Radio personality said he would do ‘Whatever It Takes’
Guest paper boy

By Brenda L. Holmes

AVON — The Westover Woods subdivision in Avon may never be the same. That’s the area of Hendricks County that was targeted by on-air radio personality Dave Smiley of Z99.5.

Smiley visited Avon Thursday as part of the radio station’s “Whatever It Takes” promotion.

“We’ve been doing this since March,” Smiley said. “We thought we would get out, have some fun, and pick up new listeners.”

Listeners of the Smiley Morning Show are encouraged to send in tasks for Smiley to perform. In return, he asks only that they listen to his show.

In the past, Smiley has worked in a cafeteria, filled potholes, taught Zumba aerobics, been to an Indians Game, served as a bartender, did some square dancing, and even filled in for the Easter Bunny.

“I even got to pick up dog poop for the Humane Society,” he said.

This week, Ryan Shepperd, a graphic artist with the Hendricks County Flyer, went on-air and challenged Smiley to come to Hendricks County and deliver a route for the newspaper.

Shepperd told Smiley that the paper’s 30-plus employees would become dedicated listeners.

“Our publisher (Harold Allen) said we will even change our hold music to Z99.5,” Shepperd said.

Smiley accepted the challenge and, after being rained out on Wednesday, delivered a short route in Westover Woods on Thursday afternoon.

Circulation Manager Dawn Carman gave a brief tutorial on how to fold and deliver the papers and then Smiley, Shepperd, and Z99.5 Producer Chris Van Sickle hit the streets to make the deliveries.

“I really enjoyed it,” Smiley said. “I don’t think I would want to do it every day, but it was exhilarating to deliver the news. We take the newspaper for granted. We go out to pick it up every day, but someone has to deliver it.”

Smiley said this wasn’t his first visit to Hendricks County.

“I’ve been out to Hendricks County lots of times,” he said. “We even had our Pumpkin Drop here last year at Metropolis.”