Blue Ribbon Blog

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.

Crazy Is Good

May 10, 2013
Intern's picture

We meet again! Not much new going on here- the auction donations for the Corndog Kickoff are slowly but surely piling up! I hope to say the same for the Iowan of the Day nominations soon, too. It is definitely not too late to either nominate or donate! While this is my first year, I can tell that may through august are the crazy months. But crazy is good in my mind! Next week is my last week of school and then I will be working full time. The two other interns should also be here soon. Jenna told me from day one that when August hits, we are all "married to the fair." I thought that was a great way to put it. Right now we are on engagement level- but marriage is quickly approaching :)

Happy friday!    

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

May 2, 2013
Intern's picture

May has officially arrived!! It is pretty crazy how fast my time here has gone so far. I have definitely been keeping busy between The Corndog Kickoff and Iowan of the Day program. I might add that it is not too late to donate! More and more donations are piling in each day. Being a part of the "behind-the-scenes" work of such a big event has been pretty amazing, not to mention the variety of items and unique ideas that come with it. I'm anxious to see it all fall together. The event will be held on Saturday, July 13- we hope to see you there!

In the meantime, I will be finishing up my junior year of college in a couple weeks. Two other interns will also be joining us soon! You will more than likely be hearing from them once they are here and settled in. It's been quite the ride so far. If I had to share with them some of the most valuable things I've learned, it would be right along these lines...

  • Organization is key- to do lists are life savers.
  • Think outside the box- there's generally a certain way to do things, but add your own personal touch
  • Utilize your resources- when in doubt, ask someone. Or google it.
  • Take initiative- don't wait for someone to tell you to do something, just do it!

I'm sure this list will be at least twice as big by the end of the fair! Until next time.

CG

Quick Update

April 22, 2013
Intern's picture

Hello all!

What a lovely winter we are having this spring! However, as May and the warm weather are finally approaching, I find myself getting more and more excited for fair time. Being from Nebraska, I have been exposed to the fair atmosphere but it is nothing compared to the Iowa State Fair. Right now the preparation for the Corndog Kickoff is in full swing. We have all been brainstorming new ideas for auction packages- and let me tell you, there will be a lot to look forward to! It's been a nice change of pace from sending off mailings for Iowan of the Day, to coming up with fun and unique packages for the auction. Aside from the mailings, I'm also in the process of putting together Iowan of the Day media kits. I've definitely had to get the creative juices flowing the past couple weeks! I might add that I have recently taken a pretty big leap in my duties as an intern for the Blue Ribbon Foundation. Since you're all dying to know, I now answer the phone on a consistent basis. Transferring calls can get a little tricky, and I have yet to hang up on someone by accident. Allison said it's bound to happen, but I think I've gotten a pretty good start :)

Happy Monday!!

Carly   

Happy Spring!

April 9, 2013
Intern's picture

Hello, again!

It has been a great few weeks since the last time I blogged. I'm finishing up the mailings for our Iowan of the Day program and have most recently been introduced to what all goes into our Corndog Kickoff.  Slowly but surely I am getting acclimated to what all needs to get done before fair time! Whether its sending emails, getting letters printed, stuffing envelopes or answering the phone- there is no doubt I learn something new about the Iowa State Fair and the Blue Ribbon Foundation every day I am here. It's a lot of learning on the fly, which to me is nothing but an incredible experience. I look forward to what the rest of this spring and summer have in store for the Blue Ribbon Foundation. Last year was a record breaking year for the Corndog Kickoff and we hope the same for 2013. Being a student-athlete at Drake, I plan on putting together a couple packages. Be on the lookout, bulldog fans! In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful spring weather. Let's all hope the snow is gone for good! (Hopefully I didn't just jinx us). The warmer the weather gets, the more I look forward to summer and of course-the Iowa State Fair!!

Carly 

Meet Carly

March 26, 2013
Intern's picture

Hello!

Robin posted awhile ago about the new interns joining the Blue Ribbon Foundation this spring and summer. Well, I am one of them! My name is Carly Grenfell and I am a junior at Drake University. I'm studying Public Relations and Management in which I'm confident, after a couple major changes, that I have found my niche. I'm also a member of the Drake Women's Basketball team and have two years of eligibility left (redshirt sophomore). I've been playing basketball since as long as I can remember. It's been an exciting journey, but to add a job experience of this sort is an opportunity I'm going to run with. I have grown to love Iowa and Des Moines ever since I started going to college here. To be part of such a big tradition is something that caught my attention about this internship from the very beginning. To see, and be a part of, all the work that goes into the Iowa State Fair will be incredible in itself.

This is officially my second week as an intern here.  I will primarily be working with the Iowan of the Day program, but have been introduced to the Corndog Kickoff and other components of the foundation as well. Every day is different! That has definitely been one of my favorite parts so far- even if it is stuffing envelopes! The past few days, I have been getting ready to send out letters and nomination forms for the Iowan of the Day. That entails anything from updating addresses and contacts, to typing up the letters, to ultimately mailing it all off (hopefully soon!). For those that may not know, the Iowan of the Day was established to honor ten different people across Iowa for his or her commitment to going above and beyond in their community. The winners receive a plethora of benefits at 2013 Iowa State Fair. A couple of these things include VIP parking, grand stand tickets and $200 cash. If you know anyone that deserves recognition of this sort, nominations are accepted until July 1. How's that for a little bit of promotion? I am truly looking forward to the next few months with the Blue Ribbon Foundation, and I'm sure you'll hear from me in the near future. Until next time!

Carly

Fan Fair Update

March 21, 2013
allysonkrull's picture

This post is for all of the Fan Fair members out there waiting to hear from me about ticket purchasing information. Thanks again for another great year of raising funds for the Blue Ribbon Foundation through your renewals in the program! We have reached yet another record!

Here is a quick update about where we are in the process:

The thank you letter you received in the mail following your donation indicated that ticketing information (along with a Ticketmaster password) would be mailed in mid-March. As the full Grandstand lineup has not yet been announced, your letter with ticketing information will be mailed later than previously indicated. I will send you an email once the letters hit the mail so you can watch for them, most likely in early April.

So, once the last two concerts are confirmed and the public on sale date is set, we can set the Fan Fair date and get you the full list of acts as well as your Ticketmaster password and ticketing information. You will receive your letter appoximately 2 weeks before Fan Fair tickets go on sale so you will have plenty of time to look things over and ask any questions. I will be in touch via email, or you can find updates and information here. For updates on the two final acts, be sure to check it out on the Fair's website.

Thank you for your patience!

Interns

February 5, 2013
robintaylor's picture

January was a month of intern interviews as we searched for the three people who would help us get everything done for the 2013 Iowa State Fair.  Initially your heart has a nervous flutter to it as you look at a very small pile of resumes in the weeks leading up to the deadline.  But, not unexpectedly, the mailman delivers several large envelopes every day in the few days leading up to the December 31st application deadline.  This year we had quite a few to select from and called ten students in for interviews.

I enjoy talking with these students as they are all very motivated and involved in a wide range of actitivies. Across the board they use words like dedicated, drive, energy, passionate and goal-oriented. They have started new organizations at their respective colleges or served on leadership groups to bring about change. And, several of them spoke of their experiences of showing at the Iowa State Fair and how much that has meant to them. It makes you wish you had more than three internship positions to offer as each of the students has something that could help the Foundation.  One of our less serious, but very important questions to ask is: "What is your favorite Fair food?"  We have an ulterior motive as sometimes this question reveals a food we have not tried.  This year's responses included the beef sundae, caramel apple with nuts, turkey leg, hot dog, corn dog, deep fried ice cream, monkey tails, tenderloin, pork chop on a stick and honey lemonade.

We are pleased to welcome Carly Grenfell (Drake), Kaitlin Ricke (Central) and Kristine Milbrandt (Wartburg) to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.  Look for more information about all three of these ladies in our Spring newsletter and throughout the summer.

Show your love for the Iowa State Fair!

January 23, 2013
jennabeary's picture

It's that time of year again. Tax season. For some, this is good news. It means that at some point in the next few months, they will be receiving a tax refund and will be able to use that extra money to pay off bills, take a vacation, or boost their savings account. For others, it means that their savings account will get a little smaller and they will be the ones issuing a check. Whatever your situation may be this year, did you know that you can use your tax form as a means of donating to the Blue Ribbon Foundation? That's right - simply by checking line 58-B of Iowa Tax Form 10-40 or Line 14 of tax form 10-40-A, you are able to donate one dollar (or more!) to the Blue Ribbon Foundation to help preserve and improve the Iowa State Fairgrounds. These donations provide for new sidewalks, lighting, restrooms, air conditioning, and much more. The Corndog Checkoff is officially called the "State Fairgrounds Renovation Contribution" and all contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information, click here or call us at 1-800-450-3732. 

Winter Contrast

January 4, 2013
robintaylor's picture

Today I took a moment to walk around the Fairgrounds, snapping pictures of buildings with a mantle of snow and a bright blue sky above. It's definitely a less colorful look than August with all of the bright lights, flags, stands and people but the stark contrast of our buildings and the white snow really seem to bring out the simple beauty of the grounds. So, keeping this blog short and sweet, I thought I'd share some of the photos with you as most of you don't have the opportunity to visit at this time of the year. Enjoy.

The gardens and Livestock PavilionLegacy Terrace and the GrandstandThe Riley StageA solar cooling bench on Expo Hill

Season Greetings from the Blue Ribbon Foundation!

December 27, 2012
jennabeary's picture

As we are wrapping up 2012 and getting ready to head into 2013, I find myself taking a step back and reflecting on the past year. I still vividly remember January 1, 2012 as I sat in my tiny one bedroom apartment anxious and excited for what the new year was going to bring. And now, as I sit here on December 27, 2012 in my office, I can say with a sigh of relief that I survived my first Fair as the Sponsorship Director, married my best friend, and moved into a slightly larger, although still stuffed to the gills apartment.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation also had a busy but successful 2012. We kicked off the new year with the annual Corndog Checkoff campaign, and to date have raised over $67,000. Next came Fan Fair and Grandstand ticket sales, and shortly after that we found ourselves opening the doors to our largest event (besides the Fair, of course) - the Corndog Kickoff.  It was a record breaking year for the Foundation, and we are already starting the planning process for 2013, crossing our fingers that we will be able to compete with our wildly successful 2012. 

As we reflect on our successes from 2012, we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this past year one for the books. We feel so blessed to have great donors, patrons, supporters and friends, and we could not do everything we do without each and every one of you. We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and are able to ring in the New Year in style. From all of us at the Blue Ribbon Foundation - Happy New Year!

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