Ottawa County Fair holds livestock show for special needs youth

OAK HARBOR - On Saturday, the Ottawa County Fair hosted its first livestock show for youth with special needs. The event had three contestants, two from Port Clinton and one from Graytown.

“You don't see kids with special needs or disabilities out involved in a whole lot, and in the classroom, it is inclusive,” said Molly Avers, 4-H Youth Development Director. “I think this is a nice thing to help expose the junior fair kids to learn about some of the barriers and the struggles that youth with disability face every day that sometimes we may take for granted and just assume it's easy for everybody when yet it's not."

Each contestant was asked questions about their animal with the help of their mentor and at the end of the event, each received an award certificate, a medals award, and a T-shirt.

The winners were Kara Kingery, who had entered a goat with Caitlynn Noble mentor; Dominick Wolf, who also entered a goat with the help of mentor Gracie Sprague; and Derek Wolf, who also entered a goat with the help of Josh and James Sander. The four mentors signed up to help the contestants were exhibitors at the fair and some of their animals were used in the livestock show.

“We're going to do this program for the next couple of years, to hopefully reach more kids," Avers said. After talking to my judges, they're going to promote it a little bit more in the schools too and we've got a game plan to get it out earlier for them.”

The Ottawa County Community Foundation was the sponsor, and the foundation purchased the banner, the T-shirts, and medals so all the youths could walk away with something.

“I'm excited just to kind of help the sense of growth and new opportunities for our mentees, and our youth with a disability,” Avers said.

For more information or how to enter a special needs youth in the next livestock event contact Molly Avers 4-H Youth Development director at avers.15@osu.edu.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Three youths with special needs participate in livestock show at county fair