I was reading an article by Steve Gilliland and was impressed with two statements he made.

Steve says hope is not a strategy. It made me reflect on the strategic plan that the Fair Grounds started in 2011. With lots of hard work, the Fair Board and Staff has used this tool in many aspects to improve your Grant County Fairgrounds. It has helped me move forward in a more realistic manner and train myself to view every situation in a better-rounded manner.

With the great amount of community support we have received over the last four years I do believe that it is happening.

The second thing he wrote : The truth may set you free, but first it will make you angry. My first thought was “No, not me” and then I thought about the truth.

We are all not perfect and all we can do is move forward in the most positive way possible. Steve Gilliland’s suggestion was to ask your best friend, spouse, coworker, and children to write down your three greatest strengths and weaknesses. Don’t defend yourself – just pay attention and only ask questions to help you understand their choices. Learn from this tool and become the person that you know you can be. Then, working together, we can all make a difference in our community.

Among successes for the fairgrounds: the return of the carnival, remodeled Sale Barn with sound system, improvements to the Rodeo grounds-just ask the cowboys that have used it, Flag Pole with seating area, 12 new convertible benches and eight more wooden benches.

With the support of Parks and Recreation and our new groundskeeper, Dusty Williams, we have a great watering system and it really shows in our lawn areas. Old fences have been removed and new ones constructed to make it more appealing.

Did you all notice the great circle out by the Sale Barn with the new paint job and beautiful flowers? It was a great place to sit and visit during fair and many seemed to take the time to enjoy it. Were you one of them? I hope so.

Our numbers were up from the last couple years and we would love to make it keep growing. We can do that by more people becoming involved in our Fairgrounds.

The Fair Board and staff have already starting to work on the next fair, Aug. 5-8. One change is that the grounds will be smoke free.

We would like you all to send in your thoughts on a fair theme and also to nominate someone for grand marshal. For the marshal, we ask that you speak to the potential nominee and get their permission first; also provide a short biography so that we can get to know the nominees.

We would also love to have some new ideas for contests or suggestions for Fair. Want to be a volunteer? Please! We would love to have some new faces and it really is lots of fun and very satisfying to know that you helped your community.

Mary Weaver, fair manager, can be contacted through the fairgrounds website, Facebook page, the Fair office, 541-575-1900, or email to weaverm@grantcounty-or.gov. Or just stop by the office at 411 NW Bridge and visit with Weaver or Vickie Mullin.