Four decades and three generations of dedication to Holmes County Fair for Martin family

MILLERSBURG — As manager of Harvest Ridge, Pat Martin is a busy woman. But being busy at the Holmes County Fairgrounds is kind of a family obligation, one she and her late husband Skeeter started more than 40 years ago.

These days, if Martin wants to see her daughters Tara Sheldon and Erika Schuch, or her grandchildren Jenna Sheldon, Andi Schuch and Becca Schuch, all she has to do is go to work at Harvest Ridge and she's bound to run into any or all of her family.

"The fair has always been a family thing for us. My mother was a 4-H adviser, so I grew up in a 4-H family," Martin said. "My husband was involved with FFA and 4-H,. We always loved it. The kids have grown up in it, and we didn't think about it. It's just a given."

benches:https://www.the-daily-record.com/story/news/county-fair/2020/08/06/benches-help-honor-memo

Tara Sheldon is president of the Harvest Ridge Board, and also serves as secretary of the Holmes County Senior Fair Board. Her daughter Jenna is a member of the junior fair board (JFB), and younger son Breck is in his third year of 4-H.

The junior fair board is a student organization that assists in running the Holmes County Fair.

For the Sheldon family, whether it's through 4-H, fair board or FFA, fair time is family time. Everything stops the week leading up to the fair, the week of the fair and the week after.

Jenna, a sophomore at West Holmes, remembers being involved with the fair since she was about 8, but her mom says she's been bopping around the fair since she was about 2. She is in her second year serving on the junior fair board, not as a familial obligation, but out of love for the fair.

"This is my choice. I love being involved with the fair," Jenna said. "I've definitely learned a lot about responsibility and time management. This feels like my second home. I love announcing shows and hanging out in the JFB office with friends during the fair."

She and her brother Breck also serve as counselors at 4-H camp.

"Between everything else these kids are involved in, from band, FFA and 4-H, this is definitely their choice, because they couldn't do it if they didn't love it," Martin added.

It is much the same for the Schuchs, as mom (Erika) serves as vice president of the 4-H advisory committee, and daughters Andi and Becca are both on the JFB, as well active members in FFA and 4-H.

Erika has been involved in 4-H since she was eligible, taking a brief break when she had her kids. She noted that her husband Jason and Tara's husband Brent get roped into helping out a lot during fair time, along with other projects.

"We got actively involved again when my oldest daughter turned 9," she said. "My mom and Tara have stayed involved the whole time. Tara has been more involved since she serves on the senior fair board."

Becca Schuch, the oldest granddaughter, will be a senior at West Holmes this year. She is involved in many activities aside from serving on FFA and JFB, including marching band, National Honor Society, and she and her sister are on the WHHS trap shooting team.

"My friends that are in marching band call me crazy, because I often have to miss practice because I have a show or something going on at the fair," she said. "It's an ongoing joke, if they need to find me, they know to look out at the fairgrounds."

Andi is in her seventh year of 4-H and has served on JFB for two years. She, like her cousin, will be a sophomore this year at West Holmes.

"My favorite thing about JFB is that you get exposed to life skills that you will use in the future," she said.

The best part of the fair for Martin, her daughters and granddaughters, is that they get to spend so much time together.

— Reach Kevin Lynch at 234-249-5294 or klynch@gannett.com.