Michael T. Mondak speaks about a hypothetical Surprise Squad encounter

In my last entry I posted about the fact that no television station in Pennsylvania and Ohio has something other local television stations have called the Surprise Squad in partnership with local businesses such as car dealerships and banks or credit unions.

If WKBN in Youngstown had an extension of its long running Caring for Our Community campaign with a Surprise Squad that invites viewers to submit nominations, one of the people involved with the Hermitage Arts Festival could nominate me for a visit from the Surprise Squad.  They would write:

To the MyValley Surprise Squad:

I am nominating Michael T. Mondak for a visit from you.  He has been handing out helium balloons to the children at the Hermitage Arts Festival every year since 2009 and is always the first person to commit once we announce the dates.  In 2023 this Penn State fan and graduate was the grand marshal of our city’s Holiday Light Parade.  This year’s festival is on July 26 and 27, just after his 40th birthday.

Michael is a person who freely gives of himself and his time to be at the Arts Festival to hand out helium balloons to the children because he puts smiles on all of the little kids’ faces.  He has also been trying to get on Jeopardy! as a contestant since 2008.  Michael has always had a soft spot in his heart for the young children of the city of Hermitage.  It is estimated that since 2009, Michael has handed out more than seventy-five hundred helium balloons to the children at the Hermitage Arts Festival and counting.

It would only be appropriate that the Surprise Squad pay Michael T. Mondak, “The Balloon Man”, a visit.

The MyValley Surprise Squad, in partnership with Dunkin’, Diane Sauer Chevrolet and Huntington Bank would pay me that visit, and upon arrival, they would tell me that I’m being interviewed about the soft spot in my heart for the young children over nearly 20 years, but then the conversation would turn and then the “interviewer” would reveal themself to be a part of the MyValley Surprise Squad, and then out would come the person who nominated me, the stately Nittany Lion mascot, a news photographer, my longtime bestie Dr. Melissa Ann Eaton, the city manager, people representing the Surprise Squad partners, and members of the city Parks and Recreation department.  My initial reaction would be “NO WAY IN THE NAME OF PITTSBURGH!”

The stately Nittany Lion would have balloons for me from Kraynak’s in Hermitage.  The Surprise Squad reporter would introduce me to the person who nominated me and why I was nominated.  City manager Gary Hinkson would present me with a proclamation that would proclaim the day as Michael T. Mondak “The Balloon Man” Day in the city of Hermitage.  The athletic director at Penn State Shenango would present me with my very own Penn State Shenango golf bag, baseball, volleyball and basketball jerseys with my number 85 and two Penn State Shenango golf shirts (one blue and one white).  Representatives from Dunkin’, Diane Sauer Chevrolet and Huntington Bank would present me with three checks for a combined unknown amount.  Then the reporter would recall that I have been trying to get on Jeopardy! as a contestant since 2008.  I would be told to look at the screen and I would see a message from host Ken Jennings, saying:

“Michael, it’s Ken Jennings, the host of Jeopardy!  I have learned that you have spent nearly 20 years trying to get on the show as a contestant.  Here’s what I’m going to do:  The contestant team wants you to fly out to Culver City with your travel expenses paid for by the MyValley Surprise Squad partners so that you can be a contestant on Jeopardy!”

I would be asked how this feels and I would say:

“I could not thank you one and all for what you have done for me this day.  That is why I love this city and this city loves me right back.”