GOSHEN — “Let’s Pull Together For 4-H” is the theme for the 2016 Elkhart County 4-H Fair, July 22-30, chosen by incoming president Dr. Robert Zell. The theme was announced during the annual Elkhart County 4-H Fair appreciation banquet held on the fairgrounds.

“I had several different ways to go. I thought about having the new bridge in the logo or something like that. I decided to put three things that I really love about the fair: first the 4-H kids and the dairy cows and bicentennial,” said Zell. “Actually this is a recycled theme, I asked Cork Wagoner, he had “Pulling Together For 4-H” (in 2006) as his theme when he was president, this is a little different take…

“Actually I was going to have the kids milking the cow, but the artist didn’t think that was … his words were ‘gross.’ I’m really looking forward working with you folks this year. A couple things Dwight (the evening’s guest speaker) mentioned here, really hit home. You all do what has to be done and so evident the whole year, but every year at the fair it is amazing what people get done. He said ‘ride for the brand’ I think every one of you riding for our brand, the Elkhart county 4-H fair. I’m really looking forward to this next year. Go 4-H.”

Outgoing President Recaps

Rich Utley, 2015 fair board president, hands the gavel to Dr. Robert Zell, 2016 fair board president.

Rich Utley, 2015 fair president, closed the evening with a brief recap of his term. “We had 3,700 plus youth involved in 4-H and attendance was over 255,000. Without you and your involvement the fair would not have been the success it was.” He acknowledged the work throughout the year and extra work during the fair by the fair staff.

He recognized fair board members and family who passed away during the year, the new faces taking over on the executive committee and fair staff. He pointed out the improvements to the fairgrounds: bridge over Rock Run Creek, improvements to gate 2, improvements and deceleration lane at gate 7, improved WiFi and fiber optics, all accomplished before the fair started.

He mentioned the varied entertainment opportunities: World War II tank, high flying pogo stunts, the moving 9/11 Never Forget exhibit; a change in the First Friday programs, the challenge of a cancelled grandstand show and finding a replacement within 24 hours.

Utley stated “2015 is the first year there was no storms or rain during the fair.” He concluded by stating “I saw and did many things I’ll never forget.”

Dwight Moudy, Farm Bureau, presented the evening’s program on “Cowboy Ethics Indiana, Living The Code Of The West,” a program Farm Bureau has implemented in Elkhart and LaGrange counties. The programs, being offered in 49 different locations, are in five different schools, two different districts, in both counties.

Moudy stated a cowboy lived by 10 principles, and those principles can be implemented in today’s society making a difference in the future. “Rules can always be bent, principles cannot,” he quoted a favorite saying. The 10 principles or Code of the West include: Live Each Day with Courage, take pride in your work, always finish what you start, do what needs to be done, be tough but fair, when you make a promise keep it, ride for the brand, talk less and say more, remember that some things are not for sale and know where to draw the line.

He picked several of the codes and related it to life and work. “We all can make a change,” he stated.