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Fair Honors Five for Their Years of Service
GC FFA
Five individuals who have packed away their cameras, closed their notepads and hung up their headphones are being recognized this year by the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association. Marc Bennett, Terry and Cathy Collier, Charles Feller and Yvonne Hartmann are being recognized for their combined 180-plus years of photographing and reporting on activities and events at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds. “We chose to recognize these five individuals for their work over the years doing their job while also helping us,” said Edward Stroeher, president of the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association. “As we celebrate the 175th anniversary of Fredericksburg and the 133rd Gillespie County Fair, we thought this would be a good time to recognize Marc, Terry, Cathy, Charles, and Yvonne for their contributions to the fair association and to the community.” Stroeher said, “They went above and beyond the call of duty and were always here when we needed them. We do appreciate all that they have done for us, for Fredericksburg and for Gillespie County.” “We worked together as professionals but also built genuine friendships beyond the work that brought us together,” Stroeher said. Marc, who is semi-retired and the owner of White Oak Studio, served as track photographer and official photographer for the directors and fair queen’s court along with other special events
Recognized for their years of service to the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association are, in front from left, Charles Feller and Yvonne Hartmann and (in back) Cathy Collier, Terry Collier and Marc Bennett. – Photo courtesy Gabriel Segura
while Charles has spent the past 44 years doing radio broadcasting from the fair grounds on Radio Station KNAF.
if I was interested in taking the Winner Circle photos after each of their horse races at the fairgrounds during the summer.
Cathy and Terry along with Yvonne covered the fair association and its events for the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.
That was the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship with so many people at the fair association.
MARC BENNETT In the spring of 1985, shortly after I had moved to Fredericksburg, I got a call from Mike Sagebiel with the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association. He wanted to know
For the last 30 years or so, I must have taken the official photos of every fair queen, duchess, float, and president, of the Gillespie County Fair. Not to mention hundreds of Winner Circle photos, and then contracting to do the official photo finish of every horse race once we went pari-mutuel.
