2023 Year in Review: October

OCTOBER

A large group gathered Oct. 1 at the Willow Creek Park Shelter in Kimball: several Ukrainian refugee families along with their sponsors and/or hosts. It was a celebration of their safe arrival here in the United States, and resettling to a calmer life away from the war in their homeland. It was also a chance to celebrate all the many helping hands in our communities that have smoothed their way.

The Eden Valley Area Historical Society held a fundraiser Oct. 1 at Andy’s Hometown Tavern in Eden Valley: “Burgers, Bottles, and Brushstrokes.”

The Kimball Area Fire and -Rescue Department got together for their annual family picnic on Sunday, Oct. 1. The day was meant to relax with family and recognize present and past members. The Kimball Fire Department Chief’s Award was presented to Amy Inglett by Assistant Chief Mike Schindler and Chief Dave Traurig. A KFD retirement axe was presented to Mike Schneider and Bob Erickson. Years of service were acknowledged by the Kimball Fire Department; Assistant Chief Mike Schindler, Jeff Hilsgen (20), Aaron Knaus (25), Dustin Orbeck (10), Dan Killian (5).

The Kimball Class of 1963 met for their 60th class reunion Oct. 3 at Triple R in Kimball.

The Kimball Lions’ fall fish fry was held Oct. 6 at the Willow Creek Park Lions Shelter.

Eugene “Mert” Merten, Tammy (Kuechle) Libbesmeier, and Tom Libbesmeier were the 2023 inductees into the KAHS Hall of Fame. They were recognized, and presented with plaques, during halftime of the Oct. 6 home football game against Holdingford.

The annual Meeker County 4-H Awards Celebration was held in conjunction with the Meeker County 4-H Centennial Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Fiddlers Green in Litchfield. The event included a meal, and special guest speakers Donny, Jennifer, Shelby, Abbey, and Bailey Schiefelbein; it concluded with a decades-themed dance.

The Ostmark Lutheran Church Women of the ELCA held their 47th annual Fall Bazaar on Oct. 7 at the church.

Kimball National Honor Society (NHS) inducted new 2023-24 members on Oct. 8, the members were Lily VonWahlde, Adelle Tubridy, Jordyn Theis, Zoe Stuve, Isabelle Schmitz, Elania Fink, Jocelyn Zoller, Sami Winter, Ellie Becker, Hunter -Gebhardt, Maleah Loch, Kendra Bogatzki, and Hank Meyer.

The Kimball High School Class of 1958 met for their 65th reunion Oct. 12 at Triple R in Kimball with 12 class members attending.

The Kimball Cubs faced the Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles for the annual Rooster Bowl match-up, which EV-W won, 18-6. The Oct. 13 game location was moved to ROCORI where they played in a cold rain.

Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church’s fall bazaar was held Oct. 14 at the church.

A jigsaw puzzle tournament was held Oct. 15 at the Eden Valley Community Center.

St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball held a grilled pork chop dinner and silent auction fundraiser Oct. 21 at the church.

Resource Training & Solutions honored 146 educators from Central Minnesota at the 2023 Leadership in Educational Excellence Award (LEEA) Banquet which took place Wednesday, Oct. 25. The event was hosted at the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center. Holly Hansen and Stephanie Borscheid represented Eden Valley-Watkins School District receiving LEEA awards. Taylor Heitke and Stacie Braun received LEEA awards representing the Kimball School District.

Four Meeker County 4-H’ers competed in the Arabian Horse Hippology Contest in Tulsa, Okla., Oct. 26-27. The team earned the opportunity to participate in the contest by their high placing in the hippology contest during the Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show. The word hippology means the study of the horse. The contest has a number of components, including a written test, photo slide exam, a team problem, and stations. The stations consist of identification of forages, tack, equine ages, breeds, blemishes, unsoundness, life cycle, and more. Youth also participated in the judging of four horse show classes.

The 60th annual Holy Cross Parish Fish Fry took place Oct. 27 in Marty.

Wright County Swappers Meet held a Swappers Spooktacular to mark the end of the season on
Oct. 28.

Halloween fun got an early start Sunday, Oct. 29, at Trunk or Treat events in the area. At St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Eden Valley, the Halloween Festival was bustling at Kimball Area High School.

Departures

Aurinee (Maus) Schlanker, 84, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Oct.. 2, 2023

Janet (Schabel) Kieke, 87, of Luxemburg; Oct. 4, 2023

Gerald “Jerry” Sandell, 71, of South Haven; Oct. 12, 2023

Matthew Mathies, 59, of Watkins; Oct. 15, 2023

Jerrold “Jerry” Oster, 79, of Watkins; Oct. 15, 2023

Neal Briese, 60, of Watkins; Oct. 16, 2023

Irven “Irv” Magnuson, 89, of Litchfield; Oct. 16, 2023

Donna (Nelson) Maurer, 88, of St. Cloud; Oct. 16, 2023

Dale Nyren, 85, of South Haven; Oct. 16, 2023

Robert “Bob” Bennett, 86, of Buffalo; Oct. 24, 2023

Mariella (Weber) Arnold, 93, of Kimball; Oct. 25, 2023

Larry Valiant, 68 of Watkins; Oct. 25, 2023

Carl Fischer, 86, formerly of South Haven; Oct. 28, 2023