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Pogt 59--Shmw Mmdla Group 1981 Mr Guld» People and projects a 4Wm Bill Tammeus I « . $1 •COUPONS See us at the fair for... Cheese and Sausage by Mar-Ket-Ters Jerry & Shirley Sarnecke Belvidere, IL. ALL NA TURAL CHEESES & BEEF SUMMER SA USAGES •Swiss •Cheddar *Wis. Brick *Cheese Curds •Colby *Low Fat/Cholesterol Swiss r*l OFF FAIR SPECIAL- Bring in this coupon Aug. 5-9 for $1 savings on your choice of any stick of sausage! By Angela Burden Shaw Medid News Service WOODSTOCK -- Bill Tammeus of Woodstock has been involved with the McHenry County Fair since the 1940s, when he served as the University of Illinois' agricultural extension advisor for McHenry County and the fair was known then as 4-H Town. Tammeus, until 1946 after the county board had approved leasing the fairgrounds property to the 4-H group, had been organizing the annual 4-H fairs on a daily basis at the Woodstock High School grounds. After the 99-year lease at $1 per year was approved for the 4-Hers by the county in 1945, Tammeus was one of the people instrumental in incorporating McHenry County 4-H Town Inc., a group of adults to lead the 4-H organization and handle the business end of the fair and fairground lease. days couldn't obtain the big-name entertainers, thought it would like to conclude the fair days with some en­ tertainment," Tammeus says. He recalls how successful the 4-H "Share-the-Fun" programs of skits and talent had been and thought a talent show open to county residents would be entertaining. v "We started the 4-H 'Share-the-Fun' programs here in McHenry County. They caught on well and other counties followed suit," he says. "Share-the-Fun" became so suc­ cessful that the state included a contest for 4-Hers at the Illinois State Fair. "Now it's a national 4-H project," Tammeus says. So, in 1965, the first talent show was presented at the fairgrounds in Woodstock and it bus become an annual event since then, according to Tam­ meus. Ken Kunzer, one of the early There were bare spots in the fair agenda, and the board, which in those days couldn't obtain the big-name entertainers, thought it would like to conclude the fair days with some enter­ tainment... We started the 4-H 'Share-the- Fun' programs here. They caught on well and other counties followed suit. -- Bill Tammeusv 99 COUPOI 1 I I I I I I 4 A few years later, in 1949, the county fair association was reactivated and the annual county event at the fairgrounds became known as the McHenry County Fair and 4-H Show. During these early years of the re­ activated fair, Tammeus spent much of his time as acting fair secretary. He made many visits to Springfield with fair officers to learn the "know-how" on operating a fair, keeping books, the method of handling records, premium money, and most of all, the building of fair facilities. Tammeus became well known as an "organizer" in the county. Among many other things, he organized the county soil and water conservation district, helped organize the county fair and was instrumental in getting the county health improvement association started. So, when the fair board was con­ cerned about "a lag" in the fair program about 16 years ago, Tammeus came up with the idea of a talent show. "There were bare spots in the fair agenda, and the board, which in those contestants in the county fair talent show, is now helping Tammeus coor­ dinate the annual event. Has Tammeus enjoyed the fairs?. Have they kept him busy? Reviewing his "Around the County*** column printed in the July 2,1952, edition of the Sentinel, it appears his fair day started at 6 a.m. with the anxiety of where the cattle would be shown if the rain con­ tinued; an investigation into a loose, wandering pig, readying the ribbons for each class of exhibitors, running errands, taking messages and ac­ cepting phone calls, organizing judges and superintendents, making sure the pies were on hand for the pie-eating contest and the hammers furnished for the nail-driving contest, plus finding space for animals in the already overcrowded livestock tents. "Tammeus admits the fair kept him busy "but was a lot of fun, too." His column from almost 20 years ago concluded with: "It's a swell fair. Come again next year." And, apparently, Tammeus takes his own advice. He's there every year. J