The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Serving The Community

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

email: dessa@hcil.net

January 13, 2021

I have lived in Stronghurst for most of my life and as a newspaper publisher, worked with many of our small town businesses in promoting their businesses and their products. Most every small town business stays here because they love their town and the people within it. They and their parents and their children have all invested their lives here and feel at home in a way that can't be felt so easily in a big city, because residents and business owners are like family. You know each other's children, their parents and grandparents and work to support each other's businesses.

I want to say how much I have appreciated the Wendell Fisher family, son Jim and Char Fisher, and their children Garrett and Jamie. They have not only worked hard to meet the needs of the community in groceries, but have taken part in and supported many community events throughout the years.

So many times they have been a life-saver, during storms, or at times a platter of cheese, meat and sandwiches are needed for a funeral or for a gathering, and a life saver for restaurants who ran out of milk, bread, meat or a key ingredient.

And the many jobs they have offered our community are unmeasurable. My son Troy had his first job at Fishers and so many kids got their training and first start there.

I also look at how many people have jobs at present who depend on the Fishers Food Center.

Fishers have a deli with delicious foods, salads and fresh cut meats. Many times on Saturday or on special days they are grilling outside delicious rib-eye steaks or pork chops and offer fried chicken. They are currently talking about bringing in a hardware store as an additional offering. They provide video rentals or when they see a need, they try to fulfill it, or if you need a product they will try to find it.

Previously, there were two food stores here: Hamilton-Miller's (now Fishers), and Gilbert's Big Value that my editor Shirley Linder and her husband Gilbert owned.

Shirley will attest that even with both working long hours, cutting meat, stocking shelves and serving the community, it's hard to keep in business in a small town with two stores operating.

I wish to thank the Fisher families for serving our small town so well and so faithfully over these many years, and encourage those looking to save a few dollars each week on a cheaper version of some of the items, to ask yourself if it's worth the risk of losing a faithful family store that has, and continues to offer us so much. I know The Quill would not only miss their support of our newspaper, but all it offers our town and residents it employs. Don't you think we owe them the same loyalty they have given us for so many years?