Free Ice. In the early 1900s, the Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota began giving away free ice water to travelers on their way to the Black Hills. It drew in thankful families to drink and buy their products. They still do it today and have served millions over the years. In the early 1990s, Phillips 66 donated, through the urging of Cindy Miller, a used ice machine to Happy HIll Church. That was a dandy machine, would pump out a massive amount of ice in a day, more than a country church could use. I remembered my childhood experiece traveling by Wall Drug and their free ice water, so we promoted Free Ice for anyone wishing it. The church kitchen was near the Parsonage, so its door was left unlocked day and night for those wishing Free Ice. I remember hearing vehicles all hours of the night stopping by my window, containers bumping and people moving about as they got Free Ice. Ice for homes, family reunions, boats, pickup trucks, vacations and there was no end to the receipitants of Free Ice. It was fun, often I would promote Free Ice from the pulpit and proclaim since I was not good at marriage counseling, Free Ice could replace this weakness. I think for 20 years the Free Ice flowed into the neighborhood, friends, neighbors and it even cooled beer for fishing trips, I suppose. One visiting deacon, upon observing people loading coolers after service, told me their church had never put an ice machine in their church because everyone would want to take some home, I told him hed missed the point of Free Ice. Perhaps the Free Ice is still available at Happy Hill since it was such a good idea. Actually, nothing is free as someone has to pay for the electricity, water and upkeep, but I never heard a complaint from anyone about how the church treated them on the Free Ice deal. Its hard to say Free Ice without a smile.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 14:05:24 +0000