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MAZA By Cliff Ward Shaw Free Press Media • WOODSTOCK -- Many people don't realize the amount of time, money and ef­ fort required to stage a county fair. However, Bill Beese is not one of them. Beese, the vice president of the McHenry County Fair Association and a fair worker and organizer for the past seven years, recently outlined some of the major improvements to the grounds this year's tairgoers can expect to see. Among them are a brand new sheep barn, upgraded electrical equipment, some blacktopping and the transformation of the old dining hall into an exhibit hall. The need for additional exhibit space provided the impetus for some of the im­ provements, as did a desire to bring more money to the fair association, Beese said. Beese said the closing of the dining hall, one of the oldest buildings on the fairgrounds, was done for both economic and space reasons. The hall will now provide space for Pete Reiland and Bob Weingart, who head the exhibit committees, to schedule. Also, the hall will be used for rental storage space during the winter months. Beese said the cost to renovate and remodel the hall was minimal. "All we had to do was take off two little doors and put on two bigger ones," Beese said, adding the extra money from the ren­ tal will aid the fair in years to come. Besides the financial reasons, Beese said the person who had run the dining hall for the past years had lost interest in runn­ ing the hall this year. Another improvement that will provide extra money for the fair is the renovation of the milking parlor. Beese said milk pro­ duced on the grounds in the past could not be sold as Grade A because the milking room at the fairgrounds did not meet the stringent health standards of the state. With improvements, the milk how caii be sold as Grade A, and that milk money can find its way back to benefit 4-H or some other part of the fair, he noted. However, all these improvements that are designed to make money for the fair did not come cheaply, said Beese. The vice president, who runs a farm in the Richmond-Hebron area, said the construc­ tion of the new sheep barn cost the associa­ tion about $18,600. Replacing all the electrical outlets cost the association another $5,000. Beese said the electrical system had been in need of repair. * He added he did not know the amount spent for blacktopping and some other minor improvements. Another area in which Beese and many others have been working is telephone ser­ vice between the gate and other exhibits. However, with all the current de­ regulation currently taking place in that field and the paperwork, Bees* said there is "nothing definite On that yet." "Many people don't realize how many it takes to put on something like this," he said. "There are hundreds andhundreds of people involved to run a fair.". Beese noted that planning for the next fair begins about a month after the previous one aids. • ^ "Everyone chips in and does their share and it all falls together," he said. Princess to grace events WOODSTOCK--During McHenry Coun- ty Fair days, Sharon Ainger, the McHenry County ttaiiry Princess, will be on hand to grace dairyevents. Ainger, a Northern Illinois University sopttaaoiie who raises dairy cattle and en­ joys preparing meals featuring dairy pro­ ducts;, began her reign following her selec­ tion at- the annual Dairy Banquet spon­ sored by the McHenry County Dairy Pro­ motion Council at Andre's in Richmond. She succeeded Judy Borhart of Huntley. Ainger,- IS, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Ainger of Harvard, and was sponsored by the Production Credit Association. Borhart, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Borhart, was sponsored by Marlowe Feeds and Hatchery. Dahle, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Dahle, was sponsored by McHenry County Farm Bureau. J?; Ainger made her Dairy Princess debut quickly. She appeared on Top O'the Morn ing with Max Armstrong the day after her crowning. Continued on page 24 RESTAURANT ENJOY the FAIR... OPEN 84 but after the Fun and Fanfare is over, why not stop by Wag's. We feature 2 a great selection, convenient 24-hour dining, plus t#)|io^at;io® within minutes of the McHenry County Fairgrounds. Also, kids are special with us, and we offer senior citizen discounts. MM " McHENRY 4228 W. ElaSt. (Boon* Creek Man) (815) 344-0022 J 3g|]jjPj mm Page 66--Shaw/Free Press Media Group, Inc. 1983 Fair Guide People & projects , Fairgrounds get many improvements