CEO’s Message – October 2024

The Fair—Where Happiness is Homemade

Summer always ends with a bang in Walla Walla… specifically, the bang and crash of cars smashing into each other at the Walla Walla Demo Derby. Country music legend Martina McBride was fantastic, but not until that arena is filled to the rafters with screaming fans, and the folks in the front few rows are eating dirt, and loving every minute of it, does Fair Weekend truly begin in Walla Walla.

The Demo Derby is definitely the highlight of the weekend for many, but for Columbia Rural Electric Association (REA), the 5 days that make up “Fair Weekend,” from start to finish, are 1 of the highlights of our entire year. We have been proud supporters of the Walla Walla Fair and Dayton Fair for decades, and through my very own, very unscientific research, I’ve determined that about 80 percent of our staff head to the Fairgrounds at least once during the extended Labor Day Weekend. Whether you’re a Derby fan, Rodeo junkie, or you’re just feeling the need for a corn dog with a funnel cake chaser…there’s something for everyone at the Fair.

But our favorite part of Fair Weekend may be the Youth Market Livestock Sale. It’s a great opportunity to support our members, and the money raised goes to a great cause…straight back to the kids! Interestingly, Columbia REA serves about 10 percent of all homes in and around our service area, but Columbia REA members make up about 30 percent of the livestock owners who bring animals to the Fair auction.

This year, we purchased 2 dozen animals at the Walla Walla market sale and another half-dozen at the Columbia County Fair. And a special thank-you goes to Charlie DeSalvo, Columbia REA’s Energy Efficiency Specialist, who managed the whole process this year and attended the Walla Walla Market Sale and did a great job.

“This was a first for me,” laughs Charlie. “I felt a little bit of pressure at first…The auction was 5 hours long and there is a lot going on! But the auctioneers keep things moving and do a great job, and it’s fun to meet some of our members, see the kids, and see all their hard work pay off.”

Special thanks also to Dan Andrews, Columbia REA Field Engineer, who was on hand to take part in the Columbia County Fair auction this year.

The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days have been a treasured community tradition for more than 150 years. The livestock auctions in Walla Walla and Dayton are an integral part of what brings this community’s past, present, and future together…all under 1 big elephant ear…er, I mean, auction barn roof.

Best,
Scott Peters, CEO