By Ryan Trares | Daily Journal
Though it may be in a different capacity, the volunteers of Gateway Services have had a noticeable presence this week at the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair.
In a normal year, the organization’s lemon shake-up stand is one of the fair’s most popular booths, but the agency decided not to have the stand this year, out of an abundance of caution due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
So to support its mission of providing transportation to local residents as well as services for individuals with disabilities, they’ve taken on a new role — working the ticket booth on the midway.
“It’s been pretty busy, and people seem very happy about the fair, for things to get back to normal,” said Becky Allen, transportation director for Access Johnson County, an off-shoot of Gateway Services. “The kids are all excited. Everyone seems excited.”
For organizations such as Gateway Services, the past two years have upended what had normally been a steady and reliable source of funding. Groups offering everything from burgers to ice cream to milkshakes feed hungry fairgoers and use that money for scholarships, youth services and community projects.
After a kind of “lost year” in 2020, many groups are relishing the chance to be back earning money for the community.
“It’s been much better than last year,” said Meg Clark, president of the Franklin Kiwanis Club. “We’ve seen so many other people out there, and so many kids. It’s so refreshing to see people out and enjoying themselves. And the money goes back into the community.”
By midday, the lunch rush had descended on the fairgrounds, searching for the once-a-year treats offered up at local food stands. People migrated from booth to booth, picking up ribeye sandwiches from the Johnson County Beef Cattle Association, and hand-breaded cod from the Shrine Club.
The smell of cinnamon and sugar swirled around the Center Grove Optimist Club’s beaver tail station.
Inside a packed barn operated by the Franklin Kiwanis Club, dozens of people sought out shade to feast on tenderloins, cheeseburgers, chili dogs and all kinds of tasty treats.
Each year, the organization sells hundreds of orders of food during the annual county fair, feeding hungry 4-Hers, families and fair-goers throughout the week.
Just that event alone provides thousands of dollars for the Kiwanis scholarship program, Clark said.
The organization opened its stand during the 2020 fair, but proceeds were heavily reduced due to attendee restrictions. In a normal year, they typically generate between $12,000 and $18,000 at the fair; last year, they brought in $400, she said.
Because of that shortfall, Kiwanis leadership was concerned about raising money for its scholarship fund, which provides scholarships for Franklin Community, Whiteland and Indian Creek high schools each year. Money also goes to community groups such as KIC-IT and Girls Inc. of Johnson County.
A fair food fundraiser held in April brought in some additional dollars. But Kiwanis members are happy to be back at the fairgrounds.
Crowds were plentiful early in the week, particularly on the first day of the fair Sunday, Clark said.
“It was the best day we’ve had in several years,” she said. “We’re having great hopes that we’ll be able to meet our scholarship goals and help KIC-IT and the Boys and Girls Club and all of the different entities we’ve helped in the past.”
Other groups felt that same sense of normalcy.
Since the early 1960s, the Johnson County Farm Bureau has been mixing up milkshakes and raising money for agriculture-related activities at the fair. Money from the milkshake sales funds the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers program, which supports people ages 18 to 35 with an interest in agriculture.
Funds also go directly back to the 4-H livestock auction, and to bringing activities and demonstrations such as musical performances and the watermelon spitting contest to the following year’s fair.
Because the 2020 county fair was closed to the public, the Farm Bureau opted to give away its milkshakes to all 4-Hers throughout the week.
“It was our way to give back to the 4-Hers and the fair. We did have a jar out if people still wanted to pay, and that went right back to the livestock sale,” said David Harrell, president of the Johnson County Farm Bureau.
The gesture was a nice way to show appreciation for 4-H participants and their efforts during the year, Harrell said. Still, it impacted the funds the organization was able to raise for its projects moving forward.
This year’s fair won’t suffer from the same problem.
“This week, the crowds have just been fantastic,” Harrell said. “We’re so excited to be able to do what we do again this year.”
Gateway Services had been hoping to sell its lemon shake-ups, as it had since 1972 at the fair. Not only is the drink a heat-beating must-have for fair visitors, but making the refreshments is a tradition among volunteers. Community members would gather together before the fair starts for a “lemon squeeze-a-thon,” to hand-squeeze the fruit in preparation.
The squeezed lemons are mixed with sugar and ice, and ready to sell.
The shake-up stand didn’t open in 2020, when the fair was limited to 4-Hers and their families. With COVID-19 still a threat, it didn’t make sense to have large groups of volunteers working side-by-side in a tight booth, with no opportunities to socially distance.
So the Johnson County Fair Board approached them with an alternative.
“They called and asked, since we had volunteers but no stand, if we’d want to do the ticket booths. We’re giving it a try,” Allen said.
The organization’s volunteers worked the ticket booth on the midway throughout the week, selling passes to the various rides that brought hundreds of people out to the fairgrounds. The money that they earn will go toward Gateway Services’ general fund, to offset costs of providing disability services such as day programs and employment assistance, as well as matching federal dollars for transit services.
Just being back at the fair has been a welcome experience, Allen said.
“You see familiar faces year-to-year; you get to know the people. I’m glad to see that things are getting back to normal,” she said. “This past year-and-a-half has been crazy.”
