The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Wahkiakum County Fair Board has found a gem of a new manager right in their midst. Lore Twiet was hired the first of April to manage the fair, and she’s perfect for the job.

Twiet said she has been involved with the fair since 1988, and for the past few years, “I’ve worked with the different fair managers and probably with the last three or four I’ve helped familiarize them with the rules,” she said.

Twiet said she’s always been in the background helping with the fair. She became a fair board member soon after she moved to Wahkiakum County.

“I was also the Fair Board president for a few years and the vice-president for a couple of years and I worked on the fair premium book for several years and I’ve been the cat superintendent,” she said. “I love cats!”

Lore said she and her two boys moved to Wahkiakum in 1972.

“I started work for the Washington State University Extension Service in 1988,” said Lore. She also said she began to get involved with 4-H.

Lore said the county fair 4-H program is one of the more important elements to the fair because of the state funding it provides, But, “4-H is more about the kids learning life skills, and while the fair is important, it's also where kids get to exhibit their projects.”

Lore said the process in 4-H is that if the kids exhibit and win at the county fair then they move on to the state fair.

“The fair is evaluated by a board of state commissioners,” she said, “and we have to have so many entries to meet the state curriculum and that’s what our state fair funding is based on.”

The fair now pretty much runs on state money, and that money is dependent on the amount of entries in the different fair categories.

“The county doesn’t budget money for the fair any more,” she said. “We get about $33,000 from the state, and the state requires that half that goes to premiums.”

The county has been cutting the fair budget progressively for the past few years, and for the last two, Lore said, the fair hasn’t received any money from the county.

Lore said because of the county budget crunch, commissioners weren’t in the position to fund the fair.

“They do give us a certain amount for maintenance because the property and buildings belong to the county.”

Lore said the Wahkiakum County Fair Association is an organization developed to raise money for the fair.

“I believe it is in the process of getting its nonprofit status so it can start raising money to support the fair.” she said. “It was started by people who believe the fair is an important part of the community and want it to survive.”

Lore said the fair couldn’t survive without its volunteers and the fair has a lot of volunteers who give of their time and labor. “Our volunteers also donate supplies and that’s a big help.”

Lore said the fair board is very dedicated to keeping the fair as a viable part of the community because in August the fair become the hub for many of the county’s activities.

“As you know, it has a 101 year tradition and it is one of the last rural county fairs and we want to keep that tradition alive.”

Lore said the fair attracts family reunions, class reunions and spurs visits from many who have moved away. She says she envisions a good future for the county fair. She also said county commissioners have indicated their support and willingness to come back and work with and for the fair.

“Even though the county budget limits what they can do, the commissioners have all said they support the fair.”

Lore said she took the fair manager’s position because it will give her more time to contribute to the fair.

“Through my position at WSU I’ve learned how to delegate and I think that will help me. We’ll see. I have my first meeting with Dollars For Scholars soon, and that will be my first step-right-in job,” she said.

“I also worry about the weather,” she said with a smile. It seems people don’t realize if there is a short growing season there won’t be plants to enter for the premiums.

The new fair manager is encouraging everyone to check out the fair premium book and think about entries they can make.

“If people and clubs don’t enter things, it cuts down the premium dollars we get from the state,’” she said.