Welcome to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation’s blog!
We are a non-profit organization with a mission to raise funds for the renovation and preservation of the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds. Since our inception in 1993, the Foundation has raised more than $200 million through individual contributions, state appropriations, in-kind services, and corporate, federal and state grants.
Please follow our blog to learn more about our organization.
January was a month of intern interviews as we searched for the three people who would help us get everything done for the 2013 Iowa State Fair. Initially your heart has a nervous flutter to it as you look at a very small pile of resumes in the weeks leading up to the deadline. But, not unexpectedly, the mailman delivers several large envelopes every day in the few days leading up to the December 31st application deadline. This year we had quite a few to select from and called ten students in for interviews.
I enjoy talking with these students as they are all very motivated and involved in a wide range of actitivies. Across the board they use words like dedicated, drive, energy, passionate and goal-oriented. They have started new organizations at their respective colleges or served on leadership groups to bring about change. And, several of them spoke of their experiences of showing at the Iowa State Fair and how much that has meant to them. It makes you wish you had more than three internship positions to offer as each of the students has something that could help the Foundation. One of our less serious, but very important questions to ask is: "What is your favorite Fair food?" We have an ulterior motive as sometimes this question reveals a food we have not tried. This year's responses included the beef sundae, caramel apple with nuts, turkey leg, hot dog, corn dog, deep fried ice cream, monkey tails, tenderloin, pork chop on a stick and honey lemonade.
We are pleased to welcome Carly Grenfell (Drake), Kaitlin Ricke (Central) and Kristine Milbrandt (Wartburg) to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. Look for more information about all three of these ladies in our Spring newsletter and throughout the summer.
It's that time of year again. Tax season. For some, this is good news. It means that at some point in the next few months, they will be receiving a tax refund and will be able to use that extra money to pay off bills, take a vacation, or boost their savings account. For others, it means that their savings account will get a little smaller and they will be the ones issuing a check. Whatever your situation may be this year, did you know that you can use your tax form as a means of donating to the Blue Ribbon Foundation? That's right - simply by checking line 58-B of Iowa Tax Form 10-40 or Line 14 of tax form 10-40-A, you are able to donate one dollar (or more!) to the Blue Ribbon Foundation to help preserve and improve the Iowa State Fairgrounds. These donations provide for new sidewalks, lighting, restrooms, air conditioning, and much more. The Corndog Checkoff is officially called the "State Fairgrounds Renovation Contribution" and all contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information, click here or call us at 1-800-450-3732.
Today I took a moment to walk around the Fairgrounds, snapping pictures of buildings with a mantle of snow and a bright blue sky above. It's definitely a less colorful look than August with all of the bright lights, flags, stands and people but the stark contrast of our buildings and the white snow really seem to bring out the simple beauty of the grounds. So, keeping this blog short and sweet, I thought I'd share some of the photos with you as most of you don't have the opportunity to visit at this time of the year. Enjoy.
As we are wrapping up 2012 and getting ready to head into 2013, I find myself taking a step back and reflecting on the past year. I still vividly remember January 1, 2012 as I sat in my tiny one bedroom apartment anxious and excited for what the new year was going to bring. And now, as I sit here on December 27, 2012 in my office, I can say with a sigh of relief that I survived my first Fair as the Sponsorship Director, married my best friend, and moved into a slightly larger, although still stuffed to the gills apartment.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation also had a busy but successful 2012. We kicked off the new year with the annual Corndog Checkoff campaign, and to date have raised over $67,000. Next came Fan Fair and Grandstand ticket sales, and shortly after that we found ourselves opening the doors to our largest event (besides the Fair, of course) - the Corndog Kickoff. It was a record breaking year for the Foundation, and we are already starting the planning process for 2013, crossing our fingers that we will be able to compete with our wildly successful 2012.
As we reflect on our successes from 2012, we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this past year one for the books. We feel so blessed to have great donors, patrons, supporters and friends, and we could not do everything we do without each and every one of you. We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and are able to ring in the New Year in style. From all of us at the Blue Ribbon Foundation - Happy New Year!
There is a new addition to the Blue Ribbon Foundation family! Allyson & Chad Krull welcomed Kendall Elizabeth Krull on Tuesday, December 11th. Mom and baby are doing great and are looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of three. Congratulations Chad & Allyson!
It's that time of year again when I send out all of the yearly renewals for our membership programs. While we have a variety of giving programs that can be one time gifts, we also offer three different membership programs that you may not be as familiar with. The deadlines for all three programs for 2013 is March 1, but often people like to contribute before the end of the year for tax purposes. Check them out below and see if you might be interested.
Fan Fair: For each $150 contribution made to the Fan Fair program, you become eligible to purchase 2 Grandstand show tickets during a special presale.
1854 Society: Funds raised by the 1854 Society helped renovate the Richard L. Easter Museum Complex and donations continue to provide archival quality storage needed for proper preservation of the museum’s historic pieces. The initial fee of $1,854 gives you a number of exclusive benefits during the Fair, and the renewal each subsequent year is just $395 for those same benefits. See how you can get involved with this special program.
Jake's Club: Experience the VIP lounge in the Jacobson Exhibition Center during the Iowa State Fair. Balcony box seating, comfortable couches, live video feeds from shows around the Fairgrounds and a full bar are a few of the perks. The initial enrollment fee is $500, and the renewal fee is $100 each year.
If you're a renewing member for any of the programs, be sure to get your donations in by March 1, and if you're looking to join any of the programs above, feel free to contact us with any questions!
So this blog post I've decided to spare you a long recruitment plea about summer internships, but I can't go on without a reminder. Internship applications are due in a month (December 31), so make sure you get those turned into Jenna and don't miss out on the opportunity! Ok- with that out of the way, it's time to talk concerts! Mark your calendar for February 2 to see Fair favorite "Hairball" in the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center!
Tickets went on sale today for Hairball, the 80s rock impersonation act which will highlight the performance styles of Guns n’ Roses, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Ozzy, AC/DC, Journey, Poison and more. Crowds pour in to see this act during the Fair, and now you have a chance to see them in the off-season...for only $15! If you're interested in tickets, be sure to get them in advance to save yourself some cash. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.
Speaking of concerts, we're already planning for the 2013 Fair and don't want you to miss out on getting great seats to your favorite grandstand show(s)! Fan Fair is a yearly membership program that allows you to purchase tickets to the concert(s) of your choice before tickets are released to the general public. For each $150 donation you make toward the program, you are allowed to purchase two grandstand tickets early for the 2013 Fair's grandstand lineup. For more information about Fan Fair 2013 and how to join, check out the webpage. Donations must be made by March 1, 2013 to be used for the 2013 lineup; donations received after this date will apply to Fan Fair 2014.
Be sure to get your concert fill this year, whether it is by attending the Hairball concert in February or joining Fan Fair for the 2013 Fair concerts!
Today I was out scouting the Fairgrounds for pinecones to use for a holiday event the Foundation is hosting. As I was searching out evergreens, I ran across Bob and Cindy who are the Fair's full-time groundskeepers. They were out in an area between Pioneer Hall and Grandfather's Barn clearing out a patch of dogwood brush, mullberries and other assorted volunteer plants. They each had a pickup loaded with branches and it wasn't the first load or two from the area. While the weather is nice, Bob and Cindy are working hard to get the grounds put to bed for the winter - trimming trees, planting bulbs, thinning out grasses and transplanting plants. There are over 400 acres of beds, bushes and trees to keep up with. During the summer months they do have several additional workers to help with planting, watering and weeding and an entirely different crew mows, but during the rest of the year it's just the two of them.
As the Fair's official gardener, Bob is the person we consult for our Trees for the Fair programs and the man responsible for figuring out how all the annual beds will be planted each year. If you look closely, you'll notice that he tries to coordinate many of the beds with the colors that are featured in the Fair's logo. In 2011 he had the butter cow done in marigolds and this year there was an ice cream cone of vinca featured in the bed at Little Hands on the Farm. Wonder what he might come up with for the 2013 "Happiness Is...." theme? I know the challenges I face in keeping my gardens at home in shape and remembering what I planted where so I can't imagine keeping track of the entire Fairgrounds. And I don't have to contend with a million people coming in and walking all over it during the month of August. My hat goes off to them for keeping our big park in such great shape!
As we get ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I think back to college when we used to get the whole week off! I'm grateful for the two days in the working world, but a week?! That would be great! Though, come to think of it, I have more than enough to keep me busy here at work as I prepare to be gone for maternity leave in just a few short weeks.
Well, for all of you lucky college students who get next week off, you should really start thinking about what your plans are for this summer. No, it's not too early to start thinking about jobs and internships. In fact, the deadline for our internships is approaching quickly and by the time you squeeze final exams and classes, you might not have time to apply in the end of December. So, get started now. Take a few hours next week during your time off and update your resume, polish up some writing samples (and design samples if you have them) and apply for the Foundation's internships!
For more information about what we offer and how to apply, check it out here on our website. If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact Jenna. We look forward to receiving your application and hopefully in person for an interview. Applications are due December 31...don't miss out on this great opportunity!
Yesterday we hosted the 6th annual Fairgrounds 5K Fun Run and Walk on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. While the skies were overcast the temperature was in the upper 40s, which isn't bad for a November day. We had over 400 people signed up for the race -either 5K, walk or kids' run. Though that number was down from last year, the people that came out had a good time. I particularly enjoyed watching the families, especially those with young children participating in the Chase the Cow Kids' Run. And kudos to our "cow" runner, Hailey. It's not an easy task to run with little kids while you're wearing a cow costume!
What made my day is being able to have my children help with the event too. Bryce, my 5 year-old, arrived with me at 8:00 a.m. to help put out the directional signs and stock refreshments. Alex, age 3, arrived later with my husband. Both road with me on the "sag wagon" during the race and then helped take down signs and clean up afterward. It's nice to have them participate, learn about volunteering and work that is fun; just being part of a team working together toward a common goal. And I wasn't the only one with my kids helping, quite a few of our volunteers were family groups of one kind or another. So, mark your calendar for next year's Fairgrounds Fun Run and Walk, set for November 3, 2013 and make it a new family event, whether you run, walk or volunteer.
