by Rachel Ramsey

On Wednesday, August 17, President Obama’s bus tour made its eleventh stop – Atkinson, IL.

The small town, consisting of 1,100 residents, lined Route 6 with American flags to welcome the President.

Obama arrived at Wyffels Hybrids, a family-owned seed corn  company, around noon to attend a town hall meeting.

"The Wyffels Hybrids seed business, started by my father and mother, Bill and Alma, dates from 1946 with the emphasis on corn starting in 1953," Judy Ahearn of Gardner explained.

Bill and Alma had six children:  Joan Van Lauwe, St. Charles, Missouri;  Judy Ahearn, Gardner; Janice Ralph, Loveland, Colorado;  Bill Wyffels, Geneseo; Joyce Kuhne, (deceased), and Bob Wyffels, Geneseo.  Bill and Bob are the present owners of Wyffels Hybrids.

“When Bill received the first call from the White House, he thought it was a prank. Follow-up revealed that it was indeed the White House and the caller wondered if Wyffels Hybrids would be interested in hosting a Town Hall meeting,” explained Ahearn.

The President’s main purpose for stopping in Atkinson was to talk to people in middle America about his plans for the future and to answer their questions.

“It was an honor to host a sitting President of the United States no matter your political persuasion,” stated Ahearn, “But it was also an opportunity for the voices of rural America to be heard.” Ahearn noted, “Many times our elected leaders are insulated from what life is like, and from the concerns and views of the ordinary citizen.  The people of Atkinson   and    neighboring towns got to ask their  questions, and  was impressed with the insightful issues posed.”

Atkinson, having a Belgian cultural heritage, used to host rolle bolle tournaments every summer.

“Right now you’re thinking, ‘So what?’ Well, my brothers presented the President with his own rolle bolle with his named engraved on it. The President has a souvenir to remind him of his visit to Atkinson,” stated Ahearn.

Ahearn had one final thought about the whole experience, “I was thinking of my Dad and the business that he started at a kitchen table on the farm. His first crew was Joan, Janice, Bill and I, and now the president of the United States has come to visit this company which my brothers have built into the business that it is today. I’m so proud of them!”