Five to receive the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award at fair
The five recipients of the Wayne County Agricultural Society Outstanding Volunteer Service Award were Ronald Grosjean, left, Joyce Ritchie, Betty Boreman, Janet Borton and Henry Blubaugh.
A Wayne County Fair director was able to give a public thank-you to his mom for her service to the fair during the County Agricultural Society’s recent annual volunteer appreciation banquet.
Jim Borton presented the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award to his mom Janet Borton, one of five to receive the honor during the ceremony at the Fair Event Center.
“Mom got involved in this because dad (Ron) got elected to the fair board in 2000,” Jim Borton said. “And that spurred on mom to get involved.”
For many years she helped with the fair board’s appreciation banquet and planted flowers on the grounds.
When her husband retired from the board, the two of them began helping in Buss Hall with entries and setup and tear down.
She was nominated for the award by board member Tom Stocksdale, who alerted her son to it shortly before the banquet so he could present it.
“So mom, our hats are off to you as we extend this well-deserved Wayne County Fair volunteer award for the many activities you’ve performed for the fair and the community,” he said.
Stocksdale also nominated Outstanding Volunteer Service Award winner Joyce Ritchie for her news articles covering the fair.
“Her career as a news correspondent has focused on celebrating the successes of the agricultural community and provided encouraging support to the families, farms and fairs that she has featured,” he said.
Although she retired from the SGD Newsgroup in 2019, she continues to write freelance stories about agricultural happenings in the community.
“Joyce, our hats are off to you for your continued support, interest and desire to help others know more about the Wayne County Fair,” Stocksdale said.
Henry Blubaugh received the award for his work selling and collecting fair tickets at the gates. He started in the role in 1996 as a member of the Smithville Ruritan Club. In 2016 he took on the leadership role to organize and monitor club members who helped at ticket booths five and six and the west end exhibitor gate. He also coordinates gate volunteers from Dalton and Black River Ruritan clubs, Wayne County Retired Teachers, and Smithville Hall of Fame members.
Board member Ann Mumaw said three words come to mind when she thinks of Betty Boreman: muffins, dedication and leadership. Mumaw presented Boreman’s award for her 30 years of work in the home economics department. As a superintendent, Boreman tried to make the department better each year for exhibitors. She designed and made aprons and name tags for the staff in the culinary department. Boreman also initiated a program to donate the untasted section of quick breads to The Salvation Army, a program that exists today.
While she no longer serves as superintendent, Boreman continues to volunteer and assist with premium and awards distribution.
The awards ceremony wrapped up with the final honoree: Ronald Grosjean, fair board member emeritus. Grosjean, who was in attendance but not aware he was an award recipient, served on the board for 43 years. During his time on the board, he helped establish a committee to oversee fair parking and security. He served on the committee for 37 years. He oversaw the installation of row parking signs and the addition of permanent driveways in the parking areas. He was instrumental in developing the mobile stage for grandstand shows, along with the installation of four bridges in high-traffic areas.
He headed a committee to revamp areas of the fair to make them handicapped-accessible, and he and his family played a significant role in the completion of the Wayne County Fair Event Center, which bears his name.
Grosjean was inducted in the Ohio Fair Managers Hall of Fame and was selected by the fair board to serve as grand marshal of the 175th celebratory parade on Aug. 17.
A former 4-Her, Grosjean said a love for youth participation in the fair was a motivating factor for his service. “I love to see the kids show and develop that sense of pride for what they accomplish. It stays with you all your life.”