Cooperation is key for fair

The entire 4-H year revolves around the fair.
So it would seem losing the coordinator within weeks of the event would pose a mammoth challenge.
But in the absence of a full-time 4-H educator, those involved in the 4-H portion of the fair say things are chugging along smoothly.
“The fair’s a well-oiled machine,” said Cheri Brown, who is currently serving as the Purdue Extension director for both Jay and Blackford counties. “We have phenomenal volunteers and people who have been doing this for many, many years.”
Cara Kobza, who was Jay County’s full-time 4-H educator, left the job in late May. But despite not having someone in that role of overseeing all of the 4-H activities, the fair hasn’t missed a beat.
While the midway didn’t open until this afternoon, the 4-H portion of the fair is already about half over. It began Saturday with the dog and rabbit shows, and as of noon today the beef and beef feeder, poultry, horse and pony halter, swine, horse and pony, sheep and dairy goat shows have all been completed.
The work for this year’s events ramped up June 29 when the local extension office moved from its home at the southwest corner of Meridian and Walnut streets in Portland into the 4-H Exhibit Hall at Jay County Fairgrounds.
The efforts behind the scenes are heavily focused on making sure everything is organized.
Animals must be checked in, livestock weighed, names entered and verified for all events and show bills produced.
That’s followed up by recording all of the results in preparation for both the 4-H auction on Friday and the Indiana State Fair.
“Della (Rockwell) and Deb (Coleman) have borne the lion’s share of that work,” said Brown of the members of the extension staff, who put in a 14-hour day Saturday and will hit double digits every day this week.
Those staff members in turn credit those who are in the trenches, both working to organize the 4-H projects and judging last week and to put on the 4-H animal shows this week. That group includes Jay County 4-H Council president Dennis Chenoweth, livestock superintendent Chris Price, exhibit hall chair Cindy Murphy and an extensive list of other volunteers who took on a variety of attacks both before the fair and this week.
Rockwell pointed out that those working in the barns have been patient with the office staff while working through questions and problems, and Price noted that the staff has brought a positive attitude to what can be a stressful week.
“You walk in the office … and they’re all smiles,” he said.
Price added that all of the individual barn superintendents have worked together to keep the fair going strong. If he has a problem or question in one barn, he said, he can gather a group of superintendents together to answer or solve it.
“If we look at all the years of 4-H experience on the council, there’s quite a bit,” he said. “So we’re getting along great. Everything’s going smooth.”
Virtually all involved noted that spirit of cooperation as key to getting everything done.
No one individual has stepped in to oversee everything as a full-time 4-H educator normally would. Instead, everyone involved has taken part in fulfilling those duties.
“You can’t lose a full-time educator and not have there be a void left,” said Brown. “People have filled that in and done a fantastic job.
“I think it is a great testimony to the strength of Jay County and the community that people have stepped up and are making this just a really great fair and great opportunity for our kids.”