LEADERSHIP Junior Fair director follows in uncle's footsteps

Dedication is a family affair for Darrel A. Bacon and his nephew, Don Snyder Jr.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- In some families, farms are passed from one generation to the next. In Darrel A. Bacon's family, dedication to the Mahoning County Junior Fair is a family responsibility.
Bacon has served as a 4-H club adviser since 1937 and as a fair board director for 22 years. He has been the director in charge of the Junior Fair since he joined the board, said Don Snyder Jr., Bacon's nephew.
In July, Bacon passed that duty on to Snyder.
"He was my 4-H adviser, and I'm 58," Snyder said. Ever since joining Springfield Booster Boys 4-H Club, Snyder's been hooked on 4-H and the Junior Fair.
He participated until age limits forced him to drop out. Once his children reached an age where they could participate, all four of them joined 4-H and now the three oldest of his 10 grandchildren are 4-H club members.
Learning: For the last two years, Snyder has "followed Darrel around" learning about Junior Fair and what it takes to make it run smoothly, said Bev Fisher, fair manager.
Running the Junior Fair is a big job that Bacon did extremely well, she said. "He wanted to make sure that kids had a chance."
"His whole life has been devoted to helping others," Snyder said of his 82-year-old uncle.
In addition to overseeing the Junior Fair, Bacon has served as secretary-treasurer of Mahoning County Market Livestock since the mid-1950s, which helps kids with their livestock projects. He's also been active in his church, Mahoning County Farm Bureau, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber's committee on governmental affairs, and was a district representative for the Ohio Fair Managers Association.
"He had meetings almost every night. Sometimes he had two or three meetings in a night," Snyder said.
Legacy: Snyder is confident he can do a good job as a Canfield Fair director in charge of the Junior Fair -- he has a great role model and teacher -- but he admitted that he is a little intimidated by his uncle's legacy.
Overseeing the Junior Fair, he said, "is extremely involved and overwhelming." Snyder said his goal "is to follow in Darrel's footsteps and try to do as good a job for 4-H and the fair board."
Snyder owns Snyder's Antique Auto Parts and Snyder & amp; Son Farms trucking company. He also farms 700 acres.
His wife, Karry, is an adviser for Junior Jollies 4-H Club, a club Snyder's mother used to oversee.
Both Bacon and Snyder are from New Springfield.
kubik@vindy.com