2021 in Review: SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

Schools across the state prepared for students and staff to return to school. Kimball Schools began Aug. 30, and Eden Valley-Watkins Schools began Sept. 7.

The Watkins Sportsmen’s picnic was held Sept. 5. A youth trap shoot contest was planned for the day as well.

In the state amateur baseball tournament, the Clippers defeated the St. Patrick Irish, 2-0, on Sept. 5.  The same day, the Clippers faced the Watertown Red Devils; a 6-3 loss for the Clippers meant they were done in the tournament, and they had missed the Final Four of the tournament.

The KHS Class of 1957 held a reunion Sept. 9 at Mom’s Place in South Haven.

The KHS Class of 1965 met for a reunion Sept. 9 at Triple R Grill & Bar.

After several months of being closed because of COVID-19, the Kimball Senior Dining Site re-opened Sept. 9 for dine-in or take-out.

The Eden Valley Chamber Business Showcase this month was Thielen Machine and Welding.

The Sept. 16 Tri-County News cover story was about Rose Bjerke of Watkins, whose granddaughter Sgt. Nicole Gee was killed in the Aug. 26 explosion at the Kabul airport, one of the final 13 casualties of the U.S. war in Afghanistan as troops withdrew from the country.

The Church of St. Anthony fall festival was held Sept. 12, outdoors as usual, with River Canyon Band performing.

It seemed that school had barely started, and Kimball’s Homecoming week started with coronation on Sept. 12 when Ace Meyer and Madelyn Hunt were crowned 2021 Homecoming King and Queen. This year’s theme is “More Than My Hometown.” 

The Kimball Old Coots gathered again Sept. 14 at Triple R Grill & Bar.

The Kimball Class of 1970 reunion was held Sept. 10 at the St. Augusta Legion Club.

The KHS Class of 1959 met for a reunion Sept. 15 at Triple R Grill & Bar in Kimball.

EV-W sophomore Brooklyn Glenz was named CMC female athlete of the week (in volleyball).

Blight in the Watkins Trailer Park was a recurring theme at Watkins city council meetings this fall. There are several abandoned mobile homes that are dilapidated and pose a health and safety hazard.

After being shut down for months because of COVID-19 precautions, driver’s exam stations across the state re-opened in mid-September.

The Kimball Christian Church (formerly Kimball Church of Christ) celebrated its 150th anniversary (delayed a year because of the pandemic) on Sept. 19. There was music, a special program, and of course good food and fellowship.

St. Anne’s parish fall festival was held Sept. 18, a toned-down version of the usual festival.

A chicken dinner fundraiser was held Sept. 18 for Craig Eder of Watkins, at Dino’s Eden Lakeside Club in Eden Valley. Eder was diagnosed in 2017 with stage 3C colon cancer.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile was at St. Anthony Parish Center Sept. 20.

Kimball Fire & Rescue hosted the American Red Cross Bloodmobile Sept. 23 at St. Anne’s Church in Kimball.

EV-W junior Sam Nistler was named CMC co-male athlete of the week (for football).

Assumption Church in Eden Valley held their fall festival Sept. 26 following dedication of their new fellowship hall by Bishop Kettler.

EV-W Homecoming was the week of Sept. 26, starting with the traditional coronation and variety show. Austin Schlangen and Erin Geislinger were crowned 2021 Homecoming King and Queen. This year’s theme was “Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime.”

The Kimball Class of 1956 held a reunion Sept. 24 at Triple R Grill & Bar in Kimball.

Concordia Lutheran Church in Fair Haven hosted an outdoor pork chop dinner Sept. 25 in Fair Haven Park.

The St. Wendelin Parish fall breakfast, raffle, and bake sale was held Sept. 26 at the church.

4-year-old Ben Skeesick, a preschooler at KES, competed Sept. 25 at the national pedal tractor pull at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., winning third place from among 32 competitors. He had won first place at the pull at the Fair Haven Old Settlers Day this year, then first place in the state competition in Redwood Falls Sept. 11.

Church of Our Lady in Manannah held a grilled smoked pork chop drive-through supper and raffle on Sept. 26.

EV-W sophomore Landon Neiman was named CMC male athlete of the week (in football).

Del and Paulette Fox celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Sept. 25.

Departures:

Sept. 2, Maureen (Thole) Imholte, 82, of Cold Spring

Sept. 7, Kanaan Joseph, infant, of Kimball

Sept. 8, JoAnn (Meierhofer) Round, 96, formerly of Buffalo and Maple Lake

Sept. 10, Janine (Olson) Nelson, 52, of Jackson

Sept. 13, Vaughn Zoller, 59, of St. Joseph

Sept. 14, Robert “Bob” Becker, 77, of Watkins

Sept. 20, Arbadell “Arbie” (Meyer) Blomker, 83, of Watkins

Sept. 20, Sherill Fischer, 82, of Waite Park, formerly of Kimball

Sept. 20, Mary (Harvey) Schumacher, 53, of Annandale

Sept. 24, Doris (Anderson) Nicka, 86, of Annandale

Sept. 26, Dolores (Peltz) Broll, 95, formerly of Maple Lake

Sept. 27, Leonard Huset, 92, of Frenchtown, Mont.

Sept. 27, Joan (Sobania) O’Hotto, 76, of South Haven

Sept. 27, Eugene “Gene” Steman, 84, of Watkins

Sept. 29, Darrel Wills, 93, of Kimball

Sept. 30, Sharon (Weiland) Kavanagh, 58, of Eden Valley

Arrivals:

Sept. 20, Otto Maison Donnay to Matt and Kaitlyn (Truenow) Donnay of Kimball