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.
Please follow our blog to learn more about our organization.
The saying “time flies when you’re having fun” definitely has a meaning this summer. When working on my projects at the Foundation, I tell myself I have plenty of time, but in reality the summer is going by quickly. We are down to 36 days until the Corndog Kickoff and 69 days until the great Iowa State Fair. It seems like yesterday I was walking in the front doors of our earth home office and we had 95 days until the Fair. Although I have gotten a number of things done since I’ve been here, it puts in perspective just how fast days can go by when you are working toward a great summer filled with awesome events.
Since 1997, the Foundation has been holding the Corndog Kickoff Benefit Auction and Fair Food Grazing Party. This is a fun-filled pre-Fair celebration that offers a live and silent auction, Fair food favorites, Sky Glider rides, and fireworks. This is the largest fundraiser that the Blue Ribbon Foundation hosts and since 1997 has helped raise over $4.4 million to put towards renovations of the beloved Iowa State Fairgrounds. In 2005 I got the opportunity to attend this great event and I can tell you I am thrilled to be a member of the team that makes it all possible. We have over 230 silent auction and almost 30 live auction packages this year for the 20th annual celebration. All hands are on deck this week at the office proofing materials and putting final pieces together for the event.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time or at the door the night of the event. Until June 30th tickets are $75 each and after that they bump up to $100. You will not want to miss this unique opportunity to share in our “Locally Grown” traditions before the fair starts.
Speaking of upcoming events on the Fairgrounds, the Iowa Pork Producers and National Pork Board have been working hard to prepare for the World Pork Expo which starts next week. Be sure to swing by and check out this incredible event filled with thousands of people, great food and top-of-the-line hogs.
(Early days of the Corndog Kickoff held in Pioneer Hall)
-Francesca
The first day back from a long weekend brings the first day of the Principal Charity Classic!
Birdies for Charity, a portion of the Principal Charity Classic, is taking place May 31 to June 5 at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines. There’s still time to pledge to the Blue Ribbon Foundation through the Principal Charity Classic website. For all of you unfamiliar with the sport of golf, a birdie is one stroke less than par and par is the average amount of strokes per hole. Through the fundraiser, people can pledge a certain amount per birdie at the Principal Charity Classic. The money pledged through Birdies for Charity goes to support the Blue Ribbon Foundation's mission of preserving and renovating the Iowa State Fairgrounds with current projects like the Oman Family Youth Inn. 
2015 was the most profitable year for charities with the event raising over $1.4 million. This Principal Charity Classic also saw over 77,000 attendees, so enjoy the nice weather this week and head out to the Wakonda Club to watch golf celebrities play!
These celebrities include last year’s Classic winner Mark Calcavecchia as well as John Daly, both of whom have won the British Open. After winning the Classic last year, Calcavecchia received bacon inspired slacks and a bacon belt, both of which he fully intends on wearing this year.
Other celebrities that will be in attendance include 18 golfers who won majors from the PGA Tour Champions as well as the winners of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship and the Allianz Championship.
You don’t want to miss out on this great event, and we can’t wait to see this year’s results. Enjoy watching the Principal Charity Classic Birdies for Charity!
-Audra
I am closing in on week 3 working at the Blue Ribbon Foundation and this place is definitely a “birdie.” A “birdie” is one stroke better than par in the game of golf. My internship experience has been anything but par over the last three weeks. The love and passion for the Iowa State Fair and the Foundation that fills the air is incredible. Learning about different areas and the history of the Foundation has been very eye opening.
One of the greatest features of the Foundation is that it targets people of all ages and offers giving programs to accommodate all different levels. One of our newest giving programs is the partnership with the Principal Charity Classic’s “Birdies for Charity” fundraiser. Supporters can make a pledge based on the number of “birdies” made by Champions Tour players during the 2016 Principal Charity Classic, May 31-June 5. For more information, visit The Principal Charity Classic website.
Years ago, the Blue Ribbon Foundation hosted a golf outing as a way to show appreciation for our current donors. This was also a way for the Foundation to meet with some prospective donors to discuss what new projects were happening on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. 2008 was the last golf outing and this is the second year partnering with Principal Charity Classic’s Birdies for Charity program.
Thank you for continuing to show your love and support for the Blue Ribbon Foundation. Check out more information on our website.
(BRF staff and Interns at the 2006 golf outing)
-Francesca
As I highlight our past Iowan of the Day winners, it is amazing to think how much time and effort these individuals have put in to make our state even better.
This week I chose to highlight a fellow southern Iowan and Seymour High School teacher, Shawn Tait, from Exline, Iowa.
Shawn serves as the prom sponsor for Seymour High and spends her time volunteering with the Boy Scouts soap box derby, serving at Exline Recreation Committee dinners, chaperoning for FFA and being an active member of her church. Shawn was named the Exline Citizen of the Year in 2013.
The 30 members of the Exline Ramblers 4H Club call Shawn their leader. Shawn has been the driving force in getting the club involved in big 
ways, including cleaning roadsides through the Adopt-A-Highway program.
Shawn makes sure 4H’ers have a project to submit each year and teaches her club how to sew. As a 4H leader, Shawn has had to help with everything from posters to livestock to birdhouses.
The Exline Ramblers 4H Club received a grant for new benches in the Exline City Park, thanks to Shawn’s encouragement. 16 benches made of recycled plastic were also placed at the Appanoose County Fairgrounds.
Shawn also plans service projects for her 4H club where one year, the Ramblers visited a local nursing home to throw a Christmas party. With all of this going on, Shawn somehow manages to plan overnight camp outs and attend her 4H’ers competitions at the county fair.
The deadline for Iowan of the Day isn’t until July 1, so there is still plenty of time to nominate someone who goes above and beyond to give back to their communities! If you know someone like Shawn, consider nominating them today.
The office has been in full swing and the wheels have been turning. My passion for the Iowa State Fair continues to grow while being a part of the “inside” team. We are 83 days away from the fair, but who’s counting? I often get asked why my love for the Iowa State Fair is so great, and here are the top five reasons.
1. The People: The Iowa State Fair is an event that brings in nearly or over 100,000 people every single day. There are very diverse crowds, especially with attendance reaching a record breaking 115,959 one day, last year. Some may come from a small town farm, some may come from a large city, but they all share one thing in common, the love for the great Iowa State Fair. For most people the Fair is a learning experience. Whether it’s learning about agriculture or the newest trends in the William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building, there is always something new to take in. Sometimes my best conversations occur with people who are interested in knowing why we do what we do at the Fair.
2. Camping: This means 11 days with great people! One of my favorite childhood memories was living in our camper in the blazing, August heat on the Iowa State Fairgrounds right across from the Swine Barn and Youth Inn (until they moved exhibitor camping up the hill). Camping in the exhibitor lot with livestock friends was the highlight of my summer. I would pack my clothes mid-July and cry when it was time to leave the Fair. Since I knew the Fairgrounds like the back of my hand, my parents let me run around with friends that were the same way. We loved it. This was our style of vacationing.
3. Livestock Shows: Come August I was ready to show off what I had prepared all summer, my livestock. Late nights and early mornings were real at our house just to walk that animal. Iowa is blessed with the livestock quality at competitions. In order to compete, you have to put in the time to make that animal great. Blood, sweat and tears are definitely shed at least once during preparation days. Although winning is nice, it isn’t everything. The friends and memories that are made during these years of our lives are far above the trophy, banner or picture that will sit and collect dust. Without your livestock “family” the Fair wouldn’t be as congenial as it is. These people are special tools in a tool kit and are resources that you can use to better yourself and the livestock. Whether people realize it or not, they wouldn’t be who they are today without the people that helped them up yesterday from a bad day in the show ring.
4. Food on a Stick: Who doesn’t love food, especially on a stick? Food on a stick has become a staple to the Iowa State Fair. People don’t talk about the plain hamburger they got from a random stand, rather they usually talk about the food on a stick that they inhaled so fast they couldn’t enjoy it. There are nearly 75 different foods you can get on a stick at the Iowa State Fair. Every year they come up with a new item to feature, and it keeps getting better. One of my favorite foods on a stick is the pork chop. The Iowa Pork Producers do an excellent job preparing these. If you walk away from the fair hungry, you didn’t look hard enough. There are food stands for everyone.
5. Traditions: There are many traditions within the limits of the Iowa State Fairgrounds, including the nationally acclaimed butter cow. The talent that goes into sculpting something so unique is incredible. Along with the butter cow, other “must do” traditions include contests, riding the Ye Old Mill and cruising down the Giant Slide. Whether it’s the first or the fiftieth time people come to the Fair, a fun time is to be had. With a group of your best friends, roaring laughter can be heard by the Giant Slide. After cruising down the slide, annual contests are a great way to spend your day. They include everything from a cow chip throwing, yodeling, hog calling to a pie baking contest. The best part is that they accommodate every age and are open to the public.
Wow! It was tough deciding my top five reasons why I love the fair, because I know I could write many more. There is a reason why the Iowa State Fair is one of the top State Fair’s in the country: IT’S GREAT! The Blue Ribbon Foundation’s goal is to maintain the Fairgrounds so all of the things people love at the State Fair can be continued. Well, I better get back to working on the media kit for the Corndog Kickoff Benefit Auction and Fair Food Grazing Party. Be sure to get your tickets!
-Francesca
As the Iowan of the Day deadline approaches on July 1, I am in awe of all of our past winners!
Take 2015 winner Steven Palmer as an example. Steven is a retired law enforcer from Urbandale, Iowa who served in the Polk County Sheriff’s Department and in the Polk County Attorney’s Office as an investigator. Steven is also a veteran in both the United States Coast Guard and Army.
While in the police force, Steven created a program to help children recovered during drug arrests. Through this, Steven received an award that recognizes outstanding work to keep youth off drugs. Steven also served as the regional coordinator for the Law Enforcement torch runners for eight years.
“Steve is a man of heart,” is one phrase a nominator used to describe Steven. Steven has spent 20 years volunteering with Special Olympics and is currently President of the Board of Directors. Steven has traveled as far as China to help with the World Games and was instrumental in raising more than $110,000 for Special Olympics Iowa!
As if this wasn’t enough, Steven is a member of the Za-Ga-Zig Shriners and the Masonic Temple where he received the grandmaster membership award.
Like Steven, all of our Iowan of the Day winners since 1997 have done monumental things in their communities.
There is still plenty of time to nominate someone who makes the world around them a better place! Here are helpful hints if you plan on sending in an application:
1) Submit an organized and neat application.
2) Think of ways to set your nominee apart. This could be from outstanding letters of recommendation to any coverage on your nominee.
3) Don’t be afraid to resubmit material! Applications are reviewed for three years and the more material the merrier.
Well, back to work for me. I can’t wait to read all of the Iowan of the Day applications submitted!
-Audra