Inside Richmond: The City's Pulse

Episode 18 - Inside Richmond: The City's Pulse | Building Community through “Make My Move” with Valerie Shaffer from EDC

• Kevin Shook • Episode 18

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Richmond, Indiana is redefining its future by investing in people. In this episode, Valerie Shaffer, President of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, joins host Lindsay Darnell and Mayor Ron Oler to talk about how the Make My Move program is attracting remote workers and skilled professionals with a $5,000 incentive, curated perks, and genuine community support.

We also hear from Kelley Meadows and Ry Penniman, two newcomers who left high-cost cities for lower expenses, shorter commutes, and a surprising mix of arts, parks, and locally owned restaurants. They share how life in Richmond feels calmer, more connected, and full of opportunity.

More than 30 new residents have already moved to Richmond through Make My Move, generating over $2.4 million in annual impact and even restoring historic homes in the Star District. The conversation highlights what truly helps people settle in, including coworking spaces to meet others quickly, Chamber involvement to plug into the business community, trial access to Forest Hills Country Club, and personalized welcome packages focused on arts, recreation, history, and fitness.

We also talk about the importance of housing and the developments underway, like Six Main, AP Development projects, and more than 100 new homes planned to support continued growth.

Kelley and Ry explain how the EDC team supported their move through virtual rental tours, personal introductions, and simple check-ins that made them feel seen. From evenings at the Richmond Symphony and long walks at Hayes Arboretum to a dog park where strangers become friends, they show how life here offers both calm and connection.

If you’re considering a move, this episode offers an honest look at what a welcoming city with real momentum can offer: affordability, opportunity, and a place to build a life.

For more information, visit https://whywaynecounty.com/
and to apply for Make My Move, go to https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/richmond-indiana

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome back to another episode of Inside Richmond The City's Pulse. I'm Lindsay Darnell, your host, and today we have Valerie Schaefer, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, and Mayor Ron Oler for the first part of this episode. Guys, thank you for joining me.

SPEAKER_03:

Glad to be here.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. So, Valerie, I wanted to get you on and talk about the initiative that you guys had started, Make My Move. So I have a few questions for you. What inspired the EDC of Wayne County to initiate Make My Move and what is Make My Move?

SPEAKER_04:

So, Make My Move is an initiative to recruit people to live in Wayne County. It started a couple of years ago. Make My Move has a national platform and they work on behalf of numerous communities across the United States. And Tulsa Remote was really the first big success story of recruiting remote workers to their community. And it's individuals who have a desire to move to a new place, a place with lower cost of living, and they're bringing their jobs with them. So finding a job is not a barrier to their relocation. And we started this as a way to try to stop our population loss. We've been declining in population since the 1970s, and we're doing a lot of work to improve upon our community. But Make My Move has an enormous marketing platform where they're reaching hundreds of thousands of individuals and promoting the quality of life here in Wayne County.

SPEAKER_02:

And I think that's very important that we need to stop the declining in our population. I have mentioned that a lot on several podcasts that's episodes that we've had. How has the initiative impacted the local economy and communities so far?

SPEAKER_04:

Well, in our first two contracts with Make My Move over the last two years, we have successfully recruited 30 remote workers and their families to Wayne County. That's resulted in 71 total individuals, 48 adults, and 23 children. The average personal income of our remote workers is$102,000 a year. And so they're bringing with them income that they're then they're spending in our local economy. They're buying homes, they're, you know, buying groceries and goods and services. And so all of that makes an impact in our local economy here.

SPEAKER_03:

And from the mayor's perspective, that's that's the key to all this, is they're bringing investment into Richmond. Um especially they move from a more expensive state to less expensive state. I know several bought multiple homes and fixed them up and resold them and just really bringing a lot of money and investment and new ideas into our city.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, right. I believe there are um there is a couple that purchased a house in the Star District and they have completely remodeled that home and brought it back to life in its historic state. Um so that's really amazing that they're able to come and and do that here in our community. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03:

Valer probably has a return on investment. The cost into this is very low compared to what we get back out of it.

SPEAKER_04:

Absolutely. Uh, make my move estimates that the annual economic impact for Wayne County is about$2.4 million a year of uh spending and utilizing goods and services. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, so what types of people or professionals are most drawn to relocate through this program?

SPEAKER_04:

Really, it's a wide variety of professionals. I was shocked at the variety of the types of jobs that individuals have who are moving here. So I wrote down a few, and um we have software developers, there's a talent acquisition specialist, about five different types of engineers. Um, there's both product and property managers, we have a telenurse, tech support, and an insurance adjuster, just to name a few. So pretty diverse types of jobs.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's great. Um, how do you determine which incentives and community features to promote for Make My Move?

SPEAKER_04:

So it was really a process as we were developing our incentive package. We were very much encouraged to have a cash incentive to offer. And so for us, that amount is$5,000. The mover receives$2,500 upon their relocation and providing proof of a lease or a purchase agreement for a home. And then once they've been here for a year and can demonstrate that they still live here, they receive the second installment of$2,500. Okay. But in addition to that, it was important for us to offer incentives that help the movers get involved in the community and experience what we have to offer. So every mover has access to the Main Street Resource Center, which is also a co-working space so they can meet other coworkers in the community. They also receive a one-year membership to the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce, and that gets them access to numerous meetings and events throughout the community to try to meet new business leaders and find friends within the community, essentially. They also receive one-month membership to Forest Hills Country Club to go and try that out and see if that's something that they may be interested in. And then we have five different packages that they can choose from. And we wanted it to be diverse to appeal to a variety of interests. So we have an arts package, a history package, an outdoor recreation package, and a fitness package that they can choose from. And that gives them access to various um museums and events, um memberships throughout the community so that they can get out and enjoy what we have to offer.

SPEAKER_03:

And I think that is a great idea. It's a great offering because it's not one size fits all. We don't want to assume we know what they want when they come to the community, other than they want to live here. So let's put a good package that matches their needs.

SPEAKER_02:

Right. And I agree. And I, you know, I hear a lot of people all the time saying there's nothing to do in Richmond, but there really is. I mean, there is so many events that are specific to arts, or, you know, we have the symphony orchestra here that a lot of people just don't remember that we still have. Uh we have museums, we have the Wayne County Historic Museum, we have the Joseph Moore Museum. Um, you know, there is so much to do here in Richmond. You just have to kind of know where to look to find these events. Um, so which partnerships with either schools, employers, realtors have been most valuable in supporting newcomers?

SPEAKER_04:

Our local real estate community has been amazing throughout this process. You know, they're really an extension of our ambassador network helping to provide tours of the community. And obviously, for those movers who are looking to buy a home, um, they do more than just tour homes. They really help them understand all the benefits of the communities and the neighborhoods that they're looking in. But outside of that, I would say that our nonprofit organizations have been tremendous partners because as we've created all of these various packages, they're the ones that are donating tickets to the Symphony, memberships to the Art Museum, Historical Museum, Joseph Moore Museum. Uh, the City of Richmond has been fantastic in offering uh memberships to Highland Golf Course and the Municipal for the summer. So we really appreciate all of the buy-in from our partner organizations who are willing to donate memberships and tickets so that it reduces the overall cost to the community.

SPEAKER_02:

And it really is a team effort to get people to get here, move here, and then to actually enjoy living here.

SPEAKER_03:

It's a community-wide we have a community-wide effort, and it's not just a city, the county's involved too. So the city and county partnered on this through the funding several years ago, and that's hugely important. And some have chosen to move into the city, some have moved into the county, and there's just opportunities everywhere for everyone.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, so Valerie, how do you measure success through applications, retention, engagement, or another metric?

SPEAKER_04:

Well, initially we measure success by the number of individuals that are relocating here, um, the income that they bring, but also the trailing spouses and partners and some adult children who are entering our workforce. That's incredibly important as well. But overall, we're really measuring success by the retention. We don't want individuals to just come here for one year. You know, we're making a significant investment in this program and spending a lot of time on it, and we want to make sure that they're here for the long term.

SPEAKER_03:

And as I recall, several people came in for the first year or two just renting and converted to home ownership, correct?

SPEAKER_04:

That is correct. Several, after they've been here for a year, they're finding a home to buy. So we love those stories because that's planning more routes here in the community.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um, what have been the biggest lessons learned or surprises since launching the program?

SPEAKER_04:

So from the very onset, my biggest concern was the availability of housing throughout the county. We know from our housing study we have a shortage of quality housing units in the community. And I was worried about movers' ability to find the housing that matched their needs. And that has been an issue throughout this program. Um, but throughout the process, um, movers who really wanted to move here, they just remained patient and waited for the right home to come on the market or the right home to come up for rent. Our team has done virtual tours of homes so that our movers could see it because in the rental market, things get leased up very quickly. And so as new homes came on the market, we'd go out, do a virtual tour for them. And a few instances led to them signing a lease, not having actually been to the home. So housing has been a challenge, but it really wasn't a surprise to me.

SPEAKER_02:

Right. And hopefully, here within the next couple of years, we won't have that issue. Uh, six Main has really shot up. I mean, I don't know if everyone's drove by, but they are really moving on getting that up and built. Um, it's really amazing to watch right here in our downtown. And then with the five homes that AP Development has uh went ahead and purchased, and they're gonna be getting, I believe it's around 100 apartments throughout the five buildings. Yes, that's correct.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, so we'll have over 250 apartment units downtown. Um we have about a little over a hundred new homes in the pipeline to be built through our housing accelerator program combined with uh a Vale neighborhood uh new housing project that we're working on that we'll be announcing in the coming days.

SPEAKER_03:

So we are really a lot of exciting things happening, especially on housing. Yes, coming in as a new mayor last year. Focus has been a hundred percent on housing. Always putting public safety first, but any free time we have are working on housing projects because we realize that's the gap to get people to stay here and even move here. Absolutely.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh what in what ways have local businesses or organizations benefited from new residents? I know we kind of talked about they're bringing their income here, they're spending money here. So I I, you know, I know that they're really um doing that and putting money into our community.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, that in addition to bringing their trailing spouses and a few adult children to enter the workforce. But in addition to that, um, I've heard of a couple circumstances where movers are volunteering, they're getting engaged. Um, I know one mover, um, thanks to the uh arts package, they receive tickets to Richmond Civic Theater. And as a result, they're volunteering at the theater. So, you know, as they learn more about the community, they're starting to get engaged. And so I think the longer the here, the more they're here, the more that will happen, and then the more benefits we'll receive from that.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um, and then how do you help ensure newcomers feel connected and supported once they arrive? I know we talked about the packages, but are you guys there and available for the newcomers and kind of help them find their way around?

SPEAKER_04:

Absolutely. The EDC team really stresses that we're their support network. And so if whatever their need is, whatever their question is, we encourage them to reach out to us and we will help make those necessary connections for them. One of my team members checks in with movers periodically after they relocate. And then, of course, we have that check-in after the one-year period as well. Um, some movers take us up on that offer, they they call us, they email us and ask for information or guidance. Others really just don't need support and quite frankly, don't want to be that engaged with us. So it just varies from person to person.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. And then what is the next um initiative? Any plans for expansion or new features on Make My Move?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, so we have just launched a new initiative with Make My Move, where we have a new goal of 20 additional uh movers to come to Wayne County. But this is a little different than just focusing on remote workers. Make my move is now marketing to job seekers as well. So an individual who lives out of state, they can apply to Make My Move, look for a local job. Once they secure that local job, then they are a qualified candidate and can be eligible for the entire package.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

So we're getting ready to launch a series of virtual presentations with our employers across Wayne County to share this news with them so they understand how they can utilize it and help with their recruitment efforts for out-of-state individuals and their families.

SPEAKER_02:

And will this still be the$5,000,$2,500 when they get here and provide a lease and then a year after?

SPEAKER_04:

Yes, we're keeping all the parameters the same so it's easy to market, but it's also easy for us to manage.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, no, that's wonderful. I think you guys are doing amazing things. Um, it's not just the make my move, but you are very involved in bringing in businesses as well, right?

SPEAKER_04:

Absolutely. That's really still remains the core of what the EDC was established for is for business development. So supporting our existing businesses while also uh marketing promoting outside of Wayne County to bring new investment here. Uh, but with that, we have to have a great uh quality of place so that businesses know they can find the talent they need. And so that's where we've been branching out into downtown development, housing development, talent attraction, and recruitment because it all works hand in hand.

SPEAKER_03:

Right, because if we're going to be successful and rebirth or revitalize our entire city, we have to take a holistic approach to everything.

SPEAKER_04:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03:

All the way down to maintaining the streets. Everything has to be on top.

SPEAKER_02:

So I just want to ask the both of you if you had one message that you could give to a potential mover about Richmond or Wayne County, what would that message be? I'll go with Mayor first.

SPEAKER_03:

Come and check us out. Drive in, fly in, spend a weekend, spend a week, get connected, see all the things we have to offer, see our natural resources, tour the parks, walk the gorge, um, just come and come and visit. And I think you'll like what you see. The closeness to three major international airports, closeness to some of the largest cities in the country within a half a day drive. What more what more could you want?

SPEAKER_04:

Gateway to Indiana. Yes. I think that was 10 things, Mayor.

SPEAKER_03:

Probably is. I can come up with 20 more.

SPEAKER_04:

Um, I would say that they will find that Wayne County is a very welcoming community. We hear that time and time again from our movers that they're surprised with how engaging individuals are, how nice everyone is, and that our hospitality is just top-notch. So if they want a welcoming community where they can really get engaged and involved and um become a part of the community very quickly, um, we are a location they should consider.

SPEAKER_02:

I agree. Valerie Mayor, thank you for coming on and talking about this initiative that you guys have generously put on to help our population. Um, so up next, we have two movers going to join us.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you. Discover the voices and stories driving Richmond forward. Inside Richmond, the city's pulse brings real conversations with local leaders and change makers. Watch on YouTube or listen on Bus Route, Apple, Spotify, and every podcast platform.

SPEAKER_02:

So now I have Kelly Meadows and Rye Penneman. They are Make My Move participants. Guys, thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, you're very welcome. Yeah, so I really wanted to get you guys on here to kind of just talk about your experience with Make My Move, moving to Richmond. So I'll get right down to it. Um, we'll start with Rye. Where did you move from and what inspired you to choose Wayne County?

SPEAKER_01:

So my wife Mari and I moved from Chicagoland, about an hour north of the city. Uh, after kind of doing a Midwest tour, we had both moved a lot for work. Uh, we had lived in Columbus, Cincinnati, then Chicagoland. Um, so just kind of going wherever the work was. And uh shortly before the move, we were both made remote. And my mother-in-law, who lives here in Richmond, had let us know about the Make My Move program around the same time. We had been seeing a lot of buzz online about such programs. So very serendipitously, we were both able to go remote and then found out about that program kind of at the same time. So that's kind of meant to be.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, kind of like a no-brainer, huh? What about you, Kelly?

SPEAKER_05:

Uh well, in uh August of 22, I was hired into my current role as fully remote. Um, and I knew I wanted to leave Texas because I cannot stand the heat. Um I and just the culture wasn't the right fit for me. Um so I knew I wanted to move somewhere that I wasn't going to be super, super hot, even with, you know, climate change and all that. Uh and I knew I wanted somewhere with a low cost of living because my salary was going to be the same no matter where I wound up. Um I I actually saw an advertisement for Make My Move on Facebook, and I was like, oh, uh let's try that. Uh looked at uh the various cities, planned out a uh road trip with my younger brother going to check out various areas and fell in love with uh being here in Richmond because it's a uh it's a small city, but it's got a small town feel to it. Uh and the people that I met here were really nice, and I loved the dog park.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. We did hear from you. How did you first hear about make my move? Actually, we heard from both of you, Facebook, and then your mother-in-law. Um, so what stood out to you about Richmond or Wayne County when you were researching places to live, Ray?

SPEAKER_01:

So Kelly just mentioned the the small town feel, uh, which is something that was but very important to both my wife and I, um, but really does have some of those access to the bigger city amenities. Um, really, in a lot of ways, it felt like coming home. Uh, both Mari and I grew up in smaller towns. Um, and after having lived in so many big cities, it was nice to come back to somewhere with a slower pace, um, but still the ability to go and do any of those things, being equidistant from three major cities and really having so much in Richmond itself. Uh, you don't really need to leave, but if you feel like you can or you need to, you can.

SPEAKER_02:

So um quick question, this isn't what I've had you guys uh look over, but after coming here, were you guys surprised about all of the events that actually do go on, the museums, the history of Richmond?

SPEAKER_05:

Uh I was somewhat surprised with the number of events, but that more happened uh after I got married because my husband now husband is a local. Uh I actually met him after I moved in at the uh at the dog park. And uh he loves going to all the events and especially taking our dogs to the events. They get so much attention.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so I bet. What about you?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, absolutely. We we knew Richmond had a vibrant community, but we've been absolutely blown away by how busy our social calendars are now. It's really quite remarkable uh from the events that they do downtown to the symphony to uh events just this last weekend. We were at an event at his arboretum where they were going over their 15-year plan, uh which looks very exciting, uh, to events at uh Forest Hills, the country club here. Uh there's always something going on there. Um so yes, it it certainly keeps us busy.

SPEAKER_02:

So, how long have the both of you lived here? I know you said 2022. When did you move here?

SPEAKER_05:

No, sorry. My my job I got in 2022. Okay. I I moved here in March of 24.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. So a little over a year, almost two years.

SPEAKER_01:

It'll be two years for us this January.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. So um tell us, uh, you came from Texas. How was your experience with the relocation process? Was it smooth? Uh yes and no.

SPEAKER_05:

Okay. Um, so I had a bit of hiccup, bit of a hiccup with housing where uh a home that I had thought that I was a shoe in, I was not actually qualified for. Uh so I actually wound up having to have um an uh I think it was someone from the Wayne County Economic Development Council uh helped me with uh finding a replacement home. She actually went out to the location to live stream a video for me, going like, okay, this is the the replacement place you're looking at. You know, here's uh uh let me show you as I'm walking along. Oh, I see, you know, this potential issue with the fence for your dogs and and you know, all of that. But I am extremely happy with the place that we moved into. And aside from that one hiccup with housing, I I've honestly it was actually pretty, uh, pretty easy, uh straightforward at least.

SPEAKER_02:

I what about you? Was it an easy move for you or was it kind of difficult?

SPEAKER_01:

No, I'd say it was really quite easy. Um, definitely the the Make My Move program helped. Um everyone at uh the Economic Development Corporation was very helpful. Um and not just throughout the move, but also when we landed here, we found that everyone at EDC very much seemed to care about us being successful here, not just being successful in the move. Um, you know, both through the programs that were offered, the way that they've helped us connect with the community. Uh it's really been quite wonderful.

SPEAKER_02:

So they really have been a big help. I know they are great. I love all the girls down there. What resources, people, or programs helped make your transition easier?

SPEAKER_05:

Uh I I mean, it's difficult to understate how helpful the uh Economic Development Council was, uh, even though I think they feel like they had kind of a light touch in the process. Uh if it wasn't for them, I would have had a much more difficult time uh securing housing. Um and I in terms of just getting plugged in, uh I think that the uh again, the dog park is where I made most of my new friends. Um and uh the uh I uh the owner of the Two Sisters bookshop. Okay, uh I spoke with her a bit uh before and during my move in and got the lowdown from her on you know certain events and you know what have you, and some recommendations and that really helped getting uh helped me with getting started. So I would definitely uh I recommend anyone who's moving up there to make a stop by there, say hi, get a few books, and you know, ask a few questions.

SPEAKER_01:

We haven't been there yet, we'll have to check it out. Both my wife and I are big readers.

SPEAKER_05:

So oh, yeah, and it's I've it's so eclectic, it's so lovely.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, yeah, I like going in there and looking around too. I love to read. Um, what advice would you give to someone considering moving through this program?

SPEAKER_01:

I would say for our part, definitely take advantage of the various options that are offered in the Make My Move package. Um, that was something that really helped us connect with the community here. And uh both my wife and I are homebodies, being that we both work from home, we're both pretty happy being at home. Um, but this really got us kind of out of our comfort zone. We did take advantage of the opportunity for a trial membership with the country club, which we ended up joining. Uh, we've made some wonderful friends there, so that's been really fantastic. Um, one of the other things that was offered was a season ticket pass to the symphony, uh, which we've since renewed and purchased season tickets to the symphony this time around. Um so yeah, I would just say get out there, experience the things that are here. Um Hayes Arboretum is another wonderful place in town. Um, you know, if you need to get out and enjoy nature, uh they have some incredible trails there. So there's just so many things to experience here. So yeah, I would say definitely get out and um take advantage of all of those things that are offered because it really, really does connect you to the wonderful community here.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. So let's talk about life in Wayne County. Uh, what do you love most about living here so far? What is your absolute favorite thing? We'll start with you, Kelly.

SPEAKER_05:

I mean, honestly, for me, my favorite thing is the low cost of living because uh compared to you know, uh the Austin area where I came from, um I can afford to do so much more here. You know, not only are the prices of you know events and that sort of thing much cheaper, often, you know, free with I but uh I also have more room in my budget to do those events. And in fact, moving from Austin to here freed up so much room in my budget that even with all the inflation, I wasn't even really feeling it until recently. Right. Uh just because things are in general much cheaper here than there. So if you manage to move from a uh higher cost of living area, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at just how far your budget stretches and just how how much you can afford to do and not worry nearly as much about finances.

SPEAKER_02:

Um how have you gotten involved in the community? Any favorite local spots, events, or organizations?

SPEAKER_01:

I would say for our part, there's there's a few organizations that I did mention one is the the Arboretum. We did join over there and I'd love spending time there, uh the country club as well. Um our favorite local spots are we we love to eat out here. Um and that's one of the things that's just been really amazing about here is how much good food there is for such a small town. Um there's so many international options from Gulzars to now Twist Indio. So we have two Indian places. Uh we've got some great Mexican food. El Triboll just down the street is fantastic. We have a Japanese restaurant in Yamato, uh, which is really good Japanese food, by the way. Um so you know, that that's one of the things that's been our favorite things to do is just, you know, get out and experience all these great places around town, which uh, you know, having lived in so many big cities, it really rivals the options that are available in big cities, and you can get there quickly. You know, we're we've gotten totally spoiled on the fact that you can get pretty much everywhere in town in five to ten minutes.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So yeah, it's been really great.

SPEAKER_02:

I will say that um that's why I have not left, is you know, I've traveled a lot, um, but I really do love the smallness of this, even though it is a city, um, it does have that small town vibe. Um, so that's one thing that I really do love about living here. What's something unique or unexpected about Richmond or Wayne County that stood out to you?

SPEAKER_05:

I mean, what stood out to me the most uh beside all the other, you know, low cost of living options that I was looking at was the dog park. Uh Hills Dog Food is uh I think they have a factory not too far from here. And they sponsor a really nice, really big dog park. So you can just bring your dogs over, and if they're well behaved, you can you know let them off leash and just let them run. And I swear, you can sit down and have a conversation for half an hour or an hour or or two if you want to stay there that long. And just Your dogs will love it. They they will be running all around. They will be wrestling. They will be uh some of them check out the uh little mini obstacles that are uh placed in the middle, but it's generally kept very well. And there's, you know, there's uh I uh water fountains there, both for the people and for the dogs, so that nobody uh Nobody's getting dehydrated.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um so tell me uh uh something unique or unexpected about Richmond or Wayne County that stood out to you, Ray?

SPEAKER_01:

I would say it has to be the symphony. The symphony has just been so amazing. For a town this size to have access to something like that is pretty unprecedented. Um the arrangements that Maestro Lupera curates uh are just fantastic. Um and the talent that we're able to pull in at that symphony is is just amazing. Um I think upcoming, there's gonna be a night at the movies, so they'll be playing arrangements from uh various films. Um they're doing a lot of the classics this year. Um so yeah, that's that's just been something that's been absolutely wonderful about uh a place like this to have access to something like the symphony has just been incredible and totally a wonderful surprise.

SPEAKER_02:

I agree. Um, how would you describe Wayne County to someone who's never been here before?

SPEAKER_05:

I mean, just going off our prior answers, I've I've medium to big city resources, small town feel, uh very friendly with unexpected levels of amenities and a great cost of living. I and I know that I well, one thing that my mother-in-law doesn't like about the city is oh, there's you know, too much crime. But if you look at it, it's not the kind of crime that really scares me, and it's way off from what you'd find in a big city, and it's you know, certain neighborhoods are uh uh have a lot less than others. So honestly, it's overall an extremely good value. Uh and I'm just very, very happy here. Again, you know, if I if I didn't have to move, I wouldn't be moving. I and I do intend to move back as soon as it's practical, you know, as soon as I can get back into remote work. But of course, it's not really feasible to do that for the first year of a new career. And yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And what are you most looking forward to as you continue to build your life here, Rye?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm just looking forward to everything that's happening in Richmond. It's really amazing to see what's happening in the town with revitalized Richmond. Um, the way that downtown is coming back is so cool to see. Um, you know, just next door, the Reedmore building has been revamped. There's new apartments going in, new restaurants opening up. Um, so just really excited to see where the city goes. Um, you know, I mentioned earlier Hayes Arboretum's developing their 15-year plan. Um, so I'm just excited to see the city grow. Um, it's such a vibrant community. There's such wonderful people here. Um, so yeah, I'm I'm just excited to see where the city goes and uh grow with it.

SPEAKER_02:

Great. You guys, I want to thank you so much for joining me and just helping get this message this message out. You know, Richmond really is a great place to live. There's a lot of resources here, and it's welcoming, it's friendly, and we are building it up. We are really investing in our future here.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. That's it for this episode. Make sure to join us next time.