PHOTOS COURTESY OF UMATILLA COUNTY FAIR
Longtime fair volunteer and former board member Gary Garrard has been named the 2014 Umatilla County Fair Grand Marshal.
Garrard was named grand marshal at Saturday’s Fair Appreciation Dinner on Saturday night. The fair also unveiled its theme for 2014: Fun for the Whole Herd. Jennifer Richardson, a Milton-Freewater resident and graphic artist with the Intermountain Education Service District submitted the winning theme.
Also Saturday, Machelle Watts of Patterson, Wash., and Derek Osmin of Hermiston were named Volunteers of the Year.
“Last year Machelle was the go-to person for whatever needed to be done and she did it without reservation,” said Fair Board member Gay Newman. “She was instrumental from the kick-off dinner and the parade, throughout fair week during the barbecue contest and daily activities and at the conclusion of the fair to help wrap up. Wherever you needed help she was there and saw each task through to the end.”
Osmin, like Watts, was kept busy at last year’s fair.
“Last year we stretched him as thin as humanly possible during the fair with all of the electrical issues which only get worse every year as we grow and try to keep up with our aging facility,” said Fair Board member Mel Keely. “Derek was like a ping-pong ball from one end of the grounds to another.”
The Manager’s Award was given to Billie Jean Morris. Fair Board Manager Peggy Anderson said Morris “demonstrates outstanding efforts and continued dedication to the fair, far exceeding the call of duty.” Anderson said Morris not only helps out during the fair, but throughout the entire year and thanked her for spearheading the current project of the Umatilla County Fair’s 100th year celebration and festivities.
Garrard, a long-time volunteer, is known by the nickname “Ice Man” for delivering 20-pound bags of ice to vendors and exhibitors during fair week, year after year.
“The county fair’s highest honor is the grand marshal,” said Don Miller, Chairman of the Umatilla County Fair Board.
Garrard served on the fair board from 1995 to 1999. He also helped with the Jackpot Lamb Sale, served as a liaison with the fair’s carnival and was also a driving factor for the board to provide more big name entertainment during the fair.
“Gary was a major factor in the decision to initiate five complete days of strong name entertainment,” Miller said.
Garrard, a power system electrician at Bonneville Power, takes the entire week off from work to volunteer at the fair.
“He’s in full work mode for multiple hours each day,” adds Miller.
Garrard isn’t the first in his family to be a Grand Marshal. His in-laws, Marv and Margaret Timmons from Milton Freewater served as grand marshals in the late 1990s.
The fair also introduced the 2014 Umatilla County Fair Court. Taryn Coffman of Athena was announced as the court’s queen. She is joined by Princesses Kirstin Otmar, a junior at Hermiston High School; Elizabeth Olson, a Pendleton sophomore; and Katie Sotelo, a senior from Milton-Freewater.
