Episode 3: Behind the scenes of West U Information Exchange: Meet Mariana Pope

If you live in West U, you almost certainly know the West U Information Exchange — the invite-only Facebook group where neighbors find plumbers, reunite lost pets, rally around families in crisis, and occasionally deal with controversy like the infamous thong post and lemon-stealing nanny. In this episode, Natalie sits down with the woman behind it all: Mariana Pope, who started the group in 2014 and has quietly run it as a volunteer ever since — all while working full-time as a healthcare compliance attorney and raising four boys.Mariana shares where the idea came from, why the group is invite-only (and why once you're in, you're in), and what it's really like to moderate thousands of neighbors — including the posts that became local legend: the thong at Colonial Park Pool, the brown avocado toast, and yes, the lemon-stealing nanny. She talks about her rules on politics, shaming, and photos of minors, the mistakes she's owned along the way, how Marketing Mondays was born during COVID, and why she'll never monetize the group.There's a serious side too: neighbors finding a hotel room for a power-dependent little girl during the freeze, a minivan stuffed with donated towels for Rescued Pets Movement, and backpacks funded for 300 students in El Salvador in less than a day.Plus: why Mariana calls it "Wooey," Mayor Susan Sample's lightning-fast replies, a book club born from a single post — and a surprise on-camera cameo from Prince Pumpkin, the unofficial mayor of West U.The 005 is a community podcast about the people, places, events, and stories that make West U such a special place to live. New episodes at the005online.com.