There are great stories being told around the tables In Shenandoah, Muscatine, Ames, Jefferson, Osage and Des Moines -- as good as I hear from my own "Bean Boyz" and "Old Sports."
Fun column Chuck. As an ISU alum it's always a thrill to hear about "the Roland Rocket," Gary Thompson, and my old Ames buddy Bud Legg, who was "Private Hoople" in our weekly college football picks column at the Ames Tribune back when he was girls basketball coach at Ames High School.
Former Iowa Attorney General Evan "Curly" Hultman has been part of a Wednesday morning coffee group in Waterloo for many years. In fact, when his daughter Heidi Warrington was promoted to full colonel in the Army, Curly, a retired Army Reserve two-star general, had her pinning ceremony held at the site of his coffee klatch, with family in attendance.
Also, several years ago I eavesdropped, or was within earshot of, a large and loud coffee group that used to meet at the Cedar Falls McDonald's near City Hall where I stopped to work on stories on my laptop between assignments without doubling back to Waterloo. By "osmosis" I picked up news tips on political candidacies and interesting insights on local issues. In fact, my presence at that McDonald's apparently was so well known that right before Christmas one year I received an anonymous gift in the mail of two coffee gift cards at other establishments with the unsigned note, "Pat - Have some good coffee on me! Merry Christmas!" I never found out who my secret Santa was or if it was one of the coffee regulars trying to throw me off the trail.
I can also attest that, as the son of a licensed professional cosmetologist, that some of the best news tips come out of barber and beauty shops.
I think there's a coffee group (most of the men's) in every small town in the USA. I enjoyed mine immensely for years until a radical Trumper ruined it enough for me that I no longer attend when he's in town. I miss the laughs and conversations but not the argument.
Love the coffee “klatch” name - so old-timey. My women’s groups in DM have been meeting since 1987 - but it’s typically coffee with lunch or dinner! And now it’s just 4 of us from 2 groups. Our shared history makes it easy to support each other thru life’s trials and tribulations.
Loved this column, Chuck! These klatches are a very important part of Iowa’s social fabric but often not recognized as such.
Thanks for this. One of the best columns I’ve read in a long time!
I agree Barry.
"Coffee and Conversation" -- leave cell phone in vehicles!
Fun column Chuck. As an ISU alum it's always a thrill to hear about "the Roland Rocket," Gary Thompson, and my old Ames buddy Bud Legg, who was "Private Hoople" in our weekly college football picks column at the Ames Tribune back when he was girls basketball coach at Ames High School.
Former Iowa Attorney General Evan "Curly" Hultman has been part of a Wednesday morning coffee group in Waterloo for many years. In fact, when his daughter Heidi Warrington was promoted to full colonel in the Army, Curly, a retired Army Reserve two-star general, had her pinning ceremony held at the site of his coffee klatch, with family in attendance.
Also, several years ago I eavesdropped, or was within earshot of, a large and loud coffee group that used to meet at the Cedar Falls McDonald's near City Hall where I stopped to work on stories on my laptop between assignments without doubling back to Waterloo. By "osmosis" I picked up news tips on political candidacies and interesting insights on local issues. In fact, my presence at that McDonald's apparently was so well known that right before Christmas one year I received an anonymous gift in the mail of two coffee gift cards at other establishments with the unsigned note, "Pat - Have some good coffee on me! Merry Christmas!" I never found out who my secret Santa was or if it was one of the coffee regulars trying to throw me off the trail.
I can also attest that, as the son of a licensed professional cosmetologist, that some of the best news tips come out of barber and beauty shops.
I think there's a coffee group (most of the men's) in every small town in the USA. I enjoyed mine immensely for years until a radical Trumper ruined it enough for me that I no longer attend when he's in town. I miss the laughs and conversations but not the argument.
Wonderful column about the importance of building and maintaining community!
Love the coffee “klatch” name - so old-timey. My women’s groups in DM have been meeting since 1987 - but it’s typically coffee with lunch or dinner! And now it’s just 4 of us from 2 groups. Our shared history makes it easy to support each other thru life’s trials and tribulations.