The 2019 Douglas County Fair drew thousands of people to its four-day run Aug. 14-17. Despite rain Thursday night and a strong thunderstorm Saturday night, Fair Board President Don Kleine said a preliminary estimate of fair attendance was around 48,000 for all four days.
Ross Evavold / Echo Press
Above: The Dragon Wagon ride at the midway of the Douglas County Fair produced a range of emotions on its riders.
HERITAGE SQUARE GETS A NEW NAME By Karen Tolkkinen ktolkkinen@echopress.com
T
he place where you can find melt-in-your mouth rosettes and fresh-offthe-griddle lefse has a new name: Kathryn LeBrasseur Heritage Square. LeBrasseur, a former long-time member of the Douglas County Fair Board, was honored on the first day of the fair for her service to the fair as well as her leadership in lining up volunteers and performers for Heritage Square. Several years ago, when state food service regulations threatened to derail heritage food demonstrations, she arranged for the Alexandria Senior Center with its certified kitchen to take over the baking and ensure the demonstrations continued. “It’s an honor that I’m very thrilled about,” LeBrasseur said, while standing in front of the log cabin now bearing her name. “I grew up at county fair. My dad had trotters and pacers. The fair has been a part of my life since I was born.” Her favorite memory, she said, is wearing a white coat and leading her dad’s Standardbred horses onto the
track for harness racing. She was also involved in 4-H as a child. Fair Board member Kevin Brezina said the renaming of the square commemorates a LeBrasseur’s lifetime of involvement and service to the fair. “When she got the award she looked at me and said her dad would be so proud of her,” he said. In front of the log building, she greeted and bantered with passersby. They knew her name and she knew theirs. And in decades to come, new generations will stop by to listen to music or eat some lefse and maybe read the beautiful cursive on the sign: “Kathryn LeBrasseur Heritage Square.”
Outstanding seniors
Besides LeBrasseur, two other seniors were honored during the fair with a 2019 Outstanding Senior Citizen Award. Steve Henry, nominated by County Commissioner Jerry Rapp, was the male honoree. A master gardener, he also is involved with Viking Sportsmen, United Way and Caring and Sharing. He is a national smokejumper, works with youth, and serves as a
Karen Tolkkinen / Echo Press
eucharistic minister in nursing homes for St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He is president of the Douglas County Lakes Association, advocating for clean water, wildlife and habitat. Darlene Walburg was the female honoree, nominated by Pamela Kamholz and the Elder Network. Walburg Walburg provides breaks for those who care for ill and disabled family members, and has organized monthly clinics in Parkers Prairie and Osakis to take care of feet for diabetics and others who need the help. She is a board member of the Back Pack Attack program in Osakis, which supplies children with food and nutrition education. Each week, she prepares meals for three families and provides meals to the homebound. She also provides local monthly transportation to neighbors in need in the newly developed “neighbors helping neighbors” program. To qualify for the award, the honoree must be 70 years old and their service must be performed on a volunteer basis after age 65.
Contributed photo
Left: Kathryn LeBrasseur greets a friend on the first day of the fair, hours after Heritage Square was officially renamed in recognition of her contributions to the fair. Right: County Commissioner Jerry Rapp, left, nominated Steve Henry for the male Outstanding Senior Citizen Award.
Thank
you!
Ross Evavold / Echo Press
Barb Burss has been a fixture at the Douglas County Fair for years, and is instantly recognizable for her love of smiley faces.
Every day is a happy one for Burss By Ross Evavold revavold@echopress.com It doesn’t take long to find happy faces at the Douglas County Fair. Most everyone appears pleased to be on the fairgrounds, whether they are searching out food items on Calorie Lane, playing games or going on rides in the midway, 4-H kids showing off animals or whether you’re just taking it all in. When it comes to smiling faces, though, one person stands above the rest. Barb Burss can always be found surrounded by a smile. For more years than she can remember, her hobby has been amassing those yellow smiley faces we are all familiar with. No matter what form they come in, she absolutely loves them. “I collect happy faces,” she said last week at the fair, where she was selling coat hangers she had covered with mixed yarn. It was an entirely believable statement, seeing as she was sitting on a yellow lawn chair with a smiley face on the back. She was wearing no fewer than five smiley-faced buttons, not to mention the specially-made smiley-faced shorts she had on that day. She had also slapped the stickers all over a cup and on a cash box. And when it rained Thursday night, Burss was prepared. The umbrella she brought
with was – you guessed it – just one yellow smiley face after another. What prompted this fascination with happy faces? “I thought, which way does the Lord like to see us?” she said. “I told my aunt it makes me happy, and people like to see you smile.” What better way to go through life? So Burss has gone on collecting items that contain the smiley face logo. A timer, pajamas, a beach towel, gloves, a clock, more clothing. In her apartment, she says she has made it a point to have a smile in every room. Coffee cups and a cookie jar in the kitchen, pillows on a couch, beads, a trash can. A “Smile: It’s contagious” poster. And a rug in the hallway. Dean Affeldt, who has known Burss since they attended Central Junior High together, said that she was happy even as a child. “She’s always smiling,” he said, noting that Burss embraces the attitude that “Every day is a good day; it’s just that some days are better than others.” She hasn’t been able to keep all of the items she has collected. She used to have something that said, “Smile – it makes people wonder what you’re up to.” Burss isn’t up to anything, except spreading joy. And smiles.
The Douglas County Agricultural Association and its Board of Directors wishes to thank the many businesses, organizations, and public entities that helped to make the 2019 Douglas County Fair a tremendous success. It is because of the attendance of fairgoers from Douglas County and the surrounding region that we are able to maintain our facilities and grounds and keep them in such great condition. Your fair continues to be one of the most popular summer events in central Minnesota.
SEE YOU IN 2020!