Celebrating Those Who Volunteer, and Stay.

Today was Auction Day for the 4-H’ers at the Allen County Indiana 4-H to end the Allen County Fairgrounds / Allen County Fair

When the auction ended, it was time to clean up. Pens needed to be disassembled and loaded on racks, manure and bedding had to be hauled out, and floors had to be pressure washed to remove the last of the dirt and mess — plus a dozen other little jobs.

I probably should have been home cutting hay today, but Johnathan Smith and I stayed to help. We stayed to the bitter end, long after the pressure washers went quiet and the empty pizza boxes hit the trash.

It seems like the cleanup crew gets smaller every year. Thankfully, there are a few stalwarts who always show up — and they don’t just show up, they bring skid loaders, pressure washers, and a strong back.

Of course, some folks can’t help because of work, but there are always a few who seem to believe the fair magically ends the moment their trailer door closes, like Harry Potter flicking his wand and muttering, Mischief Managed.

It’d be easy to grumble about who didn’t pitch in — or about the hay I didn’t cut — but tonight I’d rather tip my hat to the ones who stayed, the ones who stepped up with tools, machines, and time, and the ones who gave up their Monday afternoon and evening to finish a dirty job well.

You’re the ones who make it happen. Thank you.