Mike Wolfe of “American Pickers” Featured in WordSouth's Telecommunications Magazine
Rainsville, Alabama (PRWEB) June 30, 2014 -- Millions of Americans enjoy watching Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz search garages, junk stores, basements and barns for old treasure with nostalgic or collectible value. The creator and star of the hit reality TV show "American Pickers," Wolfe recently met with WordSouth president Stephen V. Smith to discuss how the pastime of picking can actually help children better understand the history and traditions of their families and hometowns.
“Mike Wolfe is such an interesting person with a unique perspective on history,” says Smith. “He believes that the value of each piece they find really lies in the story — where that object came from, who it belonged to and why it was kept for so many years. This relates to what we do every day, and that is help our clients tell their stories.”
The interview resulted in an article that appears in the July/August issue of the Regional Telco Magazine, a consumer magazine that WordSouth publishes for the rural telecommunications industry.
WordSouth works with telcos in numerous states to research and write stories, capture photos and design their local content, which appears as part of a larger collaborative publishing effort. The shared content of the magazine features stories of regional interest, as well as news and information that is helpful to the rural consumer.
During the interview with Wolfe, the TV star and entrepreneur shared that he was initially surprised at how strongly younger viewers connected with the show. Children call his Antique Archaeology store, send letters and even stop by with their families to share stories of their picking adventures. They also send photos to History, the channel that airs “American Pickers,” and post on the network’s social media channels.
“It really made me step back and say ‘wow, this is the way it was when I was a kid,’” says Wolfe. “They reminded me of myself.”
Now, through a website, a book and a national competition, Wolfe is helping kids connect with their families and communities. He launched KidPickers.com, a social network where children — with guidance from their parents— can post photos and share stories of their finds. To help kids get the most from picking, Wolfe released a book entitled “Kid Pickers.” He has also joined forces with History for the Kid Pickers Pick and Tell National Student Contest, which provides scholarships to contest winners.
Through these activities, Wolfe has seen people learn what kids have always known: it is more fun to learn when you get your hands dirty. “Grandparents tell us that kids come out to their house now and they want to look in their barns, their attics, their basements... they want to know whose this was, what it was, they want to know more about it. And through this thing that’s been in the basement forever, all of a sudden they are learning about their family history. They’re getting history the way they want to get it — hands on,” says Wolfe.
The story about Wolfe's efforts was a perfect fit for WordSouth's magazine. “The readers of our magazine are the customers of rural telecommunications companies,” says Smith, “and the traditions of their families and communities are important to them. The work Mike Wolfe is doing to engage children with history will help preserve the history of our small towns and rural regions.”
The article appears in magazines delivered to the service area of the following telecommunications companies:
Ardmore Telephone Company - Ardmore, TN
Ben Lomand Connect - McMinnville, TN
DTC Communications - Alexandria, TN
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative - Rainsville, AL
Highland Telephone Cooperative - Sunbright, TN
Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative - West Liberty, KY
New Hope Telephone Cooperative - New Hope, AL
North Central Telephone Cooperative - Lafayette, TN
Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative - Walterboro, SC
Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative - McKee, KY
Peoples Telephone Cooperative- Quitman, TX
West Carolina Telephone Cooperative - Abbeville, SC
WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative - Mayfield, KY
WordSouth engages the power of content marketing to help rural utilities connect with their communities. The company produces custom content, such as magazines, brochures, annual reports and bill inserts, through an all-encompassing approach that saves clients both time and money. For more information about WordSouth, visit the company website at http://www.wordsouth.com.
Stephen V. Smith, WordSouth — A Content Marketing Company, http://www.wordsouth.com, +1 256-638-8856, [email protected]
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