Hafners’ are 2022 "Friends of the Fair" – Philip Pioneer Review

While Clyde was growing up in Perkins County and participating in 4-H and church events, Lorrie(Lorretta) was growing up and participating in 4-H and church events in Butte County.

Clyde was active in the Thunder Butte Valley 4-H Club raising and showing beef and as a member he held several offices. He helped his family host a countywide livestock judging school at their ranch for several years. His family raised Hereford livestock. He and his siblings showed their livestock at the 4-H Achievement Days a few years in the street east of the Legion and static exhibits were shown inside the Legion. They showed livestock a few years on the south east corner of the Perkins County courtyard with static exhibits again in the Legion. Clyde was out of 4-H in 1961 when the first Perkins County Fair and 4-H Achievement Days were started. The livestock was shown at the Perkins County Livestock Yards (West of the Elevator). The static exhibits for 4-H and Open Class filled the gymnasium at the Bison School which helped create a need for a new building at the Fairgrounds.

Lorrie belonged to a 4-H Club in Butte County that only participated in non-animal projects. (She did help her brother get his animals ready for the fair.)They showed static exhibits at the beautiful Fair Grounds West of Nisland, South Dakota where there were dedicated buildings for 4-H and Open class exhibits. The livestock had barns for beef animals and sheep. There were barns for the race horses and chickens too. The grandstand had a cover and the fair board would bring in special entertainment for the Fair. The stage across from the race tracks was for the entertainment and the 4-H Style Show that was before the main entertainment. Lorrie was an active 4-Her participating in judging events locally. She was a top scoring judge in Visual Arts, Clothing and Home Living at State Fair and the Western Jr Livestock Show.

Clyde has lived his entire life on the Hafner Ranch which was started in 1907 and Lorrie joined him in 1968.

Clyde and Lorrie attended the National Western 4-H Roundup in Denver in different years, representing the Lemmon Jr Livestock Show and The Western Jr Home Ec Show. Their son, Terry won a trip representing Lemmon Jr when he was in High school. There son Rick won a scholarship from the Lemmon Jr Livestock Show.

Lorrie helped as a leader for a three 4-H Clubs in Perkins County. She was barely in PC when Pat Kolb asked her to help with her club. Her second club, with Judy Gano, found her helping several young people learn how to sew. Her last club, with Geraldine Peck, did a routine at Mount Rushmore before the evening lighting ceremony. She judged Clothing construction and Visual Arts at surrounding counties and at State Fair.

Lorrie served on the State 4-H Board as well as the State Extension Advisory Board serving as an officer in each group and represented the State at meetings in Washington DC.

Clyde served on the Perkins County Fair Board for a several years while the current grounds were being improved with a livestock shade, the Bentley Building, covered grandstand and improvements on the rodeo arena. Their sons also helped with the building of the Bentley building. Lorrie and Clyde were on the building committee and the kitchen design committee as well as helped design many of the advertising spaces in the building. When the Bentley Building was first built and used, it had no cement floor. The 4-H Horse showmanship class was held inside the building because of rain. Both of their boys showed their horses under cover.

The Hafner family was not afraid to volunteer for jobs that needed to be done so that the Perkins County Fair could be a success. While Clyde was helping put on a rodeo, Lorrie was coordinating the Food Stand to help raise funds to support the Fair.

Their interest in 4-H and community continues on with their grand daughter, Nicole, who was active in 4-H rodeo on a county and state level. She often volunteered to sing the National Anthem at surrounding rodeos. Her love of art won her top ribbons and she is still pursuing interests in her art and photography. She married into another active 4-H family in the Eastern part of the state.

Clyde and Lorrie have been active in their church too through the years, serving as leaders in the church on a conference level and local churches. Their son Terry and his wife started the TNT Steakhouse in Bison during the Fall of 2021.

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Hafners' are 2022 "Friends of the Fair" - Philip Pioneer Review