The Day is here – the Day that Alex and I dreamt of two years ago.

When you don’t know what to give your brother (and Uncle) for his birthday, and his best friend, a partner in crime, and brother from another mother, passes away, all celebrations and gift ideas come to a halt.

May 2017 Joelie’s first birthday after the passing of our mother was going to be difficult enough, but now sweet and feisty Charlie Eble’s good fight with the terrible “C” was turning this month into SADNESS!

Alex was just establishing newclevelanradio.net, and as the producer, and podcaster developer, we thought about putting together a tribute.  We had the dream, the idea, but we were too new in our internet station to develop an event like this.

May 2018 with this idea weighing heavily on our shoulders, it was Joel’s birthday once again and the first anniversary of Charlie’s death.  Although Charlie was no longer with us physically, he remained with us, and all of the people he had touched in his life.  As he interviewed many of the talented artists from the Capital Region, Saratoga Springs, and beyond, I heard the murmurings of how he helped so many directly and indirectly.

I knew how much Charlie had done for Alex, especially in the last year of his life.  My son planned a trip to Saratoga Springs the in late April of 2017 as he knew he had to conversate with his mentor, the man we are honoring today, Charlie Eble.  It was at that time Alex discussed some ideas and plans he wanted to accomplish, and his mentor perked up, looked him straight in the eye and said our work is not done!

So when May 2018 came along, I took this idea to the max on behalf of Alex.  Without letting Joel know, I did not want him to dissuade me or anyone else, I began putting the wheels in motion.  I contacted many of the performers I had met and interviewed and others I still wanted to interview, and I got a 100% acceptance that this would not only be a fantastic way to honor a man who had done so much and still means the world to many, but it would be a gift for Joelie, that money could not buy.

This gift did not come without strings attached.  When we met with my big brother in the Fall of 2018; I requested that he produce this event that is happening today, and proclaimed by the Honorable Meg Kelly as Charlie Eble Day.  And with his influence and unstoppable personality he and Sarah Craig developed a scholarship fund in the name of Charlie, that will mean so much more than a plaque.  Today is the first of many, and you will hear the beauty in the talent, and feel the love in each performance.

When Charlie told Alex his work was not done, you will witness that today.  He will be performing a song that he shared with Joel and Charlie two years ago.  Alex had a vision, and today, with special thanks to Jeff Brisbin that vision comes to life!

Today is not just for Charlie, this is a gift for my brother Joel, to let him know how special he is and that when you can’t afford to buy a present, you create one…Happy Life to All!