I don't think I fully appreciated Dan Wardell until I started to work with him.
Sure, I heard he still had a radio show. But, he's been a doing a radio show with his friends for years. That goes back to their time traveling to Waverly to do a radio show on KWAR. They were there every Saturday morning doing their wackiness.
Dan started working at IPTV years ago and found a way to the on-air side of things. He was doing some kids club events, some pledging fun and other tidbits like health minutes.
When I got to IPTV in 2007, he was the man here. He hits the road the entire summer on a grueling schedule reading to kids in nearly every library in the state. He puts in long days, but loves what he does.
My son loves Dan. He doesn't really know that Dan and I go all the way back to Wartburg, but he knows his dad and Dan are friends. Dan and I are members of the Wartburg College class of 1998 and both communication arts majors.
Last summer Dan came to the Kirkendall Library in Ankeny and Noah was there as well. Noah not only got called out of this massive crowd, but got to go on stage with Dan and answer some questions in front of the entire group. Good times for Noah. I've got the picture still on my desk top from the Des Moines Register.
Dan makes memories like that all summer wherever he goes. Today its Fort Dodge and Algona.
You can follow his travels and see all the pictures he uploads
right here.
He'll be in Clear Lake and Hampton on Thursday. There's a great story about the people of Hampton wanting Dan to come to their library. Dan opens applications or requests for his visit on January 1. Dan got emails from Hampton at 12:01 A.M. on January 1st, 2009 requesting that Dan come visit them in Hampton. He'll be there Thursday.
Happy reading and road tripping with Dan Wardell.
If you miss him in your town, try seeing him at the State Fair in the Varied Industries Building. Just look for the crowd that's stopping up the aisles and hallways and look for a guy in a yellow cape.
Have you got pictures with Dan and your kids? Post them, I'd love to see them.
