Editorial: Thanks to Sparkleberry volunteers for supporting schools

IN NORTHEAST RICHLAND County this weekend, an army of volunteers will produce the Sparkleberry Country Fair with the intention of providing entertainment, recreation and a little instruction to thousands of area residents.

Along the way, the army will once again ensure that several Richland District 2 students receive scholarships and that several local teachers and schools get money for extra books and other classroom materials.

The fair’s 21st edition kicks off Friday at the Clemson University Sandhill Research and Education Center on Clemson Road. Amusement rides will be offered from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Clemson center, which is across from the Village at Sandhill shopping center.

But the big day is Saturday, when the fair will be filled with dozens of displays and activities. The exhibits will feature animals, antique tractors, Native American culture and heritage, classic cars, local students, and much more. The Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Activities will include hayrides, local entertainment on three stages, local food vendors, and arts and crafts.

An extra feature at this year’s fair will be a salute to local law enforcement officers.

The fair was started in 1996 by former Richland County Council member John Monroe, a life-long resident of the northeast area. He continues to lead the effort, assisted by a 25-member committee that’s become proficient at organizing an event that often draws more than 20,000 people.

Monroe says all of the committee members volunteer their time. So do the more than 200 other volunteers who will work this weekend. Records from the S.C. Secretary of State’s office show that nearly 97 percent of the money raised by the fair’s non-profit organization is distributed to local schools, mainly in the form of scholarships and grants.

That’s a high percentage. To be eligible for the Secretary of State’s annual “Angels” list of non-profit organizations, a group must only send 80 percent of the money it raises to charitable causes.

Since 1996, the Sparkleberry Fair has donated about $750,000 to local students, teachers and schools, according to Monroe.

Shelley Kriegshaber, Richland 2’s partnership and events coordinator, said money from the fair has been used to purchase books, develop gardens and outdoor classrooms, make technology purchases such as Go Pro video cameras and 3D printers, purchase ukeleles, and other items.

Also, fair revenue usually funds about 20 $1,000 scholarships for Richland 2 students headed to college, she said. While the money is appreciated by all of the winners, it is especially useful for students from lower-income families.

Besides the financial support, the fair also creates an opportunity for Richland 2 students to show off their talents for the public.

We’ve written often about the need for our legislators, citizens and others to support South Carolina’s public schools. The success of those schools is essential to any hope of correcting our state’s biggest problems.

Those who volunteer each year to make the Sparkleberry Country Fair successful — and those who attend — are doing their part to help schools in northeast Richland County. Thanks to them, and especially Mr. Monroe, for their efforts and their successes.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Editorial: Thanks to Sparkleberry volunteers for supporting schools."