Table Talk

Jeremy Parsons looked out the window ment seemed surreal even to Parsons, into the gray skies on the other side. His who has been in the fair industry literalexpression told the story his staff and ly all of his life. extended members of his board of directors were waiting to hear. The air was thick with wonder … and trepidation. A glance around the room mirrored the value of the fair in the eyes of those who sweat and toil all year to make it happen.

The worst of it was over for Parsons, The eyes of board members were fixed on who manages the Clay County Fair in Parsons and what he had to say. Paid fair Spencer. Dubbed the “World’s Greatest staff members wiped away tears, and County Fair,” the Clay County Fair drew TABLE TALK most everyone began a grieving process. an annual attendance of more than By Karen Schwaller “Surreal” was the word of the day, and 300,000. Parsons and his executive board emotions ran the gamut. had made the decision to postpone the 2020 fair because of a global pandemic. It was like the fair had died.

Now, with a heavy heart, he had to tell the world. “This hasn’t happened since the days of WWII,” said the board chairman. “Covid-19 is our war.” Board members and staff filed into the room quietly; maybe a little nervously. All had shared input in some form to help Parsons and his executive board decide what to do. Board members had met for weeks before this announcement, gathering input, sharing thoughts, and imagining the world with no Clay County Fair. The facts were hard to ignore. There would be serious

Finally, the chairman of the board stood up, financial fallout … for the fair itself, for the city and Parsons seated next to him, and began to read a county, local and area businesses, and for the busiscripted announcement, so as to be very clear. But nesses who would have set up shop at the fair — his emotions would swallow him before he could say depending on it for some solid income. And for others the words; and that told those in the room all they depending on fair income, too. needed to know. People — both paid and unpaid — were afraid to

An eerie silence filled the room before Parsons come and do the work of the fair for fear of contracttook over, himself among those grieving a decision ing Covid-19. Who would make sure all of the public they never imagined having to make. The announce- health and CDC guidelines were being followed in

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Compeer provides grants for rural schools

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — The COVID-19 pandemic posed a variety of challenges to rural schools and their communities. Compeer Financial, a memberowned farm credit cooperative based in the upper Midwest, is partnering with the Rural Schools Collaborative to present the Rural Schools Innovation Grants program. The goal of the program is to support exemplary programs developed by rural schools during the pandemic.

“This pandemic has resulted in unprecedented hardships for rural schools and their communities. However, challenges present opportunities and it has been heartening to observe the creativity, enthusiasm and commitment of rural teachers and school leaders in so many of our communities,” said Gary Funk, director of Rural Schools Collaborative. “The Rural Schools Innovation Grant will advance programs that are ingenious, effective and sustainable. RSC is proud to partner with the Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America on this worthy initiative.”

Grants of up to $10,000 per school district are available through this one-time program. Rural public schools in Compeer Financial’s 144-county territory in parts of Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin are eligible to apply. A total of $150,000 is available for this grant program.

“Innovation is an idea that turns into a practical reality,” said John Monson, chief mission and marketing officer at Compeer Financial. “During the pandemic, faculty and staff at rural schools turned ideas into reality to continue to serve their students and communities. Some of those new ideas will continue to work well into the future. We hope to champion this innovation in our rural communities.”

Grant applications will be accepted to May 15. Visit compeer.com/giving-back for more information and to apply.

This article was submitted by Compeer Financial.v every building and all throughout the fairgrounds? The cost of the extra sanitation procedures alone was staggering to a county fair budget … and there were so many other uncertainties. The fair seemed to be crumbling all around them.

Board members wondered if, once public health procedures were put into place, people would recognize the fair as they knew it. Would it live up to its name as the “World’s Greatest County Fair?” Would people return? Would first-time attendees ever come back? How much financial risk was the fair board willing to take if attendance numbers were low? Its very foundation seemed shaky at best.

To have no fair in 2020 would be unprecedented — almost unthinkable.

But they had to think about it.

At the meeting of the 10-member executive committee, when the decision was made to postpone the fair, Parsons found and read the minutes from the fair board meeting of the 1940s WWII era, which was the last time the fair had been called off. It was a world war that stopped the fair then; this time it was a microscopic virus. But the result was the same. 2020 revealed the great value of the Clay County Fair as individuals and businesses rallied around the “Save the Fair” campaign. And they did so with good reason. The fair is a living, breathing entity, and the thought of that fair with no pulse was unimaginable.

The people said farewell to the long-standing chuckwagon races at the 2019 Clay County Fair, then the 2020 edition was postponed altogether.

The difference is, the chuckwagon races entered quietly into the annals of fair history forever. But the fair itself will rise from the ashes of 2020 and return stronger than before.

We know now as a people that nothing is a ‘given.’ Not even the Clay County Fair.

But taking it for granted is one more thing that 2020 took away from us.

And we are grateful.

Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v