Keeping Lehi’s Traditions Strong with Mike Southwick
Full Conversation Transcript
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Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up
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our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live
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alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared
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experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new
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from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've
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been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach
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out to our branches one story at a time.
Meet Mike Southwick: Lifelong Lehi resident
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All right, welcome Mike Southwick to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know people of Lehi,
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right? And and obviously you're a resident here of Lehi and doing a lot of good things. Let's let's start with kind
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of a background of you, get to know you a little bit. You know, from Lehi originally, how long you've been here?
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Give you give me a little background there. I have lived in Lehi all my life. All your life. Okay. Yep. Other than two
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years when I spend served an LDS mission. So, okay. Yeah. Yep. So, I've been here all my life. Okay. And and so
Family background & professional career
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family here and stuff like that, too? Family? Actually, we have six sons. Okay. And they all actually live here in
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Lehi. Oh, they do? Wow. Pretty lucky. That is pretty lucky. That doesn't always happen. No, it doesn't.
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Especially in Lehi. I mean, maybe like northern Utah County or something, but Okay. Yep. But they've all stayed right here in Lehi. Okay. So, it's been good.
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That is That's Hey, count yourself blessed there. That's for sure. And and tell me, you know, career career-wise,
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what did you end up doing there? I was an electrical contractor. Okay. For probably about 35 years. Okay. And then
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did sold electrical equipment. Okay. Probably the last 10 years that I that I worked. Okay. So, and then I've got I've
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invested in real estate. So, I have that that Yeah. keeps me busy, too. So, good. Well, and especially in Lehigh, that's a
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good place to invest. That's for sure. That's for sure. That's good. Yeah. Well, so tell me, so so you currently
12 years on the Lehi City Council
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are serving on the city council? No, I was I got off about a year and a half ago. I served for 12 years. For 12
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years. Okay. And I just decided, okay, I think it's time. Yeah. And I'm not getting any younger. Yeah. Sure. Yeah.
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So let somebody else take a time and and go with it. But it was a good experience. Tell So really good. Yeah.
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Tell me. So before we leave that then so tell me you know any any things you're proud of you know from that any you know
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kind of highlights from that time that you know any recollections from that time that you can Yeah. When you're on
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the city council you're put over certain things within the city. Yeah. Say for
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instance I was over the museum actually helped with the historical and archives.
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Yeah. And also the historical preservation committee. Okay. So worked with that. But I've always been one that
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feels like, hey, we need to keep our history alive. Yeah. And keep it going and just try to do whatever we can to to
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keep that in check with especially those things that are in the past and you know
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so that citizens of Lehi and others could be informed on it and also be able
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to learn from it. Yeah. So So I really enjoyed working with that. In fact, I'm still doing well basically all three.
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They asked me to stay with a couple and then I says, "Well, I'll stay with the other one for a while." And so I've been doing that since the year and a half
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that I've got off the council. Okay. So, but and I guess a lot of it comes from
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even my dad. Yeah. Because he said, I mean, we grew up here in Lehi, as I
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mentioned. I've been here all my life, but he always said, "If you're going to live in a place, serve within the place
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that you live." I like that. And that's we just kind of grew up with that. Yeah. So, and he did the same. So, was he did
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he serve? What what kind of things did he do? He was a volunteer fireman. Okay. And then he was also on the rodeo
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committee. Okay. And was also a president at one time. Okay. So, Oh, that's cool. So, following in dad's
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footsteps. Yep. So, kind of followed some of those things and and served there. And so, but I think that's really
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where it all kind of came from. Yeah. You know, if you're going to live in a place, I mean, there's too many people that complain about everything that's
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happening. Yeah. And he says, "You don't have a right to complain either until you get in and do something." Sure. Yeah. So, yeah. Otherwise, you're just
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Yeah. You're not actually contributing, right? You're not you're not making it better. Exactly. So, yeah. Exactly. So,
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well, and and you know, you've been here your whole life. So, so, and this is a broad question, but I'll let you choose
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what you want to answer on it, but how has Lehi changed in that period of time for you? I mean, actually, when I was
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growing up, there was what, 6,500 people here in Lehi. Yeah. So, I mean, you know, 60 years ago. So, and now it's up
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to 8 87,000 people and still growing. Yeah. And will, I'm sure people just like the feel
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of it and like to come here, too. So, yeah. So, it has changed quite a bit, but that's okay. Yeah. It brings a lot
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of good people in and and Yeah. So, get to know them and associate with them and
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hopefully they'll want to serve also. Sure. And keep making better. Yep. So, so you know any any tell me some of the
Public service challenges and highlights
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hard things that about city serving on that city council. What what were some of the challenges that you faced I guess
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with that job? I mean I'm sure it's not always No, I think the biggest challenge is no matter what you do, half the
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people aren't going to like what you do. Sure. Because you know, somebody's got to like it and somebody doesn't. And and
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so I think that's the hardest thing with the council is just looking at everything and going over everything
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that you're, you know, saying yes to or no to and deciding, okay, is this
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something that is better for the city and is this going to be all right? Sure. And you're always going to make someone
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upset and unhappy. Sure. You know, that's just the way it is. You can't please everybody. No, you can't please
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No. Any examples from that? any anything that you can think of specifically on that? Maybe not right off, but there was
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a lot of times people that were friends and associates that came in and wanted to do something and then they said,
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"Well, you can't do this." You know, still friends, but they, you know, they're going, "Hey, you're supposed to help me out here." Yeah. Yeah. We're
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buddies. Come on. Yep. But hey, you have to do what you feel like is best for the city. Yeah. And for the citizens here.
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Yeah. So, yeah. Okay. Well, I it it's one of those jobs that you're you're
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able to do a lot of good, but Yeah. It is hard because you're in that spotlight and people see and and especially now
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with social media people can critique you right online right you know and stuff for sure and so which for better
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or for worse I guess right on that we started the online council or you know city councils probably after I'd been in
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about two or three years so it's been going online for about 10 years and at first I thought I don't know if I like
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this but it was all right. Sure. Sure. So yeah. Well, okay. So, one of your one of your things that you're doing, I I
Getting involved with the Lehi Roundup Rodeo
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assume still, is the rodeo committee, right? Okay. Okay. So, so how so how did you get that position initially? Okay.
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So, basically, I've been on the rodeo committee since I was wow 22 years old.
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Okay. So, almost 50 years. Yeah. 48 years I've been on the committee and served in different So, what that is
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with the rodeo, there are directors and then there's a president, vice president, and secretary. Okay. So each
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one of the directors are over a certain aspect of the rodeo. Okay. And so I was
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on one of those committees for a lot of lot of years and then probably 25 years ago the directors if somebody quits as a
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director then the other directors will vote somebody in. Okay. And I was voted in to be a director. Okay. and then
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actually was Stan Lewis was the president for quite a few years and I was his vice president and then when he
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left I went in they voted me in that position as president. So I've been doing that for what two three years.
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Okay. So Okay. So that's kind of how that came about. Yeah. Yeah. So I've been involved for a lot. I mean so just
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kind of the gradual progression I guess of being in there so long, right? Being in there so long and serving. Yeah. So, I can remember when I was younger and my
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dad's when he was one of the directors, his job was to put the penants down Main
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Street and make sure everything, you know, kind of the advertising and I'd go with him when I was young and hang them
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and just came from there. And then our family just loved the rodeo and the, you know, the celebration and so just trying
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to keep that alive and keep that going. And how much time goes into the rodeo? I mean, you know, it it's a a three-day,
What makes the rodeo special to Lehi
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four-day event. Four day now. Last year was the first year that we've gone four years. Okay. Well, I guess there was
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another time. Oh, we figure maybe 40 years ago that they went four nights. It's been a while. Okay. And they said
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they just decided it was too much work. But Sure. But I felt like we needed to go four nights because the citizens of
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Lehi weren't able to get tickets. Yeah. And they still can't. I mean, we're still selling out even at four nights.
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Yeah. So, but And so, so how much time goes into that usually? So we meet
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monthly and then you know it's always the last full week of June the celebration is with the rodeo and the
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parades and everything. Yeah. So there's a lot more that goes on from about the
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middle of May till the rodeo. You know that you're putting in quite a bit more time getting the grounds ready doing
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things that we have to do there. But we usually meet every month from January
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till June and then we meet again starting in September. Wow. Every month.
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And what goes like what goes into those meetings? Talk about what has been good,
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what we want to change if anything. Now this year we are going to have the
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cowboy channel. Okay. Come. And that's something that's new. Okay. and also to
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video it. Video it. And then they also, which is a good thing, they also pay
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help pay for some of the purse on the cowboys. So, it makes it okay. You know, a little nicer for those that are sure
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they're there at the rodeo and coming cuz they can make a little bit more money. So, so that's going to be good.
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And that's the first year we've done we're going to be doing this. So, bigger draw for people to come maybe then. I mean, I guess come and I think it might
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be good too where we can't have everybody come. They may they'll be able to to watch it. Okay. Sure. Yeah. So, it
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probably it may not be this first few years may not be live. Okay. But then they'll be able to see, you know, that
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when they videoed it and what they did and then later on in their on the cowboy
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channel. So, and now talk to me a little bit about how does is is the rodeo
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self-sufficient or you know what what tell me finan financially where where it's at, I guess. So, we are we're
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nonprofit. I mean, nobody or not anybody that serves on the committees anywhere
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makes any money. It's just all service. But we just make it from the ticket
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sales from sponsors. There's a lot. We have a one of the directors and actually
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he's vice pre vice president too at this time but he's goes out and gets sponsors and so we get money that way and then
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we're able to pay the the purse and pay for the the cowboys that come and cowg
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girls that come perform and and do that. So, and and talk to me about advertising
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for and tell me if I'm wrong, but I I've heard once that there's a lot of volunteering stuff to that to try to
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keep, you know, kind of more, you know, alcohol or different things like that. Family friendly, right? Yeah. Okay.
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There's two things to that. Yeah. Okay. So, the first thing is is to keep it more family friendly. Okay. And so, we
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have actually LDS wards come and they'll work in the concessions. So, but the
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money that's made from the concessions then goes back to the wards that put
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floats in the parade and pays for those floats. Okay. So, this last year it's
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been anywhere from about $5 to $600, but everything's gone up so much that we upped it this last year to a,000 that
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they would be able to to use or have to put, you know, to do their float. And
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that's been a tradition as long as I've been alive and before that because I can remember my mom saying that each ward
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when Lehi was smaller would do three or four floats. So yeah, but now you're
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lucky, you know, you don't have that many or don't want that many in. There's 20 stakes here in Lehi now. So, but but
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but it Okay. So that so the money from the concessions goes to to help pay for the floats then. Yep. And stuff. Okay.
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So that's kind of it's separate. But it's not separate from the rodeo, but I mean it's part of the rodeo, but the
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concession money goes to pay for those floats that are put in the parade. So, so when you talk about, you know, you're
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on the rodeo committee, does that include the parade then? I mean, or is it just the So, because when I think of rodeo, I think of the actual grounds and
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that, you know, that 4-day event, right? But are you in charge of more than just that then, I guess? No. So, there's a committee for the rodeo. Okay. And then
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the city does the parades and activities that they do during the during the week.
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Okay. So, so they're in charge of that. Okay. So, it's just the concession money then goes to kind of help that. So,
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that's something they're they're doing voluntarily. I guess you wouldn't necessarily have to do that. I guess, but it's because the city Okay. Okay.
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And that's kind of been a tradition, like I say, for for years. Yeah. That the money goes back in to pay for those floats that are put in the parade. Okay.
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The miniature floats. Sure. Sure. So, because I mean there's a lot of parades around, but a lot in fact I'm not sure
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of many that have a miniature float parade. Sure. Sure. So, so we've been
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trying to keep that tradition up. Yeah. And it gets hard because there's so many things going on and it's all it's all
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service. I mean, it's all people just donating their time and to do it and and to keep those things alive. Are you
Community involvement & volunteer legacy
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able, you know, to get enough people to help on these events? Are you seeing has that changed? I mean, with obviously we
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have a lot of people, but you also get sometimes with bigger cities, sometimes it's less community driven, I guess, or
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I don't know. Tell me your thoughts on that. I guess what we have seen a difference. Okay. I mean in years in
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fact I've been as the director was over the concessions and volunteers getting
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the volunteers and it takes about 30 volunteers a night for the concessions
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for the four different concessions. So you got about 120 people that are volunteering every night to do the
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concessions. Wow. And so it does and I think people coming in go are going why
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are we having to help with this or what do we get out of this? Do we get a rodeo ticket? And we're going, no, you can
How volunteerism keeps traditions alive
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have a hamburger, but there's that's about it. Yeah. And so we have seen and I think it's just a matter of educating
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people and letting them know that, hey, this is a service and the reason we're doing this is to keep it familyfriendly
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and also to pay for those floats. Yeah. That are put in. Do you do you do you see it continuing that way or have you
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guys talked about like alternatives, you know, on that area? Maybe a little cuz it does get a little
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harder on some of these, you know, getting enough people to do it. But it almost seems if they do it once, they
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want to do it again. I mean, it's almost like just kind of a camaraderie that they that they get and they enjoy doing
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it. And we've had a lot of them say, "Well, hey, put us back on this. We'd like to do it." Sure. Sure. So, okay.
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So, kind of a So, okay. So, so it seems like it's working then, I guess. I mean, I guess you know, if you're saying so far, yeah, we've had a few that have
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kind of said, well, I couldn't get enough volunteers and we've had to go out and look for some more just to be able to do that, but it seems to work
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out pretty good. So, over So, this has been going on for a long time long as
How the rodeo has evolved over time
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far as I remember and even further. So, so tell me, you know, what how has it
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evolved over the over the years or or is it largely the same as it once was? A lot of the same but bigger. Okay. I
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mean, you know, just because we've done things with the grounds to make more seats, put new bleachers in to add more
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seats to the bleachers. So, it's just got bigger that way. Try to I mean, you have to It's kind of an entertainment
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thing, too, because you have to entertain people. Totally. Not just the rodeo. So, that's why we've had motorcycle acts, we have, you know,
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clown acts. Yeah. Things that they're coming. This year we are doing a drone show, right? This will be the first year
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for this. So yeah, but that will be, you know, something that we're doing this and hopefully it'll work out and we can
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keep doing and keep doing that. So, so it does there are things that come out of it that we feel like, okay, we need
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to change this or we need to make this better. Let's see what we can do. And that's kind of what a lot of our
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meetings are about is is how do we make this better? How do we make this better and how do we keep people wanting to come to it? Yeah. Cuz does it does it
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sell out every year? It does. It has not always. Okay. But the last maybe four or
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five years it has sold out and usually you could get tickets two weeks before
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but it's usually now. The last few years it's been sold out by March. Really?
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Okay. Yeah. What do you what do you attribute that to? I I think just people enjoying it and wanting to come and it's
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kind of a family thing. Yeah. And so even people that are out of town that grew up with the rodeo will come back to
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it. Yeah. and their family will come back to it. And I think that's just the, you know, there's a lot of families that
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will just plan on it every year and come and and then other people that have moved in and think, "Hey, give it a
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try." And Yeah. So, but it how does it compare to other rodeos in the in the
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state? Well, obviously we're a little prejudice. We think it's we think it's one of the best. But it it does I mean
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it compares with some of the others. There's a lot of others that even go go all week, you know, and obviously are
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able to get more people to come and can do bigger things. But but we feel like we I doubt we'll ever go more than four
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nights, but it took a little bit to the committee to go four nights just because it is it's a lot of work. Everybody puts
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in a lot of work. Yeah. To make this. So, it's not just the week of the rodeo. There's a lot that's done beforehand.
Favorite rodeo moments & crowd reactions
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Yeah. So, but any any I mean, you've been doing this for a long time. Any memorable events? any memorable moments,
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I guess, from this event, you know, things where you're like, "Oh, that was that was really cool." Or something that stood out to you over those 22 years. I
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And I don't know if it's memorable events. I mean, there's a lot of good acts and a lot of things that we've seen
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thought, "Oh, this is good." Yeah. But I think more so it's those the association
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you have with the sponsors, with the rodeo personnel that are bringing in the
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cattle and bringing in the the animals. And it's the association with them, I think, is what's really memorable. It's
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something that you can just think about and and enjoy th those relationships that you've creat. Yeah. But the rodeo
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is it's almost like it's, you know, Christmas again, I guess you could say. Yeah. Yeah. So, going under that, what
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what impact do you think the rodeo has on Lehi? Do you think that's, you know,
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what's the case for continuing to do this? I guess, you know, I think because the people are saying we want this. We
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wouldn't be sold out if they didn't, you know. Fair point. If they didn't want that, then they would. And I think it's
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just a a tradition that people go and enjoy, not just the rodeo, but the
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parades and the other activities that they have during that week. But it's just the celebration that people get
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together and enjoy that and that opportunity to get together and celebrating Lehi. Does does the rodeo
Plans for improving the rodeo grounds
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grounds get used for anything else? Not much. It does some. We actually we were
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getting quite a bit of people that wanted to use it and so we had to cut it. We had to kind of stipulate okay
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this has to be animal related because they wanted to use it for some other things but there was a lot well we've
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had certain things in there and had to fix things and so we just decided to keep it animal. So there are some 4
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groups that come in that way when we have the queen contest for the royalty
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for the for the rodeo they're they're doing that was just this last week this
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last Saturday. So there are some things that are being done but it basically is animal related is what we're trying to
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keep that to. Okay. So just because you're saying when when other groups sometimes use it you know for like I I
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don't know a concert I guess or I you know what other things I guess would you know like it just doesn't always go as well. Exactly. Okay. Exactly. So we just
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decided let's keep it so that it's just animal related. We have let some of the high schools do some dances in there.
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Yeah. And we thought hey that's let's keep let's let that happen. I I know I've attended a like a girls powderpuff
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football thing there too. Is that is that you know that's okay. So those those type of things we feel like are
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good for the community and we're okay with that. Sure. It was just some of these bigger commercial things that
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wanted to come in that we just felt like hey let's just keep this with the with the animal related. Okay. So any plans
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for improvement you know on on the GR like to any you know putting some money back into it? Yes. Actually, Tracks is
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putting in another line. Yes. Okay. So, that's going to affect the rodeo grounds. Okay. Because the they have
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about they own about 15 ft of the ground that the rodeo grounds is on. 12 to 15.
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Okay. They said we don't need it all. And we said this year, we'll take it because we don't want to have to go through this again. Yeah. So, we are
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having to change some things on the east end. Okay. because the tracks is going to be the track is going to be on the
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west side of all of the other two tracks and so it comes in closer to the rodeo grounds. But we are going to have to
21:23
redo a a restroom. Okay. And then we're putting going to try to put in some new
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bleachers on the east end. So we'll have more seats there. And then we have to do
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a new walkway that will because that will be impacted by the by the train
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coming or through the tracks coming through. Overall, will it will it be better for the thing? I mean, it will. I
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think it will. So, okay. Because I mean, the one restroom that we have to replace is quite old. Okay. And so, it'll make
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that a lot nicer and it will make it so that we can actually add I think we
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figured about 350 more seats just in that end. Yeah. And then it will make it
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better. Okay. We'll cut down a few things like the corrals and the roping area, but not enough that it will impact
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much. So, So, we've been lucky that way. And they're planning on starting that
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right after the 2026 rodeo. So, Okay. Okay. So, another year before they're
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actually going to start. And are they having to buy some land from you like or or There is the land is actually the
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cities. Okay. So, the city owns the land, but there is a corner. It's not much, but it's a corner that they're
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going to have to try to get. Sure. So that they can run the track. Okay. And do what they need to do and have the
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distance for the Okay. from that. And so that's where maybe some of the money's coming from to hopefully we get some
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there. We may have to have people come and donate some things and we because
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we've done that. There's been a most of the things we've done have been donated, especially donated labor. Okay. Maybe
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not so much the the materials and things, but donated labor to do a lot of
23:02
the stuff that's been done down there. Okay. And on that note, you know, so so if someone wants to participate, you
Coordinating volunteers & managing growth
23:08
know, be a volunteer, you know, I mean, you mentioned the different, you know, ws and stakes, you know, for the Church
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of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what if what if those people that are not members of that church or or how do
23:20
people volunteer if they want to volunteer and they want to be a part of this y this event, they could just get hold of any one of the directors and
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say, "Hey, is there something that I can do?" And we have done that and invited people to serve on the committees because we're always looking for people
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there. Okay. And yeah, we don't just specifically say it's the LDS church, Church of Jesus Christ to Latterday
23:38
Saint. We would like anybody to come and serve. Sure. And be with us. We welcome
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anybody. It takes about 250 more volunteers just to run like the parking,
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the concessions. Well, no, the concessions is different. That's even different. That's about 120 a night.
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Okay. And then this is about the 250 over the four nights of the rodeo that
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we have. That's just taking tickets, you're saying, like checking people in. Taking tickets.
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It is. It's all volunteer. Wow. So it does. It takes a lot of people and we appreciate everybody that volunteers. So
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and a lot will come back and say, "Hey, I want to do this again." Sure. So we say, "Hey, you're more than welcome to
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because that's we couldn't do it without you." Yeah. We couldn't do it without you. Wow. So well so so contacting you
24:27
guys. Okay. Yep. Okay. And they can find your contact information on just on the website of the rodeo, Lehi Roundup
24:33
Rodeo. Okay. So, do you do you coordinate a lot with city officials,
Working with city officials
24:39
you know, on obviously they're they're so that roundup week, right? I mean, is what this is part of, right? So, do you
24:46
coordinate with the city officials on the different things that they're doing too and stuff like that, I guess? Yes. Usually the city will have a meeting the
24:53
end of February. Okay. and we kind of were invited. I usually go to that meeting and find out what they're doing.
25:00
We let them know what the rodeo is doing and the times and then we kind of work together on that and especially we work
25:06
with them with the floats as I mentioned. Sure. Because that money comes back to pay those wards. Yeah. But
25:12
they do work with the floats on their side. So anything significant, you know,
Long-term vision for Lehi’s events
25:18
as far as anything you've learned by being the president, you know, the rodeo and stuff like that? anything you know
25:24
you had to use your your strong leadership skills I guess to do this but anything you've learned from managing that many people and coordinating all
25:31
those different things no I mean just other than it takes a lot to do it and we appreciate you know those that come
25:37
out and it so we usually send that out and then they will come to a meeting and
25:44
find out and they can kind of pick what they want to do and we have them meet with the director over that and then
25:50
they just get a few minutes to tell them what to what they'll need to do the nights of the rodeo. But I think it's
25:58
just been it's been great. I think the biggest thing is that we've gone from three nights to four nights. Yeah. Which
26:03
is a big deal. Yeah. And it does take a lot more work to, you know, to put another night on. Yeah. But it's been
26:10
good and we've been able to do that and I think that's probably one of the biggest things recently or since since I
26:16
was made president. Yeah. So, and the directors have been on board with it and say, "Yeah, let's go for it. We need we
26:22
know that we need to do it just because of the demand for the rodeo. What's what's I don't know if you know this
26:28
stat, but what's the average time that somebody serves on one of those director committee roles? I mean, is do you have
26:34
a pretty familiar group where you're like, "Hey, I've known these guys for or does is there a lot of turnover, I guess?" No, there isn't a lot of
26:40
turnover. Okay. Usually, if you're called as a director, there may be a little more turnover with those that
26:46
serve under the directors, you know, that are with on the for the committee members. a little bit more turnover, but
26:51
once you're a director, it seems like you stay till, you know, just till you feel like I can't do this anymore. Sure.
26:57
Okay. It's kind of the way that it's been. Okay. Most people have stayed with that. Once you're a director of just and
27:03
I think it's because just of the camaraderie, what we're doing is a good thing with for Lehi and it's a good
27:10
celebration. Good. Good. Well, hey, we we I've been my family has been to the
Ticketing, promotion, and building excitement
27:16
rodeo many times. I think we actually do have tickets. Last year we didn't go because we couldn't we didn't get tickets. So, we did get tickets this
27:23
year. So, we are going. And that's cool about the drone show. That'll be that'll be actually good to see too. I I like
27:28
the I like the variety. I mean, I'm I I I enjoy the rodeo, but I enjoy the motorcycle, too. And And I think the
27:34
drone will be good. So, I So, I do like the variety, just speaking for myself. And not everybody is rodeo fans. So, you
27:41
have to kind of do some other things to to help that out, too, so that they want to go. Well, and I that and I that's why
27:47
I say I compliment you on that because I think because you want to still be part of the community. You want to be because you know this is a big event. This is
27:52
important, right? It's part of that Lehi rodeo thing, but yeah, maybe h you know, horses or bowls aren't your thing,
27:59
right? But hey, okay, still come because there's still other events and stuff. I like that. So, so we try to try to do
28:04
that so that people can be entertained and Yeah. And there's more than just the rodeo. Yeah. Love that. Love that. Well,
28:11
you know, fast forward 10, you know, 20 years from now, do you still see what
28:17
any any long-term vision you see for this or just kind of continuing to I think basically just kind of continue
28:23
and keeping the traditions going and those things that have made it what it is today. Yeah. So, and why do you know
28:30
I guess to kind of in closing here, why why do you think that tradition because sometimes traditions can be why are we
28:38
doing this, you know, kind of thing. So, but so why do you think this tradition is important? Why why why continue this?
28:44
I mean, what's the case for doing this still? Basically, I think to get the people together in the city and to have
28:50
a celebration that everyone enjoys and can come together and enjoy that together. And I think that's the biggest
28:56
thing with it and why we keep doing this. Yeah. is for the people and the citizens here in Lehi is to keep that
29:03
tradition alive so that they can join in if they haven't and you know or if
29:08
they're new newcomers to the to the area but something that they can look forward
29:13
to in the city. Great. Anything anything we didn't cover that you wanted to cover? No, I think we kind of pretty
29:20
well covered. We kind of nailed it on there. Yep. So Well, awesome. Okay. Well, I appreciate you coming in and and
29:26
now you got me excited and starting to warm up. So basically it's almost June, right? Yep. It's not far away. Couple
29:32
more months and we'll be be there with the celebration and the rodeo. So we'll be doing it. And I guess basically just
29:37
tell people get your tickets early. Yes. You know they go on the first of the year, first of all. January. Yep. It is
29:43
January. You can get them midnight on you know. Sure. So New Year's Eve and do it. But Okay. And they are all sold out.
29:51
They are. Well, there will be a few more tickets that will come available
29:56
probably the first or second week in June. Okay. We keep some of those out
30:02
for sponsors. Okay. And then when we find out, okay, we've got a few or we've got some that we could put back, then
30:08
they'll go back on. Okay. You know, it's not an excessive amount, but there is some that if people haven't got them,
30:14
okay, they could get them the first week or so in June. Okay? So, just keep watching when those go back out and as
30:21
soon as we find out what sponsors we have and and need to fulfill their sponsorships. Okay, great. So, great.
30:28
Well, thank you. I appreciate you coming on and and and talking about this and I think, like I said, you got me excited
30:34
now for for the summer. Awesome. Well, thank you for having me. Appreciate it. No problem. Thank you for joining us on
Final thoughts on community connection
30:41
Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up
30:46
our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If
30:53
you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview.
31:00
We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding
31:05
Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next
31:11
time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care.
31:24
[Music]
