Kinneys receive Golden Wheat Award

MT. PLEASANT — Lifetime Mt. Pleasant residents and Midwest Old Threshers Reunion supporters Jim and Judy Kinney received the Golden Wheat Award at a ceremony honoring a group of over 20 other Old Threshers volunteers over the weekend.

With hundreds of volunteers necessary to put together the Old Threshers Reunion each year, the board of the Old Threshers Foundation takes time out of their jam-packed reunion schedules to express their gratitude for the hard work, effort, time commitment, and dedication put forth by each of its volunteers.

After recognizing a total of 22 volunteers, Board President Todd Mabeus and board secretary Melinda Huisinga presented Jim and Judy Kinney with the Golden Wheat Award for their service to the foundation board with their dedication to Midwest Old Threshers.

“This award is presented to major donors in the foundation and is one of the highest levels of recognition,” Mabeus said.

“I know that Old Threshers is truly a reunion to them,” Mabeus said.

Mabeus recounted growing up with Jim and gathering each year at his grandparent’s house across Locust Street on the west side of the event grounds.

According to Mabeus, Judy also grew up at Old Threshers. She spent her time working in the church food tent where the Wright Food Pavilion is now.

Judy then started volunteering in the church kitchen making the First United Methodist Church’s meatloaf and serving at the carousel throughout her adult life.

As a couple, the two sponsored the college intern working in the Old Threshers Foundation office in the summer of 2015 that designed the foundation’s brochures currently used.

Much of Jim’s activity with the reunion over the years includes financial contributions and work with his company Kinney and Sons Excavating and Grading.

“As just one of the many donations to the Foundation’s Endowment, in 2016 Jim donated their undeveloped housing property in New London, Iowa which later sold leaving $10,000 in proceeds to be invested,” Mabeus shared.

The Kinneys also made significant contributions to the Santa House which opened during the Festival of Lights 2021.

“With all the support the Kinney’s have given over the years, they are near being member of the Foundation’s Preservation League, our highest honor for supporters having given over $100,000,” Mabeus said. “After being on the Old Threshers Foundation Board nearly since its inception in 1986, Jim retired from the board in November 2016.”

The Kinney family remains active with the board, however, as Jim’s son Greg Kinney is now an elected member.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com