2012 Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Heart beat quickening, pulse soaring, butterflies fluttering, excitement rising, and adrenaline pulsing. These are all of the things I felt on May 6^th, 2012 as I was being interviewed for the position of 2012 Dane County Fairest of the Fair.

After I arrived, I drew a number to determine who went first for the individual interview.  As I reached my hand into the bucket, I removed a folded paper to find I had number one.  My day included an interview, group interview, self-introduction, radio spot, and an impromptu question.  Then each applicant went through the same process, which gave me time in between to think over everything that has occurred.  Next came the time for the judge’s decision.  Once that was done, then came the longest three minutes of my life, the opening of the envelope with the names of the new Fairest and first Runner Up.  I then heard, “The 2012 Dane County Fairest of the Fair is….Andrea Sarvas”.  I was in shock…I couldn’t believe it.  I was then given roses, a crown and sash.  The next morning I had to touch the crown and sash to see if it was real or just a dream.  It turns out, it was real.

I have already had my first public appearance on May 12^th.  A brat sale was held at Miller and Sons in Mount Horeb at 10 a.m. to help fundraise for the Fairest of the Fair Program.  While we were setting up, a few people came by in the morning to see of the brats were ready.  After a while, the brats were referred to as “breakfast brats”.  Then lunch time came.  It was decided that I should be by the doors through which the customers exited to hand out Fair flyers.  I had a wonderful time speaking with everyone!  The thing that made me smile the most was how many young girls thought I was a princess.  To see the smiles on their faces, made my day.  It wasn’t until my friend came to visit at 1:30 p.m., that I realized I had been in that very same spot for almost three hours.  To me, the time flew by!  While Macy would head into the store to grab supplies, she would let me know how things were going on her end.  Apparently, we had a huge order of twenty-two brats from just one guy.  Wow, that was the only word I could think of at that moment.  Eventually, we had two tables full of people eating brats, relaxing, and socializing.  It was great!  By the time 2:00 p.m. came along, it felt as though only an hour had passed.  We took everything down and headed home.

On May 14^th, I was able to attend the Dane County Fair Board Meeting.  Macy gave her farewell and introduced me to the board.  I spoke about myself, my involvement in 4-H, extracurricular, and volunteer activities.  In my speech I mentioned that I currently carry thirty-four projects and am a youth leader in all thirty-four.  That was the moment the whole board looked shocked.  After a few moments we began to joke about how I was only a “little” busy.  I had such a great time meeting and speaking with the Dane County Fair Board members!

On Saturday, May 19^th, I will have my Fairest of the Fair Orientation with Lisa.  The next public event I will be attending is the Cows on the Concourse on June 2^nd in downtown Madison.  I can’t wait and hope to see you all there!

-Andrea

The end of my beginning

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

A year ago I stood at the Fen Oak Center with shaky knees and a beating heart.  On Saturday I will again stand at Fen Oak with shaky knees and a beating heart.  This time though for a different reason.  After an outstanding year I have the opportunity to crown the 2012 Dane County Fairest of the Fair.

It has truly been an honor to serve as the 2011 Dane County Fairest of the Fair.  I have gained so much and learned so much as a person over the last year.  I have had incredible opportunities and gotten the chance to meet countless new friends.  I had the opportunity to begin a blog and blend the passion of the Dane County Fair with the passion of my writing.  I know I will never forget a moment of it.

I wish I could say that I kept up with my goal of blogging weekly while at school.  Sadly enough, that goal did not happen.

I look forward to serving on the Dane County Fairest of the Fair committee for a long time.  To keep in touch with me, please feel free to take a look at my other blog, burstofsunshine4.blogspot.com or email me at macy.sarbacker@gmail.com.

For one of the last times, my name is Macy Sarbacker and I am proud to be your 2011 Dane County Fairest of the Fair.  Thank you for supporting my dreams and guiding me through my journey as Dane County Fairest of the Fair.

Thank you!

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

A HUGE thank you to Rick Francois and Francois Ford of Belleville for becoming our very first Dane County Fairest of the Fair sponsor!  We look forward to a great year with you!

Budding into change

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

What do you think of when you see or hear the word “change”?  When I was younger, I thought of new transitions. Like snack time is over, now it’s nap time.  When I got a little older I thought of things changing. Like the leaves on the trees, and the growing grass.  Now I think about people changing. 

I am now writing to you from my dorm room in Ames, Iowa.  How crazy is that?  The change is never easy.  This change for me meant leaving my home, family, and friends.  This change meant starting over by myself.  And I was not happy about it at all at first.  But if I could give everyone this opportunity, I would. 

The experience of college isn’t the same for everyone.  Some people go to college with their best friend.  Some people go to college with their boyfriend.  And some people live and home and commute to college.

I started fresh.  Alone.  And on my own, four hours from home.  But honestly, you learn so much about yourself.  Did you know some college students have never washed a load of laundry?  We had to teach a friend the other day.  Did you know some college students had life handed to them all through high school, and this is the first time they had to work?  College changes everyone. 

So what should you do?  Do something that scares you. TODAY!  On Monday I played Rugby.  Yes, Rugby.  Yesterday I killed this huge bug and cleaned up its’ guts.  Maybe all you do is try a new food that you’ve always avoided.  Regardless, that sparks change in yourself. 

Learn about yourself, and take a chance.

Memories, people and puzzle pieces to the future

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Each day of our lives is marked by a memory, a person, or a puzzle piece to our futures.  The week of the Dane County Fair marked memories, people, and hundreds of puzzle pieces to my future.  The opportunity to serve as the Dane County Fair official hostess was an incredible snap shot in my life.  I already look forward to spreading the word about next year’s fair, which is July 18-22 in case you were wondering

In January I will be competing for Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs position.  I am really looking forward to this opportunity.  Ideally, in my life plan I will obtain this position.  If not, I will gain an incredible experience to help me in my future endeavors. 

What was your memory, person or puzzle piece to your future today?

This week!

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Like little kids waiting for Christmas are the 4-Hers waiting for the Dane County Fair.  THIS WEEK! Please stop by and show your support for our youth of Dane County and our businesses of Dane County.  There’s a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes in prep for the fair. Don’t miss it because of the darn weather! 

See you there! Stop by and get a freshly printed fan card

The 175th anniversary may be hottest yet!

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

It is almost fair week!  I am thrilled as ever to be representing Dane County to the fullest at our very own fair.  As you may have noticed, it is going to be VERY hot the week of our wonderful fair.  But that is no reason at all not to come!  There are plenty of ways to stay cool, and still enjoy your fair experience.

How to stay cool at the Dane County Fair July 20th-24th

1) After you pay for your ticket, you are going to walk right past the 4-H Frozen Yogurt stand!  Frozen yogurt is a cheap, delicious way to keep your taste buds and your body temp happy.

2) Then if you keep walking, and take a right, you will walk right into the Alliant Energy Center.  Which is air conditioned!! You could literally spend an entire day looking at projects, visiting booths, shopping and cooling off. 

3) There are dozens of trees around that you can sit under to cool off in the shade. 

Please remember to wear sunscreen, and bring a bottle of water.  Water is the best hydration for your body, and it will cool you down! I look forward to seeing you at the Dane County Fair.

Fulfilling the dream took patience and persistence- VP Column

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Have you ever had a dream – a big one that became prominent in your life? I have had one like that
since the summer of 2008.

That was when I saw a sign in the dairy barn at the Dane County Fair seeking young women ages 18 and
older to compete for Dane County Fairest of the Fair. I knew immediately this was something I needed
to do.

And after three years of preparation, determination and even frustration, that dream came true.

When I first heard of the competition, I was the Dane County Junior Holstein Queen. During the dairy
show at the Stoughton Junior Fair, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Sheri Sutton (Nelson),
then the current Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair. She not only told me of her adventures of her year so far
but let me into her life by telling me about her family, her fiancé, and her plans for her future.

Sheri was, and still is, such a confident, strong young woman. I couldn’t help but hope I, too, could
someday express my passions in a way similar to hers.

After meeting Sheri that day, I did a little research. In order to become Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair,
you first must be your county’s fairest of the fair. That was a problem, since our county did not have a
fairest program – something I found rather surprising, considering the Wisconsin Fairest program has
been around for many years.

But a mere two weeks later, I saw that promotional sign for the Dane County Fair’s first Fairest of the
Fair. Though I had a few years to wait, I knew this was an opportunity I did not want to pass up.

To become Fairest of the Fair, you don’t have to love cows. You don’t have to be in 4-H. And you don’t
have to live on a farm.

Though all of these aspects helped shape me into the young woman I am today and helped to supply my
passion for the Dane County Fair, none of them are necessary. All you have to have is a passion for the
Dane County Fair.

Typically applications are sent out to females who are involved in 4-H because they exhibit at the
Dane County Fair (and likely have a passion for the fair). If you are not a member of 4-H but are
interested in applying for next year’s position, you can find an application at danecountyfair.com.
You can also visit my blog, danecountyfairest.blog.com, find the link on Facebook or e-mail me at
danecountyfairest.gmail.com. I would love to help you along in your process.

After you send in your application, you receive a letter that has more information about the selection
process each spring. Typically, that is an individual interview, a group interview, a 30-second radio spot
and a self-introduction to the audience.

The winner is crowned at the Breakfast on the Farm and spends the following year promoting the fair
and representing the fair at the state competition.

This year has already been a very busy year for me. My very first appearance was at Savanna Oaks
Middle School in Fitchburg. While there, I spoke with the entire school about the Dane County Fairest
program, the Dairy Industry and 4-H. I also had my calf, Jesse, with me.

My next two events were also school visits at Glacier Edge and Sugar Creek. At both elementary schools
I spoke about the importance of school, time management and using a planner or daily calendar to keep
our lives balanced.

Next, I was in attendance at the Cows on the Concourse, Dane County Breakfast on the Farm, and the
Verona Hometown Days Parade. I have also attended the Dane County Board of Supervisors meeting
and the Dane County Fair Board meeting.

My main goal this year is to be in touch with as many people as possible. Whether I am promoting the
Dane County Fair, the Dane County Fairest of the Fair program or simply serving as a role model, I hope
to be in contact with thousands.

As part of that, I plan to complete at least one Fairest event or blog per week. This sounds easy for the
summer and in preparation for the Dane County Fair, but once I am in school in Iowa, it will definitely be
a challenge.

You know how you’re told to keep trying, no matter how hard it gets, or how many times you fail? This
is more than true. In 2010, I was 17 when I applied for Dane County Fairest of the Fair. I stood as runner-
up to Carly Brown of Belleville. And I was rather crushed.

When I competed again this year, I was determined as ever and was successful. I would never have had
this opportunity if I had not tried again.

It stinks to fail. It really does. I know how it feels. It’s so hard to not get what you want and what you
worked for. But it is so necessary to try again and again. You never know what will come out of it.

Maybe all you gain is a great experience. Maybe you meet a new best friend. Or maybe your dreams
come true.

Macy Sarbacker is a 2011 graduate of Verona Area High School who lives on her family’s farm near Paoli.

Where it all began

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

I believe that everything in our lives traces back to something.  Maybe it’s your car that your parents bought for you, and you’re thankful for that.  Maybe it was your elementary school music teacher who urged you to keep playing the cymbals.  Or maybe it was that club you joined that changed your life.  For me, it is exactly that.

I have been a member of the Paoli 4-H Fireballs since I was in third grade.  When I started 4-H, I was a timid, shy young girl who sat on her Mom’s lap in the basement of the library where we had our meetings.  Since then, I have grown into a young women who prefers to be standing in front of the audience talking, rather than listening.  I have learned how to speak in front of audiences, work with a large variety of people, work together to complete tasks, and to serve my community.  All of these skills that I have learned over the years have come into play at some point in my life, and especially now in my role of Dane County Fairest of the Fair.

I was thankful to have the opportunity to visit my 4-H members at a monthly meeting on Monday evening.  4-H truly was the start of ME.

I write monthly columns for the Verona Press! This month I chose to write all about Fairest of the Fair.  Be sure to check out my next blog! I will post the column for you all to read (:

I look forward to seeing YOU at the Dane County Fair July 20-24.  That’s NEXT WEEK!  Let the countdown begin!

Stoughton Swine Show, and MCM

Dane County Fairest of the Fair

Do you ever feel like life just gets away from you?  No matter how you try, life goes hurrying by you leaving you standing wondering where time went? Lately I feel like that’s where I always end up standing no matter how fast I am running.  These past couple months as your Dane County Fairest have flown by.  My summer has flown by!  In a short week, we will be entering the 2011 Dane County Fair!  This fair, and this week is what I build up to. 

Lately building up to my fair, I was at the Stoughton Swine Show, and my last Twilight Thursday at the Madison Children’s Museum.  It was so awesome to see the passion and enthusiasm for the youth of the Swine Industry, especially in the incredible heat!  I learned so much about pigs that morning

On Thursday Susan, Janet and I headed to the MCM for our last Twilight Thursday.  We had a great crowd again this time, and had fun with our calf, Jack.   My friend, Heather, that I met last month for our Twilight Thursday came back to help me, and visit with me!  I am so impressed with her knowledge of the Dairy Industry.  She will truly make a great Fairest someday, and an incredible asset to the Dairy Industry. 

So please, email me, message me on Facebook, comment on a blog and get in touch with me.  I would love to hear your comments, or feedback.  We are coming right up to the Dane County Fair July20th-24th.  See me there!  And keep your head up.  No matter how fast life is flying out of your hands, you have the strength to slow it down.  Even if that merely involves enjoying a moment.  You only live once, so enjoy each moment.