1948...When it all began!One of the many valuable things we can take with us is memories. Our founder and chief, Cliff Topel was just comparing the difficult economic times in the 1930's (what we refer to as The Great Depression) to what our country is experiencing currently.
He told us of the "Bums" that rode the trains and would stop off here in Lake Mills. There was a camp in the woods by the lake, just off of what is now the Glacial Drumlin Trail. Sometimes, they made their way out to the Topel's homestead (what is now St. Paul's Lutheran Church & School), looking for food. Cliff said that his mom, Mabel, would feed some of them. "Not all of them," he told us.
A true reflection of days gone by and how truly blessed we are for all of the difficult times that the Topel family endured. The photo above is merely a symbol of a ray of hope that we have to make the necessary adjustments to our daily living. Out of such despair, emerged a legacy of memories that began at 1110 South Main Street, right here in Lake Mills!
