LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair Foundation’s directors have been named the grand marshals of the 2017 Lake County Fair.
Foundation directors are Ruth Stewart, Jane Alameda, Chuck Doty (honored posthumously), Bob Renker and junior member at large, Erica Illg.
Foundation President Ruth Stewart, has been involved in the Lake County community since 1996. She bought Kelseyville Pharmacy in 2002 and later purchased Coyote Valley Pharmacy in Hidden Valley.
A generous supporter of many Lake County events and activities, Stewart has been a buyer at the Junior livestock auction and a sponsor of prizes and awards for the 4-H and FFA exhibitors. She a generously supports the Lake County Wine Alliance, the Wine Adventure and the Lake County Rodeo. She worked diligently to assist pharmacy customers during the recent Lake County fires.
Also honored is another founding member of the Lake County Fair Foundation, Chuck Doty, who died in March.
Doty was a vital part of Lake County since 1988, involved in many community groups over the years including the Lake County Land Trust, The Children's Museum of Art and Science, Soroptimist, founder of Lake County Business Outreach and Response Team and was on the committee to bring a university to Lake County.
He was a volunteer firefighter for several years, before becoming chief of the Lower Lake Volunteer Fire Department. He also was on the Board of Directors of the Lake County Fire Protection District.
Doty was very involved in the Lake County Fair and over the years implemented financial activities that greatly benefited the Junior Livestock Auction.
As a founding member of the Lake County Fair Foundation, he was instrumental in obtaining the volunteer services of a local contractor to assist in infrastructure improvements on the fairgrounds.
Another founding director of the Lake County Fair Foundation and longtime Lake County resident is Jane Alameda.
Alameda is very much involved in the community through many organizations such the Lake County Arts Council, Clearlake Horsemen’s Association, Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, Soper Reese Theatre and Tango Mike.
She has been involved with Lake County Fair since 1976 as a beef and sewing leader for her girls and held the position of livestock chairperson. She volunteered her time in the fair’s clothing and textile building for many years.
Robert “Bob” Renker is a strong supporter of Lake County and the Fair Foundation. A lifelong resident of Lake County, Renker is an Air Force veteran, a 22-year member of the Kelseyville Lions Club, a 24-year member of American Legion Post 194 and also belongs to the Lake County Farm Bureau.
Renker has supported our community through many outreach and fundraising programs. His children were raised in Lake County and were all participants of 4-H and FFA programs where they learned the importance of the agriculture industry. He also supports the fair through his exhibits and entries each year.
This year’s youngest honoree is Junior Director Erika Illg. In 2004 she came to Lake County, where she and her family have a medium-sized dairy and market goat hobby farm, as well as being a foster family for 26 children in the last four and a half years.
Illg and her family raise Nigerian, La Mancha’s and Boer goats and she will be a participant at this year’s fair.
She is a member of the American Dairy Goat Association and travels through the country showing her goats. She has been involved in 4-H since she was 7 years old. As her 4-H All-Star project, Illg bred, raised, then donated the first animal for auction with all proceeds, close to $9000, benefiting the Lake County Fair Foundation.
The annual Lake County Fair kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 31, with a parade up Main Street in Lakeport, followed at 6 p.m. by the opening ceremonies at the main entrance.
For more information visit www.lakecountyfair.com.
Fair Foundation directors named grand marshals for Lake County Fair
- Lake County News reports
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