Santorum Visits A Oskaloosa Friend
Rick Santorum visits with guests at the Steve Boender farm on Friday evening.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The machine shed was all swept out, with the tables and chairs taking the place normally utilized by one of those big green John Deere tractors, which was now cramped into a corner.
Area farmer and seed dealer Steve Boender was holding his annual customer appreciation dinner at his farm in rural Mahaska County Friday night.
Boender described himself as shy when he first put on that salesman hat. Twenty-five years ago, Boender would walk up to his neighbors homes making those first sales pitches, “I’d go up to the farmers houses and say, You don’t need any corn do ya? No, I didn’t think so,” Boender says with that grin. “As things matured, and I matured, and we had a good product, and technology came along, it got to where we could help people.”
Building those friendships along the way, and building a better bottom line for his business have all been positive’s for the area farmer.
“Every year we have a customer appreciation supper,” Boender explained. His wife Jan prepares the meal from products grown on their farm, from the sweet corn to the BBQ pork, “it’s all from the garden, she makes it all from scratch.”
“People come and we just enjoy it. We don’t sell any corn, we just thank them for their business.” Many years Boender invites a special speaker, such as Loren Kruse, the former editor of Successful Farming, Ken Root from WHO. The dinner has also featured musical acts in the past, but this year’s speaker is someone who is used to speaking before the Iowa farming community.
Boender first met Rick Santorum at an event in Pella during a Family Leader forum on May 2, 2011. Boender was Santorum’s driver, and their friendship developed from that day.
Santorum was the invited guest of Boender to stay on his farm as Santorum fired up his presidential campaign. Their friendship developed even further during that time as the Santorum family and Boender family spent the week fishing and jet skiing.
Boender extended the invitation for Santorum to come back to the farm. “I talked to him and I said, ‘hey, if you’re coming to the fair, let’s see if we can’t get together again.'”
After Santorum spoke to those gathered, he talked with Oskaloosa News about his return to Oskaloosa and Mahaska County. “It’s great to be here, it’s great to be back on the Boender farm. Got to talk to some of Steve’s customers and friends and got a chance to talk to the Osky News again.”
Walking back into the cabin, Santorum called home as those memories of those early days in his campaign came back. “It felt great. I walked in there, just the whole rush of memories came through. The sights and sounds of all the kids with the jet ski’s out there in the pond with our boys. Our little ones in particular, who had never been on one,” who at the time were 10 and 12 years of age.
“The Boenders were great. They let them [Santorum family] run some equipment here, even some of the big heavy equipment… It was just a great experience for them, they grew so much.”
Since Oskaloosa was almost the Santorum’s home, at times, during the campaign, the question did come up of the family calling Oskaloosa home. Santorum said that currently, his focus is his family and the school process at this time. The production company he is involved with is located in Texas. Even though Santorum says there is no plan for a move to Iowa, “But Karen often talks about a little different pace of life, and when you’re in the northeast, life’s a little faster… You never know.”
Santorum is currently uncommitted about his future and the possibility of another presidential run. He cites his family and how it will impact them in any decision he makes. Santorum has three children in college, and another two in military school, “We’re pretty busy right now and we’ve got our little girl, you know, who’s special needs, so we’ve got a lot on our plate.
Santorum announced that they are starting a new addition to their home for their five-year-old daughter Bella. Bella Santorum, the youngest of the 7 Santorum children has been diagnosed with Trisomy 18, which is a rare genetic disorder. The young Santorum has defied the odds that usually proves to be fatal to those afflicted by the disease by the time they are age 1. “We’re so excited we have to make this investment because it means Bella is doing well and we have a lot of confidence she will be with us for a long time.”
Something new for Santorum is his involvement as CEO in a movie production and distribution company making faith and family films.
Echolight Studios currently has eight feature films with two more planned for theatrical release. “We’re coming out with films hopefully the people of Mahaska County will want to come to,” Santorum added. “You will see the role people’s faith plays in their lives and it’s so uplifting and so fulfilling. That’s what we need more of. To encourage people, to inspire people, instead of tear people down.”
After Friday night, Santorum was then part of the Family Leadership Summit that took place in Ames on Saturday. Santorum shared the stage with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Rep. Steve King also spoke.
Tomorrow’s article will go further into Santorum’s thoughts on a possible run for president.
