We took our last delivery from Kellick's.

For as long as I've been with the Niagara Falls City School District, and I am sure for many years before, the business cards and odd printing jobs have gone to Main Street for Dick and Jean Kellick to handle from their faithful old shop there by Burger King.

The Kellicks have been a godsend to me over the years for a few simple reasons.

Reason One: I am not a typist and no one would ever hire me for my quite inadequate keyboarding skills. During a brief stint at the Gazette I was taken to task almost daily for my inability to put both hands on the keyboard and look at the monitor and type. I excuse my shortcomings continually to people in receipt of my uncorrected printed material explaining, "I can spell, I just can't type." This was never a problem with Kellick's Printing. Jean would receive my fax, call me, and very sweetly say something like, "Now thank you for the order, dear. I just want to let you know that we are changing Niagra to Niagara because I think that's what you want. I just didn't want to change it without letting you know."

Jean kept me from looking foolish hundreds of times; most printers won't bother. What you send is what they print. Period. No so with Jean who took pride in representing her customers well.

Reason Two: Stopping in at Kellick's was like stopping by Grandma's for tea. Many's the day I fabricated a reason to stop in, not for any professional reason, but because I needed to step out of my work world and into the calm of Kellick's. For a few moments, it might have been 1970 or 1980 or 1990. It was all the same. What mattered here was a neighborly chat, an expression of warmth, and a little reminder that people matter more than deadlines.

Reason Three: Dick Kellick brought me wine last Christmas! No explanation necessary.

When I heard Kellick's was closing I admit my first and selfish thought was, "Oh no! We are moving Central Office and everyone needs new business cards." Not to worry, stalwarts that they are, they accepted the order for some 40 sets of cards and promised to complete the job before they closed their doors. And of course, they did.

To my friends Dick and Jean, my personal thanks for years of laughter and friendship. On behalf of the Niagara Falls City School District, our thanks for your excellent service and our wishes for all the best. Stay in touch.