Fair and Rodeo time

The Sept. 4, 1952 edition of the Columbia Basin Herald screamed to readers, "It's Fair and Rodeo Time" and the headline is true today.

The bronc rider is identified as Deb Copenhaver, from Creston. He ended up in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

Larry Godden, of Million Air Moses Lake, and I are making an effort to transport airmen and dependents from Fairchild Air Force Base to Moses Lake to attend the fair tomorrow, Aug. 16.

We currently have two, 56-passenger busses standing by for the transport. The fair has competition from three Fairchild events this weekend. There is a base-wide military exercise, a fun run and another event.

Still there may be some airmen/dependents wanting to make the trip. Imagine an airman due to transfer to another duty station next week or a group of wives who have husbands deployed to foreign lands. A few hours at the fair may be enjoyable for them.

So here is the plan: Saturday morning the busses will stop at the Visitor Center off base at 9:30 a.m. An airman will meet each bus and accompany them to the Chapel.

Here the airmen and family members will board the busses for the trip to Moses Lake with an anticipated departure time of 10 a.m. We expect the arrival time to be around 12 noon, when the fair opens for the day. After a short greeting, we will turn the airmen loose to enjoy the fair. The busses will depart Moses Lake for the return trip to Fairchild at 6 p.m.

Who is invited? Airmen and their families are invited to attend the fair. Larry and I leave it to each family to decide which family members would be appropriate for the trip and who to leave with a babysitter for the day.

Fair Manager Jerry Gingrich has extended the half-price entry free to the Fairchild airmen and dependents on Saturday. This is where readers enter the picture.

Larry and I are looking for sponsors for the Fairchild visitors at $4 each. This means $20 will sponsor five airmen/dependents. This invitation was announced on my radio show last Saturday. Jim Turner responded with a donation of $20, Tom and Peggy Harless, $40; Darrin of Jackson Flight Center, $100, Bill Blue, $50; and Bill Bailey, $20.

If you have a desire to sponsor one or more airmen/dependents, give me a call at 509-762-5158. See you at the fair.