Grable to serve as grand marshal of fair parade

This story will appear in the 2022 Putnam County Fair Preview section, which will be included in the Friday, July 15 Banner Graphic.

What does 27 years on the Putnam County Fair Board get you?

Some might say very few “thank yous” and a whole lot of headaches.

Gene Grable

And while that may be true, Gene Grable doesn’t look at it that way. Instead, it’s an important way he can serve the young people of the entire Putnam County community.

“It’s the only county event where everybody gets together and there’s no home court advantage,” Grable said. “That’ what I always liked, was seeing the whole county together in one spot.”

Through this sort of positive attitude, Grable has remained a valued member of the Fair Board. It’s also earned him a reputation that made him a shoo-in as this year’s Putnam County Fair Parade grand marshal.

Nancy Michael, who chairs the parade committee, said the process of choosing a grand marshal involves committee members bringing a number of suggestions, but Grable’s nomination made it easy.

“Obviously, Gene’s name came to the table because of his many years of involvement with 4-H and his work with all aspects of the fair,” Michael said. “His name came out first and it was like there was no other reason to consider anyone else because it all seemed so obvious to us.

“We’re grateful for his service to 4-H and everything he does behind the scenes to make it a great event,” Michael added.

Grable, of course, is a bit more humble about the whole thing.

“I was surprised to be asked and never really thought about it,” Grable said. “The people they’ve asked in the past have been involved in the fair extensively.”

Extensive certainly describes Grable’s involvement with the fair. He started on the Fair Board as horse and pony superintendent back when sons Brad and Ryan were involved in the project. (Oldest son Jared was also a 4-H’er, but not involved in horse and pony.)

After two years as horse and pony superintendent, he has continued for another quarter century as a “director at-large,” basically making him a free agent to do a number of tasks.

Over the years he’s been in charge of the industrial tent, fire and ambulance services, security, the cheerleading contest and helped out with the parade.

“Not being associated with a barn, I could break away and help do different things,” Grable said, which has entailed “any maintenance and extra work that needs to be done.”

Before he retired after 42 years with Duke Energy, this sometimes meant bringing out bucket trucks and working on lights, wiring and speakers.

Grable has also become something of a parking guru at the fair, wowing his understudies — currently Jerrod Baugh ­— with knowing what cars can fit where and still leave a way out.

He also rose through the ranks of the board itself, serving as treasurer, then vice president, then president in 2008 and 2009, but Grable seems happy to be working for the board in any capacity.

“I want to be active if I’m on a board,” Grable said. “I don’t want to be a number.”

Most importantly, it has a greater purpose in Grable’s eyes, as he feels the 4-H program serves young people well later in life

“I always thought that 4-H could be a lot like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts — if you did 10 years and had animals, somebody who knows about 4-H knows that takes a lot of dedication,” Grable said.

He recalls that when hiring at Duke, he knew that people who had been involved in farming or hunting weren’t averse to hard work and inclement weather. Likewise, 4-H — particularly 10 years of 4-H — shows a boss the potential employee knows how to see something through to the end.

It’s a dedication the Grable family has shown for four generations now, as Grable’s dad was involved in 4-H in Clay County, and he followed here in Putnam County, as did his younger sisters.

“If I wasn’t 10 years, I was close to a 10-year member,” he said.

Likewise, Jared did nine years, while Brad and Ryan did 10. Since then Jared’s kids have been in 4-H, and Brad’s are working their way through the program.

“I just enjoy what the fair is about as far as kids and community involvement,” Grable said. “Our fair is a busy fair as far as number of kids involved.