Rich to launch book

Cooper’s famous native son will return home Tuesday

Staff report

You read about his exploits on Oct. 29 in The Jefferson Herald — now the man himself is bringing it all back home.

Terry Rich, the Greene County native who now heads the Iowa Lottery and is in demand nationally as a motivational speaker, will launch his new book, “Dare to Dream, Dare to Act,” at a public reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday in the rotunda of the Greene County courthouse.

Books will be sold for $15 during the reception, and Rich will be signing them.

A 1970 graduate of Jefferson Community High School, Rich is donating the proceeds of books sold at the reception to the Courthouse 100 committee, which is planning events the next two years to celebrate the centennial of the building.

Rich will take a break from signing at 5 p.m. to speak about his background and career.

Admission to the event is free.

Rich, 63, grew up just southwest of Cooper.

In 1981, he masterminded the famous Cooper Centennial celebration, which included naming late-night TV legend Johnny Carson the “Honorary 51st Citizen of Cooper.”

Carson famously invited Rich, Cooper farmer Gerald Lawton and local school bus driver/farmhand Myrtle Whitcher to appear on “The Tonight Show.”

Their 17-minute appearance on Carson’s show was such a hit that more than 12,500 people ended up attending the tiny town’s centennial two weeks later.

“I hope people will come say hello at the reception, even if they don’t want a book,” Rich said. “I love any chance I get to talk to people back home.”

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