BY JOHN REED LEADER EDITOR
The Starke County Fair begins Saturday, giving 526 4-H members and hundreds of volunteers one of their busiest weeks of the year.
The fair runs from Saturday, July 11 through Saturday, July 18 at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet. Fairgoers should note that the carnival rides begin Monday, July 13 and run through Saturday, July 18, while the commercial exhibits are open Monday through Friday from 5 to 10 p.m.

There is no admission charge and parking is free.
The 4-H members and activities dominate the fair, and Purdue Extension Director for Starke County Marilyn Wickert said Starke County’s 4-H membership is staying strong, with 526 active members.
She also estimates that another 125 volunteers are what make the fair successful. Wickert also is the 4-H Youth Director of Education, meaning she essentially coordinates the fair. “That’s where all the volunteers come into play. That’s what makes their efforts so valuable. There’s no way one person could do all this,” she said.
What few people realize is that the “fair” lasts almost two weeks, not one. Pre-fair judging, or community judging, began Tuesday with judging of foods, consumer sewing and the like. Today, July 9, through Saturday, exhibits are brought into the exhibit hall for judging. Saturday also consists mostly of judging, with the dog showmanship and obedience shows plus the entries of rabbits and horses.
Fair board members are among the seldom-recognized volunteers. “We have a good fair board that’s easy to work with, that support the youth,” she said.
Also among the volunteers are the Junior Leaders. “I was a 10-year 4-H’er myself. One of the highlights for me is these 10-year leaders. We have 25 10-year leaders this year, the highest since at least 1995.”
Junior Leaders are in grades 7 to 12. “We have one of the largest Junior Leader organizations in the state. They take on a good deal of the responsibility. They work with the projects, the animals, the judging, the auction. The dairy barn and the pork booth are among their fundraising projects,” Wickert said.
Junior Leaders also are again seeking donations of new school supplies for children in all three county school systems, and this year also have a goal of collecting 1,000 food items to donate to the Community Services Food Pantry.
“These young people have spent half their lives in 4-H, in one activity or another. It’s always a bittersweet time, for me, when they’re honored at the end of their activities. But many stay around and become adult leaders, even fair board members,” Wickert said.