Monthly Archives: July 2024

#CougCounties

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I learned a lot about our state over the past 20 weeks. 🧐

Yesterday, our #CougCounties organic social media campaign concluded when we featured Whatcom County. The final post of the campaign followed Washington State University alumna Meg List to Birch Bay, a chill beach-side community. This concluding post was the 40th feature of the campaign as we successfully spotlighted all 39 counties in the state of Washington plus the Colville Reservation.

Our #CougCounties campaign ended yesterday with Megan List in Whatcom County.

But first, let me back up. #CougCounties was born at the beginning of November 2023 when I summoned some of the most creative minds in our University Marketing and Communications department to pitch the concept. Detailing my vision via a Powerpoint presentation and creative brief, I outlined a campaign that would use Cougs across the state to highlight each Washington county in a creative and engaging way.

#CougCounties was a very successful organic campaign that debuted in February and wrapped up yesterday.

Thankfully, my team liked it and promised to support the campaign any way they could.

This was the gist: A volunteer or “rep” would be designated for all 39 counties in Washington and the Colville Reservation. Each rep would then be mailed an exclusive #CougCounties t-shirt. From there, the rep would throw on the t-shirt and go to a point of interest or landmark in their county and take photos. The images would then be sent to us along with some info and we would finesse it into social media posts and deploy them strategically over the course of 20 weeks.

A look at the format of each #CougCounties post. Thanks for Madeline Wetch for representing Yakima County.

It worked! Thanks to our design team, we had a sharp campaign logo and t-shirt design ready by December. Once the new year arrived, our t-shirt shipment arrived. By the middle of the month we announced the campaign and asked for county “reps” to volunteer. The response was overwhelming. The second half of January was spent shipping out the 40 t-shirts. Once February kicked off, content started trickling in. On Feb. 26, 2024, #CougCounties officially debuted with Adams County. All it took was that first post to know that we were onto something.

As mentioned, Adams County led off the #CougCounties campaign. Kyle Niehenke started it off by taking us to the Coug Shed.

For the next five months, two counties would be featured each week—one on Monday and one on Thursday. We moved through the counties alphabetically as the posts were published on our WSU Facebook, LinkedIn, and X accounts. The consistent structure of the campaign combined with the anticipation of where the next rep would go captured the engagement and imagination of our audience.

The #CougCounties logo served as the front of the shirt. This design is what was screened on the back.

What also made the campaign fun was the diverse nature of our reps. #WSU students, staff, alumni, and fans all participated. #CougCounties was open to everyone and we definitely captured a vibrant sample of our Coug community.

We even had #FutureCoug students participate. Devin Bobbett, who will begin classes on the WSU Pullman campus this fall, represented King County. He went to Kerry Park on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill.

As mentioned, it was up to the reps to decide where at in their counties they would take their photos. We encouraged them to snap numerous images and we made every effort to include as many of them in the post as possible. In addition to the images, each post was accompanied with three sections of snackable info. After the rep was introduced, we gave background info on the county itself. We described its geographic location in the state, when it was founded, what made it unique, and the county seat/largest city. Next we focused on the landmark that the rep visited. We provided its history, current usage, and other fun facts. We then concluded by shining the spotlight on the rep. After explaining how they were connected to WSU, we included a short quote straight from the person about what WSU meant to them.

You can get a better idea for how the copy was organized in each post by reading the feature we did on #WSU alumna Debbie Galbraith of Skagit County.

Thanks to #CougCounties, we went to some really neat places in our state. Lighthouses, theaters, statues, train depots, bridges, and museums were all popular places that reps proudly showcased in their respective counties. Other spots included an old schoolhouse, award-winning candy store, historical airport, and mountain trail. My personal favorites? I really enjoyed the Wild Horse Monument in Grant County, the replica Stonehenge in Klickitat County, and the Cedar Creek Gist Mill in Clark County. You also can’t forget about the eclectic spots such as Christmastown USA in Mason County, the squirrel statue in Cowlitz County, and the Stonerose Fossil Dig in Ferry County.

Numerous county reps went to lighthouses. This is WSU Pullman student and Pierce County rep Kyla Klym who went to Brown Point Lighthouse in Commencement Bay.

But instead of me using words to describe all the fabulous content, just tap here so you can see photos of all 40 locations yourself.

This is one of many awesome photos that Grant County rep Troy Franzen sent us when he visited the Wild Horse Monument.

The #CougCounties campaign was a smash hit. All posts received engagement way above benchmarks and numerous times people broke through social media to tell our UMC team in-person that they really enjoyed #CougCounties. The WSU Insider even did a story on it.

#WSU alumna and Pend Oreille County Ashley Dana showed us around the Pend Oreille River.

Of course, at the end of the day, the success of #CougCounties rests entirely on the shoulders of our reps. They answered the call and delivered the content. Thanks to them, we were able to paint our Washington counties crimson! What a blast it was. Don’t Blink.

Dealing With Butler

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It is well past midnight but I have little interest in sleep right now. Ever since news spread this afternoon at my nephew’s birthday party about the incident in Butler, I have been glued to coverage nonstop.

For me, this isn’t a political thing. Instead, it is just really sad and surreal. What happened today shook me up. I have talked to my wife and dad a lot about it. When chatting with Sid, I told her the last time I felt such an unsettling feeling was the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

Of course the massacre seven years ago was much more heinous when it comes to bloodshed, but I think both incidents share that same sense of helplessness that has me so bothered.

The event in Pennsylvania should have been secure—or at least that is the notion that most of us believe…perhaps erroneously. For someone to have the window to shoot down on a large gathering of people is something that legitimately keeps me up at night.

Speaking of being kept up at night, there are two big things that have swirled around in my head all day…

First, I think of the violent death that missed Donald Trump by literally millimeters. A weakness in my stomach festers when I think how close it came to a bloody death of decapitation. To ponder that my children would be exposed to that gruesome clip for the rest of their lives makes me sick.

Second, I think of the innocent victim who did meet the death that Trump so narrowly escaped. A dude went to a rally and was killed when bullets rained down from the sky. His family witnessed his unimaginable death. During the 2016 presidential election season, Sidney and I went to multiple Democrat and Republican rallies (South Carolina is a primary hotbed) and I never thought once that the possibility existed that one of us might not come home.

Again, I am not entertaining any political angle, advantage, or conspiracy theory from today. The only thing I am doing is PRAYING that Joe Biden and Donald Trump AND everyone else who decides to take part in the political process—whether that be by attending a rally, working for a campaign, or covering a race—remains safe. While I am at it, I also ask you to join me in praying for complete safety and peace at the Summer Olympics that begin later this month.

Let us pray hard for peace for the remainder of this election season.

It is going to be a long four months, folks. May this bitterly contested presidential race abandon violence and hatred and instead embrace peace and civility. Don’t Blink.

Saddle Up Thursday Rundown

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I am sure everyone is craving a Thursday Rundown after being deprived last week because of the Fourth of July holiday. Well, your hunger for five random and insignificant topics is about to be fed. Here we go…

Post Falls Horse – More than six years ago, I wrote about my personal allure to coin-operated rides that you don’t seem to see as much anymore. This past weekend we found a coin-operated horse outside of a random Post Falls, Idaho, convenient store. It looked like it had been very well-used over the years.

Sloan saddles up on a coin-operated horse at a random Post Falls convenient store.

Fun Photos – With Beau (and Sloan for that matter) back at St. Paschal’s for the summer educare program, it means more backdrop photos that brighten my day. This firework-themed photo was taken this week and although many were taken I had to choose the one of Beau being Beau.

I love the photos that St. Paschal’s educare program takes of the kids.

Work Ice Cream Social – It seemed only appropriate that I attended an ice cream social on the hottest day of the year. Yesterday I was in Pullman for my once-per-week day in the office and to also attend our University Marketing and Communications ice cream social. The ice cream came from Ferdinand’s in the form of a grabber (ice cream cookie sandwich). As always, it was great to see everyone and catch up. But oh man, the Apple Cup Crisp ice cream flavor is so delicious!

Because of the intense heat, we had our ice cream social inside. I was stoked that my Ferdinand’s grabber had my name on it!

Free Slurpee Day – From one summer treat to another, my parents celebrated Free Slurpee Day with Sloan, Beau, cousin Mikayla, and cousin John by taking them to their local 7-Eleven. The convenience store giant celebrates its birthday on July 11 every year by treating each customer to a free small Slurpee. In theory it is a lovely promotion but I have never known a kid who could drink/eat/slurp a Slurpee without making a mess (simply look at Sloan’s shirt in this photo). Happy 97th birthday, 7-Eleven!

Beau and Sloan hold their free Slurpees right outside of my parents’ local 7-Eleven earlier today.

Fear No Evil – All I can say is that Sloan is doing much better with her summer reading program than yours truly because this book took me an embarrassingly long time to read. But “Fear No Evil” was the first James Patterson book I have read and to be honest, it might be the only one. Perhaps the extended length of time it took me to finish the novel was partially because of my interest level. Even though the book was fast paced with a Mexican drug cartel, a rogue vigilante ex-law enforcement squad, and a massive amount of violence it was never a page-turner for me.

I recently finished “Fear No Evil” by James Patterson.

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That will wrap up tonight’s rundown. I think today was the first day this week that didn’t eclipse the three-digit Fahrenheit mark so maybe we are headed to a slightly cooler weekend? We shall see. Drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen, friends. Don’t Blink.

Simple Compassion

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On this date two years ago, I came across the below social media post. As was eloquently conveyed, the Reddit user who responded to the thread displayed commendable compassion and kindness.

I appreciated the perspective and message from this social media post.

Coincidentally, on this date 10 years ago, I wrote about a different sandwich franchise that implemented an anxiety-free ordering system. When I lived in the South, I always enjoyed picking up a sandwich at Which Wich. This particular place offered fresh, delicious food via a unique approach to ordering.

When you walked into Which Wich, you would arrive at a table that had brown sandwich bags in differing sizes. Based on the size of sandwich you wanted, you would select the appropriate bag and then pick up a Sharpie. You would then use the pen to make choices on the bag. By checking boxes, you would select your bread type, veggies, meats, condiments, etc. From there you would hand the bag to an employee and they would make your sandwich exactly how you specified it. No need to “go down the line” directing a “sandwich artist” on how you wanted your sub made.

This is what a Which Wich bag looks like.

Of course Which Wich’s ordering model is no longer as unique as it once was. Every restaurant chain, including Subway, now has online ordering where you can build your meal with extreme specificity that doesn’t require a single word to be uttered.

Still, I understand the Reddit poster’s apprehension at making a traditional in-person order at Subway. Sometimes processes and choices can be overwhelming, especially in an environment with lines and crowds. In college I had a friend who was discouraged from going to the gym because of the sometimes burdensome and anxiety-ridden process of swiping your student card and punching in an ID number.

We need to be understanding that things some of us think as simple–like ordering a Subway sandwich–can be challenging to others.

The point is that we should be understanding of those who suffer from anxiety and the societal processes that exasperate it. Refraining from judgment and streamlining should always be goals. Don’t Blink.

Manatee Memories

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When Sidney and I went on our honeymoon in Cancun, the item at the top of my wife’s to-do list was to swim with the dolphins. Sure enough, in the middle of our trip we found ourselves on an island many miles away from the resort swimming with a pod of dolphins. But believe it or not, it was another species of mammals that stole Sidney’s heart…

A photo of me with a dolphin while in Mexico.

The package we bought included more than just a dip with dolphins. After we finished that session, we jumped in some pretty murky waters with manatees. It was shortly before this encounter that I even knew what a manatee was and now I found myself swimming with the animals. To be honest, I wasn’t too impressed with these large, awkward “sea cows” but Sidney sure was. She thought they were super cute and gentle. Their underdog demeanor compared to the diva dolphins won her over.

Sidney’s dream to swim with the dolphins came true but a different animal would win her heart.

Last night, I read a book titled “Saving Manatees” with the kids. Although I characterized them as “sea cows” above, the opening paragraph of the book used different animals to describe a manatee: A manatee is like nothing you’ve ever seen. You may see it as a hodgepodge of animals, but a manatee is a unique creature. Close up, manatees have the whiskers of a walrus, the eyes of a mole, the wrinkles and toenails of an elephant, tail of a beaver, and the gentle nature of a sloth.

We read “Saving Manatees” by Stephen R. Swinburne last night.

After that description, Sloan was hooked!

We learned that manatees spend six to eight hours a day eating as they sometimes consume more than 100 pounds of water plants in a day. It was brought to our attention that Columbus believed manatees to be mermaids. The author explained that manatees can live to 60 but many die before they even turn 10. The reason? Of all manatee deaths in Florida, 30% are caused by watercraft collisions. Manatees grow quickly from starting off as a three-foot, 66-pound baby and ballooning to an eight-foot, 550-pound youngster in just two years.

With Sloan so amazed at these gentle giants of the sea, it was fun to tell her that Sid and I had actually swam with them before. We told her about petting them and feeding them lettuce. We described how they had algae growing on their backs and the funny sounds they made. It was nice to reminisce.

I am still not a huge manatee fun but I appreciated yet another example of a book opening up Sloan’s imagination and allowing me to relate the subject matter to a close-to-home real life example. Don’t Blink.

2024 Independence Day Weekend

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Let me catch my breath because it was a hot, fun, and memorable Fourth of July weekend. In fact, I am sure it packed more energy than even the craziest fireworks package you spent way too much money on. So, if you are interested, let me roll back the past four days for the Reser Fam…

We had an awesome Fourth of July weekend. This photo was taken inside River Park Square in Spokane as we made our way to Riverfront Park on July 4, 2024.

Explosive July 4 – I think it was the busiest Fourth of July I have ever been part of. We woke up on Thursday morning and drove out to Coeur d’Alene for the community’s Fourth of July parade. It was the first Independence Day parade I have ever witnessed in-person and it didn’t disappoint as it put us in an authentic red, white, and blue spirit for the rest of the day. We then left Idaho and drove back to Spokane where we visited Riverfront Park. A traveling carnival had set up shop near the Looff Carrousel that extended to the red wagon playground. I cringed at the ticket ride prices but because it was a holiday I allowed Sloan and Beau to have fun on several of the attractions.

We spent the Fourth of July morning at a parade and a carnival.

From Riverfront Park we headed out to my parents’ house in north Spokane for a Fourth of July cookout. In addition to my siblings and their families in attendance, our friends, Dylan and Fidela, also joined us. It was such a good vibe as we enjoyed each other’s company and celebrated America’s birthday the right way. After the cookout we drove to Pavillion Park for fireworks. We re-joined Dylan and Fidela and ate freeze pops as we waited for the show. At a little before 10 p.m. the pyrotechnic arrangement started as brilliant colors and effects filled the sky. The perfect way to cap an amazing Fourth of July!

Our Fourth of July afternoon/evening was a lot of fun. We had a cookout at my parents’ house and then we headed to Pavillion Park for fireworks.

Chill July 5 – Needing to recover just a bit after a jam-packed Fourth of July, we took it pretty easy. Our main event was spending the late morning/early afternoon at the Southside Aquatic Center. This place is our favorite pool/water park in our region and we enjoyed taking a few hours to just splash in the water and go down some slides. After we finished up we cooled off with a round of Italian sodas.

We spent time at the Southside Aquatic Center on July 5.

Wet July 6 – I have written before about the sparkling pool oasis owned by Ms. Kathy, the longtime next door neighbor of my parents. Well, on Saturday, we had her entire pool to ourselves as we visited for our own private swim session. Sloan had a blast jumping off the diving board and flying down the slide while Beau played with toys on the pool steps. We later ventured to Q’emlin State Park in Post Falls, Idaho. This beach area was great for the whole family. Sloan swam in the water, Beau built sand castles, I sipped refreshing beverages, and Sid relaxed in her beach chair. Afterwards we had a family dinner at Red Robin.

Our Saturday of the Fourth of July weekend was spent at a private pool and Q’emlin State Park.

Restful July 7 – After three days of sun, fun, and water, we tried to take it easy for the final day of our Fourth of July weekend. We attended our usual 9 a.m. mass at St. Mary and then came home and watched “Back to the Future.” I then took the kids to Browns Park where they had too much fun with the splash pad. They made friends with some other children and made a game out of soaking themselves and then zooming down the slides “slip ‘n slide” style. We then capped the night off with grilled burgers.

The kids playing at the Browns Park splash pad in Spokane Valley on Sunday night.

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I would say we had an all-American Fourth of July weekend. Thanks to my children and wife for going on such a fun four-day ride with me. Let the summer continue! Don’t Blink.

Starting Off the Independence Weekend Right

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Happy Fourth of July Eve, friends! I am a big sucker for Independence Day as I feel nothing quite screams “SUMMER” like it. For me, it also packs the same Americana vibes as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Super Bowl.

Happy Fourth of July!

In honor of tomorrow’s holiday, I will not publish a Thursday Rundown. This goes against the precedent I set in 2019 when the Fourth of July also fell on a Thursday and I threw together this rundown. I don’t know, I guess five years of additional blogging service later I feel more entitled to use my holiday time (😂).

But let me add one final anecdote to the “Fourth of July on a Thursday” thing: It’s great, isn’t it?!

I much rather my Fourth of July begin the holiday weekend as opposed to end it. Since Independence Day last fell on Thursday in 2019, it has either landed on the weekend or, like the past two years, on a Monday or Tuesday.

With the holiday landing at the very beginning of the week, working people usually pack all their fun into the preceding weekend. They then use the Fourth of July to perhaps take a small step back and celebrate the holiday knowing they have work tomorrow. If that isn’t the epitome of a firework dud, I don’t know what is!

Call me crazy, but I like opening my long weekend (because let’s face it, most everyone will take Friday off) with America’s big birthday party and then having the next three days to relax. So, I guess all I am trying to say is that I am really glad the Fourth of July is on a Thursday this year 😉.

Please enjoy an awesome and safe Independence Day. We are blessed to live in this country and should have every right to celebrate accordingly. Don’t Blink.

Continuing His Journey: Fr. Kevin Oiland

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It started with a text. Shortly after moving to Spokane, Sidney and I were looking for a way to find community. We got word that a Spokane Valley Catholic young adult group was starting so I didn’t hesitate to text the phone number listed on the bulletin advertisement. The person who the number belonged to, Fr. Kevin Oiland, responded immediately. That text would dramatically shape the next Reser chapter in our new corner of the country.

This text exchange with Fr. Kevin in September 2020 would lead to so much fruit.

When I think of Fr. Kevin, I immediately feel a debt of gratitude. His work with Fr. Jeff Lewis to create a Catholic young adult group came at the perfect moment for my wife and me. The people we met would become our best friends and companions in Christ. Although simply getting the group off the ground was noteworthy enough for Fr. Kevin to always remain in our prayers, we were spoiled enough to be in his consistent presence for nearly four years after I first exchanged texts with him.

A photo of my family with Fr. Kevin Oiland at a going-away party our young adult group hosted for him.

Fr. Kevin Oiland served as pastor at the Spokane Valley Catholic parishes of St. John Vianney and St. Paschal from July 1, 2018 up through this past Sunday. As is custom in the Roman Catholic Church, priests are given new assignments throughout their ministries. In Fr. Kevin’s case, he recently moved to Walla Walla to become pastor at St. Patrick and St. Francis of Assisi. All I can say is that those parishes landed an incredible priest.

I am sad to see Fr. Kevin go. I truly appreciated his demeanor, kindness, and talents. A soft-spoken priest who was humble to the core, Fr. Kevin made me feel at ease and secure in his presence. In fact, although I wasn’t a parishioner at his parishes, I would occasionally watch the livestreams of his masses just to hear his relatable and conversational homilies. I admired his approach to spiritual warfare in that it is better to make preemptive preparations instead of leaving it all up to the moment of attack. For those more connected to a traditional form of Catholicism, Fr. Kevin shared with the Spokane Valley community his reverent skill of offering the Latin mass at various different times. He also brought an unmatchable passion for/knowledge of G.K. Chesterdon.

Fr. Kevin Oiland speaks to our Catholic young adult group at a special retreat in April 2023.

I have a couple of Fr. Kevin stories that will stay with me. A couple years ago, a group of us from our young adult group played flag football on Saturdays during the fall. My birthday fell on one of those Saturdays and Sidney helped coordinate a surprise party for me at the field. Besides the flag football players I expected to see, there was also a redhead in a cassock who joined the celebration. Yep, Fr. Kevin devoted part of his Saturday morning solely to show up in-person to wish me a happy birthday.

Fr. Kevin Oiland celebrated his 15th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood in June (graphic courtesy of the Diocese of Spokane).

Then there was the death of Fr. Kevin’s mom, Laura Oiland. Any words would fail to convey the closeness of that mother-son relationship. I had the opportunity to attend the rosary vigil and I won’t forget walking into Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral and seeing Fr. Kevin up front kneeling in front of his mom’s casket in deep prayer. I was immediately touched by a sense of sadness yet peace. Fr. Kevin would then lead a beautiful and profound rosary service for his mom. I walked out thinking, if only all of us could be commended to God in such a holy way.

Fr. Kevin Oiland (right), baptizes Eden, the daughter of one of the flagship couples of our young adult group. Although most of us weren’t parishioners of Fr. Kevin’s parishes, we still asked him to celebrate one-time sacraments such as baptisms and marriages for us.

Finally, I just want to relate how much Fr. Kevin cared for his flock. He sincerely considers the soul of everyone. Just this year he organized a local pilgrimage for our young adult group to visit St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane so we could obtain a special indulgence for praying at a creche run by Franciscans. Although not the parish priest for most of us in our group, he still presided over some of our marriages and baptisms of our children. He never ceased praying for us and our causes. When my aunt died (just a couple weeks after his mom died), he offered comfort.

Our Catholic young adult group poses inside St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane for a photo after praying at the parish’s creche. Fr. Kevin Oiland is on the left side of the photo in the top row.

Fr. Kevin once addressed our group about life. He likened it to a journey with the final destination hopefully being Heaven. I know his new assignment in Walla Walla is just the latest step on his own journey to eternal joy with God. Please make sure to pray for him. Don’t Blink.

Hoopfest 2024: All About Family

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It was a family-centered Hoopfest as we enjoyed a weekend in downtown Spokane both volunteering and having some fun.

Our 2024 Hoopfest experience started on the WSU Spokane campus as we caught the shuttle that took us to downtown. Sloan scoped out the brand new Cougar Pride statue.

Our main contribution to Hoopfest 2024 was running one of the 425 courts that comprised the event. After last serving as a court monitor in 2015, I was back to volunteer in the same capacity this year. Sidney returned as my scorekeeper and assisting her was someone who wasn’t even alive the last time we volunteered at Hoopfest—Sloan.

Saturday afternoon, we posed for a photo after we finished the games on our court.

The three of us worked together to provide a smooth experience for the adult male: over 40 years old/over six-foot competitive bracket we were assigned to. I was impressed with the caliber of play. The players who graced our court were there because they love the game and the opportunity to hoop it up with their teammates. It was genuinely fun to watch them play their hearts out while working with Sidney and Sloan to provide all players in our bracket the best experience possible.

Sloan got her photo taken with her favorite player from our bracket, Learon Mayes. Everyone at the court, but especially Learon, treated Sloan really well.

I have experienced several times the camaraderie and respect that develops between a court monitor and the teams in the bracket, but to allow Sidney and Sloan to get a taste for it was really special. The guys loved talking with Sidney and they treated Sloan like a princess. It was a pleasure going on the tournament journey with everyone placed on our court.

Sidney and Sloan pose for a photo during Saturday morning of Hoopfest 2024.

Now there was something a little quirky about our court. It was just an eight-team bracket. Because of this, we were done by 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. This allowed us to experience Hoopfest beyond our court assignment on Spokane Falls Boulevard. For example, both days we sat in the shade in Riverfront Park near the food vendors and ate lunch. It also allowed us to watch other people play basketball…

We had the opportunity to watch the re-configured team I was part of last year play a game. The St. Mary Squad became an all-male team after Amy and I decided to step down this year. Ryan and J.J. returned with newcomers Jacob and Reese filling our spots. We saw them come up just short during a game on Saturday afternoon. Although I was not part of the team in terms of the roster, it didn’t stop me from acting like it as I cheered my heart out and stood with whoever the player on the bench was. My boys ended up making the consolation championship!

I was happy I got to watch the St. Mary Squad play (from l-r: Reese Polen, Jacob Bambock, JJ Nazzaro, and Ryan Andrade).

Then there was my brother. Glen’s bracket got way behind so even though we arrived in time for his 3:30 p.m. game, it didn’t start until probably 75 minutes later. No matter, his court was conveniently located right next to David’s Pizza. We were able to pop inside and cool off. Let me tell you, those couple beers I had sure hit the spot. Making it even more convenient was the fact that a large open air window peered right onto my brother’s court so we could keep track of all the action. Unfortunately they would fall in that game as well as the consolation championship game I watched them play on Sunday afternoon. Man, am I bad luck or what?

Sloan and Glen pose for a photo. Sloan is inside David’s Pizza and Glen is right outside it, just feet away from his court.

Just a couple other things from Hoopfest 2024: Beau got to come with us on Sunday. My kids collected way too much swag from the various vendors throughout the weekend. There was a big downpour on Sunday afternoon while watching my brother play. We randomly ran into people we knew throughout the two days, resulting in some awesome conversations.

Beau and Sloan are all smiles at Hoopfest on Sunday morning.

What another great Hoopfest made even more special because of the people I had the pleasure of spending it with. Put it on your calendar, folks, Hoopfest 2025 will be held June 28-29. Don’t Blink.