2018 Fulton County Fair Awards….
Fulton County Fair officials announce that awards and cash premiums for the 2018 fair will total $31,732.23. In addition to this amount $5,000 was awarded in scholarships at the 2018 fair making a total of $36,732.23 in awards. The fair had increase in livestock exhibits and in overall attendance
The Fulton County Fair received $7,402.00 from the state for premiums and the other monies come from local contributions and entry fees. A complete list of donors for fair awards will be listed on the fair facebook page and on the fair website.
Fair officials would like to thank everyone who had a part in making the 2018 Fulton County Fair another successful and fun-filled week for Fulton County. A special “thank you” goes to the sponsors and the 200 plus volunteers who donated time to work at the fair.
Fair premium checks are now available and can be picked up at the fair office located in the Hickinbotham-Miller Building at the fairgrounds. Office hours are 10:00 to 2:00 Monday – Thursday. The office is closed on Friday. Exhibitors are encouraged to pick up premium checks and cash them as soon as possible. All checks that are not cashed will be void on November 30, 2018.
Fair dates for 2019 are July 22-27 and this will be the 100th Anniversary of the Fulton County Fair. Special events and exhibits are already in the plans for next year. Fair officials are asking anyone having old fair photos to share them with us. We will scan them and return the original photos to the owner. Email them to fultoncountyfair1@gmail.com or leave them at the fair office.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.