The North Carolina Chapter is very active in working, volunteering and enjoying the annual State Fair in Raleigh. Many brothers helped out with our Pork Chop Fundraiser, but least ten brothers worked or volunteered with other activities at the fair October 11
th through the 21
st.
Our Chancellor, Lauren Mabry worked in the livestock office everyday. She clerked shows, input placing as well as entries, answered questions of youth or adult livestock exhibitors, assisted with the special awards show and announced for the Jr. Market Lamb show. She said that she enjoyed working with the kids because they have so much fun and they are so excited about getting a ribbon no matter the color or placing they receive. High Chancellor Weston McCorkle and Jeff Meier, alumni of the NC Chapter also helped with the Youth Dairy Show and Special Awards Dairy Show through assisting with check-in and announcing. Kathleen Wood volunteered with the Youth Horse Show.
While brothers were working to run livestock shows, other brothers were showing animals and volunteering as Barn Staff. Hannah Elmore shared her experience with the Brotherhood. She stayed in the barn with her family from Friday night until Sunday. Her activities included washing and preparing animals for show, showing a cow, and helping with the specialty show. What she enjoyed most about helping with the fair was allowing people to have an opportunity to see a cow up close. Some people that walk through the barn during a show are seeing cattle for the first time. She also enjoyed watching the faces of the specialty show participants, doing something that many brothers take for granted.
Others helped with disease prevention. Barn Staff sat with the animals to ensure that only authorized individuals had access to livestock to prevent the spread of E. Coli. Erica Earnhardt administered flu shots with Kerr Drug.
Most brothers enjoyed the social aspect of the fair after volunteering with Pork Chop Shop. They rode rides, watched fireworks and tasted various fried foods such as the fair’s famous fried pickles. Alumnus Cortney Freeman has celebrated her birthday at the fair for nineteen years by attending the tractor pull. She encourages alumni as well as current brothers to join her for the event. This year she learned that pecan hulls are used to clean out engines of turbo tractors. At least three current brothers and four alumni attended the tractor pull this year. Some alumni even travelled from out of state.
The fair is organized and operated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. We enjoyed meeting and talking with NC Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler, about what work goes into planning the fair as he came through the line at Pork Chop Shop. We also served barbeque to a local television news anchor. This year we had a "bumper crop of fun” at the State Fair, and cannot wait for next year.