When you channel the energy of 1,988 youth and adult volunteers for a combined total of 19,576 hours combined with over $ 29,000.00 of in-kind support from the community along with $60,000 in cash raised by committed Fair Board of Directors you have the ingredients for one awesome community event. That event, the Clinton County 4-H & Youth Fair, is in its 71^st year and it has always been a volunteer driven event to highlight the skills and achievements of local young people and to provide activities for the entire family to enjoy together.

This weeklong event is coordinated by a thirteen volunteers who serve on the Fair Board of Directors and work all year to plan for the Fair. In fact, as they finalize plans for the 2008 Fair, initial plans have already been made for the 72^nd annual event next year. This group of teen and adult volunteers work to raise money, plan activities and recruit volunteers to make the Fair something that the community can be proud of. Several other 4-H project committees assist with organization of particular parts of the program. The 4-H Council handles the Food Stand, the Dairy Committee oversees the Dairy Show and activities, the Livestock Committee makes plans for the livestock shows and the annual 4-H & FFA Sale, and the Equine Committee manages the daily horse shows.

In addition to the planning process, it takes hundreds of teen and adult volunteers to make the actual event happen. Volunteers operate the food stand, handle project entry and judging, take charge of special events, and provide security and hospitality for each of the exhibit buildings. In fact, the first aide staff and the Sheriff’s Dept. Mounted Division staff who provide security are also volunteers.