Keeping the fair moving

Volunteers ensure smooth operations for visitors

MOSES LAKE — It looks - easy. Participants in livestock competition at the Grant County Fair enter the arena, they’re checked off, and at the end, the right ribbon goes to the right person. A hungry fairgoer walks up to a food booth run by a local nonprofit organization and places an order, and the right order arrives. From the ribbons to the Spaceburgers, it all runs pretty smoothly. It's the people over at the folding table next to the show ring, and the crews that are kind of out sight, staffing the food booths and the exhibit buildings, that make it look easy. Most of them are volunteers. Fairgrounds manager Jim McKiernan estimated it took about 250 volunteers to help the fair run smoothly. The organizations that operate the fundraising food booths find their own volunteers, and for some, it’s been a struggle. The volunteers overseeing competitions and running the food booths said it provides its own rewards...