Private Reply to Althea Garner

Althea,

Lake County has a Visitors Center in two different places. One is here in Middletown at the Calpine Visitor Center. The other is in Lucerne. Here is the web site link - http://www.lakecounty.com">< B>Lake County, CA. People can go to each and pick up brochures about various tourist locations - including wineries, resorts and that sort of things. There is even a brochure on Middletown available that is put out by the Lake County Marketing Association. Debra Sommerfield, is the Deputy Director of the Lake County Office of Economic Development. Her husband, Rian, is an investment advisor and a member of this network. I am sure one or both of them would know what is being done on a county level to promote interest in Middletown. I am not privy to that kind of information.

With regard to "Middletown Days" itself, you have the Middletown Central Park Association. John Gay is in charge there. I believe you have spoken with him. He gets information posted in the local Middletown Times Star about the event. I believe Lakeport's KXBX radio will be broadcasting live from the parade this year. I am hopeful we can also get some interviews on the radio station as well regarding the festivities - including a phone interview with you. I am hoping to also involve Elizabeth Larson, who heads Lake County News and who is also a member of this network. There are actually a lot of folks willing to help create a "buzz" for this event. But, I doubt any of them are expecting to draw interest from as far away as San Jose. After 45 years, it is still a real challenge to generate significant interest within Lake County itself. But, you have got to know, I am not opposed to generating interest wherever I can find it. That is why I posted those student letters. I would like to generate an international buzz for "Middletown Days." It seems to me for some strange reason that outsiders and young people are more fired up about this activity than the adult population here.

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

Lamar Morgan
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Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Althea Garner

Private Reply to Scott Wolpow

Private Reply to Althea Garner

Althea,

Reaching out beyond Lake County is what the Lake County Marketing Association does. They are the ones who put together a press kit on the county. If you contact Debra Sommerfield via the Lake County Visitor Center you can probably get her to send you the latest version of this CD. I have the old one. Debra sent a copy of it last year to Roger Ailes, chairman of the Fox News Network last year.

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Althea,

Talk about preaching to the choir, getting the choir to care is part of the problem. Remember, we had more people reaching out to Fox News last year who were Ryzers from outside California than we did people from right here in Middletown. If it had not been for the 30 high school students writing those letters to the network initially, I doubt the press kit would have been sent or Ryzers around the world would have felt compelled to take action. It does not take a lot of people to get something significant started, but it does take passionate people. We are fortunate to have that in our high school students here. Going from 30 students to 110 this year proves that nothing succeeds like success.

Lamar Morgan
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Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Althea,

If you talk to John Gay you will discover he does not really want a lot of "outsiders" coming to the event. I don't think he was too thrilled that Fox News showed up last year. While he certainly wants the festival to be profitable - last year it took a loss in food sales - he fears that too many outsiders may somehow damage the town - spoil it. john's concerns are based upon past history of the area. In the past real estate developers have come to town, made all sorts of wonderful promises regarding the building residential real estate. Then, suddenly leave after having screw up the area's water table. A case in point is the neighborhood right across from the park. The Central Park Association complains about that neighborhood. Kids living there vandalize the park, because they are bored and have nothing else better to do with their time. But, that is no all. That neighborhood complains about the annual festival, "Middletown Days." They say the rodeo creates too much dust and the festival makes too much noise. However, the folks who built those houses in that neighborhood are long gone.

Lamar Morgan
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Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Scott Wolpow

Scott,

I do not live in Middletown. I live in nearby Hidden Valley Lake, which is a gated residential community that is so large it has its own zipcode. Yes, I would say the movie, "Pleasantville" and Middletown have a lot in common. Did you ever take a look at the town at Shop Middletown? That is really what the town looks like today in 2007.

Since you have been a member of this network you are correct. The only area locals to post to this network have been Tina and myself. But, I am confident after "Middletown Days," you will see surge in Middletown area membership in Project-Middletown. After all, just last Friday I picked up 110 letters local students wrote promoting the upcoming festival to high-profile individuals and companies. Some of the students actually mentioned this network in their correspondence. So, I do believe there is hope.

By the way, I got your cards. Very clever promotional technique. I am eager to see what kind of feedback you get from virtually participating in "Middletown Days." It should be interesting to see how many other Ryzers decidd to get involved between now and the actual festival. Please do not forget to add your voice of encouragement to the student letter-writing campaign. We have grown for 30 students to 110. We must be doing something right here.

Lamar Morgan
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Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Scott Wolpow

Scott,

As I understand it, Middletown was originally nothing more than a stagecoach stop between Calistoga, CA to the south and Clearlake, CA to the north. That is why when you drive through the town today two of the prominent buildings are still the post office and the local saloon. And yes, they are across the street from one another. Back in the days of the Old West, the real Black Bart actually frequented Middletown.

As for Hidden Valley Lake, it is a few miles north of Middletown, off Hwy. 29. It was originally intended to be a gated retirement community. But, at some point that changed. Now, it is a place where young families come to raise their families. There are no sidewalks. It is not uncommon to find two families walking side-by-side on the road both with baby carriages. In my opinion, cars and baby carriages should not be sharing the same road. But, there is no alternative. Also, deer roam freely throughout Hidden Valley Lake. This too I find somewhat strange. In fact, deer are more common than dogs here. The name "Hidden Valley Lake" is just that...a name. There is nothing really "hidden" about it. While it is a gated community, it is possible to access it by freely walking onto the golf course off Hartmann Road, which is off Hwy. 29.

Lamar Morgan
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Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Scott Wolpow

Scott,

The population of Hidden Valley Lake is around 7,000 people. The population of Middletown is around 1,000. Middletown has been around for 200 years or more. Hidden Valley Lake has existed since the 1960's, which is when Middletown Days began. This year, the Hidden Valley Lake Association through its golf course restuarant, the Greenview Restaurant, is going to be the festival for the very first time. I guess that is progress. I am partly responsible for this.

Why try to change people's attitudes? Because it could make both my quality of life and theirs better? Why did you bother to send me those cards? How do you know I will bother to do what you asked? On some level you have to care. Did you read the letters written by those young people? Can you sense that those kids care about where they live and are proud of it? Yes, it does make a difference if you care about where you live.

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901