Kimball Rod & Gun Club marks 70th anniversary

An article that appeared in the Dec. 10, 1936, edition of the Kimball Messenger announced that Kimball had a new gun club. Seventy years later, the Kimball Rod & Gun Club is very much alive and growing. Within the next few years, they plan to replace their existing clubhouse with a new one. And, perhaps best of all, its membership has grown to more than 100. Back when the gun club officially came together, there was no clubhouse for members to meet in. Instead, they gathered at the Legion hall or in members’ homes. To practice their sport, the men enjoyed dove hunting. Imagine how pleased they would be to see how their club has grown and thrived! Then, in 1977, several men, including Dennis Serbus, took the club to a new level. They leased 64 acres of land from Dennis’ dad, Pete, and got a loan from the bank to buy the land in 1992. They built their current clubhouse, and first one, then two, trap houses. The DNR offered them the opportunity to take part in a set-aside program, and, for 10 years, members planted 15,000 trees on the former farmland. “In 10 years, it’ll be a forest,” predicts Chuck Serbus, Dennis’ son, and club secretary. “I’ve seen this thing grow since I was a kid,” Chuck says. “I’ve seen it grow from a dirt pile to what it is now.” The club is a beehive of activity, especially in the warmer months. Last month, for instance, they held a gun raffle, and because it was so popular, they sold 1,180 tickets, raffling off seven guns. Now, they plan to hold another. “We have one annual shoot,” Chuck says, “and it’s usually the third Sunday in August.” Dennis Serbus passed away in 2003, and in his honor, the meet has been named the Dennis Serbus Memorial Shoot. It’s not just the shoot that keeps members busy in August. They offer a firearms safety program through the DNR, designed to teach gun safety and respect to area kids who must be 12 at the time of the course. The fee, which goes to cover the cost of materials,   is minimal at $7.50. It’s a labor of love for the instructors. “It’s all donated time,” Chuck says, “we don’t get paid to teach the course.” The course runs five nights, and to earn a certificate, participants have to pass both a written test and a field test in which they handle and shoot a gun. They have room for 30 kids. Chuck notes that more girls are taking the course than ever before, a trend that seems to be growing. The program features shotguns and rifles, but no handguns. In the 18 years Chuck has been teaching the course, only a handful didn’t pass. But, he points out, the kids are encouraged to come back and take the class over again. “The biggest thing we want people to know is that we’re down here, we’re growing, and we have a lot of local people who are members,” Chuck says. “It’s a good sport, and a lot of people hunt, and it’s a good place to practice.” And bring the family. Chuck’s two sons like to come to the gun club when he’s there, and he notes that other families gather there, too, to watch members shoot. Membership is a good deal, too, at just $20 for NRA members and $45 for non-NRA members. National Rifle Association membership alone is $45. Anyone interested in joining the Kimball Rod & Gun Club is welcome to stop by 9837 Willow Creek Road any Thursday from 6 p.m. until dark, or Sundays from 1-4 p.m., or call Chuck at (320) 398-3283.