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John Conwell and his friend, Shrek, spread the goodwill through the streets of Auburn these days. - Mark Klaas/Reporter
Mark Klaas/Reporter
John Conwell and his friend, Shrek, spread the goodwill through the streets of Auburn these days.

More smiles per mile

By MARK KLAAS
Auburn Reporter Editor
July 6, 2009 · Updated 10:56 AM 

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Auburn’s John Conwell shares his motorcycle ride these days with his begoggled pal, Shrek.

“I’m just spreading some goodwill,” said Conwell, a commercial driver for Pioneer Packaging, while filling up his gas tank at an Auburn Chevron station. “With the economy being down, people losing jobs and homes, this is something I do to make people laugh, to get a response. This is to say, ‘Life is good. Try to make the best of everything.’ "

Shrek was originally a gift for his 2-year-old grandson, Logan Mackie, but the boy’s mother decided it was too big for him. So Conwell strapped the mighty ogre to his Honda GoldWing 1500 cc.

“My wife thinks it’s silly, but it gets some laughs. The kids who see it go crazy. … Well, we all have to show some kid in ourselves.”

For bringing Shrek on his daily commute, Conwell’s coworkers have given him a nickname.

“They call me Donkey,” Conwell said, referring to Shrek’s sidekick in the film series.

Contact Auburn Reporter Editor Mark Klaas at mklaas@auburn-reporter.com or 253-833-0218, ext. 5050.

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