Project for Friends of the Fair

Taking the plunge:
Missy Lockie-Edwards plunges into the dunk tank to raise money for new wash racks in the livestock area and to help fund new livestock pens.

Tracye Dethero, Contributing Writer

Each year at the Shasta District Fair, pens are rented from fairgrounds in Chico and McArthur at a total of $2,800 per year. The Shasta District Fair is the largest fair in North of Sacramento besides the fair in Santa Rosa. With this being the case, and the amount of livestock that is raised by local youth in the North State, it has become something of a dream to members of the livestock team at the fairgrounds to have the pens to support the activity without having to rent and ship them each year.

One of the goals is to have a second set of wash racks for the animals and their owners so that they will not have to take so much time out of their busy day waiting in line to wash their animals. Secondly, to put in tie out racks so that steer can be tied out while they are drying and their owners can clean their stalls with out having to worry about what to do with their animals. Lockie-Edwards would also like to have improvements made on the electrical systems in the steer barn.

The biggest project of all, is to build 160 new swine pens and to be able to repair the other 150. The students in the local FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapters, would be the ones obtaining the welding experience while putting the pens together for the project. The pens will be 6 x 6 in size.

A total of approximately $50,000 is needed for the entire project. The goal of the livestock committee is to have the project finished by next years fair.

The items need for the project are 1 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch iron tubing, masonry supplies and work, also electrical supplies and work. Through Friends of the Fair, these items can be donated along with cash donations to be used for the project and are tax deductible. Friends of the Fair is a non-profit organization.