Home sweet (first) home - Community Shoppers, Inc.

JANESVILLE
8 MESSENGER ■ Sunday, July 27, 2008
communityshoppers.com
LOCAL LIFE
FOR YOUR
HEALTH
■ ACS bus to make a stop:
The American Cancer Society Cancer
Action Network will bring its Fight
Back Express to Janesville’s Relay
for Life at midnight Aug. 1 at the
Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds in
Janesville. The Fight Back Express
bus will give cancer patients, survivors
and caregivers a chance to
share stories, contact lawmakers
and get involved in the fight against
cancer. The Relay for Life begins at
10:30 p.m., and runs throughout
that night and into the next day.
Participants raise money for cancer
research. For more information on
the bus, visit www.acscan.org/bus.
For more information on Relay for
Life, visit
www.janesvillerelayforlife.org.
■ Breast-feeding classes scheduled:
The Rock County Women, Infants and
Children program will sponsor several
events Friday through Aug. 7 in
conjunction with World
Breastfeeding Week. The Rock
County Breastfeeding Coalition will
meet at 3 p.m. Aug. 4 at Nutrition &
Health Associates Inc., located at
32 E. Racine St., Janesville. A
breast-feeding class will be held
from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at
Beloit Memorial Hospital, located at
1969 W. Hart Road. A La Leche
League meeting will be held at 7
p.m. Aug. 7 at the YWCA Community
Center, located at 1735 S.
Washington St., Janesville. For more
information, call (608) 754-3722.
■ Blood drive scheduled:
The American Red Cross will host a
blood drive at Bethel Baptist
Church, located at 3300 Mt. Zion
Ave., Janesville. The drive will be
held from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 11; 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 12
and 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Aug.
13. For more information, call
(608) 754-4497
VOLUNTEER
CORNER
■ Dolores Barlass
Rock County 4-H Fair volunteer
■ Rock County Fair Museum
Janesville
■ Personal file:
Barlass, of
Milton, has volunteered
at the
Rock County
Fair or the
museum for the
past 50 years. Now retired, she
worked for many years as a nurse
at Riverview Clinic in Janesville. In
addition to her work at the fair,
Barlass volunteers with her church,
Rock Haven nursing home and the
Rock County Historical Society.
■ How she helps:
Barlass helps collect memorabilia
from past 4-H fair exhibits, and documents
them for the museum. She
also has been a troop leader for the
Harmony 4-H club, and served on
the fair board.
■ She said it:
“The fair is a really great showcase
for youth. You aren’t only seeing the
kids ... you know the whole family is
involved. I’ve been lucky in my life,
and I feel I should do something
like this to give back.”
■ Extra credit:
“(Barlass) has been a (great) volunteer.
Her children and grandchildren
all have been involved with it. She
truly loves the fair, and that’s what
it takes to be involved as much as
she is.”
— Teresa Reilly, member of the
Rock County 4-H Fair board
IT’S A HARD
DAY’S WEEK
County fair teaches exhibitors
about respect, responsibility
BY SAM KILLIAN
STAFF WRITER
JANESVILLE — If time spent
at the Rock County 4-H Fair
were a test of endurance, Katie
Demrow likely would win a ribbon.
“I’m here from about 6:30 a.m.
to 11:30 p.m.,” said the 16-yearold
Fulton 4-H’er.
Long hours are commonplace
among the 4-H’ers and FFA
members who participate in the
fair’s animal projects. Because
animals live on-site during the
fair, which runs through today
(Sunday), constant supervision
and attention are necessary.
Though different animals
require different types of care,
most exhibitors said they spend
at least six hours per day taking
care of their goats, sheep, rabbits,
pigs or cows.
Demrow, who showed a steer,
seven rabbits and a pig, said fair
week is more tiring than most.
“We have to come in and do
chores right away, because with
them away from home, you want
to keep routines as similar as
you can so they’re comfortable,”
she said. “By the end of the
week, we’re dragging.”
Besides feeding and watering,
exhibitors must wash their animals
regularly, especially on
show days. They also must continuously
keep their pens clean.
Groups compete for a herdsmanship
award, and are judged on
how clean and professional their
areas are.
“Judges are looking to see if
BY SARAH ZELLER
STAFF WRITER
JANESVILLE — Last week
marked the pinnacle of 7-yearold
identical twins Trevor and
Justin Ciebell’s summer.
“They wait all year for the
fair,” said their mother, Paula
Ciebell of Janesville.
The Rock County 4-H Fair can
be a learning experience and a
bonding activity for families —
even those who aren’t involved
in 4-H activities.
“They don’t see a lot of animals
(at home),” Paula Ciebell
explained. “They see things here
that they don’t normally get to
see.”
Seeing baby rabbits and a trip
to the pig barn were among the
highlights Tuesday during the
family’s trip to the fair.
The kid-friendly atmosphere
doesn’t limit the fun to the
younger set.
“You get such a mix of people,
and it’s always safe,” Paula
Ciebell said. “It’s not a bad
influence for (my kids).”
The Schwark family of
Janesville also was on hand
Tuesday for the fair’s opening
day. The family lives just a few
blocks from the fairgrounds;
Katie Schwark said her three
Sam Killian/staff
Above, Emma Conover-Crockett, 13, of Beloit, feeds her goat at the
Rock County Fair Tuesday. At top, Katie Demrow, 16, of Edgerton,
hoses down her steer. Most animal exhibitors spend most of fair week
tending to their animals.
kids are there and attentive and
personable, and that the animals
are clean and presentable,” said
Laura Jenson, the fair’s beef
project superintendent. “Judges
usually come three (to) four
times a day to check on things.”
First-time exhibitor Brenna
Steed knew what was required
of her before she even decided to
enter her sheep.
“My friends showed sheep, and
it looked really fun,” said the 10year-old
La Prairie 4-H’er. “It’s
been a really good experience.”
children know it’s fair time
when they see carnival rides
being towed past the family’s
home.
“We go every year,” she said.
Even the family’s youngest
member, 8-month old Eva,
enjoyed the sights, sounds and
smells — even though she was
confined to a stroller.
“The stroller is not too bad,”
Katie Schwark said. “Other
years we’ve come with a wagon,
and that’s a challenge.”
First-time fairgoers had no
Many times, exhibitors lean on
family members to help them get
through fair week.
“I’m the guy who lifts the
bales of hay and buckets of
water,” said Bill Conover of
Beloit, whose daughter Emma
Conover-Crockett showed a goat.
Emma, 13, a fourth-year
Newark-Beloit 4-H’er who also is
involved in the clothing, knitting
and dog projects, has the routine
down pat.
“It was hard to figure everything
out at first, because every-
problem learning the lay of the
land.
“It’s pretty kid-friendly,” said
Brodhead resident Robert Laux,
who brought his two children.
The array of sights and
sounds made 3-year-old Jocelyn
Laux starry-eyed.
“She likes all of the animals,
and there are a lot of good choices
for rides,” said Robert Laux,
as his daughter rode in a childsize
convertible.
The Ciebells also enjoyed
drinking chocolate milkshakes
She said it:
“Judges are
looking to see
if ... the
animals are
clean and
presentable.”
— Laura Jenson, Rock County 4-H
Fair beef project superintendent
one expects you to know everything,
but I’ve gotten used to it,”
she said. “We have to be here a
lot because there are only three
from (Newark-Beloit 4-H) showing
goats.”
Demrow rotates from barn to
barn to care for her animals, and
spends most of her time in the
beef barn to make sure her steer
has enough water.
“Chores don’t really stop,
because they need a lot of water
all day,” she said. “Last year it
was hot, so they drank a lot of
water.”
Conover said the fair teaches
his daughter responsibility.
“The best part for me is watching
my kids interact with their
animals and show what they’ve
learned,” he said. “There are a
lot of these skilled, competent
young people taking care of
these complex tasks.”
Demrow wouldn’t trade the
experience for anything.
“Sometimes at the end of the
week, we wonder why we do it,”
she said. “But in the end, we’re
always glad we did.”
A family af-fair: No matter your age, fun is easy to find
Sarah Zeller/staff
At left, identical twins Trevor, left, and
Justin Ciebell of Janesville enjoy milkshakes
at the Rock County 4-H Fair
Tuesday. Above, Jocelyn Laux, 3, of
Brodhead, steers a red convertible while
riding a carnival ride Tuesday.
while watching musicians perform
at the Food Fair Stage.
“I didn’t even know this
(stage) was here,” Paula Ciebell
said. “It’s a bonus.”
Her sons had a hard time
picking their favorite part of the
day.
“Games and rides and everything,”
Trevor said.
His mother’s favorite part?
The convenience factor.
“We feel lucky that it’s this
close,” she said. “It’s quick and
easy.”