Welcome to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation’s blog!
We are a non-profit organization with a mission to raise funds for the renovation and preservation of the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds. Since our inception in 1993, the Foundation has raised more than $200 million through individual contributions, state appropriations, in-kind services, and corporate, federal and state grants.
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This week is full speed ahead as the Blue Ribbon Foundation prepares for the Iowa State Fair! Without the Corndog Kickoff or the volunteer reception, it is nice to be able to focus on our Iowans of the Day.
Last year’s Iowan of the Day winner, Dennis Carlson from Hampton, Iowa, is yet another outstanding example of Iowa’s local Olympians.
Dennis organized the “Join Hands Day,” at the Cub Cadet Childhood Center in Hampton. On this day, volunteers gathered to landscape a memorial garden for the center’s late board president, with Dennis donating the trees for the garden.
His deeds have not gone unnoticed by the community, with Dennis receiving awards such as an Honorary FFA Degree from the CAL FFA chapter and Volunteer of the Year in 2012.
Dennis is also involved in his church’s Vacation Bible School, organizing hay rides and gardening sessions for the kids. He also dresses up each year as Ben Franklin for the 5th grade history class during their section on the American Revolution. Dennis, or Ben Franklin, does science experiments for the students and shares Franklin’s many inventions and quotes.
Dennis is always more than willing to invite students to his tree farm to learn more about forestry and nature. After funding for kids’ programming was cut from the local conservation program, Dennis stepped in to fill the void. Dennis uses puppets to teach children about the animals found in Franklin County and brings furs for them to feel.
Dennis has been described by those in the community as a servant leader. Even though the deadline to submit Iowans of the Day has passed, keep in mind your communities servant leaders for next year’s consideration.
Keep in touch to find out this year’s Iowans of the Day or catch them at the Iowa State Fair August 11-21!
-Audra
As we wrap up the week and have calculated totals from the Corndog Kickoff, it is amazing to see the continuous support for the Blue Ribbon Foundation. This year we set a tremendous record of $684,600 and the Foundation wouldn’t have been able to do it without the 2,000 Fair-lovers that came out to join us. It was great to be a part of such an incredible event that was shared with so many people with a common interest, the love for the Iowa State Fair.
The countdown is on to the best time of the year as we are just 27 short days away from the opening day. The Iowa State Fair is one of the best in the country. It offers fun for everyone. Millions of eyes sat down to watch the TODAY show this morning and got a glimpse of one major reason why people love the Iowa State Fair, the food! Gary Slater, Manager/CEO of the Iowa State Fair, had the privilege to appear live on the show to showcase some of the new and upcoming foods for the 2016 Fair. There may be other state fairs that are great, but to me there are none comparable to the Iowa State Fair.
As the staff at the Blue Ribbon Foundation works hard to prepare for the State Fair, I am getting anxious to see what this year has in store. This year is going to be a bit different for me as I will be seeing the Fair from a different perspective. I am so excited to be a part of the team that helps this place run. Come out and enjoy the fair August 11-21.
(My Family and I at the Corndog Kickoff)
-Francesca
The office took a sigh of relief after the close of the Corndog Kickoff. It was amazing to see the success of an event after spending so many hours of preparation.
With the Corndog Kickoff behind us, we now look ahead to the Iowa State Fair! This year, Fairgoers can participate in a painting class that is taking place daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m on Expo Hill, with a rain location at the Oman Family Youth Inn.
Missy Pieters of Messy Missy’s in Marshalltown, Iowa, will be teaching the class every day during the fair except for Tuesday, August 16 and the morning of Thursday, August 18. The $35 registration fee includes the canvas, brushes and paints for the hour and a half class where you will learn to paint an aspect of the Iowa State Fair.
Classes hold up to 40 participants and on-site registration is available 30 minutes before each class. Fairgoers can also register for a class at the Blue Ribbon Foundation’s merchandise trailer located on Grand Avenue on the northwest corner of the Administration Building.
With so much to look forward to at the Fair, I am becoming more anxious to announce our Iowan of the Day winners! There is still so much to prepare for them and I appreciate each application I have received.
Thank you for all of your support and I’ll see you August 11-21 at the Iowa State Fair!
-Audra
I hope everyone enjoyed Independence Day and ate their fair share of hot dogs. This Saturday you can enjoy a corndog by attending the Corndog Kickoff! The office has been much busier this morning preparing for the event after the long weekend.
As I continue highlighting past Iowans of the Day, I am amazed by how many Iowans have impacted their communities. One couple, Richard and Juanita Schillig from Bettendorf, Iowa, started a tradition that has continued since 1994.
The Schilligs started the 5K fundraiser “Run with Carl,” to honor their son’s life and his love of running. The race grew to include a 5 mile run, 5K walk/run, a one mile run and a half mile fun run. The money raised at the event goes to the Carl D. Schillig memorial fund that provides scholarships to Pleasant Valley and Bettendorf High School graduates. Through the memorial, over 30 students have benefitted from the $4000 raised.
The couple is also involved in numerous community organizations including S.U.M.M.I.T., a program to help troubled youth by exposing them to possible career opportunities, and their local church through cooking meals for various events. The couple was also awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Cornbelt Running Club for their volunteer work and community mindedness.
The deadline to choose Iowans of the Day has passed, but I can’t wait to see which ten Iowans will be recognized at the 2016 Iowa State Fair! Now the fourth of July has passed, the Iowa State Fair is right around the corner and I have so much work to do to prepare for our winners. But first, we have to get through the Kickoff. See you July 9!
-Audra
As I sit and reflect on the week that we have had here in the office, I can’t help but realize how great this place truly is. The Iowa State Fair had an all staff meeting where we got to learn the ins and outs of the Fair before it starts. We talked about the value of each employee, volunteer, and individual that walks through the gates of the Fairgrounds. Without one piece of the puzzle, the State Fair wouldn’t be complete.
One thing I really enjoy about working on the Fairgrounds this summer is seeing the different events that utilize this beautiful piece of land. We are in the office working on Corndog Kickoff items while hundreds of other people are working all across the Fairgrounds to prepare for the Goodguys 25th Heartland Nationals car show that starts tomorrow. This is an event where over 4,000 Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks built before 1972 will be showcased for 3 days. While we take pride in the State Fair, these people take pride in their cars!
The Sky Glider is put together, various vendors are in place and the security is running this week at the Fairgrounds. With that combination, there is only one thing I think of, the great Iowa State Fair! While there are only 41 days left until the Fair, we are getting a sneak peak of the craziness. Thousands of people will flood the gates of the Fairgrounds starting tomorrow, July 1 through Sunday, July 3. Stop out to see some of the coolest cars around. Also, Corndog Kickoff tickets go up to $100 each tomorrow so be sure to purchase them today at the discounted price.
-Francesca
This morning, the entire Iowa State Fair staff attended a planning meeting for the 2016 Iowa State Fair. At this meeting, we talked about everything from the new Fair foods to the safety plan for the Iowa State Fair. One of the main points that stuck with me was the impact that each individual has on the Iowa State Fair. Not only the many employees that work at the Fair throughout the year, but the hundreds of thousands attendees each day of the Fair.
I think I can apply that to the Corndog Kickoff as well. The idea that each one of the staff here, the volunteers, the donors and the patrons of the event all have an individual role to make the Corndog Kickoff Benefit Auction and Fair Food Grazing Party one of the Des Moines Register’s Top Things to do in July.
It is hard to think that the Corndog Kickoff is only 10 days away with how much we have yet to do. This Thursday, June 30th is the last day to buy the reduced price tickets for the Kickoff, starting July 1st, ticket prices increase to $100, so make sure you get your tickets now. Along with the tickets, make sure to pick up one or two of the Winner’s Choice Raffle tickets to have a chance to win one of the first five Live Auction packages for only $100! See you all at the Corndog Kickoff.
-Marcus
