Scamahorns to lead fair parade as grand marshals

Monday, July 8, 2019
Long involved in 4-H and Purdue Extension, John and Mary Jane Scamahorn are the grand marshals of the 2019 Putnam County Fair Parade.
Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

John and Mary Jane Scamahorn may not be Putnam County natives, but after 47 years in Greencastle, it’s probably safe to call them lifers.

Natives of Hendricks County and Rush County, respectively, John and Mary Jane met at Purdue University when they were both students.

Then as Mary Jane was finishing up her master’s degree, John took his first veterinary job in Putnam County because it wasn’t too terribly far away.

“Three months became six months because a year became a lifetime,” John recalls with a smile.

One thing they both carried with them from their home counties was a passion for 4-H and the Purdue Extension service. It led them to being leaders in various capacities over the years and also to shepherding their children through the local 4-H program.

Those decade of involvement have now earned the Scamahorns the title of grand marshals of the 2019 Putnam County Fair Parade.

With a theme of “Small Town Throw Down,” the parade is early this year, slated for Sunday, July 14, nearly a week before the fair itself begins.

The idea of a Sunday parade is actually an old one in Putnam County. Years ago, when the fair itself was shorter, the parade was on the Sunday immediately preceding the normal festivities.

Then the fair got bigger, necessitating the move to Friday night. However, as fair parade board representative Nancy Michael points out, even that night is bad for 4-H’ers who are getting projects to the fair.

So in the interest of letting the 4-H’ers themselves be involved, the parade is back to Sunday afternoon, only one week earlier than it used to be.

The usual route will be followed — westbound on Washington Street from Indianapolis Road/Wood Street to the Putnam County Courthouse.

The parade will start its westward trek at 1:30 p.m. with the idea of getting downtown around 2 p.m.

To listen to their story, the parade might be one of the few aspects of the fair and 4-H and Extension with which the Scamahorns have not been involved.

Both have been members of the Extension Advisory Board.

Mary Jane spent at least 25 years as a 4-H leader, working in particular with the sewing project. To this day, she remains a judge of sewing projects.

“When I was a 4-H’er in Rush County, I had a 4-H leader who helped me with my sewing project,” Mary Jan recalled. “So when I knew there were 4-H’ers who needed help, it was my chance to pass it on.”

A teacher who operates New Pathways Preschool in Greencastle, Scamahorn said teaching sewing isn’t that different.

“I found the key to helping them with sewing is kind of like teaching preschool,” she said. “You find out where they are and then push them a little more.”

John has been a member and even president of the Putnam County Fair Board, as well as a member of 4-H Council. He’s perhaps best known for the years he spent as rabbit superintendent.

Though a veterinarian by trade and owner of Animal Medical Clinic, John didn’t gravitate to the rabbit project all by himself.

“I got into rabbits because our older daughter Julie got into it,” John said.

Rabbits weren’t the only things the kids did, though. There were other livestock as well as various exhibit hall projects. And why not, for the kids of two people who may have crossed paths at the Indiana State Fair years ago, though they never knew it.

“We figured out we were showing cattle at the State Fair at the same time,” John said.

Then again, that love of 4-H also took them both to Purdue. So it just might have, in a roundabout way, have brought them together just the same.

“Another reason to go to Purdue was we had those 4-H experiences,” Mary Jane said. “It changes your life. We’ve been able to give back. And our children have enjoyed 4-H and our grandchildren.”

Both seem to see 4-H and Extension as having value well beyond those 10 years one can be a member.

“4-H has been an important part of our lives,” Mary Jane said.

“That whole concept of the Extension Service is a value to the county,” John added. “And we’ve been blessed with good, good people as Extension agents.”

Being asked to be grand marshals was a surprise to the Scamahorns, though John noticed that Michael was sure trying hard to get ahold of them.

“I couldn’t figure out what Nancy was up to,” he said.

“It was very kind,” Mary Jane said of being asked.

“I was very honored,” John added. “I thought, ‘Wow, I never thought of that.’”

Mary Jane sees it for what it probably is, an honor for their years of service to the young people of the community.

“If anything, it shows that we love and support the 4-H program and wish nothing but the best for those young people,” Mary Jane said.

After all that, not to mention 47 years, we might as well call these two Putnam County natives.

“I kind of consider us Putnam County people now,” John said.

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  • I can't think of two more serving people as Grand Marshalls. I don't know of anyone that doesn't regard them as Putnam County people even if they weren't born here. Congrats!!

    -- Posted by gustave&zelma on Tue, Jul 9, 2019, at 8:15 AM
  • Ditto rosco&ginger! I think the world of both of them and the things they have done here for Putnam County 4H, or otherwise!

    -- Posted by lduggan69 on Tue, Jul 9, 2019, at 8:42 AM
  • A great choice!!

    -- Posted by tracey.aiken on Wed, Jul 10, 2019, at 12:39 AM
  • Great choice! They have been great supporters of our 4H youth for many years! Our community is blessed to have them as part of the family! Congrats!

    -- Posted by mamawjane1951 on Thu, Jul 11, 2019, at 10:36 AM
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