Fair provides opportunities for community support

A Breakfast Optimist cooks up hot dogs outside of their vendor booth at the county fair Wednesday.
A Breakfast Optimist cooks up hot dogs outside of their vendor booth at the county fair Wednesday.

When many people think of fair food, they have visions of corn dogs, funnel cake and deep-fried pickles or Twinkies sold out of yellow trailers with flashing lights.

Members of three local service and youth organizations are hoping attendees of the Kingdom of Callaway Fair will choose to purchase their cold beverages and snacks from them instead.

For the Fulton Jaycees, Fulton Breakfast Optimists and Callaway County 4-H, the fair is not just a good time but also a primary fundraiser to support their community efforts.

Jaycees treasurer Martha McGrath said her organization uses fair proceeds from the Jaycees beer garden to help fund its annual Christmas parade and Easter egg hunt as well as the Wonderland Camp for individuals with disabilities.

"In order for us to help the community, we need the help to do that," McGrath said.

Callaway 4-H youth development program associate Pam Heimericks said the food booth over next to the livestock barns "is a combined county effort."

"This really helps offset costs for livestock shows," Heimericks said, noting that providing ribbons and prizes for local youth who show livestock, cure hams or enter arts and crafts for judging - projects students can spend the entire year working on - is a not-inconsiderable expense.

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.