Junior Fair charges ahead at full throttle

By Bailey Kotas

The Ramona Junior Fair is charging ahead at full throttle, driven by the support of our communities and others, ready to help the annual fair retain its success.

From the after-auction products and services donated by businesses to the 154 trophies/awards that have been sponsored and the remodeled Home Economics building, many have shown their support. And all junior fair volunteers and participants appreciate it.

Some people have asked, “What if I don’t want to buy an animal? Can I still help the kids and fair?”

Absolutely. Many of the avenues to contribute include “add-ons,” a convenience the fair provides during the livestock auction that allows separate dollar amounts to be “added onto” a particular exhibitor’s auction price. This translates to any persons who did NOT purchase the exhibitor’s animal to specify an “add-on” of money to what the exhibitor already received with the sale of his or her animal.

Add-on’s are particularily popular with folks who either have already bought an animal, or who don’t plan to, but still would like to support the 4-H and FFA students.

Along with add-ons, the scholarship fund always can use replenishing, as well as the Home Ec Building Fund (the building itself is complete, but some commodities are still required). The fair also holds an “after auction,” which directly follows the livestock auction. As one of the fair’s biggest sources of funds, items such as services, all the shrubbery the fair uses to decorate, gift certificates, baskets, and much more are donated.

And for the first time in many years, the RJF is holding a T-shirt fundraiser during the fair, selling T’s with this year’s “Rockin’ with the Stock” theme. At $12.50 each, the RJF hopes to sell each and every shirt to create revenue to keep the fair running.

And congratulations! The fair has awarded five graduated senior exhibitors with Ramona Junior Fair scholarships for college. Jacyln Scherff and Ashley Brean from Paisanos 4-H, Aaron Prinz from Stars 4-H, and Justina Byrne and Kirsten Sanders from Julian FFA will each receive $1,000, and one of these students will also receive the Memorial Award, an additional $500 (to be announced at the Closing Ceremonies on Sunday). Nice work to all five of you!