We Can't Do It Without You

by Michele Boy | August 8, 2024

It’s hard for me to fathom that school begins Monday. We just finished fair, fair clean up, after fair exhaustion week trying to catch up on everything put on the back burner because of fair. 
  This weekend I spent most of my days and nights putting together the fair edition. 
After Saturday the swimming pool will close and next week a new  chapter begins. I’m not ready. 
I want more time.
  So while my office door was closed most of Tuesday morning I felt justified to take off and be a part of my daughter getting to AI (artificial inseminate) her lamb.  Yes it meant another late night but moments with her are precious as she will be gone a lot with school and sports soon. 
  The process of AI was cool. we learned a ton. The vet was from Australia, she and the family putting it on was gracious helping us to watch, ask questions, and be a part. 
It was also great to see a number of youth there learning, being a part of their ag journey. 
  Watching the county fair youth auction this past weekend showed so many businesses and commmunity members investing their hard earned dollars in our children. I wonder what it would look like in our community if we had more ag opportunities for kids.   
  What if there was an FFA barn? A trailer to help them get to shows together.
What if we invested in our kids, families, and community by enclosing the swimming pool so it would be operational year round? Upgraded some of the fairgrounds so that we could hold larger conferences there?
  Seeing our library’s remodel take shape  was exciting and inspiring!
   What if we invested in the amenities of our community? Would it draw more people here? Could we have our own swim team? 
Could we have a full time recreation manager for year round activities? 
  I have no idea if we have the funds for these opportunities. I did not run for county commissioner and I have not checked the budgets. 
I am simply putting out ideas that may be able to further our community and create more jobs and opportunities for our youth to return home. 
  Would we draw an optometrist again? Would we be able to build more office spaces and fill them with more businesses and store fronts. 
Without vision the people perish. So I guess I am just asking what is our vision?
   Where do you see our community going?
Even if you are against spending another taxpayer dollar, what if you simply entered next year’s county fair?
 Did you know you can? You can enter any of the open classes. Maybe you sew, bake, or garden?
Maybe you take photos or write?
Perhaps you like legos, geology, or putting together a float for the parade.
  The fair is for everyone. 
No you won’t always win a purple ribbon. 
 I enter my photography annually knowing I will lose to our local photography gurus. 
But it pushes me, it helps the fair, and maybe it inspires a child to take their own photos.
  There are so many opportunities for everyone. So whatever you complete from now until next fair is eligible. 
 And as you peruse or scan the fair edition, maybe you see yourself in it too.
  No matter what we do, we are investing our time and money. The question we ask ourselves is what are we investing it in. 
  Sometimes that is couch time to recoup. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But how much time would it take you to pick one thing to enter in the fair?
 All ages are welcome. 
What is your goal to invest in yourself? In our commmuity? 
 Our county commissioners put together five year plans. What if we did the same? No it won’t always work out but again, without vision the people perish. 
What is your vision?
In a small town that takes a little bit from all of us.
 And thank you to everyone who does volunteer at the fair, as a coach for the kids, in the community serving the public. We can’t do it without you! Thanks for making our community a better place, whatever your contribution.