The Clark County Fair has wrapped up another year, building on a long legacy of service and community impact.

For more than seven decades — and maybe longer more depending on who you ask and how you count the start date — the fair remains an integral part of the county’s rich heritage and community tapestry.

It would not be possible without the myriad of volunteers, sponsors and participants who, rain or shine, show up to make this event special.

The annual event may take usually take for about a week in the summer, but volunteers begin working on it months in advance to ensure it is a smashing success.

Even if you didn’t make it this year, we hope all citizens acknowledge that the county fair is part of Clark County tradition and a rite of passage for many of our youth.

And to make that possible, each of us should say thank you to all those who sacrificed themselves to make this event so special. We applaud each and every person involved.

These men and women — and quite a few youth, too — go beyond the call of duty to make sure that this is event runs as smoothly as possible.

It can be a thankless job, too. They battle the heat. They battle the rain. They get dirty. They get tired.

Still, they show up each and every day, sacrificing themselves for our youth and our tradition.

Just as deserving of praise are all the 4-H volunteers, parents and youth who make the county fair special. Without them, this event would be nothing more than some events and carnival rides in an empty field.

Many people take for granted the effort it takes to coordinate and manage an undertaking of this magnitude, one that hosts more than 40,000 people each year.

We sincerely appreciate what all these individuals do for our county. Thank you.