|
Idaho County Fair is this week The Idaho County Fair officially got underway Wednesday morning with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony. The 4-H Dog and Rabbit Shows got underway at 9:30 a.m. with the Poultry show at 1 p.m. The Pigtail Contest starts at 1:30 p.m. in the Schmidt Building. The 4-H Fashion Show is set to start at 7 p.m. and after it is over several 4-H project awards will be handed out. On Thursday the 4-H & FFA Fitting and Showing Livestock Contest gets underway at 8:30 a.m. The Old Time Fiddlers will be playing at the Gazebo starting at 1 p.m. On Friday the 4-H & FFA Livestock Judging Contest will start at 8:30 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. the 4-H & FFA Livestock Quality Judging will start. The Royalty Evening starts at 6:30 p.m. and will feature the crowning of the 2021 Idaho County Fair Royalty. “Beargrass” will be performing in the gazebo at 7 p.m. Immediately following the royalty crowning, the 4-H Green Swing Dance will start at the Livestock Pavilion. On Saturday the Idaho County Fair Parade starts at 10 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Idaho/Lewis County Cattlemen’s Beef Barbecue will be held. At noon the 4-H Livestock awards will be handed out at the Livestock Pavilion. At 1 p.m. the Market Livestock Sale will start at the Livestock Pavilion. Sale order this year will be Swine-Steers-Sheep-Goats. From 1to 3 p.m. a Spinning Demonstration will be held at the Open Class Building.  Mary McPherson, 2020 Grand Marshal for the Idaho County Fair. By Lorie Palmer
When approached for being chosen as Idaho County Fair grand marshal 2020, Mary McPherson’s reaction was not unfamiliar.Idaho County Free Press “Oh, no, not me,” she smiled, shaking her head. However, it is an honor she did finally graciously accept. Mary was born in Bonners Ferry and moved to a ranch outside Kamiah, in Idaho County, when she was 2. She graduated from Kamiah High School. “My last years in high school were in the same four-story brick building,” where KHS is now, she said. She met her husband, Larry, of the Kooskia area, and together they raised two children, Mike and Molly (now Stowers). She attended two years of Lewis-Clark Normal School in Lewiston, where she received a two-year diploma, which allowed her to teach in rural Oregon. Larry earned his certification through the University of Idaho. The family lived in Oregon before moving to Elk City. There, Larry taught for nine years at Elk City School and Mary worked as an aide, janitor, secretary, substitute – whatever was needed. From Elk City, she took mail-in correspondence courses and participated in summer school, graduating from the U of I with her primary teaching credentials in 1974. “When we were in Elk City, those were different days in school district 241,” (now 244), she said. “We had upwards of 100 kids in school when the mill was running. When it would close for part of the year, we’d go down to about 30 students for a time.” It was when son, Mike, was in sixth grade, and daughter, Molly, in fourth, when the McPhersons made the decision to move to the Clearwater area. “We were getting close to that time when people boarded out their kids for high school, and we didn’t want to do that,” she said. Elk City School served, and stills serves, students in kindergarten through grade eight. The McPhersons moved to the Clearwater area where Mary and Larry both taught the remainder of their careers at Clearwater Valley Elementary School (at that time, primary). Mary started out young in Lewis County 4-H as a child, and even served as a member of Lewis County Fair royalty court when she was in high school. “At that time, it included five communities – Kamiah, Nezperce, Craigmont, Winchester and Reubens – and there was a royalty member from each community, voted on by their school peers,” she explained. The queen position rotated through the five communities. In later years, her own children participated in 4-H. When Clearwater Cowpokes 4-H Club leader, Darlene Renshaw, was diagnosed with cancer, McPherson wanted to keep the club going, especially as Molly was heavily involved. “I was leader for 20 years,” she smiled. The club participated in 4-H Horse Bowl and made it to many state and even national competitions. “In my eyes, all those Cowpokes were winners, even though we were never number one in the state or nation. I loved that experience.” Molly went on to be a 4-H leader, and Mary not only served as a “cheerleader” for her grandsons’ Idaho County 4-H projects, but also volunteered for years in the open class building and served a six-year term on the fair board. “Our grandsons, Ty and Tate Stowers, had horse and beef 4-H projects, so I was able to be in on all they did,” she said. Mary’s hobbies and interests include spending time with her family, church, sewing, horses, camping, knitting, crocheting, gardening, caning and baking. She enjoys her four great-grandchildren, two boys and two girls, who are all younger than 5 years old. “What a joy they are!” she smiled. When it comes to what she most enjoys about the fair, the answer is immediate. “The people. The wonderful ones I’ve met throughout the years, the ones I’ve worked with, the new ones I meet, and all those who do such a terrific job of keeping the fair running smoothly,” she said. She added it’s been an honor to see former 4-H’ers step up across the county to become leaders and help at fair time. “Idaho has been home to me for my whole life, basically, and Idaho County is populated by lots of wonderful people,” she said. “The peaceful, polite, helpful people who are actively enjoying life together are what make the Idaho County fair unique. |
 |
|