IAAF award given to member of Boone County Fair Board

On left is Past Illinois Director of Agriculture Robert Flider presenting the “Friend of Illinois County Fair’ award to Bob Scherer of the Boone County Fair board. On far right is Paul Johnson of the North American Midway Entertainment Company.

By Rhonda Mix

Reporter

Bob Scherer of Genoa was one of four people to recently win the coveted Friends of Illinois County Fair award at the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fair’s 104th convention in Springfield in January.

Every year the IAAF gives the award to people who have dedicated extensive time to Illinois county fairs and are respected by their colleagues and peers. Scherer won the award for his service to the Boone County Fair.

Scherer has served on the Fair Board for 18 years. He also is in charge of the entertainment pavilion, is superintendent of the truck and tractor pulls and is involved with the fair on a number of levels.

“I feel really honored,” he said of receiving the prestigious IAAF award. “It is a pleasant, great surprise. I remember 20 years ago going to the convention in Springfield, and this award was being given out. I remember thinking I could never get something like that. I never in a million years thought an award like this would be given to me. It gives you a good boost.

“I’ve met a great group of people winning this award,”  he continued, naming several  IAAF Boone County award winners of the past. “I feel like I’m in a great group of people. I only hope I can live up to my end of it.”

Lyle Lee, president of the Boone County Fair Board Association, said Scherer has put in countless hours over the years.

“He has been in charge of the entertainment building for quite some time, is track superintendent and will help wherever is needed,” Lee shared. “He will cut down trees, build fences and do whatever is required to make the fair happen.”

“He is always there, ready to help,” added Jack Ratcliffe, vice-president of the fair board. “He has been a friend of the fair ever since [I first ran into him]. He is a very fine gentleman.”

Scherer, a grain farmer, grew up in Genoa, where he lived his whole life. He became enamored with the Boone County Fair as a teen.

“My neighbor and I, when we were juniors in high school, we started going up to the Boone County Fair to the tractor pulls,” he said. “I got the fair in my blood and knew that I wanted to be involved somehow. “

Some years later, Scherer said he found the opportunity.

“One day when I was in Belvidere, I saw Jack Ratcliffe [doing some work] on the grounds and I asked him if he needed any help. I’ve been working for the fair ever since. The rest is history.”

Scherer started out helping Ratcliffe with the tractor pulls and whatever else was needed to prepare for the fair. He later joined the fair board. For 10 years, he also has been in charge of the entertainment building.

He said one of the things he enjoys most about being involved is the people he encounters.

“It is very interesting when you get a moment to sit and watch people who made friends at the fair,” he reflected. “These people may not see each other for a year, but then come there to reunite their relationships.”

He added that although Boone County is small, its fair is one of the top in the state and draws a good number of people.

“We’ve [also] got a good fair board; they are part of the reason why the fair is such a success,” he said. “We have big shoes to fill from the leaders of the past.”

Scherer does not have plans to stop helping out any time soon.

“As long as I have my health and the good Lord gives me time to breathe, I plan to be involved with the fair for the rest of my life,” he said.