LAKEPORT >> What began as a community support meeting soon turned into the Lake County Fair Foundation.
This year the Lake County Fair honors Foundation Directors Ruth Stewart, Jane Alameda, Chuck Doty (posthumously), Bob Renker and “Junior member at large” Erica Illg as Grand Marshals of the 2017 fair.
“Each of these Directors gives so much to our community and each deserves to be a Grand Marshal,” said Debbie Strickler, Chief Executive Officer of the Lake County Fair.
Foundation President Ruth Stewart has been involved in the lake county community since 1996. She bought Kelseyville pharmacy in 2002 and later purchased Coyote Valley Pharmacy in Hidden Valley.
A generous supporter of many Lake County events and activities, Stewart has been a buyer at the Junior livestock auction and a sponsor of prizes and awards for the 4-H and FFA exhibitors. She a generously supports the Lake County Wine Alliance, the Wine Adventure and the Lake County Rodeo.
Stewart worked diligently to assist pharmacy customers during the recent Lake County Fires.
Also a founding member of the Lake County Fair Foundation was Chuck Doty, who passed away in March of this year. Doty was a vital part of Lake County since 1988, involved in many community groups over the years including the Lake County Land Trust, The Children’s Museum of Art and Science, Soroptimist, founder of Lake County Business Outreach and Response Team (BORT),and was on the committee to bring a university to Lake County.
Doty was a volunteer firefighter for several years before becoming Chief of the Lower Lake Volunteer Fire Department and he was on the Board of Directors of the Lake County Fire Protection District. He was very involved in the Lake County Fair and over the years implemented financial activities that greatly benefited the Junior Livestock Auction.
As a founding member of the Lake County Fair Foundation, Doty was instrumental in obtaining the volunteer services of a local contractor to assist in infrastructure improvements on the fairgrounds.
Another founding Director of the Lake County Fair Foundation and longtime Lake County resident is Jane Alameda. She is very much involved in our community through many organizations such the Lake County Arts Council, Clearlake Horsemen’s Association, Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, Soper Reese Theatre and Tango Mike.
Alameda has been involved with Lake County Fair since 1976 as a beef and sewing leader for her girls and held the position of Livestock Chairperson. She volunteered her time in the fair’s Clothing and Textile building for many years.
Robert “Bob” Renker from Kelseyville is a lifelong resident born and raised in Lake County. An Air Force veteran and 22-year member of the Kelseyville Lions Club, Renker is also a 20-year member of American Legion Post 194 and member of the Lake County Farm Bureau.
Renker has supported our community through many outreach and fundraising programs. His children were raised in Lake County and were all participants of 4-H and FFA programs where they learned the importance of the agriculture industry.
Renker also supports the fair through his exhibits and entries each year.
The youngest honoree is Junior Director Erika Illg.
Illg came to Lake County in 2004, where she and her family have a medium sized dairy and market goat hobby farm, as well as being a foster family for 26 children in the last four and a half years.
The family raise Nigerian, La Mancha’s and Boer goats and she will be a participant at this year’s fair.
Illg is a member of the American Dairy Goat Association and travels through the country showing her goats. She has been involved in 4-H since she was seven years old.
As her 4-H All-Star project, Illg bred, raised, then donated the first animal for auction with all proceeds, close to $9000, benefiting the Lake County Fair Foundation.
The annual Lake County Fair kicks off on Thursday, August 31, with a parade up Main Street in Lakeport, followed at 6 p.m. by the opening ceremonies at the main entrance. For more information go to lakecountyfair.com.
