News : Volunteers made Fair possible despite storm damage, said Werning

Glenn Werning thanks the volunteers who made the Fair possible despite the storm.

2001 Benton County Legionnaire of the Year Paul Coyle.

The CPU Middle School choir members sing the National Anthem at the Fair on Thursday.

Veteran bring in the flags for the official opening ceremonies at the Fair.

Swine Show participants prepare under a roof damaged by the storm.

With the damaged horse barn in the background, Molly O'Brien works with her horse, Belle.

Fair Queen Dani Coover with her horse Honey; the damage to the horse barn is visible behind them.

Like the flag flying over the Benton County Speedway, said Glenn Werning, the 2011 Benton County Fair is "tattered but still flying."

Werning told the audience gathered for opening ceremonies and the coronation of the 2011 Fair Queen that officials saw the damage at the Fairgrounds early Monday morning and immediately decided that the Fair would go on as planned. Fair Board President Richard Meyer had alread brought his camper to the fairgrounds, planning to spend the week living there. But the storm that damaged the roof of the hog barn and destroyed half of the horse barn also overturned Meyer's camper and wrapped it around a utility pole, said Werning.

The Fair could have only happened, Werning said, because of approximately 75 volunteers, including some as young as 8, who spent Monday cleaning and repairing what they could.

With the exception of the open swine show, all other Fair events continue as planned. There were fewer entries in the open shows because many contestants had their flowers destroyed by the storm. Many who planned to enter the pantry contest could not bake entries because of the power outage.

A new carnival provider has also offered a different selection of rides than usual.

"It's been a long time since we have had bumper cars at the Fair," said Fair Board member Susan Meyer. There is also a Ferris wheel, something that Meyer said hasn't been part of the fair for a few years.