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Each year the L.A. County Fair honors Community Heroes – young adults and adults – from 18 surrounding cities during the 23 days of the Fair, Sept. 4 – Oct. 3. Thursday, Sept. 23 is Claremont Day at the Fair, a day for celebrating volunteers, humanitarians, students, neighbors and community organizations working to make their city a better place to live for everyone.
Claremont Day festivities include a parade down Broadway featuring civic organizations and school bands. A presentation will be held on the Building 4 Stage following the parade to honor Claremont’s Community Heroes for 2010, junior hero Langston Coleman-Brown, adult hero Rosemary Henderson and senior hero Chuck Farritor.
Junior Hero Langston Coleman-Brown is a dedicated community volunteer. He volunteers for several city events including the city’s Tracks Activity Center (TAC), a free recreation afterschool program serving 1,200 youth per year in seventh and eighth grades; the TAC brotherhood male empowerment group; TAC fitness & wellness group; TAC sports and tournaments; TAC community service projects; several city-sponsored special events; and serves as a lead volunteer in the city’s Camp Claremont summer camp program. He is a strong mentor to his peers. Langston, a Claremont High School student, has contributed more than 1,300 hours of volunteer service in the past two years for the city’s Human Services Department.
Adult Hero Rosemary Henderson is the type of person who is the first to raise her hand when volunteers are called for a cause. Henderson’s primary areas of interest are senior issues, however she is involved with the L.A. County Fair’s FairKids education committee as a representative from Bonita Unified School District. Henderson is described as a cheerleader, a motivator and a person who cares about the welfare of others. She is on the Claremont Committee on Aging, co-chaired the development and implementation of the Postal Alert Program, participated in the development of the Senior Master Plan for Claremont, is a member of the Senior Finance Committee and chairs the Claremont Senior Foundation. Henderson’s volunteer work also involves the Claremont Community Foundation, League of Women Voters, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Claremont United Church of Christ, among many other endeavors. All of this was preceded by an active teaching career.
Chuck Farritor is being honored with the senior Community Hero award for his many years of community service. A former Merchant Marine, Farritor was born in 1924 in a frame house built by his grandfather in Nebraska. He moved to Pomona where he spent 43 years in the construction business. Farritor served on the board for Pomona Valley Workshop, which helped children with special needs. Active in Democratic politics, Farritor served as president of the Claremont Democractic Club. His construction abilities were put to use with his volunteer activities with Habitat for Humanity. Farritor volunteered with the Claremont Police Department in the citizen’s patrol program. Among his many accomplishments, Farritor is the author of three books.
Claremont residents, friends, family and supporters can join their community celebration on Sept. 23 for just $5 before 5 p.m. with a coupon or voucher available on the community page at lacountyfair.com. Coupons are also available at the Claremont Chamber of Commerce, City Hall and other community locations. Come for the Fair; stay for the community festivities: parade at 5 p.m. and hero presentation at 5:30 p.m.
The L.A. County Fair opens Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4 – 6 and then Wednesday – Sunday, Sept. 8 – Oct. 3, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Live thoroughbred horse racing at Fairplex Park will be Sept. 9 – Sept. 27, dark Mondays Sept. 13, 20 and Tuesdays.
For information about ways to save at the Fair, visit lacountyfair.com.
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Under the direction of the Los Angeles County Fair Association, Fairplex is home to the L.A. County Fair, the largest county fair in the world, as well as The Learning Centers which encompasses Fairtime Learning, The Child Development Center, The Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC), the Junior Fair Board, and the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts. Fairplex also operates a diverse hospitality business with the Sheraton Fairplex, McKinley’s Grille, KOA RV Park, Finish Line Sports Grill, Cornucopia Foods, and the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel and Conference Center (opening 2011). The campus is also home to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona; horse-racing and Barretts Equine Limited; as well as the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. For more information, please visit www.fairplex.com.
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