WELLINGTON — The county’s 4-H clubs are once again elevating trash to art.
The annual trash barrel painting contest gives the otherwise mundane barrels fairgoers will pitch their garbage into a bit of life and also conveys a message.
This year’s theme, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” is part of the contest’s ongoing theme of protecting the environment, said Maggie Kelch, spokeswoman for Ross Environmental Services, which spon-sors the contest with the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District.
“We supply the trash barrels at the fairgrounds and do this contest as an education program for the kids,” she said.
But fair President Brian Twining said the fair remains woefully behind in offering recycling for those who are looking to get rid of their waste while attending the fair.
“It isn’t where it should be,” he said.
The fair has a few scattered recycling containers but has never really had much success with the program, he said.
“Everyone thought it was just a garbage can, and it hasn’t really progressed,” Twining said.
It’s an issue Twining said the fair board will likely revisit for next year’s fair.
For this year’s barrel painting contest, there were 31 entries from 18 4-H clubs that were judged for their neatness, creativity and conformity to the theme, according to a news release announcing the winners.
The nine winning entries will be on display at the Junior Fair barn throughout the fair. The rest will be scattered around the fairgrounds.
“We were very impressed with the artistic talent and creativity of the 4-H clubs who entered the contest,” said Sally Pecora, project manager for the Solid Waste District. “Choosing the winners was a challenging task for the judges.”
In the 5- to 8-year-old category, winners were Brownhelm Perfection, first place; Big Dogs, second place; and Blue Ribbon Buddies, third place.
In the 9- to 12-year-old category, winners were Bits & Spurs, first place; Sunset Riders, second place; and Brighton Buckeyes, third place.
In the 13- to 18-year-old category, winners were Brownhelm Perfection, first place; Another 4-H Club, second place; and Columbia Cisco Kids, third place.
First-place winners will receive a $75 prize, while second-place finishers will receive $50 and third-place finishers will get $25.
The prize money and ribbons will be awarded on Junior Fair night on Aug. 27.
Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.
