A few weeks ago, a trip to Colbert's Market included going down the most northern aisle where the frozen foods were split amongst freezers with doors and an old-fashioned looking freezer featuring open-top access and no doors. A couple weeks ago, these freezers were removed, and new freezers were installed. The new look not only changed the look of the aisle, but it added a little more selection to the grocery store. This investment to the store required a little soul-searching for the owners, Dave and Linda Colbert.
    "Linda and I were at a crossroads as to whether to close the doors of Colbert's Market or invest in its future," stated Dave. "Since we are both comfortable in our role as semi-retired and fear the possibility of boredom from complete retirement, we decided to invest in Danbury's future more than ours.
    "It's not that it would be the end of the world or that Mapleton is so far away, but rather we both feel it would be a dramatic change in the feel of the Danbury community," he continued. "We also fear that even if we sold the business that eventuality of closing would still happen. We recently had someone express interest in buying the store, but as I told them them, I am pretty sure I can afford to keep the doors open and the lights on, but I am not sure if someone expects to make a reasonable living in today's business environment that anyone else could. I am not saying someone else isn't capable of running the store as good as the Colberts, but rather the store does not owe us a living anymore, and everything is paid for."
    With aging freezers and the Colberts not getting any younger, either, they had to weigh the options ahead of them.
    "We are both 71 1/2 years old, and no one knows better than small town grocers about the inevitability of expiration dates, and consequently we have known this day was coming for sometime now," Dave stated. "Last summer was very stressful and a constant worry in regards to the store's refrigeration, for example the freezers at the store. I have visited with several sales reps as to how other small communities have managed to keep their doors open, and the predominant answer is that they do not."
    Dave's research and his own Colbert thinking brought them to their current situation, volunteering their time to save them money.
    "One business model that caught my attention was about a community much larger than Danbury that bought the store and hired a manager to run it with all volunteer help. I did not see that happening in Danbury but thought we could put our own spin on it and have volunteers (the Colberts) manage the store and just hire the help to run it. That is Danbury's Market dba as Colbert's Market's current business plan."
    But what does volunteering their own time to keep the doors open have to do with purchasing freezers with their own doors?
    "We always felt that as long as we did not have to spend our retirement money to keep the doors open, then that was going to be the line in the sand for closing. Last summer we came to the realization that our retirement would have much less stress if we made a one time exception to that rule and bought new freezers," Dave added.
    Dave stated that the 11 doors of the new freezers replace a 6-door freezer that they purchased new in 1989 and a pre-owned open top freezer that Dave's dad, Jack purchased in 1979 when Colbert's Market expanded into the north building. Jack had owned the business before Dave purchased it from him. The extra space allowed the Colberts to increase the selection and marketing of certain products because the store gained an additional 5 doors by the replacement of the open freezer.
    One more potential bonus with the new equipment will be possible energy savings. While it's too early to know any potential savings, Dave said that the new compressors do not seem to generate near as much heat in the basement which no doubt makes their heat exchange more efficient.
    While the old freezers faced retirement with the new upgrade, the Colberts remain out of full-retirement to provide a much appreciated service to this community.

    The program is Awesome Animals with Micheal Bechtel, Associate Professor of Science Education at Wartburg College will be visiting Cord Memorial Library on Tuesday, July 1st at 2:00 p.m. A highly sought after presenter, he will be bringing animal guests along. The program will be enjoyable for kids and adults alike.

    Correctionville, IA – Come to Little Sioux Park for some fun in the sun! On Thursday, July 3rd from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. a variety of activities will be available for some family fun. You can learn how to throw an atl atl, search for frogs and water critters in a pond study and go canoeing. Children must be accompanied by an adult for canoeing. Life jackets and equipment will be provided. Activities will be located near the small shelter and the beach area in the park. For more information, call 712-258-0838 or email camps@woodburyparks.org.
    Little Sioux Park is located 2 miles southwest of Correctionville at 1746 O'Brien Avenue. For more information about these or other programs, visit our website at https://woodburyparks.org

    This past weekend was hot, hot, hot, with the real temps in the mid to upper 90s and heat indexes easily jumping over the 100° mark. Participants in Dana Hall's second annual poker run didn't care so much. After all, their side by sides and motorcycles had plenty of ventilation to allow the wind to provide air movement. They also had multiple stops in their 70ish mile trip; the air conditioning gave them a bit of a break from the excessive heat before they wandered to their next stop.

    The Holy Rosary Knights of Columbus will hold an omelet breakfast on Sunday, June 29th at the Mapleton Community Center. The free will donation meal will be served from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Proceeds will benefit the Danbury Catholic School students and Mary's Choice.
    Please consider joining the Knights for brunch.

    The Maple Valley High School Class of 1965 will hold their 60th reunion the weekend of June 27-29. Anyone who has not registered should contact Ed Maier in Mapleton so arrangements can be made.
    The weekend starts Friday night with a gathering at the Hawkeye Bar in Mapleton from 5:30pm. Saturday brings a tour of the school at 10:30 by Superintendent Thelander. Happy Hour goes from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Beef'n Brew followed by dinner and a program at 6:30. The class will gather on Sunday morning for breakfast. They will also be enjoying 4th of July activities in Mapleton as they wish.
    Any members of close classes or friends of classmates may stop by the Beef ‘n Brew Saturday during Happy Hour.