Barb Nelson Day – Thursday July 10, 2008

Barb Nelson has been named to the 2008 Winona County Fair Hall of Fame for her volunteer spirit to her community and to the county.

A Lewiston area resident living near the Arches, Nelson and her husband Martin have been married for 47 years. Their family includes children Brad, Holly and Jana, and Nelson “proudly” states she has 9 grandchildren.

Nelson grew up in Fillmore County and is a graduate of Peterson High School. In addition to raising her family, Nelson worked at the Winona Knitting Mills, Herff Jones in Lewiston and for the postal service. In 2003 she retired from her job as postmaster in Peterson.

Barb and Martin have lived on their property near the Arches for 38 years, and she points out that growing up on a farm influenced the need for room for a house, kids and gardens. Living a rural life is something important to Nelson and her family.

A great love in Nelson’s life is gardening, a hobby that she takes great pride in. She muses that she can work from “daybreak to sunset” in her garden. Nelson is also a Winona County Master Gardener. The flooding in August 2007 took a toll on Nelson’s gardens, and she says it was “difficult” to look at the damage, but she is determined to get things back in shape.

Nelson’s volunteerism in the community ranges from the Master Gardeners to the Winona County Planning Commission, and the Arches Park Board to the Winona County Historical Society. The latter one is very important since Nelson lives right next door to the historical society’s Arches Museum of Pioneer Life.

Recently both Martin and Barb were honored by the Winona County Historical Society at a Heritage Dinner honoring their efforts to clean up the Arches museum site following the 2007 flooding, as well as dealing with flood repairs to their own property.

The Nelson’s have been volunteers for the Winona County Historical Society for more than 30 years. Barb has served as a board member for the society, and is currently on the educational special event committee. WCHS Executive Director Mark Peterson states in a recent issue of the society’s Argus publication that the Nelson’s contribution to Winona County’s history is “significant” and “has no limits”.

“ It is rewarding to volunteer, but more than that it is a way to contribute and connect with people,” states Nelson.