County commissioners honored for museum construction

by Adam Weber

news@thenewsleaders.com

For some people, museums are simply places that hold antique items with some sort of historical significance. It’s difficult to wrap one’s head around its relevance unless it’s put in terms one can understand. For the Stearns County Historical Society, this is accomplished through the subtle art of storytelling.

A good story captivates its readers and listeners. The setting, mood and ambience can make or break a person’s attention. Lucky for the Society, two county commissioners recognized this and took it upon themselves to build and create the Stearns County History Museum, a place where history’s stories can be cultivated properly.

Keith Maurer and Robert Gambrino are the two county commissioners credited with spearheading the new museum building construction in 1983.

“We were originally in a small basement of the courthouse,” Maurer said. “All our records and artifacts were taking up a lot of room.”

So, the two men successfully set out to coordinate the building of a facility still enjoyed today.

For their service, Maurer and Gambrino were honored at the Stearns History Museum 2016 Annual Gala May 5. They were each awarded the Zapp Historian Award. The award is given to persons or an organization that have contributed significantly to the awareness and preservation of community history and culture. Their dedication and leadership were instrumental in the preservation of local history.

Maurer, now 91, accepted the award surrounded by friends and family. The seven Gambrino children accepted the award on behalf of the late Bob Gambrino, who died in August 2005. The event was held at the Gorecki Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph.

The Gambrino family has a long history with the Stearns County Historical Society. Bob’s father, Leo Gambrino, was the county commissioner for 28 years before Bob stepped into the role.

“The first year my father ran for county commissioner someone ran against him,” said John Gambrino, Bob’s youngest son. “After that he ran for 31 years straight, all unopposed.”

The father-and-son duo served more than 60 consecutive years of service in the Gambrino name.

The event’s featured guest was Cathy Wurzer, who is the voice of Minnesota Public Radio’s Morning Edition and the host of Twin Cities Public Television’s Almanac.

In order to fully appreciate the contributions Maurer and Gambrino made, venture down to Heritage Park in St. Cloud and visit the Stearns County History Museum. Explore the exhibits and diverse heritage on display and, most importantly, enjoy the local history stories.