Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Start of the "Big Three"

     Increased activity in Boonetown is very noticeable. That's because three of the biggest events in our community each year (almost) go bang, bang, bang just over a two-week period in late August/early September. One event occurs every other year.
     Just underway is the Farm Progress Show, which can draw up to 200,000 patrons in just three days. That is followed by the Super National Races which, in a week's time, will draw 100,000 or so and, finally, the annual Pufferbilly celebration. The Farm Progress Show wraps up Thursday (tommorrow), the races run from Labor Day to the 10th of September and Pufferbilly overlaps from the eighth to the 11th of September.
     Let's provide a little info about the Farm Progress Show. The Kornerman thought he remembered that the original contract would end in 2020. Apparently, that has been extended. The show's official program indicates that it will continue to be held at the Boone facility every other year for the next 13 years. It was first held in Boone in 2008 and this year, marks the fifth time our community has hosted this event. In alternating years, the show is held in Decatur, IL. As long as we're on this subject, here are the future dates for the Boone show......August 28-30 in 2018, September 1-3 in 2020 and August 30, 31 and September 1 in 2022.
     There is 3.68 million square feet of exhibit area over 8.5 acres. There is also 300 acres designated for field demonstrations and test drive areas, plus an additional 150 acres for visitor parking at the site east of Boone near the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 17.
     The host families include Eric and Carol Ziel, Dick and Judy Isaacson and Dick's mother, June Isaacson, Alan and Jennifer Schoff, Gene and Karyl Jones and Kim Uthe. Land owned by those folks is used for parking and the field demonstrations.
     Volunteer help is required and Boone's two Kiwanis Clubs, the noon Kiwanis and Daybreakers Kiwanis, staff the information booth. In the food court, St. Paul Lutheran Pre-school, the Boone United Methodist Church and the Boone County Cattlemen's Association have offerings and there are various other beverage and ice cream stands on the grounds.
      Its a big, big farm show with all the latest agriculture equipment and technology displayed for the benefit of visitors from all over the U.S., as well as many foreign nations. The area airports are all busy and housing facilities for many miles around are occupied.
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     Sharon Richmond Stark, BHS-53, a classmate of the Kornerman, attended our recent class reunion and we heard from her this week. She related the start of her long career, 41 years, as a lab technician. It all began here, in her hometown, at the Elinor Moore Memorial Hospital, as our hospital was known in those early years.
     Sharon wrote, "when I was in lab school, they told us to keep a journal, and a funny, touching, and sad book could be written in retirement. Often, I have regretted not doing that. I remember my first day on my "real" job. I arrived all starched and white in my new uniform and very nervous about seeing the administrator who wanted to talk with me before I went to the lab. But, she was nowhere to be found and no one else was in any of the offices so I went on to the lab. The room, itself, was depressing enough, two walls of scratched and dented black counter tops, with aged instruments, refrigerators and larger equipment on the others. The large, checkerboard, black and white squared linoleum floor's worn paths were so thin that sub-flooring showed in spots. However, the worst things about that sight were the things that didn't belong there. Blankets, with mud and grass on them, were lying in a corner with a piece of bloody clothing peeking from under. A blood transfusion bottle, only partially emptied, sat on a counter along with several others that were fully used. All this, along with test tube racks with many cross match tubes, testified to the fact that a very serious accident had come in during the night. I had no idea what to do, but a sleepy eyed woman soon walked in and said that she had spent the night getting blood for a four-person accident. The emergency room couldn't hold all the victims and ambulance crews so some were brought into the lab. One person was already dead, one had been taken to Des Moines and the lady had spent the night there after getting enough blood to last the other two victims through the night. She told me my job for the day was to run all the blood counts and chemistries, then do the EKG's, and she would spend the day calling donors and drawing blood. Two hours after my scheduled day's end, I walked out of the building so terribly tired but also happy that I managed to finish my day's tasks. As I look back on that first day now, I believe the person who walked out of that building was much more mature than the one who entered that morning."
     Editor's note: Sharon was unaware of the Korner until I mentioned it at the class reunion and gave her and a few others information on how to obtain the Korner. Sharon added, "I've spent the last two hours reading the Korner and remembering. I'll be a Korner follower from now on."
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     In the last edition, the Kornerman broke precedent to help Bob and Margaret Atherton Harvey, both BHS-50. They were"appalled" that there would be a $55 charge for them to have Margaret's brother, Don's, obituary placed in the Boone/Ames BNR.
     In the Korner, we have always printed "abbreviated" obituaries........basically just the mention of the death itself and any survivors from Boone or immediate area.
     This time, we relented and printed the entire obituary as sent to us by Margaret. She wrote back, "Mo, what you did was just awesome. Thanks."
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     Along that same line, thanks to Gary Knox, we were able to inform Korner viewers of the death of Marilyn Johnson King, United HS-57. In his note, Gary wrote, "she was a talented post forward on a good UCHS girls basketball team. My wife was 5'5" and a Luther HS post guard and she often told me how difficult Marilyn was to guard. She said she had to stay in front of her in an attempt to keep her scoring down."
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     Boone Connected Deaths: Merlin Paulson, 89, Boone. Formerly of Ogden...........Bonnie Johnson Pestotnik, 84, Boone. Moved to Boone in 1956. Taught at Lincoln, Franklin and Page elementary schools. Married Don Johnson in 1956. He passed away in 1996. Married Dick Pestotnik in 1999. Boone area survivors include her husband, Dick, and step-daughter Kathy Pestotnik both of Boone..........Marilyn Johnson King, 77, Ottumwa. United HS-57. She taught at Hubbard, Ballard and Seton Catholic school in Ottumwa. Survived by her husband, Dean, and her brother, Bob Johnson, of Boone..........Elaine Gano, 94, Boone. Farmed near Cherokee for 26 years and also served as a therapeudic dietician there. Moved to Boone in 1991. Boone area survivor is a daughter, Virgean Tronick of Boone........Lloyd Miller, 77. Attended BHS. Was an Iowa National Guardsman. Worked at Fareway for 38 years before retiring in 1998. Boone area survivors include his wife, Sally, a son, Chris, brothers Ray, Paul and Bernard and a sister, Rose Quigley, all of Boone.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    
    

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