Fairgrounds and Community Organizations Team Up for Community Involvement Day

 

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is teaming up with local, nonprofit organizations – the Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, Nevada County 2-1-1, NEO Youth Center, Story Club, Community Beyond Violence (formerly Domestic Violence Coalition), Cinderella Project, The Karing Closet, and BloodSource – on July 31 for Community Involvement Day. This is a day to donate items to these nonprofit organizations, while also receiving coupons for buy one, get one admission tickets to the Fair.  Or, donate blood through BloodSource on that day and receive a free admission ticket to the Fair. The organizations will be at the Fairgrounds Gate 1 main parking lot on Monday, July 31, from 1 – 6 pm, to receive donations of any of the items listed below.

Food Bank of Nevada County: Donate four cans of food.

Foothill Lions: Donate an old hearing aid or old prescription eye glasses.

Nevada County 2-1-1: Donate new/unopened toiletries, including soap, shampoo, shaving cream, disposable razors, toothpaste/toothbrushes, mouthwash, deodorant, toilet paper, paper towels, sanitary wipes, tampons and pads, Chapstick, sunblock and Band-Aids.

NEO: Donate paper, paint supplies, glue sticks, paper towels, sharpies, general craft supplies, packaged snacks, scissors, paint brushes, blank canvases, ping pong and foosball supplies, yoga mats, and music equipment.

Story Club: Donate two new or slightly used children’s books, or chapter books for teens. 

Community Beyond Violence (former Domestic Violence Coalition): Donate gift cards for local merchants for groceries, clothing, gas, bus passes, movie passes, calling cards, shelter supplies and maintenance; kitchen products; pre-paid phones; new socks and underwear; toiletries; bedding (twin and full size).

Cinderella Project:  Donate clean, age-appropriate items from your closet, including prom dresses and semi-formal dresses (all sizes, styles and colors); new or like new high heels, especially ones with sparkle or black strappy styles; jewelry with an emphasis on sparkle (no pearls/costume pearls); hair ornaments, tiaras; and small handbags/clutches.

The Karing Closet: Donate boxes of XL or Jumbo Ziploc bags, packages of index cards, poster board, banker’s boxes, or one new or gently-used school-ready outfit (from children’s size 5 to Junior’s size 16) in a large Ziploc marked bag. No garbage bags full of clothing.

BloodSource:  For a free admission ticket to the Fair, make a blood donation at the BloodSource bloodmobile located in the Gate 1 parking lot at the Nevada County Fairgrounds. For information and eligibility about blood donation, visit www.bloodsource.org.

Those who donate items to the Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, NEO, Story Club, Community Beyond Violence, Nevada County 2-1-1, Cinderella Project, and The Karing Closet will receive a coupon to buy one advance special $6 admission ticket and receive one free. That’s two for the price of one!   

Those who make a blood donation at the BloodSource bloodmobile will receive a free admission ticket to any day of the Fair.

Feel free to donate to any one organization or all of them! To receive your coupons or free tickets, all donations must be brought to the Gate 1 parking lot at the Fairgrounds on July 31 between 1- 6 pm.  Coupons (buy one, get one free) received for donations must be redeemed during pre-sale dates, which take place until August 8. Presale discounted tickets will be available for purchase on Community Involvement Day at Guest Services, Gate 1.

Also at this year’s Community Involvement Day, the Foothills Lions Club, in conjunction with the Northern California Lions Sight Association, will provide free vision screening services to adults and children. For the event, the Lions will utilize the Northern California Lions Sight Associations Vision Screening Unit, a fully-equipped motorhome that is designed to offer no-cost glaucoma and visual screening services to those who otherwise might not be able to afford it. The services are available for adults and children, and special tests will be provided to children ages 6 months to 6 years old using our PlusOptix equipment. Local optometrists – Dr. Kirschbaum, OD; Dr. Jerry Chan, OD; and Dr. Tiffany Chan, OD – will volunteer their services for the day. The testing will be done at Community Involvement Day on Monday, July 31, from 1 – 6 pm, at Gate 1 at the Fairgrounds.

This year’s Fair is August 9 – 13. 

Categories: Events, Nevada County Fair, and Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Treat Street Fun Facts: Grass Valley Fire Department

Treat Street fun facts! Did you know that during the Fair the Grass Valley Fire Department’s Firefighters Association booth serves hot dogs, polish dogs, Cajun dogs, chili dogs and chili bowls? Last year’s addition of a Frito chili bowl was a big hit! Proceeds from Fair sales support the association’s efforts in restoring a 1920’s-era Seagrave fire engine, and allows them to provide a “broken wheel” (a long-standing tradition) to families of firefighters who have passed away. Thank you, Grass Valley Fire, for all your hard work!

 

Categories: Nevada County Fair.

Treat Street Fun Facts: Nevada County 4-H

Treat Street fun facts! Did you know that the Nevada County 4-H Food Booth serves delicious strawberry shortcake at the Fair?  They also have a breakfast menu for Fair-goers! Proceeds from their Fair sales support the youth development goals and programs of the Nevada County 4-H Leaders Council (4-H is an educational program of the University of California Cooperative Extension). The program combines the efforts of youth, volunteer leaders, and University staff and faculty to create a fun, hands-on learning approach that helps young people acquire knowledge and develop life skills while also giving back to the community. Thank you, Nevada County 4-H, for serving our youth!

Categories: Nevada County Fair.

Treat Street Fun Facts: SEED Booth

Treat Street fun facts:  Last August, 550 pounds of oak-smoked tri-trip were served to more than 1,000 customers from the SEED booth on South Treat Street. It is here that Fair-goers can get a delicious tri-tip dinner and wraps.

SEED – Student Excellence in Education Development – sees its Fair booth as an opportunity to help young people learn by experience. Food preparation, food service, record keeping, volunteer coordination, public service, accounting procedures, and leadership experiences help high school and college age young people learn a range of new skills. Operating the Fair booth is one expression of SEED’s commitment of community leaders resourcing young people in their personal and professional development.  In just three years, more than 90 kids have worked in the booth under the guidance of a team of adult volunteers. Profits from the booth are held as “credits” for students, which may be applied to extracurricular, educational events and programs.  Additionally, SEED has contributed nearly $3000 in support of Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Thank you, SEED, for all your hard work! 

Photo by Three Lilies Photography

Categories: Nevada County Fair.

Community Involvement Day Results

Wow – what a giving community! At Monday’s Community Involvement Day at the Fairgrounds, 95 blood donors were registered and 83 pints of life saving blood were collected for BloodSource; more than 750 books were collected for Story Club; 2,250 pounds of food were donated to the Food Bank; school supplies were collected for Nevada County 211; cleaning supplies, toiletries, clothing, and gift cards were collected for Domestic Violence Coalition; $750 of crafts were donated to NEO; and 530 prescription eye glasses and 10 hearing aids were donated to Foothill Lions. Thank you, thank you, Nevada County!

 

Categories: Nevada County Fair.

Community Canvas: Projects to Enter in the Fair

Community Canvas, Inc. is offering summer camps again this year, including the popular Nevada County Fair themed camps where artists create Fair submissions. From acrylics, to mixed-media, re-purposed art, and watercolors – your child will leave with several completed masterpieces ready to enter in the Fair. What a fun way to prepare exhibits for the Fair! Check out this video for details!

Categories: Nevada County Fair.