BrandonInfo.com

Do you have any Oz memorabilia? An old lunch box, perhaps, or a poster or a first-edition copy of the book? Maybe you just have a story or anecdote about the movie you could share.The Brandon Historical Society is looking for Oz items to include in a display they will put up at the high school during performances of “The Wizard of Oz” in April. More than 300 kids auditioned for the play. Elementary students will play the parts of some of the munchkins.

A Corson resident played one of the munchkins in the movie, though. His name was Carl “Kayo” Erickson. Only two munchkins in the movie were shorter than he. Some of Kayo’s personal belongings will be part of the historical society’s exhibit.

If you have any items you’d like to lend to the society, you can call one of the officers. They are Gene Urban, Deb Rothenberger, Howard Brown and Virginia Pappenfus. Or e-mail me at apthiele@argusleader.com and I will get word to the historical society.

Watching the annual broadcast of “The Wizard of Oz” was always a big deal for me, my  brother and my sister as we were growing up. We would each pick a character we wanted to be, and watch for their scenes. Sometimes our cousins or friends would watch with us. I always picked Glinda the Good Witch, even though she had hardly any screen time. I just liked her dress a lot.

Did you know that L. Frank Baum, who wrote the Oz stories, lived in Aberdeen for a while? That city has an annual Oz festival.

What are your memories of the books, the movie, any stage productions you have seen, or possibly of Kayo?