WOOSTER, Ohio — The Wayne County Fair’s junior expansion project campaign is nearing $500,000 in pledges, and two well-known community members are leading the campaign, John Crum, president and CEO of Seaman Corporation, and Harley Gerber of Gerber Feed.
“Everyone has heard in real estate it’s all about location, location, location, well in fund raising it’s all about leadership, leadership, leadership,” said Tom Stocksdale, Wayne County Agricultural Society board member and vice president of ag lending at Farmers National Bank.
Crum, who has been with Seaman for 21 years, grew up in the southern part of the state and actually paid for his college by buying and selling hogs. Harley Gerber has been in the ag, feed and farming business for over 60 years at Gerber Feed and has grown the business into one of the area’s most respected businesses.
“The two men are very supportive of the fair and all of our FFA and 4-H programs and believe in the improvements we are asking the community to help us fund,” said Matt Martin, fair manager.
New facilities
The Wayne County Fair plans to construct two new livestock facilities on the south side of the Wayne County Fairgrounds by 2019, a $1.75 million project.
A 24,000-square-foot steel building will be home to a new show arena and a 12,000-square-foot pole barn will serve as a livestock barn.
The current goat, poultry and rabbit barns, the Carter Show Arena and the pavilion will either be relocated or removed to make way for the new structures.
Donations to the project can be made over a five-year period. The Wayne County Community Foundation will receive the cash and pledges and as such, all gifts are tax deductible.
For more information contact Martin, 330-262-8001.
