Published: August 28, 2008 10:58 am         

Extra hands needed for 400 entries

There are hundreds of exhibits entered into the Payne County Fair each year to be judged, at least 400 of which are for 4-H. All those exhibits must be entered, placed in their areas, judged and arranged for later viewing by the public. That’s a lot of work, even with a large team of judges.

But the judging team has a secret weapon on its side: Each year, about 18 to 20 kids, most of them 4-H, volunteer to help the judges in whatever is needed. And the team of judges and children together can finish the job in a matter of hours.

“It’s important (to have the kids) because it’s a large job,” said Brett Morris, Payne County 4-H extension educator. He’s worked with the kids at the county fair for years, and knows how important it is to have them.

“We have 400 4-H entries; it would take too long,” he said.

The day before the judging takes place, kids are there to help enter the exhibits, count them, make sure they are accounted for in the record books, making sure the exhibits are ready for judging. Another team of kids, with some from the day before, are there to assist the judges in whatever is needed.

“It takes a lot of volunteers all week long,” said Dea Rash, 4-H Extension educator for Family & Consumer Sciences.

For judging, kids show around 8:30 a.m. and are assigned to judges. The kids arrange the exhibits for the judges, and the placings are marked into record books. The kids then place ribbons on the exhibits, all before lunch. After lunch, with all judging having taken place, the kids re-arrange the exhibits for public viewing, when the hall reopens around 6 p.m.

“They stay until everything is finished, ribbons are hung and everything is ready for public viewing,” Morris said.

The adults are quite relieved that there is so much help available, but ask the kids why they help, and you come away with quite a different point of view.

“I enjoy it!” said Emily Eller, who has been volunteering for about seven years. “It’s a good learning experience, and I like serving my community.”

Eller has been helping since she was 9, and never misses an opportunity to help with the judging. The kids do it because it gives them a chance to help the county fair, and they love any opportunity to serve their community, which falls under the fourth H in 4-H, pledging their hands to service to their community.

“They’re volunteering and stepping up,” Morris said. “They’re taking the next step and taking a leadership role, developing leadership skills.”

Taylor McEntire has been volunteering for three or four years, and she loves the community service, but she also loves helping the judges and seeing what goes on backstage at the county fair. Seeing what goes on behind the scenes, in a way, keeps her interested in helping year after year, and she says they know before the fair that they are going to help again. It’s just something they do.

“We usually just know that we’re going to do it, and then we just step up and help out.”

The kids who help are usually about 12 or 13 when they start, Morris said. There’s a lot of work involved, he said, and judges need to know that the kids can handle it. That doesn’t mean they can’t start volunteering when they are younger, nor do they turn away any parent who wants to help.

“If parents are available, we tell them the kids can come out and help,” he said, provided the parents are by their side.

But once they help, they usually come back next year. Take Josh Horstman, for instance. He volunteered last year, and has returned for his second year to help the judges.

“It’s fun to do, and I like helping the judges.” He takes a special interest in the photography divisions, as photography is a new interest for him.

“I got my first camera two years ago,” he said. “I like taking pictures of stuff so I can remember them.” And seeing the many photos entered into the fair further piques his interest in the art.

“I like to look at pictures people take.”

     

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