Somersaulting to its 150th anniversary, the Columbia Gymnastic Association continues to turn toward community service and tumbling as a means to give back to the county.

Turner Hall president Ken Schmidt said the association sponsors Columbia Days, allowing only charitable food stands such as Boy Scouts. The association also donates to the Columbia Festifall and serves food and drinks at the event.

Bicentennial committee co-chairs Dennis Knobloch (left) and Mike Kovarik (right) present Turner Hall facilities manager Bonnie Straub, Turner Hall president Ken Schmidt and Turner Hall treasurer-secretary Glen Stechmesser a plaque commemorating the Columbia Gymnastics Association’s 150th anniversary during the recent gala.

“We think it’s a pretty good place to live,” Schmidt said of why the association serves the area. “We like to help out when we can.”

For the past 30 years, Schmidt has been a part of the association in some capacity, serving first as a board member and now as president. Glen Stechmesser, association treasurer and secretary, has been an officer for about 40 years.

“We’ve had good relationships,” Stechmesser said. “We’ve worked together very well with our board.”

Gustav Pentzler founded the turnverein in 1866 and served as the association’s first secretary.

The term turnverein comes from the German word “turnen,” which means “to practice gymnastics.” The word verein means “club.”

Pentzler also helped write the CGA’s first constitution with Carl Beck and Joseph Stephan. Others appointed to the original board included Phillip Ebel as president, Wenzel Soukopf as vice president, Henry Pretsch as recording secretary, Carl Schaefer as corresponding secretary,

Beck as first instructor, John Schmidt as second instructor and August Mund as custodian.
The CGA membership was 23 people by 1867. Currently, Schmidt said the membership consists of about 260 people. The CGA’s Ladies Auxiliary comes out to about 100 members.

The Turners organization developed its current motto of “Fresh, Free, Strong and True” in 1867. In 1875, Schmidt said, the turnverein purchased the former Turner Hall building.

That building stood for 90 years before a fire destroyed the structure beyond recognition in 1965. At the time of the fire, Schmidt said Louise Shea served as building manager and heard a loud boom after she locked up for the day.

The Waterloo Republican reported that flames were shooting through the roof by the time the fire was discovered. According to the report, the fire may have started from electrical wiring above the false ceiling of the building.

“(Shea) called the fire department, but they couldn’t do anything,” Schmidt said.

The CGA dedicated a new building in 1966. The new facility still includes the bar from the basement of the old meeting hall — the only part of the burned structure that survived.

Since its founding, Schmidt said the association has continued to offer tumbling from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays for ages 5-8, and from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays for ages 8-13.

“We got away from gymnastics,” he said.

Adults in the area can also participate in athletics on Sundays in January and February, when the CGA offers a men’s volleyball league and co-ed league. Schmidt said the leagues get a lot of participants.

But the most popular events the association hosts are wedding receptions, a service provided at Turner Hall for about as long as the association has existed, Schmidt said. The CGA president said Turner Hall hosts about 50 wedding receptions per year.

For more information about the CGA, to book an event at Turner Hall or to sign up for tumbling or other activities, call 281-5393 or visit columbiaturnerhall.com.

Monroe County’s Bicentennial Committee also has chosen Turner Hall as a venue for a number its events this year. Most recently, the Bicentennial Gala took place in November at the hall.

Bicentennial committee co-chairs Dennis Knobloch and Mike Kovarik honored the Columbia Turners with a plaque for its anniversary, and years of service to the community, during the gala. Turner Hall served its famous chicken dinner during the event, which Schmidt said they’ve probably had as a staple of the hall “since forever.”

When asked how it felt for the organization to thrive for 150 years, Schmidt said “it feels pretty good.”

“(Schmidt) has done a lot to help our organization by updating our building and other things,” Stechmesser said. “It’s like any other organization. You have to have a good leader at the top to help with anything like that.”