Ryan Whitney
WESTFIELD — As we count down to this year’s Westfield Fair, every day this week The Westfield News will interview one of the volunteers who make this annual event happen. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another profile of one of your neighbors.
Today we’ll get the inside dirt on Ryan Whitney, who’s done a few of the fair’s messiest jobs — from digging the mud bogs to picking up all that trash.
What’s your favorite thing about the Westfield Fair?
Going to meet your friends there. We’ve been going to the fair since we were 13, 14 years old. It was a time to see your friends because you’re in the middle of the summer, just hanging out watching the truck pulls, the demolition derby and the mud bogs.
What do you do at the Westfield Fair?
The trash, and any little odd jobs they need doing during the fair. A couple times I dug the mud bog pit for them. … It takes a couple hours in the morning, every morning [three to four people] get there and pick all the trash up. [We] fix the ribbons to let you know where to park.
How did you get involved with the fair?
My good buddy’s family has always been involved in it and pulled horses. I’d go with him to the fair in the morning just to help. The thing to do is to help out other people.
When you’re not at the fair, what do you do?
I work for J.L. Raymaakers and Sons [as a construction laborer and equipment operator]. Digging trenches in the road for sewer lines and all that. Raymaakers would donate their excavator to dig the mud bogs.
What’s the one thing that folks should make sure they don’t miss at the fair?
Meet new people, hang out. Come outside and enjoy the outside. Eat some good food — the fresh-cut French fries.
