Opinion: Volunteers will receive warm welcome

Earlier this week I called the Roosevelt County Extension Office to get contact information for Perci Urias, a longtime local 4-H leader who recently received the statewide “Friend of 4-H” award — a well-deserved honor.

Perci was profiled, somewhat reluctantly, for Tuesday’s Portales News-Tribune. Like many of the best volunteers, this humble woman was never in this for the credit, and it took some arm-twisting by a couple of us to get her to agree.

I’m glad she did, because it is important to honor and publicize people like Perci, who was actively involved with Roosevelt County’s largest 4-H group, the Rodeo and Show Club, for nearly a quarter century. Community-minded people like her are the lifeblood of youth organizations and local events, especially our upcoming Roosevelt County Fair.

I knew putting on the fair was a group effort, but I was surprised to learn from Extension Office secretary Sherri Best that well over 200 volunteers pitch in each year.

The 15 elected and three appointed members of the Roosevelt County Fair Board put in countless hours, and not only in August.

During fair week, the dozens of departments are overseen by 60 superintendents and assistants, Sherri said, “plus there are 30 to 40 home arts helpers, 20 to 30 stock show helpers, 20 people working at the fair board election table, and 20 horse show helpers.” Add to that the 70 volunteers from the Portales High School Band Boosters who work rotating shifts on the entrance gates, and you have a village worth of good citizens lending their hands.

“If we didn’t have volunteers,” Roosevelt county agent Patrick Kircher told me, “this fair couldn’t happen.”

Volunteers may be more important than ever this year. The small year-round paid staff had a blow when former home extension agent Connie Moyers retired in January, and the decision was made for financial reasons to leave her office vacant.

“Connie’s piece was such a huge, integral part of this,” Patrick said. “We are really starting to feel the pinch without her.”

Armed with the three-inch binder of instructions Connie left behind, preparations are well under way for the 2016 version of the fair which is set to run Aug. 23-27 (entry day is Monday, Aug. 22) at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds.

If you have always thought of helping, but never stepped up, consider this your invitation.

“We would love to have anybody give us a call to volunteer,” Patrick said, “and we’d even be glad to help them find a place to match a particular interest.”

For example, Sherri noted, “We’re still looking for a chicken superintendent.” If playing with poultry is not your cup of tea, perhaps you’d enjoy sorting entries in the home arts building, wrangling toddlers for Saturday’s stick horse races, or maybe answering phones at the Extension Office.

If you have a few hours to spare the third week of August, the number to call is 575-356-4417. You don’t have to commit to doing it for 25 years like Perci Urias, but then again, if you want to, you’ll be welcome with open arms.

Betty Williamson thinks “chicken superintendent” would look great on a resume. You may reach her at [email protected].