GOOD TO HEAR FROM A NEW KORNER FAN

     Now from Nashville, TN, Mark Campbell, BHS-67, wrote, "read about the contributions of Vern Condon. As a dispatcher for Iowa Police Radio, I got to know Vern's brother, Carl,who was posted in Hampton. Carl was a lot of fun and was legendary for things he'd do and say. He told me that, as a kid, he and Vern would knock on doors and volunteer to rake leaves from front yards into the street. They'd circle the block raking all the front yard leaves into the gutter, then set the leaves on fire. He claimed the fire department was called and all the neighbors came out to watch the excitement. I don't know if it is a true story or a yarn but Carl made it sound like a lot of fun. Carl died a number of years ago. Have a good day and keep that Korner coming. It's a good one."
     The Kornerman has lots of memories, some from the hinterlands, of a very young Mark Campbell when we both worked at KWBG.
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     What a great way to start the day. Jim Seitz, BHS-73, wrote, "I found your blog.......what a wonderful walk down memory lane. Keep up the good work. You've got another Kelley's Korner fan."
     But here's the "meat" of his contribution. He wrote, "I had the good fortune of growing up in Boone and was one of the lucky kids who got hired by Mr. Boyd to work in one of his retail stores. I spent most of my Boyd's career at the southside store but also worked some at the West Boone store and visited all of the Boyd's stores on those occasions when I helped Charlie Rentschler on his truck route from Perry to Ames. I even worked at the campustown Boyd's in Ames as a freshman at Iowa State. Being a red-blooded, American teenage boy, I loved getting the chance to drive one of the Boyd's trucks, either standing up in the old step van or driving Charlie's larger refrigerated truck. To this day, I am ever grateful for Charlie teaching me how to use mirrors when backing up. Those were the days and oh, the stories I could tell."
     Jim added, "I was in Wilton, IA over the past weekend, home of the Wilton Candy Kitchen that has earned a spot in the National Register of Historic Places. It dates back to the 1860's and is, supposedly, the oldest continuing business of its type in the United States. The Nopoulos family sold it after George Nopoulos died. He was famous for his homemade ice cream and left behind an ice cream machine that reminded me of my days in Boyds. The old freezer cases I saw also took me back in time to when I scooped ice cream out of them for cones, malts and sundaes. Cones were a nickel a dip and  malts/shakes were 40 cents. I made 90 cents an hour with all the ice cream I could eat. The new owners of the Candy Kitchen would like to use the old ice cream machine to carry on the tradition of selling homemade ice cream but, sadly, George took the instructions on its use with him to the grave, leaving nothing behind in written form that could help them now. I told the new owners of my days at Boyd's and mentioned that Dick Farley, BHS-42, who died in 2014, was our ice cream maker. I told them I would attempt to locate anyone from Boyds who made ice cream and was still with us. LaVerne Anderson, BHS-54, was mentioned in the Korner in December so I wondered if you, the Kornerman, would help me get a message to LaVerne. I remember him as a very nice, friendly and helpful fellow who worked in production at Boyd's. If he felt he might be able to help the folks at the Wilton Candy Kitchen with any tips on how to use their ice cream maker, please have him call them or email the new owner, Lynn Ochiltree."
     The Korner's investigative unit immediately "kicked in" and  LaVerne was contacted, seemed interested in learning more and was given instructions as to how to contact the folks in Wilton. I'm sure we'll hear back from LaVerne as soon as he pursues this adventure.
     P.S. The Kornerman remembers Jim's dad, Ray Seitz, was the manager of the Boone Sears store I believe and the Seitz family lived hear us on Southeast Linn.
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     BIT'S AND PIECES: (1) Regarding our "replay" of the Monica Pearson story, the Kornerman understands this is her 52nd year doing her music for Sacred Heart and plans are being made for a celebration of that in a coming month. (2) It's now official. We mentioned earlier the possibility of this being Nick Collison's final year as an NBA player. He announced Thursday that he has completed a 15 season career. (3) Our DMACC softball team remains unbeaten with, I believe, a record of 44-0 for the season and will next compete for a national championship in Mississippi next week. (4) We're in the midst of Triple Crown horse racing. Justify won the Kentucky Derby and that will be followed by the Preakness and the Belmont in coming weeks. Read a great story about Secretariat, the 1973 Derby winner. The story said that Secretariat had a heart weighing 22 pounds, which is more than twice the size of that of an average horse. Is that the secret of great success? Secretariat is probably the sports greatest horse. First horse to break the two-minute barrier in the Derby, broke another record in the Preakness and won the Belmont by 31 lengths in record time. (5) Heard from good friends Max, BHS-46, and Larry Moore, BHS-52, who reside in the Riverside, CA area. They were 25 miles from the center of that recent earthquake and Max reported, "it shook me out of bed."
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Lois Pies,  87, Madrid. Worked at a local pharmacy and at the ISU Library. Boone area survivors include her husband, Kenneth, and a daughter, Denise Hiveley, both of Madrid. Another daughter also survives.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa, 50036-3942. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.