By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The first Women’s Expo held September 8 at the Forum in Presque Isle offered a vast array of displays from vendors far and near featuring ways to make life better – be it health advice, diet tips to home improvements, new cars or listening to a favorite talk show.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
BEN’S TRADING Post owner Penny LeBlanc takes a moment to answer customer’s question during the Women’s Exo held at the Forum in Presque Isle Sept. 8. LeBlanc brought along a number of items to display, including many designed specifically for women, such as outerwear and T-shirts.
This was the first such expo, sponsored by WQHR 96.1, a local radio station operated by Citadel Broadcasting Corporation, with family members and friends turning out for an entertaining and informative outing. Health care professionals were on hand from both Cary Medical Center and The Aroostook Medical Center, answering questions and handing out information to visitors stopping by their booths. Expo-goers had the opportunity to sign up for a number of giveaways, including a bedroom set from Dunn’s Furniture, of Houlton; and a bathroom courtesy of S.W. Collins, headquartered in Caribou.
“The master bedroom set from Dunn’s, valued at just over $6,344, was won by Jola Hebert, of Caribou. Joela Dodd, of Woodland, was named the winner of Collins’ bathroom giveaway, valued at about $6,072,” said Lori Samiya, officer manager for Citadel’s Presque Isle station. “Each booth awarded their own prizes.”
Around 3,000 attended the show, according to Samiya, many of whom came to meet syndicated talk show hosts Bob Lacey and Sheri Lynch, of the “Bob and Sheri” show heard weekday mornings on WQHR. The duo held autograph sessions on Saturday in the morning and afternoon, with hundreds waiting in line to greet the pair, who’ve been doing the show for over a decade.
“Bob and Sheri have been on the air together for about 15 years. They’ve been nationally syndicated for seven years,” said Tony Garcia, AVP/director of syndication for the Jefferson Pilot Radio Network, of Charlotte, N.C., home of the “Bob and Sheri” program.
Garcia credited a former media buyer for the Bangor mall for getting the show on the air in Aroostook County.
“The woman told the station she’d advertise if they’d carry the show,” said Garcia.
This isn’t the first time to Aroostook for Lacey but this marks the first visit for Lynch, according to Garcia.
“Bob’s been up here before, a bit farther north I believe in the Caribou area. This is Sheri’s first trip up here however,” said Garcia.
The pair travel the country doing such shows, enjoying the time they get to spend talking with fans and visiting new places.
“May and June, then September and October are their busiest months traveling to do shows like this. July and August are actually a bit slower for them. Shows like this keep them busy and helps us get a better handle on the demographics – who’s listening,” said Garcia, as he looked to the long line of visitors waiting for an autograph. “We’re seeing it’s not just a specific age group; the audience is all over – a mix.”
Lynch said it’s a natural sense of curiosity that got her into the business of doing a talk show.
“I’m really curious about people. What could be a better job. All we do is laugh with our best friends (referring to her co-workers back in North Carolina). “We get to not just see into people’s lives but be a part of them. Doing shows like this helps us put faces to the names (of callers),” said Lynch.
Lacey said this was a natural progression for him.
“I was in the radio business, as a disk jockey, and didn’t want to just play records or just do interviews,” said Lacey.
Now he’s involved in a bit of a mix. Depending on whether he’s interviewing a musician or talking to a caller about an issue of interest, Lacey said he now covers a wide array of topics on a regular basis.
“We deal with all age groups, income levels. We’re now on 52 stations all over the country,” said Lacey.
The pair appreciate their listeners.
“It’s great to be able to thank people for their support. We get to meet people we’ve talked to, get an idea of what people’s interests are, put faces to the names,” said Lynch.
Lynch gave the example of a Canadian Mountie, who’d called the station on a few occasions, who took the time to come over from Canada to meet her and Bob during their appearance at the Forum.
The duo – close friends for years now – credit each other for their on-air success.
“The key is the friendship between us,” said Lynch, who often refers to herself on-air as Lacey’s ‘silver best friend.’
“Sheri’s the funniest person on the air in the U.S. – not just of women but everyone. It’s a delight to set up her one-liners,” said Lacey, noting laughter is the best medicine.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
LUCY RICHARD, at center with the feather wrap, was one of several health professionals on hand at the Women’s Expo at the Forum Sept. 8. TAMC and Cary Medical Center took the opportunity to share health tips and provide information to those attending the event.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
GRANT SPINNEY, owner of Spinney’s Color & Design Center, was on hand at the Women’s Expo to offer design tips and demonstrations to interested visitors. Spinney also brought along several furniture items, such as rockers, designed to make life a bit easier.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
CARY MEDICAL CENTER’S booth at the Women’s Expo featured an array of health information. Health was one of the many topics covered by vendors looking to help visitors improve their lives in various ways.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
SHERI LYNCH, half of the “Bob and Sheri” talk show team, shares a prom-type photo op with James McCarty, of Washburn, one of hundreds of fans she and show partner Bob Lacey met at the Women’s Expo Sept. 8.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
VISITORS were spotted signing up for various giveaways throughout the Forum Sept. 8, as part of the first Women’s Expo.
