Fair food stand gets facelift

From left, Gavin Roe, Garrett Holtgrewe and Grant Holtgrewe practice working behind the 4-H food stand Saturday, July 29, 2017 at the Jaycee Fairgrounds in preparation for the county fair that kicks off Monday evening. The stand recently received new countertops donated by Jeff Hoelscher, Cole County Eastern District Commissioner.
From left, Gavin Roe, Garrett Holtgrewe and Grant Holtgrewe practice working behind the 4-H food stand Saturday, July 29, 2017 at the Jaycee Fairgrounds in preparation for the county fair that kicks off Monday evening. The stand recently received new countertops donated by Jeff Hoelscher, Cole County Eastern District Commissioner.

When the 4-H Food Stand opens for the Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County Fair, they'll be preparing food on new countertops.

4-H members have been spending part of the last four Saturdays helping to install the countertops, donated by Cole County Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Hoelscher.

"The kids are required to do work days at the fair," 4-H parent/volunteer Megan Welty said. "They also work in the barns painting, cleaning, gathering trash and making the fairgrounds look nice for the public."

For this year's fair, the families and the children wanted to give the food stand a facelift, Welty said.

"We actually started work last year when Jerry Sandbothe donated the floor for the food stand, and that's able to keep things cleaner," she said. "Then Jeff gave us the countertops, and they match the floor. We got a new stove this year, so it's slowly coming together. The kids take pride in what they do."

Welty said the old countertops probably dated back to the 1980s and required a lot of cleaning, so it was time for them to be replaced.

"From Monday through Saturday, the kids will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner," she said. "Each club does a turn; and while parents help, this is all about having the kids learn to prepare food, make change and serve people."

The money earned at the food stand goes to the 4-H Council, which includes a member from each of the 12 Cole County 4-H Clubs. They discuss what programs can use the money.

The county fair begins with opening ceremonies at 5:45 p.m. Monday and runs through Saturday.