Harvest Ridge introduces new manager
MILLERSBURG — New Harvest Ridge Manager Don Snow was introduced to the Holmes County Fair Board at Thursday's board meeting.
Snow stepped into his role as Harvest Ridge Manager on Monday. He is starting out in observation mode, working closely with outgoing manager Pat Martin and chairman of the buildings and grounds committee Tim Hershberger.
Fair Board President Kerry Taylor commended the work Martin and Hershberger have done running things at Harvest Ridge over the past of couple years. Former manager Steve Miller resigned in December, 2019.
"Pat Martin and Tim Hershberger have both done a wonderful job here the last few years," Taylor said. "They both had retired from positions they were in and didn't want to work the hours they wound up working here."
After getting through the pandemic and hosting a variety of different types of events from proms and weddings to revivals to trade shows and horse shows at Harvest Ridge, the board has a better idea of what direction they would like to see the manager position take.
"We started talking about filling this position about a year ago," Taylor said. "Our concept of what we wanted in this position was much different in 2016 than it is today. That kind of played into who we were looking for and what type of experience we wanted."
Snow's role will focus mainly on managing events during the other 50 weeks out of the year at Harvest Ridge. Coming on board near fair time gives him an opportunity to learn the ropes without many other events scheduled because of the fair.
"We're very happy to have Don on board," Taylor continued. "He's a local person who has fair and 4-H experience with his kids, and business management experience. He knows a great many people in Holmes County already. He's excited to face the challenge."
A local guy with fair and 4-H experience
Snow has been a construction manager for a local company over the past 17 years, and he brings coaching experience and involvement in FFA and 4-H with his three children. His youngest is now 16, and she shows a steer at the fair. He and Tobie, his wife of 27 years, reside in Killbuck.
"We're always here during the fair, and you see what goes on, but so much more is going on behind the scenes," he said. "I enjoy people, and we have all kinds of things going on here. There's never a dull moment, that's for sure.
"This is a very family-oriented organization, and they have been very welcoming," Snow continued. "I'm going to learn a lot quickly. So far, Tim and Pat have been very patient. Everybody has been so nice."
The board approved the purchase of a new laptop computer for the fair manager.
Other business
As the Holmes County Fair prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary Aug. 7-12 at Harvest Ridge, some final preparations were discussed.
All inside concession spaces are full and the waitlist is growing.
The Farm Bureau would like to once again set up the gravity wagon basketball game for the fair. They would be willing to set it up permanently if space is available. They plan to set up the wagon on Aug. 3.
The sound equipment for grandstands has arrived. The board approve purchasing the speaker equipment (body pack and mic) and equipment to extend sound to the dairy wing.
The board also approved the purchase of three inches of sand for the horse arena.
A memorial dedication
"We will be having a dedication in memory of David and Diane Martin," Taylor said. "We have a tree to plant and stone will be placed in his memory."
The dedication will take place on Monday, Aug. 7, around 1 p.m. The stone has arrived and the tree will be coming in as well for the dedication.
The Fair King and Queen program and the 100th celebration ceremony will begin at 5:15 in the large arena on Monday, Aug. 7, and the official crowning will take place at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Banners promoting the 100th anniversary are hung up in downtown Millersburg. The board acknowledged the Lions Club for helping to get those hung up.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Harvest Ridge introduces new manager
