Congratulations to One of Our Own!

       

“Mr. Alfred was a true friend of the fair.  You could honestly say this man lived, ate, and slept here at this fair.  Always upholding it, working to making it better, he was an institution.”  That is how Allen Faircloth, President of the Robeson County Fair lead into his announcement of the 2014 Friend of the fair announcement.  For the recipient, she had no idea that this meeting was any different than any other monthly board meeting that she attends in her role as a volunteer.  So as Faircloth explained this prestigious award, and the impact this award winner has had on the members of the fair board who unanimously supported her to receive this honor she looked around the room trying to figure out who this might be.

            “This year’s Alfred C. Smith’s Friend of the Fair Award recipient is Marilyn Merritt.” Merritt’s eye got big and her jaw literally dropped as Faircloth talked about all the activities she helps with and how she always has a positive attitude about the fair.  As the board members stood and applauded, Merritt got up to receive her plaque noting what an honor it was for her to receive this award.  Merritt will keep a plaque noting her accomplishment and her name will be added to another plaque that hangs in the fair office.  That plaque, with a photo of Alfred Smith, notes all the prior winners of this award.  Another honor for Merritt was that she received this award in front of her granddaughter, T’Ashia Shelby who is the chair of the Junior Fair Board.  When asked if she was going to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, Shelby said with obvious pride, “No that's just my Granny.”