Heartland Idol founder recalls early days

If you see a lady in flip flops with long, blonde hair and a nice purse rushing around the Sebring Circle on a Thursday evening, chances are it's Diana Walker, founder and organizer of Heartland Idol.

Idol season kicked off this past week, starting its seventh season. Children, teens and adults compete for cash prizes by singing on stage in the Circle Thursday nights at 6.

Walker started the competition with her grandfather, Arthur Viera in 2004. The two of them were fans of the show American Idol, and started brainstorming ideas on starting up a local singing competition modeled after the show.

The Highlands Art League got involved, looking for some entertainment to make their art festival an all-day event.

The Heartland Idol finale seemed like the perfect fit.

Unfortunately, Walker's grandfather passed away a few weeks before the event began and never got to see it come to fruition.

But Walker has fond memories of that first year just the same.

Last week she spent some time looking at videos of competitions from years past.

"It was nothing compared to what we do now," said Walker of the first year. "I think there were 10 people watching. We didn't have a stage. We didn't have food. And (the audience members) were standing. It was hysterical to see that."

Now, Heartland Idol pulls in crowds of over 200, even on qualifying nights and has a stage and sound system, not to mention rows upon rows of audience members relaxing in their folding chairs. Hot food and refreshments are served.

Walker even laughed about a recent Facebook post on her wall which read, "only 2 more days until the return of the Idol dog! I look forward to not cooking on Thursday for a few weeks. Thank you Idol Cafe." The Idol Dog is the event's signature enormous hot dog; it's about the size of your forearm.

Another fond memory of Walker's is the finale night of that first season.

There was a huge crowd due to the art festival.

Recalled Walker nostalgically, "Nelly Guzman, who won that year, she sang 'Ave Maria,' which is one of my all time favorite songs anyway. It was so good. You know sometimes you are on the circle and you hear cars going by or noise in the background, but it was absolutely still and silent and I think everybody had goosebumps."

A little different this year

Things will be a little different this year since Jim McCollum's passing.

An avid board member, judge and attorney for the event, McCollum was forever an entertaining presence at past performances, and often gave the hardest critiques to contestants.

Walker talked a little bit about Idol losing its resident "Simon."

"Our main concern is not to replace Jim, because in our eyes there is no replacing Jim. Jim's seat will remain open," said Walker.

McCollum's wife, Sue, will step in on occasion, Walker said. Besides, Idol has another straight-shooter judge in Larry Moore.

"He's pretty much tell-it-like-it-is brutally honest," Walker said of Moore. "I think people will like him. Like I said, no one will ever replace Jim."

Giving back to the community

Heartland Idol is a not-for-profit venture, and proceeds that do not go to prizes for the contestants end up being donated to causes throughout Highlands County.

This past year, monies were donated to the March of Dimes, and Relay For Life, another charity that Walker is passionate about. This year, she's looking forward to donating to the Hansen House, a girls' home located in Sebring.

As for Relay, Walker's team earned bronze status two years ago and silver status last year for the amount of donations they collected.

Walker and her mother, Debby Hirsh, sponsor a team each year to participate in Sebring's chapter of this fundraiser for cancer research.

"We started Relay three years ago," explained Walker, who explained that she grew up in the small town of Miramar near Fort Lauderdale.

"Our family was very close: cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. We all lived within four blocks of one another. We had a family member who developed cancer, and when she was in her last months, we were going down there every week to help take care of her."

Once Colleen passed away, Walker and Hirsh returned to Highlands County and read an article in the newspaper about Relay for Life.

"I think Relay was three weeks away, and we were like, we're gonna do a team," remembered Walker.

The Relay chairpeople gently reminded them that the event was only three weeks away.

Walker said, "We were, like, yeah, whatever." They got the team rolling and named it This Party's For You, Colleen.

As more members who had their own friends and family members to honor joined the team, the name was shortened to This Party's For You.

Off time

So what does Walker do when she's not running Idol or Relay? She enjoys joining in entrepreneurial ventures with her mom.

They owned a party store downtown, and have recently launched a direct marketing business with a company called Thirty-one. Walker said the product line includes purses, wallets and lunchboxes.

"It's really my mom's business; I'm just the mouthpiece," laughed Walker. "My mom is the business-oriented person."

She said that's just part of the close-knit family atmosphere the Hirshes have always fostered. "Someone in the family doesn't sneeze without the other ones knowing about it," joked Walker. "Everything we do is as a family."

Speaking of family, Walker's husband is a paramedic and she has two sons who just entered the 11th and eight grades.

How does she balance family with work and community projects?

"With a calendar, and a pencil, and an eraser," laughed Walker.

On a more serious note, she added, "The kids come first. This week has been really hard. They went back to school, and there was so much to do for Idol."

But Walker said everyone knows, once two o'clock hits, she's off home to do homework, dinner, and otherwise meet her family's needs.

But while Walker is busy making other people's dreams come true, what about her own?

"I have always wanted to try out for a play at the Little Theatre, but have not done it. I've taken vocal lessons and been in chorus since I was in kindergarten through high school. Not so much anymore."

She added, "It's been quite a few years since I sang. I'm afraid if I go out (for a singing part) and do bad, someone will say, OK, you're the one who came up with Idol? And the other thing is I hear it's just really time-consuming."

But Idol itself gives Walker a different kind of fulfillment.

"I like seeing how happy the community is that there's something to do and seeing the little kids have a way to display their talents," said Walker. "Another good memory is the friendships I've made from the volunteers that have stepped forward and the board members. We're like our own little family."

And as far as volunteers go, they always need more.

"The hardest part is cleaning up, getting volunteers, finding volunteers. You set everything up and you run the show at night then you have to break it down."

Walker said it takes about an hour to set up and break down for a performance.

"I appreciate everyone's support of Idol. And if they have any ideas or suggestions give us a call," Walker said.

She can be reached at 368-2854 or via the Heartland Idol website at www.heartlandidol.com.