Junior fair board members will gather in front of the sign-up sheets at tonight’s 4-H teen leader meeting.

Tuesday, June 27, 2000

Junior fair board members will gather in front of the sign-up sheets at tonight’s 4-H teen leader meeting.

Some will pick show announcement chores, others will choose duties at the animal barn, inside the food booth or elsewhere, 4-H program assistant Debbie Carpenter said.

"You see, they not only go to the fair, they work at the fair," Mrs. Carpenter said.

And that work is well under way, with fair week only 12 days away – July 9-15, she said.

"We’re busy, busy, busy and they’re getting excited."

The dozens of 4-H clubs in the county are well on track for the fair, extension agent Laura Jane Murphy said.

Clubs held food and clothing judging, and a livestock clinic, last week.

With the latest animal-showing tips under their belt, 4-Hers are counting down to July 7 – fair cleanup day.

"That’s when we’ll go up and help the fair board get the grounds ready for visitors," Ms. Murphy said. "We make sure everything’s ready for when we all roll in with animals on that Sunday."

The staff at the 4-H office in the courthouse is also working on fair packets now.

They contain fair information for club members, including a suggestion to start asking people to buy their project animals at the end-of-the-fair livestock auction.

The heightened fair activity is getting club members anxious, Ms. Murphy said.

And the agent’s getting excited, too, she said.

This will be the first Lawrence County Fair in three years for the Kitts Hill native. She just began her agent’s duties this spring.

"I love it," Ms. Murphy said. "Ohio’s counties have always been strong with fairs."

Community togetherness, a chance to catch up with friends across the county, opportunities to show skills and learn even more – it’s all right there at the Proctorville fairgrounds for a whole week, she said.

"This is a bunch of kids coming together that have their lights shining for all to see."

The fair promotes not only family fun, rides, games and community spirit, but also showcases the leadership, talent, citizenship, animal handling skills and projects of hundreds of 4-H members, Ms. Murphy said.

"It’s a focal point where people see what we’ve been working on all year," she said.

That work might surprise some people, she said. Those coming to the fair can tour the 4-H project barn where booths highlight year-long projects – from electricity and sewing to computer technology and economics.

It’s not just cows and cooking, Ms. Murphy said.

While club members finish up projects in the coming days, or practice their sheep showing skills, people should think about coming out to watch during fair week, she added.

The July 9 weigh-ins and preliminary excitement will give way to Skill-a-thons, project judging and animal judging on Monday, Ms. Murphy said.

Those activities continue for most of the week, with no end to the 4-H sights fair visitors will encounter, she said.