For one month in 1912, there were 47 states in the Union after New Mexico was made a state in January of that year. In February 1912, the nation's 48th state, Arizona, was adopted. Because new U.S. flags are typically dedicated in July, there was no official 47-star U.S. flag, but a few 47-star flags were made. One of the unique pendants has flown at the Blaine County Fair in Carey for 50 years.
At the annual agricultural fair this year—with events scheduled from Friday, Aug. 5, through Sunday, Aug. 14—one of the highlights will be a dedication of the flag.
The 4-H Teen Leadership group Enthuse has preserved the flag and will dedicate it as a permanent display in memory of Jim Eakin.
Eakin was a key person in laying out the fairgrounds and the 4-H camp 17 miles north of Ketchum.
"Enthuse would like to applaud his contributions to the success of Blaine County 4-H with the dedication of this memorial," said Kathi Kimball, the Blaine County 4-H program coordinator.
In addition to this memorial, Eakin has been accepted into the Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame for his lifetime commitment to 4-H members with their beef projects and generous donations of time and money for other 4-H programs.
Friday, Aug. 5, is the deadline for all Open Class animal entries, and at the conclusion of the fair Sunday, Aug. 14, all entries will be removed from the Carey Fairgrounds.
Featured events for the week are the horse show that begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, and the swine and sheep show on Thursday, Aug. 11. Local singer Kim Stocking will perform Thursday night, and sign-up sheets for two silent auctions will be opened in the Eldridge Building.
The first auction in conjunction with a small-engine demonstration of refurbished motors donated to 4-H will close at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. The demonstration is at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
The second silent auction opens on Wednesday, Aug. 10, and is sponsored by the Blaine County Leaders Council. It also closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13.
"This money that we make from the auction goes to scholarships for college and 4-H functions," said Jennesse Brooks, president of the fair board.
The auction items will be published in this Friday's edition of the Idaho Mountain Express. They will include golf at the Valley Club with a golf cart for the round.
Friday, Aug. 12, in the morning is the beef show. The dairy show will be held in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. and an archery competition follows at 5:30 p.m. In the evening, the Black Jack Shootout Gang will host the annual family barbecue.
The annual market animal buyers' luncheon and sale will be on Saturday, Aug. 13, before the close of the silent auctions.
Brooks and fair board members Ivan Swaner and April Macleod are still welcoming volunteers to assist with the week of activities, which will again include the Rabbit and Cavy show and Chicken Pucky, a game of herding chickens with hockey sticks.
The Kim Stocking performance begins at 8 p.m. and is free to the public. Homemade scarecrows will be judged on Tuesday.
Rodeos from kids to pros are scheduled through the weekend, with the big Carey rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 13.
A new feature this year is "A Night at the Movies," an Enthuse fund-raiser scheduled under the tent at the fairgrounds at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. There will be a contest for the best car with prizes to be announced.
