Narrative

Mr. Ned Link arranged a meeting of Sears retail and catalog store managers from nearby cities and a few other local business persons in Pratt, KS, on Friday, June 12th, 1964, with then House Representative Bob Dole. Dole held that position from 1961 through 1969. Mr. Link was manager of the Sears catalog outlet at Main and Third Streets, where the meeting was most likely held. Four days later, on the following Tuesday, Representative Dole wrote a letter of thanks for hosting the meeting and stating that he found them valuable. He also included a personal inscription, hand-written in fountain pen passing along his regards to “Mr. Woolwine.” Paul Woolwine ran an auto supply store at 2nd and Ninnescah Streets in Pratt.

The other letter, written 27 years later in 1991, included a signed publicity photograph and was a response, signed by hand and addressed to Mr. Link’s son, Richard. Richard, or “Rick” bought and operated a later business, Business Health, Inc., owned originally by Link senior.

The framed pair of letters flanking an autographed photo of Mr. Dole when he was a senator, and addressing two generations of family members 27 years apart is a testament to the long service the Senator rendered to citizens of the state of Kansas. Five years after the second letter, Dole was elected the Republican candidate for President with Jack Kemp as his Vice-Presidential candidate.

In total, Dole served 27 years in the Senate after serving eight years in the House.