Carol Humphrey, from Rotary of St. Maries, and Nancy Malensky, of the Benewah County Junior Show and Sale, discuss their combined events, the Family Fun Day and the Benewah County Fair, August 14 – 17.
1. How did the idea to combine the Benewah County Fair and the St. Maries Rotary Club’s Family Fun Day come about?
Just in conversation with Rotary members and Junior Show and Sale members. Both events are beneficial to the community, so it seemed like it would be good to combine the two into the same weekend.
2. What are the dates for this year’s fair and Family Fun Day?
August 14-August 17.
3. What activities will the fair and Family Fun Day offer families this year?
The Junior Show is Thursday, Aug. 14, and Friday, Aug. 15. Projects will also be on display. The animal dress-up contest is Friday and the Round Robin is Friday at 6 p.m. We would like to encourage the public to enter their exhibits. There is a new category called, “Pinterest Inspired,” and the antler shed contest is always popular. Look through the fair book and we are sure you can find something to enter.
Enter your pumpkin into Rotary’s heaviest pumpkin contest to be eligible to win $200. Saturday is “Family Fun Day” with mechanical bull rides, 22’ water slide, bouncies, kids’ crafts, watermelon eating contest, balloon launch contest, petting zoo, professional face painter, vendor booths, the Benewah County Pie Contest at 3 p.m., and a professional magician.
Kiwanis will serve a buyer’s appreciation breakfast beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, prior to the Junior Show and Sale Market Animal Sale, which starts at 10 a.m. This is your chance to fill your freezer.
Kiwanis serves breakfast at 7 a.m. Sunday followed by finals for the water balloon launch contest, watermelon eating finals, cow patty bingo at 1:30 p.m., elk bugling contest and be there at 2:30 p.m. to see who will Kiss The Donkey Lizzy. Don’t forget to enter the BBQ Challenge. There will be drawings for the Potlatch-donated load of firewood, the 50/50 drawing and IGA’s $200 shopping marathon, Silverwood Pass, and Hughes Ace Hardware’s donated bicycle.
4. Who has helped put the events together?
Local business sponsors, Kiwanis, Hopes Haven, Benewah County 4-H, Benewah County Fair Board, Benewah County commissioners, and the St. Maries Rotary Club. There will be signage with the names of these people who have contributed so much to make the fair and Family Fun Day possible. The Distinguished Young Women participants, Boy Scouts and youth volunteers are so generous in giving their time and help wherever needed. The Junior Show & Sale kids for all their hard work to show the results of their labor in raising good animals for the market sale. The market is supported by local businesses, industries and individuals.
5. Are there plans to combine the two events next year?
If this works, you bet.
6. Are there any new events happening this year in regards to either the fair or Family Fun Day?
The petting zoo. This is an animal rescue and education non-profit out of Otis Orchards that that offers a petting zoo with up to 15 different types of farm animals. Animals can be petted and pictures will be posed for a Kodak moment. The elk bugling contest should be fun and the heaviest pumpkin contest. Avista will do a educational demonstration on electricity. This is something everyone should see as it could save your life.
7. What is the goal in combining the two events?
We would like to see Family Fun Day and the Benewah County Fair be events that everyone can enjoy.
8. Are there any costs to participate in any of the events at either the fair or Family Fun Day?
There is no charge to attend the fair, but the Family Fun Day family tickets (for a family of four) is $35 for a pass for all events, which includes an entry into the grand prize drawings. Individual day pass is $10. Single event tickets cost $2 for each activity. There also give you an entry into the grand prize drawings. It is $25 to enter the BBQ Challenge, $2 to enter the watermelon eating contest and water balloon launch. Firewood raffle tickets are $10, 50/50 drawing tickets are $1 each or six for $5.
9. What makes the fair and Family Fun Day a great place for families?
A time for people to join together as a family and enjoy wholesome activities, good food and applaud the Junior Show & Sale kids who have put a lot of time, effort and expense into raising their animals and working on their projects. Be sure to walk through the buildings and check out all of the other displays, too.
10. What do you ladies think is the best part of the fair and what is your favorite Family Fun Day activity?
The Saturday night dance we sponsor for the 4-H Youth. After a stressful week of showing and taking care of their animals, the kids are ready for a break. BBQ Challenge and the Kiss the Donkey Lizzy (there is still time to donate to your favorite contestant). Just seeing families having fun.
More than 150 people participated in the 2013 5K Karen Ebert Memorial Fun Run-Walk. Organizer Paul Ebert hopes to see another great turnout the race set for Aug. 30, 2014.
The race is a longtime tradition of Paul Bunyan Days and was organized by Mr. Ebert and his wife, Karen, for several years. After she lost her battle with breast cancer in 2007, the race was renamed in her honor.
All proceeds from the race go to the Karen Ebert Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is funded mostly through private donations. Mr. Ebert said the race generates around $1,000 each year for the fund. Mr. Ebert said the fund has awarded approximately $20,000 in scholarships, nearly 50 percent came from money generated at this race.
Racers at the start of the 2013 Karen Ebert Memorial Fun Run during Paul Bunyan Days.
Scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors and to participants of the St. Maries Junior Miss program. A list of those scholarships is available upon request.
Entry forms for the race are available at The Paperhouse, BrickWA.L.L., Big River Designs, the Gazette Record and from Sabrina Powell at Inspiration. Participants in last year’s race will receive a form in the mail.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. the day of the race and the race starts at 9 a.m. Racers begin at the high school gym and travel 1.5 miles down St. Joe River Road before returning to the gym.
The entry fee is $16 for those who register before Aug. 21. There is a $5 late fee for applications received after Aug. 22. Those who enter after Aug. 22 may not receive a T-shirt at the race, but may be mailed a shirt.
Mr. Ebert said people may contact him if they have questions about the race at 582-0385.
The abundance of purple in downtown St. Maries is a visual reminder of an upcoming event.
The second annual St. Maries Relay for Life, the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, is Aug. 1 and 2.
With more than $26,000 raised, the group is on track to exceed last year’s earnings of $30,000. This year’s goal is $50,000.
Judd Wilson, the manager of the St. Maries Wells Fargo branch, was instrumental in convincing the company to make a donation to the St. Maries Relay for Life event. Wells Fargo is the first Platinum Sponsor donating $1,000. Organizers Starla Thompson and Crystal Houck said they are encouraged by the increased support that the community has offered the event this year.
“Last year at this time we only had $14,000,” organizer Starla Thompson said. “And we raised over half of our donations at the event itself. So I am certain we will make our goal.”
The addition of a platinum donation by a corporate sponsor last week was a big boost for the fundraising campaign. Wells Fargo donated $1,000 and is the event’s main sponsor. Other event sponsors include Valley Vista and Benewah Community Hospital with donations of $500.
“I’m pleased that I was able to get my corporate leadership on board with the idea and that they fully support this first-ever platinum sponsorship,” Branch Manager Judd Wilson said.
Ms. Thompson said she and her co-chair Crystal Houck were shocked when they heard about the platinum sponsorship.
“To have all these people and businesses stand behind us is encouraging,” Ms. Thompson said.
The group is selling luminaries for the memorial. The names submitted for the luminaries will also be featured on a slideshow during the event. The names need to be submitted by July 29 in order to be included on the slideshow.
Volunteers for the day of the event are also needed mostly for set-up and cleanup. Anyone who needs community service hours, or who would just like to help are encouraged to participate. Call the committee chairs Ms. Thompson at 659-7423 or Crystal Houck at 582-2338.
Riders of all ages will compete in the St. Maries Saddle Club Horse Show and O-Mok-See July 26 and 27 at the Benewah County Fairgrounds.
More than 75 riders are expected to participate. The riders will be competing in various games that will test the riders and their horse’s abilities.
There will be different class competitions that will start at 9 a.m. Saturday and will carry over onto Sunday. Show classes will include halter, showmanship, English and western pleasure, reining, trail and much more.
There will also be speed classes where riders will compete to get the best overall time in competitions like barrel racing, pole bending and flag racing.
A jackpot pair sack competition with an entry fee of five dollars will also be open to riders who have registered for the event.
The 2014 saddle club royalty will also compete in the games as well as the horse show. This year’s royalty are: Queen Hailey Crawford, Senior Princess Beth Lindberg, and Junior Princess Mandy Cabral.
The 2014 St. Maries Saddle Club royalty (From left to right) Junior Princess Mandy Cabral, Senior Princess Beth Lindberg, and Queen Hailey Crawford will participate in this year’s O-Mok-See and horse show. This year’s summer O-Mok-See marks the saddle club’s 60th anniversary.
There’s a combined two-day buckle, performance and O-Mok-See high point awards for each age group. Two day overall high point will be awarded to fifth place and awards are given to fifth in each event as well.
A shaded seating area will be available for spectators as well as concessions.
The St. Maries Saddle Club started in 1950. The annual horse show and O-Mok-See was organized shortly after the club’s beginning. It now has more than 40 members.
For additional information on the games and registration contact Staci Crawford at (208) 245-4163. Registration forms are still available online at http//www.stmariessaddleclub.com/Show_O-Mok-See_Event.html.
The St. Maries Rotary Club has released a drawing of the community amphitheatre proposed to be built in city park next year.
Several copies of the sketch will be placed throughout town including the Chamber of Commerce, City Hall and several of the banks.
Chris Renaldo, a member of the St. Maries Rotary Club, holds a drawing of the proposed St. Maries Community Amphitheatre that the club is helping to fundraise for the construction of. The club is hoping to get other community groups involved in the project this year.
With a request from the Paul Bunyan Days Committee and $4,500 in seed money, local Rotarians took on the task of fundraising for a community building to be built in the upper portion of city park.
The 50′ wide by 40′ deep structure will include a stage, multipurpose room, handicap access ramp and be wired for sound.
The project is estimated to cost $130,000, but the fundraising goal is $150,000. Including cash and in-kind donations of labor and materials.
“We have about $75,000,” Rotarian Chris Renaldo said. “If we are able to reach our goal we will be able to put a sound system in the building and purchase 100 chairs to stow underneath the stage, which would be nice for people who wish to use the amphitheatre not to have to transport a ton of chairs to the park.”
Planning for the project began in 2011, and fundraising started the following year. The group took a hiatus from fundraising last year in order to allow the community to give their full attention to fundraising for the new Benewah County Veteranís Memorial. Since the memorial has been completed, fundraising has resumed.
Timber Plus is working on obtaining grant money for the project.
“We are expecting to receive a $5,000 grant from Avista and something from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation, who helped us with the playground,” Mr. Renaldo said.
The club’s next goal is to involve more community groups in the project.
“We don’t think people really have any idea what this is going to look like or what it is for,” Mr. Renaldo said.
Rotarians have approached several community groups looking for those willing to organize a fundraiser to support the project.
“It makes our grant applications better when grantees see multiple groups working together,” he explained. “It’s just a matter of getting other groups on board. At this point we haven’t approached any businesses or people for individual donations. We are trying to do this without going door to door. Our local businesses already give a lot to this community.”
The building will be a multi-functional facility that will provide a place for various events, especially for performing arts.
The club expects construction on the building to begin just after baseball season next year and be ready by Paul Bunyan Days.
“It is a community project, not a Rotary project,” Mr. Renaldo said. “We want to involve the entire community in helping to raise money to support the construction of the building. Just like the playground, the city will construct and own the building. The Rotary Club is just organizing the fundraising.”
