Town Rallies to Preserve Ball Of Twine
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“Having a ball” was part of every conversation with James Frank Kotera of Highland, Wis. He meant it literally as the creator of the “heaviest ball of twine” listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Whenever people brought him twine, he weighed it before weaving it tightly into the ball growing in his yard to 24,100 lbs.
When he died of cancer in 2023, Terri Nelson, Kotera’s neighbor and friend, began a mission to preserve his life’s work, which had received national and international media attention and attracted people from 46 states and 15 countries.
“Jim was a character,” she says. “He was awesome. He worked so hard.” As the transfer station attendant, he packed the dumpsters tightly and saved the town money, she adds. Along with trash, people brought Kotera twine to add to his ball.
After discovering that his relatives didn’t know what to do with it, Nelson got permission to start a GoFundMe account to raise money to move it to a site next to the transfer station, which the town approved.
“You can’t let it go; it’s history,” Nelson says, and when donations for as much as $1,000 came in, Kotera’s sister was shocked. After it was featured in several news outlets, donations poured in.
The first project was to pour a concrete slab.
“Then, we had to figure out how to get it out of the shelter without tearing it down,” she says, adding that though the ball was on cement blocks, she also worried the bottom had rotted.
But other than a little dust falling out, the ball that Kotera started in 1979 remained intact and was loaded on a flatbed by a tow truck. Once secured with straps, it was safely transported and placed on the concrete slab. Volunteers covered the 22-ft. long by 10-ft. tall ball of twine with three tarps to protect it until a shelter could be built.
“We left the tarp on until February 2024 when we had a dedication with our town’s skating party,” Nelson says.
The twine ball project is nearly complete, thanks to volunteer help and more than $7,000 in donations. It’s adjacent to a new shelter for the attendant at the newly named JFK (James Frank Kotera) Transfer Station.
Visitors are welcome to stop by any time and sign the guest book at JFK’s Ball of Twine’s new address: 9360 S. County Road S, Highland, Wis.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Terri Nelson (highlandvfd@gmail.com).
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Town Rallies to Preserve Ball Of Twine AIR SEEDERS “Having a ball” was part of every conversation with James Frank Kotera of Highland Wis He meant it literally as the creator of the “heaviest ball of twine” listed in the Guinness Book of World Records Whenever people brought him twine he weighed it before weaving it tightly into the ball growing in his yard to 24 100 lbs When he died of cancer in 2023 Terri Nelson Kotera’s neighbor and friend began a mission to preserve his life’s work which had received national and international media attention and attracted people from 46 states and 15 countries “Jim was a character ” she says “He was awesome He worked so hard ” As the transfer station attendant he packed the dumpsters tightly and saved the town money she adds Along with trash people brought Kotera twine to add to his ball After discovering that his relatives didn’t know what to do with it Nelson got permission to start a GoFundMe account to raise money to move it to a site next to the transfer station which the town approved “You can’t let it go; it’s history ” Nelson says and when donations for as much as $1 000 came in Kotera’s sister was shocked After it was featured in several news outlets donations poured in The first project was to pour a concrete slab “Then we had to figure out how to get it out of the shelter without tearing it down ” she says adding that though the ball was on cement blocks she also worried the bottom had rotted But other than a little dust falling out the ball that Kotera started in 1979 remained intact and was loaded on a flatbed by a tow truck Once secured with straps it was safely transported and placed on the concrete slab Volunteers covered the 22-ft long by 10-ft tall ball of twine with three tarps to protect it until a shelter could be built “We left the tarp on until February 2024 when we had a dedication with our town’s skating party ” Nelson says The twine ball project is nearly complete thanks to volunteer help and more than $7 000 in donations It’s adjacent to a new shelter for the attendant at the newly named JFK James Frank Kotera Transfer Station Visitors are welcome to stop by any time and sign the guest book at JFK’s Ball of Twine’s new address: 9360 S County Road S Highland Wis Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Terri Nelson highlandvfd@gmail com
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