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By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The 4-H animals were gone. The rides in full operation and people started arriving at the Kosciusko County Community Fair in groves to watch the TNT Demolition Derby at the grandstand.

By the time the derby began at 7:30 p.m. grandstand seats were practically, if not completely, filled. Spectators brought blankets and chairs and sat on the hillside at each end of the grandstand seats. More people filed in trying to find seats.

They had a spectacular show to see.

But the demolition derby wasn’t the only thing happening on the fairgrounds.

Alice Kiern, left, draws the winning numbers in the extension homemakers raffle, while Robin Schafer holds the box.

Earlier the Kosciusko County Extension Homemakers presented several awards to clubs and individuals, held the drawing for 11 raffle items and announced the winners of the eight silent auction gift baskets.

Herscher Extension Homemakers won the award for the highest number of entries per member with each member submitting five. The club also won the club with the most entries. “They are small but mighty,” said Sue Martin, extension homemaker director.

LeeAnn Jaeger, an extension homemaker member, won the award for the most entries. She submitted 32 entries, mostly in flowers and herbs.

This year a nonclub member was honored for the most entries. Chris Jinks won that award with 20 entries.

Gift basket winners (several winning more than once) were Kathy Miller, Marsha Miller. R. Laird, Ann Kline and Rita Irwin.

Winners of the raffle were (several winning more than once): Karen Meister, Corliss Rink, Jane McGuire, Ann Kline, Nancy Walls, Connie Himes, Maureen Mauzy, Carl Lauster, Sally Lawlor, and Scott Wallis.

There was also a hot dog eating contest. This year there were eight contestants including last year’s champion, Jason Mast and runner-up Cody McNees.

Each contestant started out with five hot dogs and a bottle of water.

Mast once again defeated McNees in the competition, by one-half a hotdog. Mast devoured 10.5 hot dogs in 5 minutes, to McNees 10. Third place winner Sean Dooley consumed 8.5.