Morrow County Fair Board President Brandon Strain announced the inauguration of the Morrow County Outstanding Fair Supporter Awards when he spoke prior to the Junior Fair King and Queen Ceremony Tuesday, September 1.
“The award was created to recognize individuals or groups who have shown support of this fair in various ways” said Strain.
Named for this first honor were William “Bill” Creswell, Dwain Peak and Steve Ruhl.
Creswell, a lifetime Morrow County resident, owns and operates Spring Valley Dairy Farm with his father, Robert, and his son, Andy. A Northmor High School graduate, he earned a degree in education from The Ohio State University. He later served in the Air National Guard of the 179th and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant.
His fair involvement is deep and long term as he has shown Duroc and Chester White hogs and Holstein cattle, served as a member of the Morrow County Senior Fair Board and as its president; and is a familiar voice as announcer of infield livestock and pie auctions.
A member of the Iberia Presbyterian Church, he has served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Central Ohio Bible College and is a trustee of Washington Township. An auctioneer, Creswell and Dwain Peak started the February consignment sale.
Bill and his wife, Ruth, have two sons, Aaron and Andy, and three grandchildren.
The second honoree is Dwain Peak, a Morrow County resident since 1973 moving here from Illinois. He has been involved with the fair since that year and has shown Hereford cattle for over 42 years. He also shows dairy cattle and hogs. He was an executive committee member and senior fair board member for many years and served as the chairman of the first Morrow County July 4 celebration. Peak was instrumental in the moving of the livestock barns to the south end of the fairgrounds. For many years he has donated his time as auctioneer for the Junior Fair livestock sale.
His motto “Whatever it takes to help the kids,” Peak is always ready to help with anything needed on the grounds such as donating equipment during fair week.
He and his wife, Connie, reside in Washington Township where he is a township trustee. He is a past member of the Regional Planning Board, the Iberia Volunteer Fire Department and the Morrow County Cattlemen’s Association. The Peaks have two daughters and two granddaughters. Peak loves working around the county on various projects and enjoys conducting auctions with Creswell and Strain.
Ruhl. a 1971 Northmor High School graduate earned his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education, began working as a vocational agriculture teacher at his alma mater. Later, he became an associate professor and served as the OSU agriculture Extension Agent for Morrow County. As the “go to guy” for anything agricultural within Morrow County, Ruhl provided services to countless organizations. He could be found regularly helping with the Morrow County Fair, working long hours behind the scenes and working with 4-H youth on their various projects.
Steve’s family also spent many of those days alongside him sharing his love for the fair and agriculture and have continued the tradition yet today. Steve’s wife, Deb, and three sons and families accepted his honor.
