The endeavor to attract the State Fair to Grand Island has not been easy. A core group led by Don Dunn, Cindy Johnson, Jay Vavricek and Ken Gnadt has been focused on gathering the information needed by the State Fair Board and the legislature to prove the worthiness of Grand Island as a host city for the fair. When they began meeting to access the city's readiness and ability to host the State Fair, many thought the task of luring it out of Lincoln as an impossible task. By being creative and pragmatic, this determined group has proved the skeptics wrong.

After several rounds of testimony, hosting field trips for the State Fair Board and staff to Fonner Park and preparing presentations and documents for review, it appears the State Fair has more than a 50-50 chance at having a new home in Grand Island. The core group is cautiously optimistic about their efforts to this point. They relate the stunning cooperation they have received from many area businesses to assist in the presentations and gathering of information. Among the list of individuals and businesses who merit a Saturday Salute for helping spread the message of Central Nebraska to the Fair Board and legislature are Hugh Miner, Jr., Mayor Margaret Hornady, Jeff Pederson, Cannon Moss Brygger and Associates, Olsson Associates, Chief Construction, Grand Island senator Ray Aguilar, Kearney senator Joel Johnson, Bob Kramer, Marlin Ferguson, Doyle Hulme, Grand Island Economic Development Corp., and the Fonner Park and Heartland Events Center Executive Boards. In addition, there has been support from the Hastings and Aurora communities.

As the process continues, we expect to see dozens, if not hundreds of Central Nebraska businesses and individuals on the list of volunteers who see the cultural and economic benefits to bringing the State Fair to Central Nebraska.

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The generosity of Grand Island residents was highlighted again this week with the hefty $120,000 in gifts by Mildred "Topsy" Evans to three area entities. A Saturday Salute is awarded to Mrs. Evans, who gave $40,000 each to the Grand Island Library Association, Stuhr Museum Foundation and the Heartland Events Center. Each organization is important to Evans and her family and the gifts were her way of investing in the future of the community. It is even more impressive that the checks were presented to the organizations on Mrs. Evans' 100th birthday. Usually birthdays are celebrated by others giving gifts to the person celebrating the birthday. The magnanimous gesture by Mrs. Evans and her family on her birthday is typical of the support she and her late husband Gordon have shown to Grand Island over many decades.