The Marion County Fair recognized the Memory of Ronnie “Rev” Wilkins when dedicating the newly expanded Announcer’s Stand in front of the grandstand Monday night.
Wilkins was a fair board member for more than 30 years and also served a number of years as President.
Fair Board member Rollen Vandeveer says the new announcer’s stand is just one of many projects that were started by Wilkins.
“Rev would drive through the fairgrounds, see things that needed to be done. He would get permission, draw up plans, get supplies, and then you would get a friendly call asking what are you doing Saturday morning. He was behind a lot of the improvements around this fairgrounds and on behalf of the Marion County Fair Board and everyone that will be coming to this fair the next 50 years, and I’d like to thank the family because they brought the last project to life by donating money to make this new building possible.”
“Rev” was Becky Shuler’s uncle. She spoke for the family.
“After he passed away we as a family knew how important the Fair Association was to him and how many hours he spent down here with the other members. And actually in going through some of his belongings after he passed, came across a notebook where he had started to draw up plans for a new announcer’s booth here at the grandstand.”
Fair Board members donated their time to build the expanded announcer’s stand that was just completed hours before the ceremony when the new Welcome to Marion County Fair sign was hung.
Looking out the windows towards the grand stand in the new Announcer’s booth. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
