There are 21 directors of the Lorain County Fair Board and countless other dedicated fair workers all pulling their weight to get this year’s fair up and running.

At noon Monday, one will be honored during the official opening ceremony of the 2009 fair. The quick outdoors event will take place during the Junior Fair King and Queen crowning and annual 4-H Band concert.

No one knows who will walk away with this year’s Clair Hill Award. The identity of the recipient is always kept secret until the award is given out during fair week.

The outstanding service award, sponsored by The Chronicle-Telegram, has been bestowed on a deserving fair worker since 1960 in honor of former fair secretary Clair Hill.

Still, whoever is bestowed the honor will likely be just like countless others who have given of themselves to make the fair a success year after year. Last year, the surprised honoree was Ron Pickworth, president of the Lorain County Fair Board. He was chosen for his 30 years of dedication and leadership — two things Pickworth said are just in his blood because his father was a longtime fair board member.

In 2007, John Piwinski, a longtime volunteer and board member, was the winner of the year. Everyone knows Piwinski is devoted to the fair so much so that even getting dragged around by a mammoth steer — which actually happened some years ago — can’t tear him away from the fair.