Rosemarie Naples Earns Durham Fair Lifetime Achievement Award

Rosemarie Naples took home the Lifetime achievement award at the Durham Fair Association Volunteer Dinner on Friday night:

Rosemarie Naples is not your average fairgoer. Perhaps you can call her a connoisseur of fairs. She knows the nuances that distinguish between a 4H Fair and a Local or District Fair. She's knows much about the majors and we're not talking about baseball here. The Durham Fair is one of the New England's, "Majors" and it is a fair that is closest to her heart. For 63 years she has loved the Durham Fair.

She has seen the fair evolve from a small town green event to one that encompass's the greater vista behind Durham's Main Street. She make's it clear that the reason the Durham Fair is a cut above many others is because "Everyone has a voice". Unlike many other fairs that have only a board of directors, The Durham Fair is maintained by the very people that believe in it, selflessly working hard to ensure its success.

 Never one to shy away from what her heart is telling her to say, Rosemarie's influences are wide reaching. Aside from the Durham Fair, she is an active member  of The Durham Board of Finance, she is a "Home Bound" Eucharistic Minister, and an active member of The Association of Fairs. She has also been given a prestigious award by the Arthritis Association for her many efforts in delivering quality water aerobics classes for many over the years.

 To add to accomplishments, her baking recipes have been published. Her apple pie recipe is one of the best, as stated in The Ladies Home Journal. Her ability to bake was nurtured lovingly by her mother-in-law. She bakes a great loaf of bread, which may be best accompanied by her sister-in-law, Phyllis's, home made fruit preserves.

 Perhaps her strong sense of confidence has led her to play so many important roles at the Durham Fair. She is now deemed, a Senior Advisor because of what she knows and her many skills. She has been awarded many a blue ribbon over the years and is especially proud of her "Best In Show" for her wheat bread on the 75th anniversary of the fair.

Some of Rosemarie's tasks at the fair have included judging jams and talent shows, making announcements, working the gates, and helping with many exhibits. She may be best known as the voice of the pulling events, a job she lovingly shared with her husband Nick for many years. The two were a "tour de force" in achieving their life goals together as well as making the Durham Fair the best possible fair it could be. They would meet in their youth at a square dance and she knew right away, that they were meant for each other. Together, they would travel from one fair to another over of their weekends. They would learn about how to bring out the best in a fair and because of their work, the Durham fair has benefitted many times over.

But Rosemarie will be the last one to take any credit. She attributes the fair's success to those who work hard to make it all happen. The list is long, but she hi-lights the efforts of people like Len Baginski, "the man that keeps the fair honest", to Han's Pedersen, who beautifully emulates the hard work of his father's past efforts. Between them and everyone else's efforts, she's proud to say, "This is the best fair, the type of fair that after 63 years, you just can't give it up!"

 While she's loves the history of the fair's storied past, she maintains a vision for the fair's future. Keeping the fair agricultural roots in a very modern world is at the very heart of her vision. She believes that to do this, we must keep agricultural people involved and see farms represented and celebrated at the fair. At fair time, she can often be found in the Cow Palace asking questions of exhibitors and helping fair goers understand their rural roots. She see's this fair's value for future generations.

Rosemarie is encouraged by the good feelings that have spread over Durham Fair committee. She smiles when she say's,  "It's just so good to see people laughing!"  At meetings, she always leads in the reciting of The Pledge of Allegiance. There is no better person on the committee to recite it. She has emulated the words of the pledge throughout her life. Like the pledge that we make for our country, these same words ring true for our Durham Fair. May we work together in peace, be fair and full of hope and integrity in creating a Durham Fair for all.