By Michelle Wyckoff

Advertising.   Described by “ Cortana”  as the activity or profession of producing advertisements for commercial products or services.  

As I looked over the whole, back page, full color ad last week, encouraging everyone in Kiowa County to “ fuel their careers” by applying for jobs at the up-and -coming Loves Travel Stop, it brought to mind my second job.

Although I didn’t apply (my aunt, Bernice Crow, asked me if I’d like to work at Stop and Shop) I  was  excited to enter the workforce.  I was a Sophomore in high school and I jumped at the chance to make my own money and my mom and dad jumped at the chance to encourage me.  It was a newfound  independence I’d never known before.  It was 1971 and I planned to conquer the world.  Everybody’s tape deck was blasting Creedence Clearwater’s “Joy to the World” and all was well.  I opened a checking account with my first paycheck and  was on my way.  That $9.00 took me to Wissel Dry Goods, where I promptly opened a charge account with Keith and Mary Lee.

When I got to be a Junior in high school, I joined the ranks of the “work study “ kids in the program and went to school in the morning, then went to work in the afternoon.  Later on, Pam and Gary took over, and I worked there until just before I got married in May of 1974.  How lucky I was to work for them!  I saw everyone in town on a regular basis, and I worked with my uncle, Ray Crow, Danny Myers, Mike Sheridan, Caron Bethel, Ronnie Weil, Richard Glover, and Neil Myers (who, by the way asked me if I’d go out with Dennis--we all know what that turned into.  Neil was our Best Man and Sharon Crow Wilson was our Flower Girl).   It was so much fun!

I’ve had other jobs since then that paid more with benefits, but the only job that rivals working at our local grocery store, or cleaning house for Philomene Liesen with Sheri Woods and Rita Fischer (my first job), is being Gramma to Austin, Jordan and Braeden.  The benefits of that one are out of this world!

May you be living the good life, Neil Myers and Sharon Crow Wilson !!