The Colusa County Fair Foundation gave two Heritage Awards this year to people whose legacy will follow them for generations.
Before the 2022 fair came to an end on Sunday, a fairgrounds building would be named after one of them.
Michael Doherty, Fair Foundation member and President of the 44th District Agriculture Association did double duty over the fair’s run in recognizing longtime Fair Board member E. Dan O’Connell.
On behalf of the Fair Foundation, Doherty presented O’Connell with a 2022 Heritage Award, the foundation’s highest honor, during prefair events on June 8. Doherty, on behalf of the Fair Board, presented O’Connell with the Western Fair Association highest honor, a “Blue Ribbon’’ award on Saturday, during the livestock auction.
Heritage Awards are intended for those who have made significant contributions over the years to preserving the Colusa County fair and the fairgrounds for future generations.
O’ Connell has served on the fair board since 2006, and is one of the founders of the Fair Foundation, which was established in 2014 to help maintain the fairgrounds after the state withdrew funding for county expositions.
“Over the past 16 years, Dan has been one of the key leaders in helping protect the viability of this great asset we call the Colusa County Fairgrounds, leading efforts to make substantial improvements to the facilities here,” Doherty said.
O’Connell’s signature project was the construction of the Community Center building, which the 44th District Agricultural Association renamed the O’Connell Building on Saturday.
“Before we ever had the Fair Foundation formed, Dan was creative and visionary in his approach to generating community support for the new building that would truly serve the entire community,” Doherty said. “He literally dreamed up, spearheaded, raised funds, and oversaw every detail of construction of this wonderful facility. Over the years, this building has been used by numerous community groups while also becoming a revenue generator for the fairgrounds.”
The Fair Foundation also presented a 2022 Heritage Award on June 8 to Lee and the late Margaret “Cookie” Trayham and the Trayhnam family.
Fair Foundation Secretary, Mackenzie Bressler, said the Traynham family’s passion for the Colusa County Fair began many years ago, and they have been unwavering in their support for youth agriculture programs, especially by donating their time, money, and equipment to assure the livestock show and auction remain successful and sustainable.
More importantly, Lee and Cookie passed that love of fair participation and philanthropy to their children and grandchildren, thus truly investing in the heritage of the community and the preservation of the fairgrounds for years to come, Bressler said. ■