Special Kids, Special Animals

The Vernon County Youth Fair Special Kids, Special Animals program makes it a top prioroty to provide opportunities for local children who have special needs to see and learn from the variety of activities available to them. For example, a program that was developed by Carol Paramenter, Vernon County University of Missouri Extension youth specialist allows some children to take part in showing livestock by pairing up with a local 4-H participant. The children in the group were taken on a guided tour of the fairgrounds on the last day of the fair, when activity was winding down, visiting the pig barn, where owners and event particpants were busy spraying their sweating swine with water; and the horse barn, where most of the equine were getting ready to go home -- but not without one last pat on the muzzle for a job well done. At the rabbit and poultry barn, Mindy Barneburg led the tour and said she believed that though the weather was sweltering, the effort was worth it.

Colette LeFebvre/Daily Mail