Nonprofits receive $38,755 from fair

Despite some of the worst weather on record during the New Jersey State Fair-Sussex County Farm & Horse Show in August, the association organizing the annual event donated $38,755 to these local nonprofit organizations and provided employment to more than 200 local residents.

A total of nearly 6½ inches of rain fell on seven days of the nine-day fair. That hurt overall attendance, but records for single-day attendance were set on the days with nice weather.

The fair collected donations for several nonprofit organizations. Highlighted this year were Family Promise of Sussex County, the Sussex County Food Pantry, Benny’s Bodega, Project Self-Sufficiency, Ginnie’s House, LTC. Ernest Kosa Scholarship, SCARC, the Weekend Bag Program and Maverick’s Legacy.

Local school groups who helped with parking were rewarded with donations to their organizations. They include the Newton High School Future Farmers of America, High Point Regional High School softball and baseball teams, Jefferson High School baseball team, Sussex Tech football team and the Wallkill Valley Regional High School marching band.

The fair association contributes annually to the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad and the Branchville Fire Department for their services during the fair.

Several local nonprofits have concession booths at the fairgrounds, and they reported total proceeds of about $200,000. They included the Frankford Fire Department, Knights of Columbus, Newton Rotary, Branchville Rotary, Montague Grange, 4-H Teen Council and Holy Spirit Orthodox Church.