Your  boomtown memories
Pg. 4
                                                                      Fri, July 4th, 2008
Hi Bob,

I talked with you earlier today at the Natick parade.

My name is Joe Ranucci. I grew up in Brighton,Ma and now live in Natick. Some of  
my fun memories as a kid growing up in Brighton was sending away for my
'Carnival Kit' from Rex Trailer to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy. My friends    
and I would put up posters on the telephone poles around the neighborhood. We   
sold drinks, candy and made up games for kids to play to raise money to send to   
Mr. Trailer for his Charity.

One year, I'm not sure of the exact year, (possibly 1967-68), my mom got my          
friends and I tickets to the Rex Trailer show, Boomtown. We watched the show all   
the time and were very excited we were going. One of the best parts of the show    
was the line-up when everyone would walk in front of the T.V. camera and wave.    
A sheriff and deputy were picked from the audience to pick out the person was       
disguised as a "bad guy". I could not believe that I got picked to be the sheriff. I      
picked the right one and got the game 'Avalanche' as a prize. I can remember        
being so excited that I got this game.

I had placed my
Boomtown Sheriff badge in a can that I put special things in        
such as ticket stubs, old coins and some other things. When I moved to Natick 14   
years ago, I saw Rex Trailer in the 4th of July Parade. I remembered my badge       
and thought of bringing it with me to the parade the following year.

The next year on the 4th, after running a road race in the A.M. all my neighbors     
told me to go home and get my Sheriff badge
to show Mr Trailer. I ran home and    
put my badge on. By the time I got back to the parade Rex had already gone by. I  
ran again, half way to Natick Center to catch up with him. I showed him my badge   
and he was really surprised. He told everyone, with his microphone, that I was a     
sheriff on the old show. Everyone clapped and I thought it was great!

Every year I proudly wear my Sheriff badge to the parade and say hello to
Mr. Trailer. He is always excited to see me as I am to see him. It has been 40-41     
years since I was on Boomtown. It will always be a fun story to tell my children and  
friends.

I wish Mr. Trailer the very best as he has brought so much joy and fun to so many  
people. He is a very special person to many, many people.

                                                        Thank you so much,

                                                           "Sheriff Joe Ranucci  

This letter should have been posted     
the same day it was sent to me here     
at Boomtownmemories.com

SOMEHOW I never saw it!
Months later,cleaning out the mailbox,  
THERE IT IS, the letter I had been          
waiting for Joe to send in!!!
Sorry I goofed, Joe!

Boomtown's 'Sheriff' Joe Ranucci steps out to see Rex Trailer

A fixture on WBZ for two decades, Rex          
Trailer helped me fund raise for
The
Muscular Dystrophy Association
. Here
I am with the famous Rolls Royce, the
'Poster Boy for
MD,that year.

I was a District Director of
 MDAA  this
particular visit. We brought the 'Poster
Boy' to Rex's studio in the Rolls Royce.
The year was probably 1968 or so. It
was to promote the first
Jerry Lewis
Telethon
which had a local  Boston
tie-in. Rex Trailer was the National
Spokepman that year. The person to
the right in the photo was my roommate
at the time, Wayne Gath.   
Hi!
When my twin brother and I were around (?)years of age,maybe around 1961, Rex had a special how to
raise money for dystrophy. His show showed clips on how to make carnivals in your back yard and raise
money. Boy, oh boy, we had the neetist carnival show going! All pitched in to make carnival booths and
like everyone had come and we made home made items....I just renenber it all! The best part was bringing
the money raised and appearing on the Backyard Carnival foe Dystrophy series with a group of us who
worked to do it.... I would love to buy a clip of that program when we were on, because my twin brother has
passed away for 12 years now at the age of 41 and honestly, I really don't have any pics of us being
together at that age. Dear God, how I would adore seeing my twin brother and I together at that age...and
the memory of the biggest smiles on our faces,(hope I wasn't too shy then).
                                                                                                                        -John and Deborah Hachey
Greetings.
        I came across your website and was compelled to send you a note. My father, David Duhaime, worked for Rex
at Air General for many years. Rex was close to my father and I recall him coming to the house occasionally. I was
probably 5 or 6 at the time and was obviously star struck. I can recall the days when my father would wake me up at 4
in the morning to drive to Hanscolm field and pull out the Jet Ranger. We'd fly to local fairs in New Hampshire. My
father would slip me some money and send me on my way while he gave rides to the paying customers. At the end of
the day he'd have me paged and I'd walk past the lines of envious kids and climb in for the flight home. I'm 47 now
and still remember those days so clearly.

      I can also recall the time that my father landed back in an open field next to my house. To my delight, Santa
Clause stepped out and gave me and some of the neighborhood kids a present! What I didn't find out until many
years later was that my father flew Santa to an orphanage in Manchester, where Santa delivered gifts to homeless
children. I was both humbled and thrilled by the experience. I actually still have a picture of my father in front of the
helicopter with Santa and other dignitaries.

    It's ironic that my father was a fixed wing and helicopter instructor. He taught the person who was in charge of the
Digital Equipment Corporation's helicopter fleet how to fly! How do I know that? Because my first job was working as a
helipad attendant at Digital!

    My father passed away over a decade ago. he was a hero to me and my family. It's ironic that some of my fondest
memories of my father are tied to Rex Trailer's helicopter adventures. If Rex somehow reads this, please pass along
my sincere gratitude.
                                                                                            - Kevin Duhaime
Hi Bob!
     I remember Boomtown and was a faithful viewer for a LONG time, ( I must admit I even watched it into High
School, but don't tell my Sorority sisters, LOL!!!).

     I remember that my niece and nephew got to be on the show,
( '66 or '67,- I was 10 or 11) and I went along. I wasn't able to be on the show because they had tickets and I
didn't-BUT I was told I could watch behind the camera as long as I promised to be quiet - and was I EVER
QUIET!!! Not a peep!

     The show was fantastic; what a talented group of actors. Now that I look back on it, no scripts? AMAZING! I
honestly never outgrew my love of Rex and admiration for him to be able to keep so many children of various
ages entertained.

      Rex made A LOT of people happy over the years, even those who didn't get on the show. We were just
privileged to view his show.
                                                                    - Debi Pare-Bulmer
                                                                              Peabody, MA
What a thrill finding this page. It's so funny reading all the memories others shared. I was on Boomtown in 1964 I think. My twin brother and
I went with our Mom and her girlfriend and her 2 sons. I was the only girl that day on the show and being a twin, WELL WELL !!!!
Pablo went absolutely  nuts over THAT!   He was running all over the place shouting things. I so wish I remembered  this all more clearly. I
do remember being chosen for the GENERAL STOREKEEPER and my brother Johnnie was chosen for the PONY EXPRESSMAN.
What a thrill it was! I also remember everyone got a package of those Hostess Cup Cakes. The pink marshmallow with the chocolate cake
inside. I can't help smiling while typing this e-mail. What a HOOT this is! I wish also that we had pictures from that day. To this day is my
only CLAIM TO FAME, as they say. HAHAHAHA! Thank you so much, Bob, for having this site. I can't wait to tell my brother about it !

                                                                                                                                                                  - Janet Odgren, (General Store Keeper)
(The Marshmallow Cup Cakes were known as 'Snow Balls', sorry, couldn't resist.
my father was a salesman for Hostess,HaHA!!!- Bob Jordan
)                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                           - John Fallstrom, (Pony Expressman)
                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                                                   -Hahahaha, this is just too funny!