KIMBERLY, Wis. -- With the closing of the paper mill in Kimberly, the city faces an uncertain economic future.

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Spend enough time in Kimberly and people will come to realize there's two things high on the priority list -- the paper mill and high school sports.

Union president Andy Nirschl and his co-workers are fighting for the new page plant -- the mill has been the main place of employment in Kimberly since 1889.

"The name of the baseball, football and every team that they got, basketball is the papermakers," said Nirschl. "There's a reason for that, that's because we made paper that's what we've always done here.

"To just have it taken off the market and have them say whatever you do its not going to be enough it's hard to stomach, especially when you got guys here that minimum worked here 25 years and up to 40 years. That's a lot of years to say just go find something else to do," said Nirschl.

"The affect on this village is going to be devastating, this is the biggest industry in Kimberly, it always has been and always will be as long as its running," said mill worker Bob Brukardt.

The village is also fighting to keep the plant open to sustain not only its identity but its economy.

"The more detrimental impact will be over time, if that facility is not used for papermaking facility, what happens to its tax base. There's probably $25 million worth of property over there," said

It has the community members thinking about their vote and the issue that would swing them isn't only about Kimberly's economy it's global.

"I think people especially in my demographic, their 40s and 50s have to say that that's going to make a big factor in who they're going to vote for, the people supporting the little guy so to speak instead of big corporate America," said Brukardt.

"It is an international issue, it seems rather strange, a small thing like this in northeastern Wisconsin is the center of that but right now were trying to make this a statement and a standing ground to stop the influx of foreign paper from running the us paper industry," said Hermus.

The Papermakers -- fresh off a state football championship are dealing with the issue too.

"We're beginning a new season here and the second I heard that this summer it kind of puts a damper on things because you know a lot of your players and a lot of our students are going through a pretty tough time right now," said Papermakers football coach Steve Jorgenson.

Including players like Kevan Van Asten and Nate Bevers who've known the mill as what put food on the table.

"They told me about the mill and were all kind of just, we weren't sure what to do at first we were just like ok, this is a huge part of our lives since day one, now its not going to be there, its hard to think like that," said Van Asten.