A hot mess
GREENCASTLE -- It looked for a while like the event wasn't going to happen at all, but the 2010 Battle of the Barns at the Putnam County 4-H Fair came off Sunday -- new and improved.
Teams from all the livestock barns took part, as well as teams made up of members of the 2010 Putnam County 4-H Fair Queen's Court, 4-H'ers with projects in the community building and members of the 4-H Junior Leaders Club.
In years past, participants ran through an obstacle course carrying watermelons. This year, they threw themselves through mud puddles while carrying squashes, then ran through cones and finally, as teams, raced to the finished line on "buddy boards," a ski-like apparatus.
For the third year running, the Junior Leaders team won the competition. Runners-up were the team from the Horse Barn.
This year's Battle of the Barns had new coordinators, Chris Sheldon and Denise Oxford. Both women's husbands are members of the Putnam County 4-H Fair Board.
They put the event together in about two weeks' time.
"There was just no way we were going to let a fun event like this die," Chris said.
Chris' children were all involved in 4-H for many years. Although the 4-H career of her youngest child ended five years ago, she has remained heavily involved in the Putnam County program.
"I stay for the kids," she said. "The youth of this county need 4-H. Being involved is a lot of work and a lot of short nights, but it's worth it." Chris said the Battle of the Barns gives 4-H'ers who don't have livestock projects another way to be active during the fair.
"I like that we have a team from the exhibit hall," Chris said. "These are kids who don't have any animals, and it gives them a chance to get out here and get wet and dirty."
Many of the new ideas for the Putnam County battle came from the Morgan County 4-H Fair Battle of the Barns, which has been coordinated for many years by Chris' cousin, Donald Sheldon.
"I've done that and I've worked for many years at the swine barn," Donald said. "Any time you can get the kids involved in any activity at the fair, it's a good thing."
Chris said she anticipates coordinating the event next year -- and possibly many years beyond that.
"I'll do whatever I have to do to keep it going," she said. "I'll do whatever I can for the kids."