Lorain County Junior Fair Board competes in a food fight

For the first two years of the Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer event, Lorain County has come out on top collecting more food than any other Junior Fair Board. ELYRIA -- It's a food fight of epic proportions pitting the Lorain County Junior Fair Board against all of the other Junior Fair Boards across the state as our hometown 4Hers try to hold on to the title for collecting the most food donations during fair week. For the first two years of the Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer event, Lorain County has come out on top collecting more food than any other Junior Fair Board in the state and coordinator Holden Harker hopes to keep it going this year. "There is a lot of competition to edge us out," he said. "But that just means we have to be competitive against them." Harker, 19, of Berlin Heights, has been spearheading the event, sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America and Rural 1st, since it started. "Farm Credit and Rural 1st came to the Lorain County Junior Fair Board and presented this idea," Holden said. "Lorain County is always looking for more funds to make improvements to the barns and this is for a good cause." All participating county fairs receive $500. The junior fair board that collects the most food based on total pounds receives $5,000, second place receives $3,500 and third place receives $1,500. Additional prizes are awarded based on total pounds donated. Last year, Lorain County took first place, collecting more than 28,000 pounds of food, not quite the 30,000-pound goal, but enough to beat out the other Junior Fair Boards in the state. And that was with not having a fair one day due to weather and flooding. This year, they are setting the goal event higher. "I'd love to hit 35,000 pounds and see that amount of food go back into our community," Holden said. This year, donations will go to Well Help Inc. in Wellington, Henrietta United Methodist Church and a South Amherst food pantry, he said. "Everything collected goes directly back to our community," the Junior Fair Board executive member, said. Holden, who ages out of 4-H this year, attends the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, where he studies heavy diesel, ag mechanics and is working toward his commercial driver's license. Fairgoers wanting to donate can do so throughout Fair Week. "Admission to get into the fair is still free on Sunday, Aug. 18, so people can come see us then to drop off their donation in barn 14 and they don't have to worry about admission, or they can see us any other time throughout the week," he said. "We receive a lot of water, which is very beneficial to the southern portion of the county. We want to think heavy, but we also want to give these food banks what people can use." Instant rice, macaroni and cheese, canned protein are all possible examples. Of course, monetary donations are also accepted. A group of Junior Fair Board volunteers will go shopping with the money donated to purchase more food for the pantries. "We work with smaller, family owned grocery stores to help put even more back into our community, instead of going to bigger, national chains," Holden said. A member of the Country Shamrocks 4-H club, Holden said he loves to see everyone come out to support the food drive, Junior Fair Board, and the community each year. "It's always bittersweet to age out of things like this," he said. "I know it will be in good hands next year. I'm already showing Nolan Norman the ropes. He's a hard-working kid." Holden is the son of Robert and April Harker. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.