Between serving as a DAV driver for veterans in Mineral County and volunteering on several local committees and boards, Ginny Tubbs stays busy year-round. This time of year, much of her attention is focused on the Mineral County Fair.

The idea for the fairgrounds' newest improvement, however, began taking shape this spring when Tubbs attended a state-sponsored Reimagining Rural conference in St. Regis. 

Reimagining Rural is an initiative led by Montana State University in partnership with the Montana Community Foundation. The program helps small towns build capacity, foster local leadership and revitalize their communities through workshops and virtual gatherings. 

"It was a bunch of ideas on how to make rural Montana more visible to both our residents and, of course, tourists," Tubbs said. "Curtis (Cochran) came over to me and said, 'Hey, there's a grant available through the Montana 250 Commission that would work really well with what we're doing through Reimagining Rural Montana.' It fit perfectly."

The timing was ideal. As the fair board discussed celebrating both the Mineral County Fair's 80th anniversary and the nation's 250th anniversary, members decided to combine the two celebrations into one project. Tubbs contacted the appropriate agencies and completed the grant application. 

Visitors to the fairgrounds will now notice colorful designs woven into sections of the chain-link fence. The displays, created from hundreds of plastic ‘cups’, feature a mix of symbols representing both the United States and Montana.

"I calculated how many cups we'd need for each design," Tubbs said. "Then Joellen Godin, who is a talented cross-stitcher, took the images I created and turned them into diagrams we could follow while placing the cups in the fence. She was fabulous." 

Tubbs also recognized the volunteers who helped install each individual cup, besides Inouye: Marie MacMillan, Joseph Moats, Joellen Godin, and Becky Magone.

After receiving the $1,500 grant from the Montana 250 Commission, the cups were ordered and volunteers got to work. All 17 fence designs have now been completed. 

With the project finished, preparations continue for this year's Mineral County Fair. Fair books are now available at locations throughout the county and include information, schedules, and entry forms for exhibitors. They are also available online. 

As Tubbs and the fair board put the finishing touches on this year's event, they look forward to welcoming the community when fair activities begin Thursday, July 30.

    Marie MacMillan and Ginny Tubbs help spruce up the Mineral County Fairgrounds. (Ginny Tubbs photo)
  

    New designs are added to fences at the Mineral County Fairgrounds. (Ginny Tubbs photo)
  

    New designs are added to fences at the Mineral County Fairgrounds. (Ginny Tubbs photo)
  

    New designs are added to fences at the Mineral County Fairgrounds. (Ginny Tubbs photo)