Exchange Club of Albany making preparations for 75th annual Southwest Georgia Regional Fair

ALBANY, Ga. – The end of October means the return of a Dougherty county tradition.

CBS 44’s Brian Roche has the details about the Albany Exchange Club’s 75th annual Southwest Georgia Regional Fair.

Preparations are being made at the Exchange Club Fairgrounds, as the Exchange Club of Albany is getting set for the 75th anniversary of the fair, 100th anniversary of the Strates Shows Midway to close out the month of October.

I met with the Vice President of the Fair Organization Committee for the Exchange Club, Ralph Paustain about the milestone for the fair.

“That is cool. I mean Strates has been around 100 years, and what it does for us, you know, all of our money either goes to maintaining the grounds or we give it to the prevention of child abuse. So, any time we can have a big year like this and raise extra funds that means we’re able to give more to the charities that need it. Especially now,” said Ralph Paustain, Exchange Club of Albany.

They’re getting some of the rides set up and ready to go for when the fair opens on Tuesday, the 24th…

And, they’re trying to lighten the load for everyone to be able to come through the gate.

“Oh it’s a big celebration. I mean we’re trying and that’s why we’re doing a lot of the specials. We know everybody is hurting right now, with the increase of everything; gas, food, groceries, that’s why we’re doing the specials. I mean they can come out, six people eight people to a car and enjoy the ride,” said Paustain.

And, while there will be the traditional events for the fair like hog races, there will be some more serious aspects…

The Exchange Club will be honoring the past with a memorial dedicated to those who served…

“We’ll have the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is a 1/5th replica of the actual tomb. We’ll have the field of crosses, which will be a cross for every soldier in Lee county and Dougherty county who has passed away in service since World War I,” said Paustain.

As the Exchange Club continues to build out the grounds they’re welcoming everyone to celebrate this milestone event.

The Exchange Club is expecting between 45 and 50 thousand people to come to the fair this year.

Brian Roche reporting.

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