For Immediate Release:
July 24, 2012
‘Touch A Truck’ returns to County Fair
Monmouth County government to offer information on services and more
FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County government is ramping up its presence at the 2012 Monmouth County Fair with an expanded “Touch A Truck” event during all five days of the Fair, which is held at East Freehold Showgrounds on Kozloski Road.
Fairgoers will have an opportunity to see and touch an excavator, road sweeper, bucket truck and a dump truck outfitted with a snowplow. Children will be able to try on some public works safety vests and helmets and control traffic signals as part of this interactive display of equipment.
“Monmouth County is proud of the variety of services it provides to the community,” Freeholder Director John P. Curley said. “The county Fair is a great way for residents to look at what we do, how we do it, and meet some of the county staff. I urge all residents to go to the county Fair and meet with county staff and pick up the latest information on the services available to them.”
To further advance the theme “Monmouth County, The Place You Want to Be,” county staff will be handing out information, giving demonstrations and answering questions. An entire tent, located near the Fair’s front entrance, is dedicated to resources from various county departments including: Consumer Affairs, Health, Human Services, Brookdale Community College, Care Centers, Workforce Development, Library System, Fire Academy and Public Information.
Among the departments giving demonstrations daily will be:
- Health Department staff will test children’s toys and other items for lead as part of an on-going awareness effort to prevent lead poisoning in children.
- Mosquito Extermination Commission will show how to make your back yard mosquito-free.
- Sheriff’s officers will be enrolling children in the “Youth Identification Program,” preparing wallet-sized cards with a photo ID of the child. The child’s parents or guardian maintains complete control of the card, but it can be given to local first responders in an emergency to aid in the rapid location and safe return of the child.
- Master Gardeners will be conducting demonstrations about growing herbs, deer resistant gardening and home composting.
“We’re very excited about the ‘Touch A Truck’ feature at the Public Works and Engineering exhibit,” Freeholder Deputy Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “People see county vehicles all over the county, but here they can see them up close and find out how they work. It gives our young people a chance to experience what it’s like to sit behind the wheel of some of our heavy duty equipment.”
The Monmouth County Fair is presented by the county Park System in cooperation with the county 4-H Association. The Fair maintains the agricultural nature of a traditional county Fair with its Home and Garden Competition, petting farm and 4-H animal shows and exhibits.
“The Fair is an opportunity for the Park System and the 4-H Association to showcase themselves,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Park System. “Residents get to see chickens, rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, cows and horses up close. Most of the animals are cared for by the youth of the 4-H Association who take responsibility for the animals year round. These youngsters represent the future and viability of our agricultural community – we should all support their efforts.”
The county’s agricultural heritage also comes alive in the county’s Historic Services tent. Each Fair day, staff and volunteers from Historic Longstreet Farm and Historic Walnford hold demonstrations showing daily activities of turn-of-the-century farm life in Monmouth County.
“This is a great way for residents to see up close what it was like to have lived on a farm in Monmouth County many years ago,” Freeholder Gary J. Rich Sr. said. “The Fair reminds us of an earlier time in the county and helps us enjoy some truly great American pastimes – blue ribbons, a pie-eating contest and amusement rides.”
“Even if residents do not make it to the county booth at the Fair, they can always access many of the same resources on the county’s Web site,” Freeholder Serena DiMaso said. “The Web site provides 24-hour access to county information and services.”
The Fair runs Wednesday through Sunday, July 25 to 29. The Fair gate is open 5 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, Thursday, July 26, and Friday, July 27; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 29. The Fair is held at East Freehold Park Showgrounds on Kozloski Road, between Routes 33 and 537 in Freehold Township. Admission is $7 per person. Children 12 and under are free at all times. For more information on the Monmouth County Fair, visit www.visitmonmouth.com or call 732-842-4000.
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