o??X? The Green County Fair begins today after volunteers worked for days to set up the fairgrounds this week.
Dozens of the volunteers were the proteges of one long-time volunteer who has been involved with the fair for 30 years.
Juda resident Debbie Myers said she and her husband, Tim, have been involved with the Green County Fair since their first child was old enough to participate in 4-H programs in the 1980s.
"My son was with the fair when he was young," Myers said. "And now he's 40, so we've been here a while."
Now Myers and her husband bring their children and grandchildren to volunteer at the fair each year - about 16 people in total, Myers said.
Myers said she worked with her children to repair several buildings on the fairgrounds, including the Youth in Action building, where 4-H sells food. Myers also worked alongside dozens of children and teenagers with the Next Generation 4-H Club, of which she is president.
Myers said she will work behind the counter of the food stand all day, every day throughout the fair with 4-H members volunteering for two-hour shifts throughout the week. Although she admitted it is a lot of work - "My husband says he's a Fair widower because he never gets to see me during the fair," Myers joked - she said she loves seeing the young 4-H members come together and grow.
"I believe that more community service makes a better kid," Myers said.
Myers said she has not only seen Green County 4-H grow from nine families to 41 since 2013, but she has also seen individual members grow from shy, reserved children to confident, responsible teens.
"I taught my kids that they need to be kind and help people," Myers said. "And now I'm teaching my grandkids and 4-H the same thing."
In addition to working at the food stand and repairing buildings, Myers said her volunteers also occasionally donate woodworking projects such as benches and picnic tables to the fair.
John Dieckhoff, president of the Green County Fair board, said Myers' work ethic goes above and beyond that of the ordinary volunteer and that her additional volunteers are lifesavers.
"She's always willing to help out," Dieckhoff said.
Although Myers will be too busy to attend most of the fair's events, she said her favorite part of the fair happens behind the desk.
"I love it when kids from the club come in to share their stories of the day," Myers said. "It means I made a difference in their lives."
Dozens of the volunteers were the proteges of one long-time volunteer who has been involved with the fair for 30 years.
Juda resident Debbie Myers said she and her husband, Tim, have been involved with the Green County Fair since their first child was old enough to participate in 4-H programs in the 1980s.
"My son was with the fair when he was young," Myers said. "And now he's 40, so we've been here a while."
Now Myers and her husband bring their children and grandchildren to volunteer at the fair each year - about 16 people in total, Myers said.
Myers said she worked with her children to repair several buildings on the fairgrounds, including the Youth in Action building, where 4-H sells food. Myers also worked alongside dozens of children and teenagers with the Next Generation 4-H Club, of which she is president.
Myers said she will work behind the counter of the food stand all day, every day throughout the fair with 4-H members volunteering for two-hour shifts throughout the week. Although she admitted it is a lot of work - "My husband says he's a Fair widower because he never gets to see me during the fair," Myers joked - she said she loves seeing the young 4-H members come together and grow.
"I believe that more community service makes a better kid," Myers said.
Myers said she has not only seen Green County 4-H grow from nine families to 41 since 2013, but she has also seen individual members grow from shy, reserved children to confident, responsible teens.
"I taught my kids that they need to be kind and help people," Myers said. "And now I'm teaching my grandkids and 4-H the same thing."
In addition to working at the food stand and repairing buildings, Myers said her volunteers also occasionally donate woodworking projects such as benches and picnic tables to the fair.
John Dieckhoff, president of the Green County Fair board, said Myers' work ethic goes above and beyond that of the ordinary volunteer and that her additional volunteers are lifesavers.
"She's always willing to help out," Dieckhoff said.
Although Myers will be too busy to attend most of the fair's events, she said her favorite part of the fair happens behind the desk.
"I love it when kids from the club come in to share their stories of the day," Myers said. "It means I made a difference in their lives."