Midway Memories

Seniors in 70s, 80s relive decades-oldSFlbfavorites at the 2009 exhibitionSFlb

By ELISE FRANCO

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

111Eleanor Kalasky, 84, of Canfield said she first visited the fair in her 20s, but it’s been more than 20 years since her last visit.

“Coming back here was on my to-do list,” she said. “So my son called and said he would bring me out. I couldn’t believe it.”

Kalasky said she used to bring her children out to ride the rides, but one of her personal fair favorites was the photography display.

“I had a friend who had a photography exhibit out here,” she said. “I used to like to come out and see it.”

Kalasky’s interests no longer lie where hordes of children wait in line for rides. Her plans for Friday included checking out the Arts and Crafts and Floral buildings.

“I love flowers,” she said. “I’m not a real arts-and-craftsy person myself, but I do enjoy seeing what other people can do.”

Kalasky said after she and her son visited the fair, reliving old memories, she planned to relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at home.

Struthers native Mitzi Germanovich, 83, is another long-time fair lover who said she spends a lot of time in the Floral Building.

“I like the floral, because I have a lot of flowers and I have my own garden,” she said.

Germanovich said she remembers coming to the fair with her children many years ago. She said while they rode rides, she would enjoy sausage-and-pepper sandwiches and lemonade.

“I don’t come all that often anymore, though I used to come all the time,” she said. “I remember meeting out at the rock with friends and family, then taking the kids to play with the animals.”

Arts and Crafts Building director Kathy Bennett said the fair is full of possibilities for all seniors.

“Anything that’s of their interest they can look at,” she said. “The Arts and Crafts Building is really popular because, as you look in there, it’s a lot of older people who made those things, and they like to talk about it.”

Another person who has had more than 40 years’ experience at the fair is Larry Bennett, 71, of Greenford.

He has worked the grill at the Greenford Ruritan Barbecue Chicken, currently next to the Arts and Crafts Building, since 1964 and said he remembers when the operation was located in a smaller tent. He said all profits from the club go to churches in the community, so everyone he works with is a volunteer.

“I really enjoy working with a bunch of great guys,” he said. “No one is worried about salaries or health care or anything like that.”

Larry Bennett said he plans to continue working the tent for as long as he’s physically able. “I’ll do it for as long as my legs hold up,” he said. “My dad [worked] until he was 83.”

Jim Dunn, 79, of Canfield, said he was about 19 when he first came to the fair.

“Way back when I used to come and walk around,” he said. “I didn’t go to anything in particular, but I liked to walk.”

Dunn said he did enjoy watching horse jumping competitions.

For the past 12 years, he said he’s staffed the Irish booth in the International Building.

“I really like being in there and talking to people about Ireland,” he said.

Though it’s been more than 50 years since Dunn’s first visit, he said not much has changed.

“It’s a whole lot bigger than it used to be,” he said. “Other than that, it pretty much just stays the Canfield Fair.”

efranco@vindy.com