Random Thoughts from a Random Memory

By Edward Master

First and foremost, a shout-out to a couple ACV athletes, offspring of former ACV athletes, Gianna Louise and Joe Rapp. Gianna is the daughter of former A-C athlete Brady Louise and granddaughter of ex-Falcon sprinter Barry Louise. Gianna has been torching the volleyball court with plenty of saves, digs, kills, and aces. I believe Barry still holds some thin-clad sprinting records at the school. Joe has been a stalwart on the links for the A-C golfers. Joe is the son of ex-coach and basketeer Andy Rapp and the nephew of a lineage of Falcon basketballers (Andy’s brothers), Uncles Mike, Jim, Joe, Brad, and Bob (Spuds).

Congrats also go out to this year’s Union/ACV undefeated footballing Falcons. They just knocked off Kane and look headed for post-season action. I only hope I haven’t put the ki-bosh on them.

I recently read a dismaying post: danger on the horizon for food-banks. With rising prices on groceries, the availability for extras at the table will naturally decline.

Who are you trusting: the president who claims an all-time boom in economy or the rising grocery bill each week? I remember when the big news in groceries was a change in the milk supplier.

I vaguely recall Lobaugh’s ice cream, probably when Ralph Watson owned the Turkey City establishment. I don’t recall any other Lobaugh milk products. I believe we had home delivery of milk from Country Belle. They may have been out of Seneca, up towards Oil City. Then, at Sheesley’s store, we eventually had Hillcrest dairy. We often saw Bob Farrington, along with sons Larry and Rich, deliver product in the morning as we Turkey Citians waited patiently for the bus on the store porch.

Larry and Rich relieved the Emlenton crew who started at 5:30 AM, delivered milk M, W, and F until approximately 7:30 AM, and then raced home to prep for school. I vaguely recall glass bottles somewhere along the way, when I was just a wee lad.

Out east, we had quite the contrast. East of Harrisburg was all Wawa, a southeastern dairy turned convenience store giant. Namely, it was the Sheetz of the East. Wawa even had a town built/created for its business. Wawa not only had milk/dairy products, but seemingly every other commodity.