By Sydney Leyerle

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

Involvement in the Wood County Fair has become a family tradition for the Wenig family, with four generations continuing to take part each year.

The tradition started with Betty Wenig who was in 4-H at the fair when she was a kid, over 80 years ago. She continues to go each year, now supporting her great-grandchildren.

“We enjoy it, just plain enjoy going to the fair and we see a lot of people that we know and friends and I enjoy the fair,” Wenig said. “I will go this year and see the great grandchildren perform.”

Throughout her time at the fair, she has been involved in a variety of ways. For many years she submitted cooking and sewing projects, which she said were the only projects women were allowed to do at the time.

Morris Wenig.

supplied photo

She was also state extension president for Ohio and was very involved in the Wood County Extension. In 2021, Wenig was inducted into the Wood County Ag Hall of Fame.

The projects she did at the fair continued to be a part of her life even after she had stopped submitting them.

Stacie Wenig Anderson, Betty Wenig’s granddaughter, said her grandmother’s sewing at the fair led to a lifetime of sewing and teaching her family how to sew.

“She taught her daughter how to sew, she taught her granddaughters how to sew,” Anderson said. “So, some of those skills she learned through the fair are definitely still with her today.”

Betty Wenig’s husband, Morris Wenig, was also very involved in the fair. Anderson said after they were married, they both became 4-H advisers. Even after they stopped, Anderson said they continued to come each year and watch their family compete.

Morris and Betty Wenig’s three children also participated in the fair when they were younger. Gordon Wenig, Shirlee Bostdorff and Phil Wenig were all active in 4-H and FFA where Anderson said they showed pigs. She said several times they won Grand Champion Hog awards and participated in and won other contests. Phil Wenig was also Wood County Fair king.

The tradition continued with their children, who were also involved in the fair in a variety of ways. Anderson said her cousin, Elizabeth Bostdorff, was Wood County Fair queen, showed beef, was involved with the Junior Fair Board and took part in 4-H and FFA. Bostdorff’s sister, Brittanee Colston, was also involved with 4-H and FFA.

Anderson’s other cousins were also involved, she said, with Alexandria and Mackenzie Wenig showing beef and hogs.

Anderson herself also participated in the fair as a kid in a variety of ways. She said she showed cattle and pigs and was the Junior Fair Board president. She continues to remain involved with the fair.

The fourth generation of the family, Anderson’s three children, have now become part of the fair themselves as they are involved in 4-H.

The continued family involvement, Anderson said, has helped them grow as a family and taught them lessons that they have passed down throughout the generations.

“For us, the fair is one of the best weeks of the year,” she said. “And I think that what is probably unique about the fair for our family, and lots of other families that have generations of involvement, is that we do it together.”