By Wendy Oaks

The Danny Granholm Family of Grass Valley has been named the 2011 Family of the Year by the Nevada County Fair’s Board of Directors. The Board chose the Granholm Family because of their ongoing participation in the Nevada County Fair and their commitment and efforts in supporting Nevada County agricultural youth programs.

Danny and Katie Granholm, who were both raised in Grass Valley, have been attending the Fair since they were children.  As a teenager, Katie worked at the concerts hosted at the Fairgrounds, and grew up watching her grandparents square dance each year at the Fair. Danny also attended the Fair as a child, and remembers “being unable to sleep the night before the Fair because it felt like it was Christmas Day.”

Most recently, for the past eight years, Katie and Danny have been active in youth agriculture programs. In addition to showing animals with their own children, Danny is currently the President of the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters and Katie is a past director of the Nevada County Livestock Producers.

As owners of BK Powder Coating, which they started in the garage of Danny’s parent’s home in 1996, Danny and Katie volunteer to donate the powder coating on all Ag Mechanic projects for students from both Bear River and Nevada Union High school.

“It is such a pleasure to work with these students,” said Katie. “They work so hard all year on their Fair projects, and it’s great to be able to come alongside these kids and help them and encourage them.”

Their children, Ben and Kaycee, have also been actively involved in the Fair for many years. Both began exhibiting animals about eight years ago. At the 2011 Fair, Kaycee will show sheep, and Ben will exhibit a hog.

Both Ben and Kaycee have gone on to pursue agricultural education. Ben, 19, graduated from Nevada Union in 2010. He recently completed a year of service to the FFA, where he served as the California FFA State Treasurer. In this role, Ben recently testified at the Senate’s Joint Fairs Committee on behalf of the network of California Fairs. In August, Ben will begin his studies at Fresno State, majoring in Agriculture Business. Kaycee, 17, is a senior at Nevada Union and involved in FFA. She is currently serving as the Superior Region President for FFA, and is preparing for college, where she will major in agriculture.

“Year after year, Danny and Katie dedicate countless hours to the Fair and the agricultural community,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Fairgrounds. “They are such a gracious and humble family, with a selfless attitude, and a willingness to give – and they do it all with kindness. They are a nice family and so deserving of being the Family of the Year!”

About being named the Fair’s Family of the Year, Katie says, “We are thrilled and so surprised. It’s a huge honor and we are humbled because there are so many other families who also deserve this recognition. We love being part of the Fair and seeing the community come together to support our community’s youth – and we are honored to be part of that.”

The Granhom Family will be honored at opening ceremonies of the Nevada County Fair, which runs August 10 – 14.  They will receive a Fair package of tickets, as well a family portrait created by Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley.

For more information about the Nevada County Fair, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

Wendy Oaks

Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds

(530) 273-6217

wsoaks@gmail.com

Website: www.NevadaCountyFair.com

Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

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