Area youths volunteer to prepare fairgrounds

Ashley DuPont, left, and Natalie Bittle, were among about 30 volunteers who painted the Little Arena fence Saturday at the Kingdom of Callaway County Fairgrounds. Both are members of the South Callaway Future Farmers of America and both plan to to exhibit and sell hams they have smoked and salt cured at the fair, which opens Monday.
Ashley DuPont, left, and Natalie Bittle, were among about 30 volunteers who painted the Little Arena fence Saturday at the Kingdom of Callaway County Fairgrounds. Both are members of the South Callaway Future Farmers of America and both plan to to exhibit and sell hams they have smoked and salt cured at the fair, which opens Monday.

Saturday was the third day that young volunteers helped prepare the fairgrounds for the Kingdom of Callaway County Fair, which runs Monday through Saturday this week.

"We are putting the finishing touches on helping the Fair Board prepare the fairgrounds," Pam Heimericks, 4-H Youth program coordinator in Callaway County, said Saturday.

"All three days this month that we asked for volunteers, we had about 30 kids show up from 4-H Clubs and FFA chapters in Callaway County," Heimericks said.

Two of those volunteers were Ashley DuPont, a South Callaway High School senior, and Natalie Bittle, a sophomore at South Callaway High School.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.