When Kelsie Himes, daughter of Sandy and Donnie Himes, won grand champion lamb at the Tuscarawas County Fair, her grandmother, Carol Himes, was prepared. Kelsie had won the grand champion title twice in the past, and the reserve champion title three times, and knew she had a high quality lamb to take to the 2011 fair as well. Grandmother Carol, who obviously takes great pride in her granddaughter’s accomplishments, knew that the local business, The New Company, had been a big supporter of the 4-H Junior Fair sales for many years, and would most likely once again purchase Kelsie’s lamb. So Carol took on the project of presenting the Espenschied family, who own The New Company, with a very special token of appreciation.

On Thursday, Sept. 22, after her lamb sold for $19 a pound to The New Company at the Market Livestock Sale, Kelsie Hinds stepped outside of the sale arena and quietly presented a quilt handmade by her grandmother to Randa Espenschied.

Espenschied was stunned.

“This is absolutely beautiful. I am completely surprised at receiving such a wonderful thank you gift,” exclaimed Espenschied.

“The quilt took about a month to complete,” said Carol Himes, an experienced quilter, of the blue-toned throw she created. “It’s called a five yard quilt, with a yard per pattern of cloth used.”

Kelsie hugged her benefactor, obviously appreciative of the $2,774 purchase price that she said will go toward her future. Currently, the 15 year old plans to be trained as a beautician at Buckeye Career Center.

Not only Kelsie, but 4-H’ers from all categories of animal projects were extremely grateful for the overwhelming support of businesses and individuals at all three of the fair livestock and dairy product auctions. Many different organizations were repeat buyers at the sales.

Thursday night’s sale of hogs, steers, and lambs brought in $427,400 to the 4-H program, and was followed by Friday’s Junior Fair Dairy Sale, where an additional $74,000 was raised with the help of Senior Fair Board member and auctioneer Steve Cronebaugh, along with 4-H dairy project participants, as bidders purchased baskets of dairy products and crafted wood items representing the different dairy breeds. On Saturday, Cronebaugh conducted the third and final of the Junior Fair Livestock events at the Small Animal Sale. At that sale, turkeys, broiler pens, meat rabbits, and market goats were sold by their exhibitors. Generous businesses and community members bid for an additional $42,600, to bring the grand total of the three auction proceeds to $546,000, a new fair record for Tuscarawas County.

“We are truly thankful to all of those who came out to support these kids, and the hard work they have put into the hundreds of animal projects here at the fair,” said Chris Kendle, 4-H Extension agent. “Much of what the kids earn will go back into their projects for the next year, to developing herds and breeding stock of their own, and for furthering their education. 4-H is building the leaders of tomorrow in Tuscarawas County, but we could not do this without such amazing community support.”