Ashland County Fair treats senior citizens on their special day

Senior Citizens Day at the Ashland County Fair attracted a group of 16 card players to the Cheyenne Spidel Memorial Pavilion early in the day on Tuesday for a spirited tournament of euchre, a game played by four players in teams of two.

Sponsored by the Ashland County Council on Aging, the featured game was in its second year of play for the day dedicated to senior citizens.

Euchre is a popular game played at the agency, said Sandy Enderby, executive director for Council on Aging, and it seemed like a good activity to put in place for Senior Citizens Day.

It is a game they love to play, said Amy Noel, the agency's program director.

In just its second year, it grew from eight participants to 16.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to fill the Pavilion (in the future), said Enderby.

Played in six rounds, each round rotates the highest scorers among the tables.

The first five rounds lasted 12 minutes each, but the sixth round did not have a time limit.

At the end of the contest the first place winner was slated to win $80; the second place winner, $40; third place winner, $30; and fourth place winner, $10, which was the entry fee.

One of the players, Sandy Baker, said she played last year and returned for a second time for the opportunity to meet new people and enjoy the challenge.

"It's just a fun thing, whether you win or lose," Baker said.

Senior King and Queen contest

The same thing could be said for the Senior King and Queen Contest, held in the afternoon at the Pavilion.

This year's contestants were David French and Maxine Smith from The Good Shepherd; Frank Harned and Mary Stotts from The Inn at Ashland Woods; David Jacobs and Mickie McWilliams from Brethren Care Village; James Shaw and Karen Shaw from Kingston of Ashland; and Gene Burgess and Betty Krajcik from McMullen Assisted Care.

Crowned King and Queen were Harned and McWilliams; runners-up were Burgess and Shaw.

Judges for the event no doubt took it seriously as they are actual judges in the community — the Honorable David Stimpert, Karen DeSanto Kellogg and John Good.

Led by master of ceremonies Ashland Mayor Matt Miller, the contest was comprised of questions asked about each person's life from an accompanying biography, Noel said.

The contest and conversation with the senior participants are one of State Representative Melanie Miller's favorite parts of the fair, she said in her overview of the fair at the opening ceremony on Sunday.

Her husband, the mayor, agreed.

"Not only do we all get to learn more about some of the wonderful men and women who have made significant contributions to our community over the years, but we always have a lot of fun doing it," Matt Miller said following Tuesday's contest.

"You never know what these folks might say, but it always seems to draw a great laugh from the audience or cause them to pull out their tissues."

He enjoyed hearing about their "very different life experience," interacting with their unique personalities and learning a little bit about the meaningful lives they have led.

Appreciative of their willingness to take part in the contest, he said, "It gives them a wonderful chance to share their wisdom and tell their own personal story."

Multiple generations of their families are also grateful, he said.

McWilliams' story encompasses retiring from interior design and floral design at Ashland Florist and Floral Gardens.

Cooking and conversation are among her sources of enjoyment, as is spending time with people, especially children. She has been blessed by many nieces and nephews.

A favorite memory she cited was playing softball, coached by her favorite aunt and uncle.

Also on the agenda for senior visitors on Tuesday were an annual concert by The Warrior gospel group and a performance by a magician.

From exhibits to concerts; specially designated days and traditional activities; and of course, fair food and  animal showmanship, fair week is thriving.

"We've done well," said Cathy Rice, fair secretary and office manager. "We've had beautiful weather."

Attendance is steady -- "about even with last year," Rice said.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Euchre tournament headlines Senior Citizens Day at Ashland County Fair