Vol. 1. No. 1
I'ts a snowy afternoon in Odyssey. the icy wind cuts through your clothes and you're colder than...than...well, than a really, really cold thing. So you by Whit's End for a cup of hot chocolate. And Guess who's behind the counter serving you with a smile? Why, Connie Kendall, of course!
Connie's been woring at Whit's End for quite a while now, and she absolutely loves her job. But it wasn't always that way. "When I first came to town," she admits, "all I wanted to do was go back to Califonia. I wasn't a Christian back then, and I felt...I don't know...out of place here."
Fortunately, Whit and Tom Riley quickley made her fell right at home-just as they di fir everybody. And now Connue's a member of the family.
Tune in to "Adventures in Odyssey" this month hear all about Whit's End best-known teenager!
Vol. 1 No. 2
Take a drive on old Gower Road east of town, and you'll soon come across a huge farm filled with row after row of apple trees. It's the Riley Farm, and its owner is Odyssey's mayor, Tom Riley.
Tom grew up in Odyssey-on the very land he owns now. "My grandfather started the farm," Tom recalls, "and he worked hard and saved enough money to send my father to medical school. Once my dad graduated, he came back to Odyssey to practise mediceine here and run the farm untill I got old enough to take over."
Although Tom says farming is all he's ever wanted to do, he has done more-much more- by serving as Odyssey's mayor during perhaps its greatest crisis, the recent Blackgaard scandal. And Tom continues to serve the people of Odyssey as a member of several civic councils and an elder in his church.
So be sure to listen for Tom when you tune in to "Adventures in Odyssey!"
Vol. 1 No. 3
Walk into the Bible Room at Whit's End and Look across the room from the county's largesttrainset, near the scale-model replica of the walls of Jericho. You'll see an interesting contraption that looks somewhat like the front end of a helicopter. What is this strange machine? It's none other than John Avery Whittaker's most celebrated invention-The Imagination Station!
Created to help kids bring their imaginations to life, the Imagination Station started its trips through time in Strange Journey Back, the first "Adventures in Odyssey" novel. And the kids in Odyssey have loved the Imagination Staton ever since. Whether it's visiting with the prophet Elijah or witnessing Lincoln's first inaugural speech, the Imagination Station brings the Bible and history to life.
Be sure to tune in to "Adventures in Odyssey" this month and learn more about Odyssey's favorite invention!
Vol. 1 No. 5
It happened while Whit was on his missions tour in the Middle East. Jack Allen, Whit's best friend and manager of Whit's End at the time, arrived to find a visitor waiting for him-Carl Ross, curator of a Chicago museum. Mr. Ross was there to look at the tunnel beneath Whit's End. It was part of the Underground Railroad, the path to freedom for, many slaves before the Civil War.
"I always knew Whit's End was a historical place," Jack exclaimed,"but I didn't realize it was this historical. I don't think Whit even did!"
The Underground Railroad Tunnel is open weekdays and Saturdays during Whit's End's normal hours.
Experence a part of history this month with Adventures in Odyssey!
Vol. 1 No. 6
Adventures in Odyssey on the air for 10 years!
Where were you 10 years ago? Well, Focus on the Family was just starting up a radio series featuring John Avery Whittaker, the people in his hometown of Odyssey and the gang of ice-cream shop, Whit's End.
The show was origanally called "Family Portraits". Thenit was renamed "Odyssey USA" and finally became "Adventures in Odyssey". Ten years, 10 videos, 12 books and more than 370 radio broadcasts later, it's still going strong!
Whit can hardly believe the program is a decade old. "Ten years!" he says, shaking his head. "Who would have thought it possible? We are all very excited and grateful to God for the way He has blessed us!"
He pauses, then adds,"and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has tuned in all these years. You are what makes the show possible. God bless you!"
Be sure to listen for Whit and the gang at Whit's End when you tune in to "Adventures in Odyssey"!
Vol. 1 No. 7
He was Mr. Whittaker's best childhood friend. They grew up together and now have been reunited after many years apart. Who is he? Jack Allen.
So just what was Whit like as a child? Jack says, "Precocious. He was always getting into everything-always tinkering with gadgets and machines, trying to figure out how they worked."
Jack pauses, then smiles. "I was a very withdrawn and shy kid. Whit was just the opposite-one of the most popular and well-known youngsters in town. He could have had anyone as his best friend. But he chose me-when no one else would. Not only that, but he introduced me to the very best friend I'll ever have-Jesus."
Be sure to listen this fall as Jack experiences some new adventures of his own!
Vol. 1 No. 8
One day Mr. Whittaker and eugene were cleaning out the freezer when Connie came in to the shop.
"Harlow Doyle is driving me nuts! He just busted in..."
"Burst Connie. He just burst in," Eugene said.
"I'm not here for a grammarlesson, Eugene. And I don't appreciate..." Connie started. But Whit suggested she continue her story.
Connie groaned and went on, "I was teaching my Bible class when Harlow Doyle suddenly demanded that all my students line up against the wall. He said he was on a mission."
"How absurd," Eugene commented.
"Not for Harlow it isn't," Whit replied.
"The worst of it is." Connie continued,"he accused Donna Barclay of taking the diamond that was stolen a week ago. Harlow took her to the police station!"
"Then what happened, Miss Kendall?" Eugene questioned.
"One of the policemen said it could not have been Donna because the fingerprints on the diamond belonged to a man.
"What a relief," Whit sighed
"Yes," Connie started,"except Harlow is convinced that Donna is the culprit. He promised he would be back tomorrow to prove it!"
Oh, dear," Whit said, rubbing his chin.
I'm so mad at him!" Connie said.
Well now, Connie you need to have self-discipline. Dont get to upset. You know this is just like Harlow. It'll all work out," Whit reminded her.
The next day Connie arrived at Whit's End very early. She had agreed to meet Donna there. Whit was already in the kitchen, listening to the radio and whistling a tune.
Just as Harlow showed up and demanded that Donna come down to the police station again, a radio announcer said,"They've caught the diamond thif, Hank Murphey. Stay tuned for more."
"Well, Harlow, what do you have to say for yourself?" Connie asked.
Um, oh, Murphey...Barklay. They sound similar."
"You see Connie," Whit commented,"You just need a little self-control, and everything works out fine."
Vol. 1 No. 9
One of my earliest memories," Jason recalls, "is of my father tinkering with one of his inventions." He pauses for a sip of chocolate soda. "I guess you could say inventing is in my blood."
Jason moved back to Odyssey to take over Whit's End when his father left for the Middle East. Jason quickly put his imaginaiton and skill to work on some of his father's best-known contraptions, including the Imagination Station and the Room of Consequence.
"Some of the improvements worked, and some didn't," he says.
Be sure to listen for Jason, Whit and the whole Whit's End gang in some brand-new adventures this month!
Vol. 1. No. 10
by Phil Lollar
Have you ever wondered where Connie came from? When Eugene came to town? What Donna Barklay's middle name is? Do you want to know more about Whit's End-like how it got started? Or the Imagination Station? Where Whit grew up? How many "Adventures in Odyssey" episodes have been made?
Well, the answer to these-and almost any other question you may have about "AIO"-can now be found in a new book called The Complete Guide to Adventures in Odyssey!
The book contains summaries of every Odyssey radio program, video and book that has been done during the past 10 years, discussion questions about each episode cast lists of all the characters, pictures and drawings, and all sorts of interesting facts and tidbits about the program.
So find out everything you've ever wanted to know about your favorite program! Get your copy of The Complete Guide to Adventures in Odyssey today!
Vol. 1 No. 11
h1>Kids Radio Strikes Again
Does this story sound familiar? A greedy, old miser makes life miserable for those around him and refuses to celebrate an important holiday - until he is visited by three spirits who show him the error of his ways. But instead of "Scrooge," this miser's name is "Stooge." Instead of three spirits, he's visited by only one. And instead of Chrismas, the holiday is Thanksgiving. What's going on here? It's "A Thanksgiving Carol" - a production from Kids' Radio and Whit's End.
"We performed several years ago," says producer Joh Avery Whittaker, "and it was very well recieved. So we thought we'd do it again." Whit decided to do the production to remind people of the true meaning of the holiday. "Most folks these days think Thanksgiving is just a lot of good food, a day off work, football games and a parade on TV," said Whit. "They've forgotten just Whom we're supposed to be giving thanks to - namely God."
Listen for A Thanksgiving Carol Thanksgiving week on all station that carry "Adventures in Odyssey" daily!
Copyright (c) 1997 Focus on the Family. All Rights Reserved. International
Copyright Secured. Used by Permission.
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