It’s that time again – Farmer’s Day 2017 is this weekend and the committee has a full weekend of family-fun events scheduled throughout the community. Though the weather threatens a bit of rain, the Farmer’s Day Committee promises “Fun in the Sun”.
Changes are bound to happen with a 90 year plus event and this year is no exception. While there are traditionally a Grand Marshall, Outstanding Homemaker, Outstanding Farmer and Farmer’s Day royalty, this year there will be just one dignitary to honor.
Eileen Dudney has been named the Farmer’s Day Grand Marshal. She will attend the dignitary coffee at the Eagles lodge at 8:30 Saturday morning. The public is asked to attend and join the Kimball Ambassadors in congratulating Eileen. Farmer’s Day Queen will be Justine Heeg.
Eileen grew up in a small town in Kansas called Mt. Vernon and moved to Kimball in 1947 after traveling here to visit a friend.
She met Leverne Dudney here and in 1950 they married. They began their family here in Kimball, adding Richard and Joyce to the Dudney home.
Their third child, Gregory, contracted polio and the Dudney family moved to Cheyenne where he underwent therapy for the disease.
In 1961 the Dudney’s returned to their beloved home town, where they raised their seven children. In addition to Richard, Joyce and Gregory, Eileen and Dud had Kirk, Janae, Judy and June.
Dud owned and ran a construction business while Eileen owned and ran Elm Court Cafe, apartments and motel for 20 years.
“The children helped in the cafe when they were old enough,” she said.
Their family kept them busy and Eileen taught CCD, served as a den mother for scouts, assisted with the Camp Fire Girls and played softball as well as bowled.
Although she can no longer bowl, she still enjoys traveling to see her family, crochet, crossword puzzles and jigsaws. She attends the Kimball Community Concerts as well.
Eileen said that she has seen many ups and downs in Kimball, but she is proud that the community continues to survive and even thrive.
“The friendliness is the best thing about Kimball, people care about their neighbors and when you go into a business, they know you,” she said.
At 87 years of age, Eileen is grandma to 22 and she has 33 great-grandchildren. She currently works at George Risk Industries and gets out as often as she can to visit with friends. She has a piece of advice to pass on to the young people of Kimball.
“Never give up. Keep looking forward to the future, there is always something good to look for,” she said.
As Eileen prepares to serve as Grand Marshal over the 91st Farmer’s Day, she will certainly be out and about enjoying many of the events this weekend.
The Friends of the Kimball Public Library will host a book, craft and bake sale from 1 – 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, in the back room of the library and the Kimball Friendship Center will have a soup supper that evening from
5-7.
Locals can catch Cruise Night and cars cruise Third St. beginning at 6 or get a head start on holiday gifts at the craft and vendor fair downtown beginning at 7.
Around 7:30 the Friends of the Goodhand are showing Moana in Gotte Park and there will be a street dance beginning at 8 with Orchard Fire.
Prior to the coffee, Panhandle Coop will serve a free pancake feed at the Eagles beginning at 6:30 a.m.
The annual Fun Run kicks off at 8 a.m., from the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department. Runners will run east on Second St. from Webster to Washington and then turn right to run to Highway 30 before heading east again to the eastern entrance of Gotte Park.
The shorter route takes runners around the park, out the western entrance, back to Washington where they turn back to Second St. and return to the fire station.
Runners in the five mile run will bypass Gotte Park and continue on Highway 30 to CR 43 where they run south, around Janicek Dam to Oak St. and then north to Ninth St.
On Ninth they turn east to Washington before heading north again to Second St. at which time they return to the fire station.
The Kimball Transit Service will offer free rides to and from the parade and they will have a reserved parking spot during the parade. Citizens who wish to use this service are asked to call in advance to schedule a ride, no later than Friday afternoon.
While the annual parade starts at 10 a.m., the stage at the junction of Second and Chestnut will be busy with special recognitions at 9:30. Kelli O’Brien, Director of Public Affairs for Nebraska and Iowa, will make a special presentation at that time.
Winners of the parade will be announced at 11:30 and at the same time the free hamburger feed will begin at Second and Webster, though the same hamburgers will be served at the Kimball Friendship Center at 101 S. Oak beginning at 11, though space must be reserved.
If waiting in line for hamburgers doesn’t “float” your boat, the VFW will be open following the parade with root beer floats, and a bake sale.
The Fun in the Sun doesn’t stop with the parade, but instead moves to Gotte Park with a classic car and truck show, kids games, a horseshoe tournament and gun raffle by the Plains Historical Society.
The book,craft and bake sale will continue throughout the day at the Kimball Public Library, at 3 p.m. the Demolition Derby will begin at the Kimball County Fairgrounds and again on Saturday evening Orchard Fire will perform for the street dance, which may be moved inside in the case of inclement weather.
Back following a hiatus last year, the Kamikaze Air Show will begin at 10 a.m. At the Kimball Airport and the fairgrounds will be busy with a mud volleyball tournament with horseshoes next door at Gotte Park.