By Catrina McCulky Young In 1957, years before his presidency, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson suggested to a crowd of 5,500 electric cooperative leaders in Chicago that rural electric cooperatives should send youth representatives to Washington D.C. Always an avid supporter of cooperatives, Johnson said, "If one thing goes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to our national capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents." Consequently, in 1958, a rural electric cooperative in Iowa sponsored the first group of young people on a week-long tour of the nation's capital. In 1959, another busload came to Washington from Illinois. The idea grew, and before long, other states were sending busloads of young people to Washington D.C. throughout the summer. By 1964, the "Youth to Washington" tour had grown into an organized program among the states, sending students to Washington D.C. to meet during the same week. It's been more than 40 years since the first Iowa and Illinois youth delegation toured Washington D.C. Since then, Washington D.C. has seen remarkable growth, much like the growth of the "Youth to Washington" tour. Participants today will witness monuments and memorials, like the Vietnam War Memorial, that have since been built to symbolize the history that is America. The Illinois tour, sponsored by the Illinois electric and telephone cooperatives, is offered to high school juniors and seniors as a way of rewarding outstanding achievements and recognizing young leaders. It's also a way to introduce young people to the cooperative way of business and encourage interest in their government and in leadership roles. And though the tour has evolved and changed through the years, it still continues to be an experience that hundreds of past participants have never forgotten. They've made life-long friends, gained confidence and gotten a chance to see their government in action. It was 1976, the bicentennial year, when Curt Jones, a southern Illinois native, boarded the bus for the "Youth to Washington" tour. "I remember it was a long 20-hour bus ride," says Curt. "There was a big guy and a small guy on the trip. I remember that the small guy called the big guy 'Tiny.' And Tiny put the small guy in the overhead luggage rack," Curt laughs. But on a more serious note, Curt says that this trip tremendously impacted his life in many ways. "Coming from a rural area, we did not make many long trips," says Curt. So, of course, just getting to go to Washington D.C. was a big deal. Curt recalls his fondest memory of the trip, "I not only got to see President Ford, but he also stopped to shake my hand and ask me how I was doing. I have a movie of him walking into the room with all of the cameras flashing. I believe that there were approximately 800 people there that day and I guess I was pretty lucky that he happened to walk right by me." Curt says that this trip gave him the chance to see laws being made and taught him that anybody has the ability to make a difference. "This trip also showed me that there are bigger things out there. As I went on to college, it helped me remember that anyone in the USA can become successful if they work really hard at it." And success is exactly what Curt found. "After graduating from college in 1986, I began working at a livestock feed company in Nicholasville, Kentucky, as a research manager." While working there, he began doing research with cryogenics and came up with a fabulous idea for a new kind of ice cream. Above: Curt Jones (back row far right) on the 1976 "Youth to Washington" tour. Right: Curt with his wife Kay and daughter Tracey. "I grew up on a farm in southern Illinois and always enjoyed making homemade ice cream," Curt says. And one day he and his neighbor were turning the crank on the ice cream freezer when Curt began to discuss ice crystallization. "I told him that if we could freeze the homemade mixture faster, it would end up making smaller ice crystals and thus have a smoother taste. It was only three weeks later that I made some ice cream beads to try out." And less than a year later, Dippin' Dots, Inc. - Ice Cream of the Future was born. In 1988, Curt, his wife Kay, and his daughter Tracey started their business by opening a retail store in Lexington, Kentucky. "In 1989, we moved back to the southern Illinois/western Kentucky area and established the wholesale side of the business. Our first big accounts included Opryland USA in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida." In 1995, they began shipping their product to Japan and now sell in about 15 countries. Dippin' Dots, Inc. has received several awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year for Kentucky and southern Indiana They have made the Inc. 500 magazine list twice for the fastest growing privately held company. And last year, they were voted as the number one new franchise opportunity by Entrepreneur magazine. "The most recent news about our business includes the opening of our first overseas plant in south Korea, and the introduction of our product into McDonalds® on the west coast," says Curt. But Curt doesn't take his good fortune for granted. "I grew up in the second poorest county in Illinois," says Curt, who still remembers the impact the "Youth to Washington" tour made on his life. One year, he received a phone call from his former English teacher, Carmen Thompson, who also chaperoned the trip the year he went. "She told me that she had a student who qualified for the trip but couldn't afford to go. We were fortunate enough to be able to help out," says Curt. "Any time he's been asked, he's given money to students who want to go on the trip but cannot financially afford it," says Carmen. "He's always been quite generous to lend assistance to any student interested in going." Curt says that the benefits of the "Youth to Washington" tour are numerous. "It opened my eyes to a bigger world. It gave me the chance to meet new people. It recognized me for an achievement, which helped me gain confidence. It helped me learn, first hand, that I can make a difference in the world." Curt says he's pleased to be able to help other students from his former high school gain that same confidence and experience.

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Above: The 1982 "Youth to Washington" tour group posed at the Capitol. Right: (L to R) Chad, Dale, college friend Julia, Dale's wife Kendra, and Nancy. In 1982, 46 students from all over Illinois gathered at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives for the annual "Youth to Washington" tour. Among those students were Chad Angelo and Nancy Martin, who were represented Shelby Electric Cooperative; and Dale Brockamp, from Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative. For these three students, this trip was an experience that set the path for their futures. "Not only did I get the opportunity to see a different part of the world, but because of this trip, I met two great friends who have been there for me through everything," says Nancy. The trio got acquainted while standing in line at a restaurant on the way to D.C. And Chad says the friendships grew from there. "We had so much fun on the trip together," recalls Chad. "I remember we had a toga party on the riverboat cruise down the Potomac River," says Dale. Nancy says she remembers going to all of the museums. All three agree that seeing Nancy Reagan standing on the balcony of the White House made a big impression. But the bond between these three friends didn't break after returning home from Washington. "We kept in close contact after the trip. I spent most of my senior year at Dale's house 'hanging out,'" recalls Nancy. And after high school graduation, though attending different colleges, their bonds remained unscathed. "I moved to Florida for six years after college, but the guys would come and visit me," says Nancy. And Chad admits that he's moved around quite a bit too. "1 lived in Texas for a while, and now I live in Colorado," he says. "What is really special about our friendships is that we've become family to one another," says Nancy. "When I'd have a party or wedding to go to and had no date, it was always nice to know Chad or Dale would be there to go with me." There is no other feeling that compares to friendships like these. Then in 1992 Dale got married to his college girlfriend, Kendra, and a few years later, they had their first children, twins, Alex and Kara (who are now 6-years-old). "I remember when the twins were barely a year old, Kendra, Nancy and I packed them up and went to Texas to visit Chad," recalls Dale. "That was quite a visit," says Chad. "The twins would not go to sleep and we all took shifts trying to get them to sleep." Nancy laughs, "You can only imagine what the neighbors must have thought as Chad and I were pushing two baby strollers around the neighborhood at 4 a.m." Since then Dale and Kendra have had another baby, Maria, who is 18 months old. "Chad and I never got married, nor had kids, so Alex, Kara and Maria are like our kids," says Nancy. "I'm always looking for a reason to baby-sit." When Dale and Kendra started their family, the friendship trio adjusted. "We used to go out a lot before the kids were born," says Dale. "But now everyone just comes to our house and we have dinner at home. It is much easier because the kids can go to bed and we can all laugh and have a good time together." And Nancy says that she and Chad meet and take exotic vacations together. "We've gone to Aruba and

12 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.coop

The 44th annual "Youth to Washington" tour We're gearing up once again for the annual "Youth to Washington" tour planned for June 13-20, 2003. If you are a high school sophomore or junior, don't miss your chance to win this trip of a lifetime. And even if you don't bump into the President, you will still have the chance to chat with other key Congressional legislators. Contact your electric co-operative to find out how you can spend a week this summer visiting historically significant national sites, touring some of our most moving memorials, and browsing the campus of our nation's capital. During your time in D.C., you will ride a riverboat down the Potomac River, visit a foreign embassy, and tour the Supreme Court. And those are just the plans for the first day... "Youth to Washington" tour destinations: • Civil War Battlefield at Gettysburg • George Washington's home at Mount Vernon • National Cathedral • Supreme Court • U.S. Capitol • Smithsonian Museum • U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum • Arlington Cemetery • Many more... If you know of a high school sophomore or junior interested in a trip like the "Youth to Washington" tour, contact your cooperative for more information. Or contact Linda Comstock at the AIEC at (217) 529-5561 or lcomstock@aiec.coop.

Hawaii. It's like having a husband without the hassle," laughs Nancy.

"We spend every Christmas together," says Chad. "I still have family that lives in Illinois, so every Christmas we all meet at Dale's house for dinner." Nancy says it's a tradition. "Even if we can't all get together any other time, I know I will see Chad and Dale both at Christmas." It is an annual event that all three of the friends look forward to year after year.

Talking to these enthusiastic friends, you can definitely see all the happy memories that have been made. "We wouldn't have been friends if it weren't for the 'Youth to Washington' tour," says Nancy. She says she has many fond memories of her trip to Washington, and that "the experience was like no other. But meeting Dale and Chad was the most memorable experience for me on that trip." Chad says, "The experience will stay with me forever because we had the best group of high school students with us, and we got to do and see so many interesting things."

Dale says, "This trip really expanded my knowledge of the real world. My cousin went on this trip five years before me and just raved when he got home. I knew I wanted to go too. If a trip like this were offered to my children, I'd definitely encourage them to go."

Currently, Chad works as a Project Manager for Boeing, Dale works as a Civil Engineer for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Nancy is a Customer Relations Specialist for C Quest America.

If you've been on the "Youth to Washington" tour in the past, we're looking for you. Wed love to know where you are and what you're doing now. Please contact Linda Comstock at the AIEC at (217) 529-5561 or lcomstock@aiec.coop. We will be doing periodical updates on "Youth to Washington" tour alumni in future issues.

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