Potpourri – Volunteers Have A Combined Century Of Fun At The Fair
July 13, 2018 at 10:18 p.m.
Potpourri – Volunteers Have A Combined Century Of Fun At The Fair
By Dan [email protected]
A check of some of the food stands found two side by side that have volunteers who have each worked at the fair for more than 50 years.
Both men – Al Sharkey and Bob Myers – are Lions Club members and appear to have no interest in retiring any time soon
Sharkey, 82, is a regular on the flat grill for the Etna Green Lions Club building. He’s been working the booth since 1964 and formerly owned Poulson Ford in Etna Green.
Next door, at the Lake City Lions booth, you can often find Myers, 79. The Lake City booth features slush drinks and other items. Myers’ legacy at the fair also extends beyond 50 years.
Both said they do the work for the chance to see old friends and interact with the public.
Other fair facts:
• Fairgoers have nearly four dozen food and drink options to choose from.
• North American Midway Entertainment, the folks behind the midway, brought about 95 workers to Warsaw for the week, according to Michael Curry, unit manager.
The company had about 18 rides this year. When they depart Sunday, they’ll head to Muncie and then merge with another unit soon afterward for the Indiana State Fair.
• The labor shortage in Kosciusko County has forced fair organizers to turn to another source for help – the county jail.
Trusties at the jail have provided plenty of help, including trash pickup and moving equipment. Fair Board President Kevin Harris said the arrangement has worked out well.
Finding applicants who can pass a security background check has been difficult, he said.
Braun In Town – U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun, who faces Indiana’s incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly this fall, stopped at the fairgrounds Thursday before making scheduled stops at GOP Headquarters, and a brief visit with county council and then headed off for a private dinner.
Braun, in a quick interview, said he hopes to bring to Washington his insights on running small businesses and ways to re-establish health care reform.
While fielding a few questions, Braun avoided criticizing President Donald Trump over the decision to implement tariffs against several countries.
“He understands free trade,” Braun said. “He’s just trying to fix some problems with current relationships.”
Asked about Trump’s penchant for calling the Russian collusion investigation a “witch hunt,” Braun said he’d like to see it wrapped up soon.
“I’m not going to call it a witch hunt,” he said.
Also on Thursday, Braun’s campaign announced what it described as “a blockbuster fundraising haul” for the second quarter of the year. That totaled $2.5 million raised in the quarter.
The campaign now has more than $1 million in cash on hand.
Braun said they’re on pace with Sen. Todd Young’s fundraising from the 2016 campaign, which ultimately generated $10 million. Braun called that the new gold standard.
How much might he need to be successful? “More than what we did in the primary,” he said.
Chill With Hill – Not many people have come to the defense of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who is facing multiple accusations of groping women earlier this year.
While all state Republican leaders, including Gov. Eric Holcomb, have called for Hill to resign, he’s got some support in Kosciusko County.
GOP chair Mike Ragan said earlier this week that he found the accusations to be completely out of character and said he hopes Hill will be fully exonerated.
A check of some of the food stands found two side by side that have volunteers who have each worked at the fair for more than 50 years.
Both men – Al Sharkey and Bob Myers – are Lions Club members and appear to have no interest in retiring any time soon
Sharkey, 82, is a regular on the flat grill for the Etna Green Lions Club building. He’s been working the booth since 1964 and formerly owned Poulson Ford in Etna Green.
Next door, at the Lake City Lions booth, you can often find Myers, 79. The Lake City booth features slush drinks and other items. Myers’ legacy at the fair also extends beyond 50 years.
Both said they do the work for the chance to see old friends and interact with the public.
Other fair facts:
• Fairgoers have nearly four dozen food and drink options to choose from.
• North American Midway Entertainment, the folks behind the midway, brought about 95 workers to Warsaw for the week, according to Michael Curry, unit manager.
The company had about 18 rides this year. When they depart Sunday, they’ll head to Muncie and then merge with another unit soon afterward for the Indiana State Fair.
• The labor shortage in Kosciusko County has forced fair organizers to turn to another source for help – the county jail.
Trusties at the jail have provided plenty of help, including trash pickup and moving equipment. Fair Board President Kevin Harris said the arrangement has worked out well.
Finding applicants who can pass a security background check has been difficult, he said.
Braun In Town – U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun, who faces Indiana’s incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly this fall, stopped at the fairgrounds Thursday before making scheduled stops at GOP Headquarters, and a brief visit with county council and then headed off for a private dinner.
Braun, in a quick interview, said he hopes to bring to Washington his insights on running small businesses and ways to re-establish health care reform.
While fielding a few questions, Braun avoided criticizing President Donald Trump over the decision to implement tariffs against several countries.
“He understands free trade,” Braun said. “He’s just trying to fix some problems with current relationships.”
Asked about Trump’s penchant for calling the Russian collusion investigation a “witch hunt,” Braun said he’d like to see it wrapped up soon.
“I’m not going to call it a witch hunt,” he said.
Also on Thursday, Braun’s campaign announced what it described as “a blockbuster fundraising haul” for the second quarter of the year. That totaled $2.5 million raised in the quarter.
The campaign now has more than $1 million in cash on hand.
Braun said they’re on pace with Sen. Todd Young’s fundraising from the 2016 campaign, which ultimately generated $10 million. Braun called that the new gold standard.
How much might he need to be successful? “More than what we did in the primary,” he said.
Chill With Hill – Not many people have come to the defense of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who is facing multiple accusations of groping women earlier this year.
While all state Republican leaders, including Gov. Eric Holcomb, have called for Hill to resign, he’s got some support in Kosciusko County.
GOP chair Mike Ragan said earlier this week that he found the accusations to be completely out of character and said he hopes Hill will be fully exonerated.
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