JEFFERSON —
The Ashtabula County Fair isn’t all about rides, cows and candy apples.
The fair board is already planning a moving tribute to county veterans who have received a Purple Heart for their service to their country.
“For the 2013 fair, we will honor those who have been awarded a Purple Heart, presenting them with a handmade, red, white and blue quilt or afghan spotlighting the Purple Heart award,” said Everett Helfer, fair board member. “In that regard, we have instituted a new class (in the arts and crafts department) that will be open for quilts, afghans, cross stitch blankets and throws, in the senior and junior divisions.”
Items must be at least lap size, but no larger than twin size. They will be displayed in the craft/grange building during the 2013 fair.
Announcing the Purple Heart program more than a year in advance will give crafters ample opportunity to create and finish the project, Helfer said.
The quilts will not be returned to the crafter after the fair, but rather, a brief biography of each veteran’s service will be read in front of a crowd at the grandstand and each veteran will be presented with a quilt or afghan.
Any extra quilts or afghans will be donated to veteran’s hospitals or nursing facilities. Preference will be given to wounded veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Helfer said he got the idea for Purple Hearts for Veterans from the Trumbull and Columbiana county fairs.
“Trumbull honored 49 Purple Hearts last year,” he said. “They said the hardest part is getting the names of all the people to be honored.”
So far, Helfer has gathered 15 names.
A longtime member of the fair board, Helfer played an essential role in planning and building the Veteran’s Wall on the east side of the fairgrounds.
The fair board also is looking for sponsors to pay for the veterans’ travel expenses and special events at the 2013 fair. Anyone who would like to sponsor the Purple Heart program or if you know of an Ashtabula County Purple Heart veteran, call Helfer at 998-3950.
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