Local Residents Honored for Support of Fairs

January 07, 2020 | ODA

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Jan. 03, 2020) – 41 individuals were recently recognized at the 95th Ohio Fair Managers Association annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for outstanding service to their local fairs. Of this group, seven received the Director’s Award for Innovation and Excellence for their progressive ideas and actions to improve and strengthen their fairs. Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda presented each winner with a certificate. Those chosen for the special honor (denoted by an asterisk below) received plaques.

The award recipients were:

Albany Independent Agricultural Society	Paul Joseph “PJ” Cotterill	Hardin County Fair	Gary & Patti Casteel
Allen County Fair	Bobcat of Lima	Harrison County Agricultural Society	Matilda “Tillie” Heavilin
Ashland County Fair	* Allen Lifer	Henry County Fair	* Jon Rettig
Ashtabula County Fair	* Deborah Platt	Jackson County Fair	* Sandy Leonard
Athens County Fair	Paula Carpenter	Mahoning County Fair	William B. Phillips
Attica Independent Fair	Michele Weaver	Marion County Fair	Clyde Sappington
Barlow Independent	Pat Amrine	Medina County Fair	Dorothy Hamlett +
Belmont County Fair	Mike Schrest	Monroe County Fair	John Baker
Clark County Fair	Ed Kranz	Montgomery County Fair	Calvin Helsinger
Clermont County Agricultural Society	Friends of the Fair	Muskingum County Fair	* Mary E. Miller
Columbiana County Fair	* Owen Unkefer	Preble County Fair	Henning Family
Crawford County Fair	John Spreng, Jr. +	Putnam County Agricultural Society	Darren E. Langhals +
The Great Darke County Fair	Mike & Linda Fourman	Richland County Fair	Niss Charities
Delaware County Fair	Dan Huffman	Richwood Independent Fair	Travis Bahan
Fayette County Fair	Tony Penwell	Seneca County Fair	Mary Kingseed
Franklin County Fair	Cornell Robertson	Stark County fair	Dean Pugh
Franklin County Fair	Jeff Decker	Summit County Fair	Roger Bourgeois
Gallia County Junior Fair	Paul Shoemaker	Warren County Fair	Joe Wilson
The Great Geauga Fair	Sam Plants	Wayne County Fair	Fred Cannon
Greene County Fair	* Chief Deputy Mike Brown		+ Denotes Posthumous Nomination

Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair support the local economy and help educate the public about the importance of agriculture and the many necessities it provides, including food, clothing, shelter, fuel and energy. In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is responsible for helping to assure the safety of amusement rides, for monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition, and for coordinating animal health efforts with designated local veterinarians.