Kimball City Hall:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
Kimball City Hall:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
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KIMBALL - This week on "Your Town Tuesday" we are featuring the town of Kimball. We'll start right on main street at Kimball City Hall.  Built in 1908 the Kimball Prairie Village Hall has been restored to its former glory and is now the only National Register-listed city hall that is still being used in Stearns County. Kimball Area Historical Society President Mary Johnson says she is proud and happy that they were able to save the building.

We were able to bring it back to it's age you might say...

The restoration took place over five phases from 2006 until 2010. The outside of the building was able to get a makeover as part of the project.

Johnson says, "We had to redo the brick work. So that's a pretty big process in itself. They look like new, but their not new a lot of times."

The building had interior improvements as well. The original wood floor, the tin ceiling, and the proscenium arch were all renovated bringing the look back from when the building was built.

The building was once used as a movie theater, basketball arena, dentist office, and a telephone company.

Let's move on to another prominent place in Kimball, the golf course.

Golfing at Kimball Golf Club:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
Golfing at Kimball Golf Club:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
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Tee It Forward Card:
Photo by Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
Tee It Forward Card:
Photo by Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
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The Kimball Golf Club recently debuted the Tee It Forward Program at its golf course. General Manager at Kimball Golf Club Bob Deem explained the program.

"Tee it Forward program is a program that the United States Golf Association, the PGA, and Jack Nicklaus has endorsed. If they tee off 100 - 150 yards, we ask them to tee off at the red tees, and then so on."

It was fun for them. They were able to make par on a hole.

Deem began using the program in his lessons, and so far he says it's been a success. The goal of the program is to make golf a more enjoyable game for all skill levels. He shared a quote from Jack Nicklaus.

"It says, 'Golf is a game that should be fun to play, but many golfers make it too far, too difficult to play from distances that don't match up with their abilities.' I think that's the thing that we're trying to do, to make it more fun more enjoyable."

We end our day with a trip to the Millner Heritage Vineyard and Winery, home to a wine called Little Iza.

Millner Heritage Vineyard and Winery:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
Millner Heritage Vineyard and Winery:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
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Izabella with Little Iza Wine:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
Izabella with Little Iza Wine:
Photo By Joshua Akkerman, WJON News
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Jon Millner is the owner out at the vineyard. He named one of his wines after his daughter, Izabella. Last year he entered Little Iza into the International Cold Climate Wine Competition. It is the biggest wine competition in Minnesota. It was at this competition that Millner brought home the Governor's Cup.

Millner says, "That's what the Governor's Cup represents. Of all the Minnesota wines that are entered, this one was chosen to be the best wine in Minnesota."  

Little Iza beat out about three hundred other wines for the title of best wine in Minnesota. You first have to win gold in your category. It's from the Gold Winners that the Governor's Cup is chosen. Millner says it's a recognition of effort in the wine making business. Even his daughter Izabella has been enjoying the trophy. Millner shared a story of where he once found the trophy.

I saw the trophy up on her book shelf, and I said what's that trophy doing here? She said it's my trophy, it's got my name on it. She claimed it as her own and put it up there and said it looks good up there. 

 

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