serve 40 teenage boys, that work's important, that work is transformational, but we started a bump up against, you know, circumstances that we wish we had more control of and more opportunity around the first of which was when our kids turned 18. 18 is an important, important date in their lives because they have the opportunity at that point, if they want to sign themselves out of care. And a lot of our boys were making poor decisions where they were turning 18 and they were returning back to the circumstances they came from. So the first piece that we really launched and invested in was an independent living program. Um, that's based out of Canton, where at 18, we have youth both in the ranch and now from all over the region who are deciding to be part of this with us who are living primarily in apartments, where they're finishing high school or they're attending college, um, they may be, you know, working towards a trade of some sort, but they're still receiving supports from us life skills, everything from opening, a bank account to, you know, learning how to drive to. Understanding, you know, what a healthy, personal relationship looks like with the opposite sex, uh, things that at that age, most 18 or 19 year old are struggling with, but especially if you don't necessarily have something to fall back on. So what's been cool about that is to see where are a lot of those children. Those youth are today. Uh, both boys and girls that we've invested with the new beginnings and to understand, you know, I call it extending the runway, you know, that 18 to 21 year old gap. Where we've had the allowance to stay involved, give them guidance, and now kind of see them through what I believe is a really important stage in their life. It has to
Robert Tidwell:be powerful at breaking that cycle.
Zach Blend:Yeah, and they start to make good decisions for themselves. We've had a couple guys, I can think of seven or eight that in that period, they decided to join the military and they went off and they served our country, but they realized that the structure that you mentioned earlier was actually ideal for them in terms of being able to find purpose and really strength in terms of their circumstance. And God bless them for the lives they've lived in and the support they've offered all of us as a result of that decision. Um, some of them have gone on to work a trade where they, now they have families of their own, but they have a consistent, um, you know, opportunities as a result of the investment they made during those three years. Um, so we're really proud. It's Goshen, new beginnings and, uh, we're super proud of, of what that program has been come, um, to, uh, in a similar circumstance at the ranch. We had a lot of boys that had sisters placed elsewhere. Maybe they saw them once a month. Maybe they didn't see him at all too often. Siblings come in care and they're separated because you don't have opportunities for them to be together. And maybe that, that, that sister gets adopted by a family and the two brothers that they're not, and they're stranded. And as a result, really, that family is fractured. Happens far too often. So we knew that we weren't necessarily in the position to start a girls' ranch. And we didn't think that was necessarily a solution. So what, the direction that we went in is we went in and acquired with the state, a contract offer to open foster homes. So Goshen is now in the position to recruit license. And oversee foster homes, specifically Cherokee Cobb. County's kind of the region that we're currently kind of focused around, but those foster homes and those foster parents they're trained to serve sibling groups. So we are just uniquely, we work with siblings who is that have been separated, are now in a home are receiving proper therapy are receiving, you are connected with their bio family. Uh, on a irregular basis. Um, and in some cases, Robert it's sibling groups of two, three, four, we've had a sibling group of five or six, um, to think about what the circumstances would be, you know, absent those opportunities, um, that program, you know, we really, you know, just really got it off the ground a couple of years ago today we're serving, you know, nearly 60 children in foster homes. Um,
Robert Tidwell:that's outstanding. So you're, you're not only taking care of the boys on the ranch, but now you also have the 18 to 21 year olds through new beginnings that you're serving. And then also sibling groups in foster homes off campus, if you will, that's outstanding. Yeah.
Zach Blend:There's 115 kids that we care for today with direct care. And we're very proud of that work and that work, those agencies are accredited. Those agencies all have their own, um, you know, forms of, of leadership policy curriculum. So Goshen itself has branched out where the work it's a lot of what I do, kind of the continuity of keeping our team close, keeping the culture intact, even though we're, we're starting to look in and work in areas that we haven't previously, um, and really did to communicate. Yeah. Out to art, even to art, to our own donor base, let alone the greater community that we are more than just the ranch. Um, one thing that I'm really excited about, because I can understand the scale of where this work is ultimately headed, um, is through community-based services. So sometimes I feel like even Goshen, we serve a little bit like the insurance agency. What I mean by that is that we step in. After the accident after the incident has happened, that's when we get involved. And for a long time, my thought has been how and why can't we be more of the defensive driving class? Why can't we take our influence, our reputation, our resources, and invest them in families. Preventatively. What does it look like for Goshen to be on the front end and, you know, with the state and with the ability to work through, you know, kind of different models. In 2019, we launched Goshen therapeutic services with the focus, primarily being on preventative care. Trauma-informed preventative care to bring that same standard that we are known for. To families on the front end and the acceleration of services that's taken place in the last couple of years to see really the partnerships that we've been able to establish with DFACS, with an understanding that do I think there will always be a need for foster care. Absolutely. But I also think that if places like Goshen are solely focused on that, then we lose the role that we should have around intended impact around things that are much more. What I would call root cause, and that can be community mental health. That can be affordable housing. That can be job-related training if Goshen's not root cause. And then who is and root cause is where we're going to ultimately see transformation.
Robert Tidwell:So you guys are. Identifying families that are at risk of the children entering the foster system. Correct. And you're going out and providing them support and services in an effort to prevent the child from having to go into foster care, to begin with. Correct. That's outstanding. Well,
Zach Blend:you think about, you know, the work that, you know, your, your, your law group does in trying to be in front of people before that accident happens. You know, I know you all are missing a lot of resources and just. Creating a safer, you know, I think better connected community around risk prevention, which gladly is finally becoming. I think, you know, more of the norm in part, because you know, insurance for everyone continues to rise and go up. So the only way we kind of come around that is to be more, uh, more risk adverse. Now it's one thing if it affects you personally, but the fact that it's affecting so many families generationally. That's where Goshen, I think has to have a role and, you know, walk before you run. And I want to build around the right people. People don't realize this, but you know, Goshen today we have over, we have over 65 full-time employees. We have today about 40 contractors that are working regularly out in the community. We have nearly 50 foster parents that are working daily out in the community. So we've become a little bit of this force that I believe is focused on things that matter and focused on things that ultimately will drive a healthier community. That is
Robert Tidwell:outstanding. I love that approach. Um, one of the other things that I really like that you guys are doing is sometimes. These young boys come to your home and maybe they haven't been in school for three, four months, or sure. Some for whatever reason, they are behind their natural grade level. Uh, I understand you guys have resources and services where you can get these kids up to speed before they even go back into the school district. Is that right?
Zach Blend:Yeah. I mean, it's, it's amazing what. What we've been offered through the partnerships that, that exist within our community, the school district being one. So before I answer your question, I think it's important for people to realize the strength of leadership within the Cherokee County community. I've benefited from that immensely. When you think of people like Dr. Brian Hightower, when you think of people like sheriff Frank Reynolds, I think of Ben like Ben Looper, uh, with Southeast restoration, um, Billy Hayes with Northside Cherokee men that I've had the opportunity to spend some time with and learn from. And they, each of them, as an example, have extraordinary teams that they built out. And if anything, that's what Goshen has really tried to model. So. I know that I can only do so much. And really my, you know, my direct reports can only do so much as we've grown and we've become something at scale that is, you know, fairly significant. So the gift of being able to, you know, raise up leadership to your point in the world of education, each of our agencies now has an individual that's solely mindful of how they support our kids, educationally, which. Is immense because you got to understand that these kids, they, they, a lot of them have special needs. You know, a lot of them are, are parts of, you know, a special, unique program within their schools. And if we can do anything, we can help them get back on track. We can help them understand the importance of an education and then make sure that they built relationships with their teachers and with the administrators. But that work is being done. You know, by individuals fit gladly as a result of the resources that that funnel in that are a part of now, this greater team that can wake up each day and just take that on as what their expectation is. And I think that's something that I've learned is that, you know, you have to trust your team. You have to build an established strength, bench strength so that you can then get that much more specific in the areas that matter. So what does that mean for Goshen? Education is key. Uh, therapy, the importance of our kids, understanding their circumstances specifically through the lens of trauma, um, you know, the family dynamic, you know, being able to understand that healthy relationship that I mentioned earlier, being a part of, of a community that's caring that allows them to feel vulnerable and build transparency. Um, a lot of that happens through our church partners and through the attitude of service. Um, so, you know, we've, we've really kind of focused on things that we believe matter, and we've been able to put people in position education in particular, they can drive better outcomes.
Robert Tidwell:So how can people get involved to support Goshen? And what are some of the things that you guys need so that you are so that you continue to be equipped to provide the services that the community needs so much?
Zach Blend:That's a great question. We're fortunate to have a platform like this to, to even talk about that. Um, the first thing I, I really think about is, you know, families, individuals kind of embracing a certain perspective. You know, I think sometimes service can feel transactional. Um, it's like something you're told to do on a Saturday or, you know, it's something that, you know, a young person is kind of dragged along to. And in some fortunate, because that's how you then kind of frame this mindset around what it means to survive
Robert Tidwell:kind of like court ordered community service. Yeah. And
Zach Blend:I'll be honest. I avoid a lot of that. I have people reach out and, you know, they need community service hours. And I said, you know, that's not really for us. And it's not because I don't want them to have a place. To connect because we're really, I think looking for a little bit more depth in that it's not what you can do for us. It's what can Goshen do for you? We talk about two things. We talk primarily in the lives of our kids, and now our families that we're connected to, as you mentioned, the first thing is can we provide them peace? And what does peace mean? Peace means security peace mean self-awareness peace means, uh, the sense of transparency, you know, peace is not a given in this world. And I guarantee that a majority of the people we serve kids in particular piece was not part of the equation before they met us before they realized they had a safe place to connect, to feel loved. If we can do anything we can offer peace. The second is purpose. What is your self esteem? Where does that come from? Do you realize that you have gifts and skills that not only conserve yourself, but serve others and Robert, this is what I know. I've had the chance to meet your two lovely daughters. All you want all you and your wife want for them more than anything is peace and purpose. Absolutely. So if that's something that a family is looking to develop to understand, to talk about, to experience, find us, find Goshen and just allow Goshen to resonate in your life. Um, I, I tell people that passion is the very best place to find your purpose. People say, Zach, you know, I'm looking for a place to serve. I'm looking for a place to connect and my messages, what is it in this life that you love? What is it that drives you? What is it that you enjoy for me? I was 23 years old. When I really found Goshen. I found it at a time when I was out of college, I was back. I was living at home. I was coaching and teaching at my high school in Atlanta. Holiness's. But I had a lot of free time on my hands and I felt a little bit like, you know, what am I doing? Am I, is this now the track I'm on for the next 60 years? And I remember one day I was in the basement and I came upstairs. I was probably sitting on the couch watching sports center and my father walked in and he gave me the best piece of advice I've ever been given. He looked me square in the eye and he said, stop feeling sorry for yourself and find someone to serve. That was like, Whoa. And I had fought Goshen off. I had fought it off. I didn't want to really work for him. I didn't really want to buy into what it was. And I kind of took it almost. Yeah. As most, he, he kind of almost as a threat, like, Hey Zach, get your act together. So I said, okay. So I started traveling with him up to the ranch and. When I got there, I found a bunch of boys who really loved to shoot hoops and throw the football. And I was like, wait, I love to shoot hoops. I love to throw the football. And I just started shooting hoops. And by the end of that summer, I had God's love in my life where he had taken me out of this basement, so to speak and brought me to a place where I had felt peace and purpose and really healing. Where I then went to my father. I said, I don't know what the role is, but I feel connected to this place because it met me where I was. And, you know, I've learned to kind of embrace burden. And for people that are out there saying, you know, how do I connect two things, allow your passion to fuel your purpose and embrace your burden. There's so much learning that can happen. When you feel alone, left out out of place to be connected to something else. And for me, a lot of that then happened over the next couple of years. On three occasions, I traveled in Nicaragua where I went to medical mission trips, and I am, I am the furthest thing from medical, but I'm a pretty, you know, I'm a tall, big guy and I was in charge of carrying the luggage with the medication from where the bus stopped. To where the village was. And remember that first trip. I was like, by the end of it, I was like, my back hurt. I was worn out. I was like, everyone's talking about how they've experienced God in their life. And I'm like, all I know is I need some Advil. And on that last day it was raining. I slipped, I fell, I had the luggage falls off my back and I'm sitting here on the ground and Robert I'm honest, man. I'm in the middle of nowhere in Nicaragua. And I see these donkeys kind of out on a pasture and it reminded me of, of Christ on a donkey headed to Jerusalem. And, you know, I knew that for that week, what I didn't realize is that I had had God kind of on my back and that he was using me to get from one place to the next. And then, you know, in a way it's kind of funny, but I was kind of the donkey and I was like, wow. And I've embraced that ever since, you know, I've, I've tried to stay humble in my work and I've tried to stay humble and how I lead. And I've tried to stay humble in how I connect and that's what I would want for people who are seeking that kind of connection, that kind of depth, the best place to start quite honestly, is our website, Goshen valley.org. You're going to get a lot of information about our agencies. You're going to get information around service States that are going to start to open up again. Second Saturday of every month, we're going to have people out of the ranch in the morning doing service work. Um, you're going to get information about what it would look like if you wanted to, um, have interest in learning about being a foster parent. We have monthly informational sessions that you can get information around and attend. If you like. And obviously information, if you feel led to support our work. Um, but find something that you're passionate. If it's not Goshen, find something that you're passionate about and allow that to drive your purpose.
Robert Tidwell:You are listening to the peach buzz, brought to you by a Tidwell's Strimban injury lawyers. And again, we are here with Goshen Valley, boys, ranch, CEO, Zach blend, as Zach. I loved the story that you just shared with us about your dad and his advice. And that resonated with me because, and I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. That was how I met your dad. Amen. Because I, you know, was a young attorney at the time was just starting up a practice, was taking my lumps, figuring things out and was just feeling kind of down in the doldrums and your dad, wasn't there to tell me that, but something in me said, Quit whining and go find somebody to serve. And that is literally what I went through in, you know, put together a small little project with some folks. And that was how I actually met your dad. And also how I met some other folks that were involved with the defects at the time on a couple of other projects. And he was absolutely right. It, um, nothing can make you feel better or get you out of a down spot. More so than finding somebody to serve and sort of like your, um, illustration of Nicaragua. I've always heard, it said I've not been fortunate. I've not had an opportunity yet to, uh, go on a active mission trip. I intend to one day Lord willing haven't happened yet, but I've always been told you, go on a mission trip thinking you're going to change someone's life. But it's actually your life that gets changed, man. And that's how my experience with Goshen has always been as well. And I would encourage folks if you are looking for an opportunity to get involved in something, be careful because if you go to Goshen, you're probably going to fall in love with it. And you're probably going to want to continue to serve there, but it is a great place. And the work you guys are doing is, is. Just fantastic. We're all grateful for what you guys are doing
Zach Blend:well, Robert, thank you for being such a committed member to our Cherokee community and for creating platforms like this for people like me to share. And, uh, I look forward to continuing our partnership and looking for ways to continue to strengthen Cherokee in the process I do as
Robert Tidwell:well. So the second Saturdays. Yeah. Um, can anybody, do you have to sign up on the website to show up or is this something you can just show up on Saturday morning? How does that work?
Zach Blend:Yeah, it's best if you sign up, it just, it gives us a chance to get a sense of how many people are going to be there so we can pray, uh, plan appropriately. Um, it is a dynamic where we feel comfortable with families, you know, attending, um, the kind of environment where you want to make sure, you know, you work with your family. Um, we don't have a bunch of kids just kind of running around the ranch. So yeah, it's intended to be very safe. It's very structured and, um, it's really, you know, kind of intended around the exposure. Here's the truth. Very few people ever have the opportunity to serve overseas or go on a mission trip. But if Goshen can be there Nicaragua, I feel that that's as much our mission as it is serving foster kids. So we try to create very intentional environments. Some of you are listening, you might have a business and you say, Hey, it'd be great to bring my coworkers up. And you might be a part of a small group. Um, maybe you're a part of a civic group. We specifically create intentional environments for those types of engagements and, and that can sometimes fall on a weekday as well. So, um, whether it be second Saturday through the website, whether it be reaching out, you know, about, um, another group that you might have interest in bringing up uniquely, uh, we welcome the chance, especially post pandemic to, uh, have people into and to put them to good work.
Robert Tidwell:All right. Now. No, none of this about you until a few minutes before we got started, this was one of the best stories I've heard in a while. You actually deejayed. I did a radio show in college.
Zach Blend:I did. Yeah. So I attended Rollins college, small private school in winter park, Florida and not far from Orlando. And, uh, yeah, that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to go into sports broadcasting when I was in high school. I loved sports, you know, very competitive. And that was kind of my vision. I worked for a guy named Matt Stewart when my senior year, you know, ahead of going down to Rollins where I was part of his crew. We get on a Turner field and, you know, I'd shoot tape and, you know, hold the camera. And I had this whole big vision and I get to Rollins. And the one slot they had available was the 12:00 AM to 2:00 PM, two nights a week. And the guy said, if you want it, you can do whatever you want with it. So personally for me at that time, and I enjoyed hip hop, um, outcast in particular. And I would have my little show from 12 to two. And I think the only people that listened were the guys that kind of lived in my pod yet around the dormitory. And, you know, my mother would go on the WPR K website and, and find it and she would listen, but, you know, I loved it. It was, uh, it was cool and it was kind of the direction I was headed in. And then like most, you know, 18 year olds, I joined a fraternity shortly thereafter and everything kind of went a little sideways, but, uh, you know, the opportunity now, you know, whether it be, you know, chances like this today, um, I love to kind of look back on those routes and, uh, the time I had in the studio for sure.
Robert Tidwell:That is awesome. I love that story. Like I said, best story I heard all week. All right. Great. Well, Zach, thank you enough for coming in today and it's been great chatting with you. And again, thank you so much for everything that Goshen is doing. Thank you for the lives that y'all are touching. Thank you for the impact that you're having. And thank you for recognizing a part of our community. That desperately needs to be loved on served and not just in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, but more so in a way that prepares these young men and women for life after their interaction with you. And just the success stories that I know of personally just speaks volumes to y'all's commitment to doing it the right way. And again, cannot thank you enough for that.
Zach Blend:Thank you, Robert. I'm excited to see how things go. Yeah. As far as the podcast, I'm excited for the people that you have lined up and the impact that this time with you will also, uh, mean to those that listen. So thank you for including me.
Robert Tidwell:All right. That has been the peach buzz brought to you by Tidwell's Strimban injury lawyers, and we will look forward to joining you next time.