Show Millard County Business of the Week Meet the Alfred Lake made small businesses BIG business by Dawn Carder Over the years Alfred Lake has successfully made four smaller businesses work and provide profits like big business Through perserverance and he has apparent “business savvy” become what one might consider a local commercial baron Alfred was born and raised in Leamington and since his marriage to Marie Lovell of Oak City fifty years ago has made his home in Delta He first made his living repairing farm equipment serving as shop foreman for first John Deere and then International Harvester In this position for each companies company he traveled all the county fixing farm equipment Consequently he got to know just about everybody in Millard County “I grew up fixing bailers and tractors” he stated “I would probably still be doing that if Phillips hadn’t contacted me” Alfred and Garth Dallas Anderson drives one of the delivery trucks) and businesses furnaces and water heaters are installed thermostats and are repaired r hour emergency service is provided This winter sales of propane gas were listed on the books at $40000 a week As one might suspect the need for propane gas diminishes in the summer Sooo-tmonths Lakes turn to RV another of the t and motorcycle sales Lake Philgas sells the Sylvan Star Craft and Cinnoram brands in boats and is the oldest motorcycle dealer in Millard County ActualRV andor a ly one can buy a boat motorcyle year round Along with RV sales Alfred Lake’s business is listed in major catalogues as a service center for RVs “I could do more in this area” he said “if I had good dependable help” This end of Lake the business was particularly booming during the height of IPP construction Servicing trailers kept Alfred’s crew busy and during the winter months he hired one man strictly for servicing trailer furnaces After the local John Deere closed Alfred went to Portland Oregon and contracted for and was awarded the local dealership That was approximately ten years ago He remodeled and took over Farmers Supply and Scott Anderson became the manager The business is the bffical dealer for John Deere farm equipment and NAPA auto car parts There farm is sold overhauls and equipment repairs are made on cars and all farm machinery Although IPP created more trailer business for Lake Philgas Alfred says that it created labor problems “This area wasn’t accustomed to such high Porter Wagner Rosemary Forster with to move I have too much alkali in my blood!” For one week Rosie was busy doing things she had always dreamed of doing “Everything was BIG for me!” she reminisced A friend with whom she used to sing in Utah Larry Lawman is in the singing business m Nashville He got Rosie backstage at the Grand Ol’ Opry which was she says “my Not only was she backstage dream” but she was able to talk with the stars awe” “in left her that an experience Another exciting experience was viewing the taping of Ralph Emery's Now” “Nashville Normally a one hour show the one Rosie sat in on was two hours in length because it was a special anniversary production Friend Larry made it possible for Rosie to sit in a special section reserved for the family of the stars performing Visiting the old Ryeman’s Theater Rosie felt for the was necessary building contains so much country music history and nostalgia It actually was an old church that had been converted into a theater The new theater Rosie said was built to look like the Ryeman Tootsie’s Purple Orchid Lounge is a famous spot frequented over the years by all the stars “It was almost being there haunting seeing the signatures of all the stars on the walls” said Rosie “Anyone you have ever heard about has hisher signature there” When Happy Anderson explained why the Utah people were there the management got Rosie up to sing! For the highlight performance she thrilled the audience with a Patsy Cline song There did” Alfred does admit that he has “worked pretty hard struggling and eating alkali dust” over the years “My brothers and sisters thought I was feel that crazy” he laughed “But I have had a good life have good health I come and go as I want and I’ve found time to stay close to the church” Delta Alfred believes is a nice place to with real good people He thinks the economy is going to improve that things are coming around “People plead poverty” he commented "but they live good The country has been good to us all It’s (life) what just you make it” With such an optimistic philosophy Alfred Lake business baron will continue to be a productive person size of Delta’s Wagonwheel) People stand in line outside just waiting for the opportunity to be seated Entertainers audition and then wait for months to be invited to perform Because Rosie had won the Utah competition her name had been put on the performers’ list back in December and she sang three of her own songs “It was an honor to perform there” she stated In Rosie’s opinion people in Nashville are very friendly but they move at a fast pace “Talent is on every corner” she remarked “Everywhere you go people are talking music and studio lingo-- in restaurants grocery stores even in gift shops!” Country music it seems has been an important component in Rosie Forster’s life for MANY forever She sang in the Terrace Ballroom and the Mr Lucky Club in Salt Lake City for approximately ten years and she spent time “on the road” And she has won songwriting competitions previously The first was for a song she submitted to a contest in Anchorage Alaska (The prize was an Alaskan trip) The next win was on a Richfield station for the song “Silver Tongued Devil” Most of Rosie’s songs have been written from her experiences Life has had its “ups and downs” and the writing has been “good therapy” Looking to the future Rosie admits that she would like to keep in touch with and up to date on the Nashville scene and publishers It would be ne to return periodically but Delta is home “I enjoy my hoinelife and don’t want to be owned” she explain ed “Delta and all the people who have supported me over the years are for me like a security blanket Even when I was on the road I had to return to the people who cared for a couple ot days from time to time" Most important to Rosie are her two children Justin currently lives in Ogden where he is working for an electrician attending school four nights a week to become an electrician and playing bus' drums with a little band called Night Train According to Mom Justin is an excellent singer Daughter Melody is a senior at Delta High School where she is active in the and music groups “She ha' lots of potential” boasts Mom “Melody is very creative and she hav a flair for music” Mother and daughter joined to write and later per form the song “Momma doesn’t Dad dy love me anymore?" Rosemary Forster is a remarkable who is content with herself person-oand with life She feels blessed with her talents (Rosie doesn’t read music She both plays and creates “by ear”) and she believes her songs have served a purpose No matter what may happen in the future Rosie says quietly “Mv love of music is great but my love for my two kids is greater I believe I have been a success and I have enjoved mv by Dawn Carder Millard County Commissioner Mike Styler is busy serving on both state and He has just been local commissions elected to the Utah State Library Board for a six year term He says “I think it’s great to have representation from March 24 1988 - Page 3 Maybe one Nashville will knows But for is “Big Time” Staff by Dawn Carder afternoons at the Wednesday Chronicle Progress office are usually is gochaotic to say the least ing on people are in and out the phone is ringing Shortly after school is out Kimberlee Smith arrives to begin her cleanup duties (Believe me her work is always cut out for her!) She doesn’t say much but quietly applies her efforts to the assigned (or obvious) tasks going from place to place as I picture a super sleuth tackling a case And in the process she often does uncover a prized earring or some other small article of value Kim was around Twelve eight years of age when she first began working for “Grandma Sue” at the Chronicle She is Progress office responsible for cleaning the floor and so anything else that needs attention you know that she is kept quite busy Eventually Kim will probably advance to other assignments but in her words “I haven’t stepped up yet” Shortly after Kim was born she moved to California with her family When she was four years old the Smith crew returned to Delta Kim included Of California she has few memories due to her young age Kim is a seventh grade honor student at Delta Middle School “I’ve been on the honor roll all the time since I was in the fifth grade” she said quietly Her favorite subjects in school are math and drama and she has been in and two school “Johnny Appleseed” She also plays clarinet in the 7th grade Cadet Band When she grows up Kimberlee thinks she might like to be a veterinarian “I like animals and that’s kinda' why I want to be a vet” she shared "We have two cats and a dog at home and suprisingly they all get along!” Kim the youngest of four girls says that she enjoys being the youngest because she gets lots of advice from her sisters “I learn from them” she said is Kimberlee Smith “and I get their clothes!” She admires her mom sisters friends and relatives Describing herself as “kind of shy and quiet at school but not around the family” Kim says that she likes to go to the movies sleep over at a friend’s house sometimes go skating and when Brandy is over “1 like to call my boyfriend” In spare time at home this young lady walks to the store or watches TV She also enjoys swimming and riding her bicycle She enjoyed a family trip sometime ago from Delta to Nevada to California to Oregon and to Washington to visit her grandmother Although she “hasn’t stepped up yet” Kim appears to like her job What she enjoys most is “being with the staff at the Chronicle The rest of the staff hopes the Cleanup Sleuth will remain around for awhile! busy on both state and rural Utah” This is the second year that Mr Styler has served as Chairman for the Utah State County Commissioners This group meets to Association discuss problems legislation etc Here in Millard County Mike Styler serves on the County Fire District Board the County Library Board and in his capacity of Millard County Commissioner he serves on both the Planning and Zomng and the Millard bounResource Development ty commissions WM ' Sm 4000 people moved next door your phone bill might be lower In densely packed cities there are more people per mile to share fixed costs like telephone poles trucks and tools So phone bills can be a few dollars lower than living where we live Luckily you don't have to endure crowds and traffic lams to save money on your phone bill Contels digital switches for exam pie let us detect problems and some times even make repairs without having to make an expensive trip to your doorstep That's a practical investment Contel is making to hold down costs right here at home After all we want to be more than just a reliable dial tone We want to be a good alue too iiiiifi Telephone Operations It iiz&m f inrii SiOl gUti I rifcjk life” a little place m Nashville by publishers and songwriters named the Bluebird Cafe Rosie’s is description about the (It by is frequented Thurs Kimberlee Smith— Cleanup Sleuth Commissioner Styler local levels Visiting Nashville fulfilled a dream by Dawn Carder Songwriters from all over the country gathered in Nashville Tennessee for the annual Songwriters’ Symposium and Delta’s Rosemary Forster was among them Having won third prize in the Utah songwriters’ competition Rosie was selected to make the trip with head of the Utah Happy Anderson and Kevin Corbet first organization place winner “It was very exciting” Rosie said “It was my lifetime dream come true!” For three days Rosie and the other writers participated in critique sessions On Saturday each person met with a then a panel of panel of songwriters publishers and finally with a panel of experts representing record companies the entire Rosie According to and was both exciting perience educational Country music is BIG business in Rosie Nashville Publishing companies described consume three city blocks an area known as Music Row There hopeful songwriters go from company to company in an attempt to have at least one song selected for publication Rosie too made the rounds meeting who critiqued her with publishers works To each one visited three songs One were taken for consideration Marty Robins Enterprise company kept two of Rosie’s songs The songs will be played for various artists who will then decide whether or not they want to sing the selections Although nothing may ever happen Rosie considers the experience worthwhile “I think the bottom line for becoming a professional songwriter” “means I would need she ccmmented to be there (Nashville) all the time That’s where you make good connections which I did and I would like to go back every year But I don't want he observed “Due to IPP we had to raise the cost of propane to meet the wage increase We’re barely adjusting to that increase now” He went on to explain that a customer had to pay $800 more now for a trailer in order to compensate for the higher labor rate and the increase in cost of living The loss of IPP has not adversely affected business for Alfred Lake “We have actually picked up some new customers” he said “This winter we installed gas heaters into homes originally heated by electricity The cost of heating is cut in half with gas usage” Alfred says that he is trying to retire although that seems an unlikely event "I’m neglecting my fishing” he said with a smile He enjoys fishing and the in the hills and he’s "kind of quit” hunting Another favorite activiis ty going camping "Once or twice a year we take the whole family That way we get to know the grandkids (40) and the great grandkids (6)” With six children and all the grandchildren Alfred says “There are too many birthdays I know that!” What else will he do IF he retires? Alfred says he thinks he and his wife will travel around (Their oldest son lives in Arizona) And “I’ll just keep an eye on things Garth works here as daytimes farms at wages” refers to the Phillips Phillips Petroleum Company Why did they contact Alfred? Well there was once is currently a Phillips station where located and Alfred Lake had run that station He had joined the owner a Mr Snow and together they rebuilt a Snow failing business Eventually decided to rid himself of some of the responsibilities so a division was made Snow took the gasoline Alfred took the propane (Along with the station the Phillips’ property included the land where Lake Philgas is now all the way to the highway) Eventually Snow wanted totally out Alfred took over and now owns the former Phillips’ property where his businesses are located Alfred Lake’s businesses are diverse He has a 640 acre farm all irrigated where he raises alfalfa There he also has 100 head of cattle Perhaps tied to this he owns $200000 worth of water stock More commercial ventures began around 1962 It was then that Lake with Phillips Philgas was started Petroleum supplying the propane (Today Alfred buys wherever he can get the best prices including but not clusively from Phillips) This company and the farm are now managed by Alfred’s son Garth Lake but Alfred mains actively involved Propane delivery is made to homes (Alfred’s L'SPS i of the songs left in become a Deltans Rosie Forster in lots of ways i isifg S'SBf?! |