[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 3, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1085-H1086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HARVEST MARKET OF GRAINFIELD, KANSAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am here this evening to recognize 
the Harvest Market for its service to the community and the citizens of 
Grainfield, Kansas. The Harvest Market represents everything that makes 
a small-town business work--community support, dedicated employees and 
a desire to maintain a quality of life for those living in and around 
Grainfield and Gove County, Kansas.
  During my travels throughout our congressional district, the 
community grocery store has proven itself to be the cultural center of 
rural Kansas. I frequently hear from Kansans who contact me following a 
conversation they've heard at the grocery store. Many times the grocery 
store, along with the local barber shop, provides patrons with the 
day's current events and activities. Economic development within the 
First Congressional District of Kansas can easily be seen as whether a 
community does or doesn't have a grocery store. And I know my 
colleagues here in Washington, D.C., at least some of them, find that 
hard to believe that that can be an issue in a community.
  The viability of rural Kansas depends upon fresh and affordable food 
as well as the jobs a grocery store provides. When we lose our grocery 
store, we begin to lose our town. Grainfield is no exception to this 
rule. In this tiny community of 300 people, Harvest Market provides the 
people of Grainfield with everything from a cup of coffee from the in-
store shop to the food that will make the evening's dinner.
  Dan Godek and his wife, Nicole, own and operate the Harvest Market. 
The Godeks continue to work hard by supplying a wide variety of 
affordable produce with meats and dairy products in order to make the 
local shopping experience more enjoyable. With people in rural Kansas 
willing to travel to other communities featuring larger stores, 
maintaining that competitive edge is vital to both the store and the 
community.
  The couple has also made efforts to make the store more energy 
efficient. They've installed more efficient coolers and are making 
plans for freezers and reusable grocery bags. These changes for 
efficiency reflect the long-term goal of maintaining a thriving 
business in this small town. Store efficiency will help cut down on 
costs, allowing the Godeks to put the extra money back into the store. 
This increased input means additional choices for their shoppers.
  Harvest Market is a socially important component to Grainfield as 
well. The store serves as a community center for people to visit with 
their neighbors. It is here that residents discuss local news and run 
into old friends. The Godeks also participate and help sponsor 
community events as their way of giving back to the townspeople. Just a 
few of their civic activities include organizing and sponsoring Cruise, 
Shoes and BBQs, as well as sponsorship of the Harvest Pie Festival on 
Labor Day weekend.
  While the Godeks work hard to maintain the success of the store, 
their fellow residents also have chipped in to help around the store. 
Dan says that he is very impressed with the locals and how much they've 
supported him. Customers are more than willing to lend a helping hand 
by retrieving items from the back and straightening the shelves. One 
Grainfield resident commented, It's not just my store; it's everybody's 
store. They're all proud of it too. Even

[[Page H1086]]

Dan's mother-in-law makes the point to stop in to help stock shelves.
  The willingness of the Grainfield residents to partner with the 
Godeks to help one another succeed is a great example of the many 
values that rural America lives by. They can be proud of their 
achievements, just as I am proud to represent these kinds of people. 
Congratulations to Dan and Nicole in their efforts at Harvest Market 
and the services they bring to Grainfield. And thank you to the town of 
Grainfield and the citizens of Gove County for the support of the 
Godeks and the Harvest Market.

                          ____________________