MR. Goodyear's Neighborhood Hosts John Wojciechowski and R. Brandon Long.

‘Get Out And Live,’ that statement kind of says it all. This same statement has inspired the greater Ogden community and made us more active, healthier and stronger as a people. Just take a look around, our businesses are thriving and engaging the community. Our parks, trails and mountains have runners, bikers, hikers and dog walkers swarming all over them. Snowboarders and skiers have complemented each other like peanut butter and chocolate on the slopes and we’re embracing new hobbies like stand up paddle boarding and fat biking. People love us and want to join in on the fun; our hotels are booked, homes are being built and we’re investing in ourselves by creating jobs and supporting our schools.

At the center of it all is the GOAL Foundation, Get Out And Live…coincidence? All this good ‘mojo’ we have going on right now in our little mountain town was manifested last week with the grand opening of the GOAL Foundation’s new facility in downtown Ogden. It was a ‘who’s who’ in attendance as the ‘Spikers’ coordinated the official ribbon cutting and we all celebrated the new crown jewel of downtown Ogden. We don’t like to miss a good party, so Brandon and I, representing The Banyan Collective, crashed the gala and set up our recording studio, pulled some chairs up and had us a Mr. Goodyear’s Neighborhood interview extravaganza! Check it out:

Kym Buttschardt set the tone early with the statement, ‘this is freaking awesome!’ Kym is one of the original founders of The GOAL Foundation, originally known as the Greater Ogden Athletics Legacy. Kym tells us GOAL is about getting off our devices, breathing real air and doing something beyond yourself. Give it a listen, it really is ‘freaking awesome!”

Kevin Burns with Host MGN John Wojciechowski

Kevin Burns is the past chairman of the GOAL board and the current committee chair for the newly acquired Striders Winter Race Circuit. Kevin is a Weber County Sheriff’s Deputy and has worked GOAL events for over 10 years…including those years where they’re pulling porta-poties out of ditches. Kevin gives us a peak behind the scenes and dishes out the real shiz.

‘CT’ Carla Tayor is a local legend and now she’s a Utah Hall of Fame Coach. GOAL is fortunate to have CT as their Community Outreach and Youth Program Coordinator, and with her office front and center in the new GOAL facility, she’s the face of GOAL and unofficial ‘door greeter.’ It’s always fun to sit down with CT , we’re doing the interviewing but she’s giving us some life coaching.

Scott Sluis is a Chamber Spiker and your local Zions Banker during the day, but at night he’s a ‘badass’ drummer who you’ll find rocking out in your favorite local pub. Scott and Zions Bank are key partners with the GOAL Foundation and the Ogden Marathon….sorry, I mean The Zions Bank Ogden Marathon.

Tim Kendall, also a Chamber Spiker but engages the community as a representative from Intermountain Health Care’s McKay-Dee Hospital. Tim helps small businesses with their health care needs and helps facilitate McKay-Dee’s mantra ‘live the healthiest life possible.’ Take a look at any sponsorship list at your next community event, chances are Intermountain Health Care is involved and backing up what they preach about getting involved in community.

Bryan J. Smith is another veteran of the Goodyear Podcast hot-seat. Brian is also the official photographer of The GOAL Foundation and the brainchild behind Only in Ogden. Bryan isn’t a ‘drone guy,’ be believes climbing a rock wall and going on adventures is the only approved method to capturing the best moments on film. Bryan also likes it ‘fat.’ Whaaat?

Carolyn Brierley was the Ogden Marathon in 1999. She was the race director, committee chair and the whole committee. The Mayor asked her to plan and stage the inaugural Ogden Marathon with just a 4 month lead time, and she pulled it off with 600 runners that first year….Wow! Carolyn retired as the events coordinator for Ogden City, and enjoyed her retirement for about two days before being tapped as the Historic 25th Business Association Director. Carolyn gets stuff done and brings the cool factor to 25th Street…you gotta see her car!

Holin Wilbanks - Weber County Public Relations

Holin Wilbanks took Mayor Caldwell’s old job as the PR Director for Weber County…could we be talking to the future Mayor of Ogden? Holin answers ‘no’ without hesitation but we’ll see, right? Holin does offer us some insight into fostering relationships with folks who’s homes are affected with the many events Weber County hosts every year. She’s also in charge of maintaining the County’s ‘cool factor.’

Jenny Scothern - GOAL Foundation Executive Director

We wrap up our interviews with Jenny Scothern, our gracious hostess and officially the Executive Director of The GOAL Foundation. Jenny listens to all the great ideas The GOAL board offers her team, but Jenny can turn great ideas and make them a reality, of course with the help from Mike, Bree, Clarisse and CT. No doubt, Jenny is in charge though. She was in charge of this interview too; she was running an open house, had packet pick-up in a few hours and a half marathon to stage in a couple of days. She doesn’t have all day to chat with a couple of knuckleheads with a microphone. We got her to sit down long enough to talk about her first half marathon in Moab and how the hills of Ogden helped her train. It was an honor to sit down and chat with Jenny and all the community partners who attended GOAL’s open house.

Get Out And Live! Thank you, we can’t wait to do it again.

MGN - GOAL Foundation Ribbon Cutting