Fair Booster Club big asset for exhibitors

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Coming off a year where its financial support was especially crucial to young Van Wert County Fair exhibitors, Junior Fair Booster Club coordinator Brandon Bowen is hoping 2021 will be a more normal year for the fair booster organization.

With the Fair Board forced into having a virtual livestock auction last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Booster Club and The Van Wert County Foundation stepped up financially to ensure livestock exhibitors received a reasonable price for their animals.

“Without the support of the Booster Club and the Foundation, some exhibitors may not have gotten much for their livestock projects,” Bowen said.

He noted that the 59 Booster Club members in 2020 donated a total of $8,200, of which $8,045 went directly to exhibitors. Those donations supported more than 100 Junior Fair exhibitors (99 individual exhibitors and the dozen or so youngsters showing dairy cows through the auction of a symbolic gallon of milk).

Bowen said letters will be going out next week to those who have been members of the Booster Club asking them to donate at least $100 and become a club member for 2021. 

The Booster Club is especially important to young livestock exhibitors, many of whom are showing animals for the first time, Bowen said, because it helps provide a reasonable payback for all the effort they put into purchasing, feeding, and exhibiting their animals in the months leading up to the county fair.

Booster Club members for 2020 included the following individuals, organizations, and businesses:

Aaron Baker, Advanced Grain Systems, Ag Credit, Agler’s Best Little Hair House, Alspach Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, American Legion Post 178, Arlene Keysor, Ayers Mechanical, Bee Gee Realty, Carcione Law Office, Century Trading, Cindy Mollenkopf, Citizens National Bank, Clair and Nancy Harting, Clint Myers Excavating, Commissioner Stan Owens, Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Delco Farms, E.A. Vorst, Elks Lodge 1197, First Federal Savings & Loan, Greve Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Jeanne Zeigler, Judge Martin Burchfield, Kenneth and Carol Doner, Kenn-Feld Group, Laudick’s Jewelry, Lee Kinstle GM Sales & Service, Linda Stutz, Ohio City Express, Ohio City Auto Salvage, P&R Medical, Paul and Joyce Oechsle (JP Farms), Phil Campbell, Rager Home Improvement, Rex and Vicki Marbaugh family, Rhoades Insurance, Ridge Township Quarry, Robert Gehres family,  Rodoc Leasing, Ron R. Dull Excavating, Schrader Realty/Amber and Scott Davis family, State Farm Insurance/Tisha Fast, Unverferth Family Dentistry, Van Wert Carts & More, Van Wert Federal Savings Bank, Van Wert Propane, Wayne and Karen Kemler, Westwood Car Wash, Wild Willy’s, William Weldy and family, Young’s Waste Service, Pat and Diane Ryan, C.W. Farms, Aaron and Megan Knittle, Breese Farms, Mark and Melissa Zielke and family, Van Wert Fire Equipment.

Citizens National Bank started off this year’s Booster Club donations this past week with a $1,000 donation (see photo with story).