Commissioners praise fair board and highlight "Fill the Freezer" campaign at Lawrence County Fair

Lawrence County commissioners held their July 8 meeting at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds and used the session to recognize fair-board volunteers, describe upcoming fair events and highlight a new community food-distribution effort.

Fair-board speakers and commissioners praised the facility improvements and volunteer effort that support the county fair. Speakers described a packed week of events including derbies, circus family night, tractor pulls, rodeo performances and livestock shows; one fair-board speaker said the rodeo was "always a good time" and that attendance had been strong despite rain earlier in the week.

Fair-board members reported specific fair activity counts: they said the county held its first turkey show with 28 projects and 41 turkeys entered. Speakers credited 4-H volunteers and fair-board members for organizing events and improving facilities with recent grants and county assistance.

Commissioners and fair-board representatives also promoted a new program organized by the Lawrence County Community Foundation. The initiative, called a "Fill the Freezer" campaign, offers buyers the option to donate meat from livestock sales; the foundation will pay to have donated meat processed and will distribute it to families experiencing food insecurity in Lawrence County. The transcript records the county and fair partners encouraging buyers to donate at the junior fair sale on Saturday.

Speakers emphasized the fair’s role in youth development, noting examples of 4-H participants who used sale proceeds for education and other opportunities. The county thanked fair-board volunteers and staff, and encouraged public attendance at fair events through the weekend.

No formal county policy or budget actions specific to the "Fill the Freezer" program were recorded in the meeting; the discussion was promotional and testimonial in nature.