Senior citizens enjoy own special competition
Charles Battisti,90,of Point Marion clutches his trophy as the oldest male senior citizen at the Fayette County Fair Wednesday.
Dolores and Phil Ferguson, members of the Mountain Citizens Action Center at Markleysburg, received the trophy for the newest married couple duirng Senior Citizens Day activities in the Fiddler's Building at the Fayette County Fair Wednesday.
Barney Fife impersonator Scott Epperson of North Carolina interacts with Arnold Hiltabidel of Connellsville duirng Senior Citizens Day activities in the Fiddler's Building at the Fayette County Fair Wednesday afternoon.
?DUNBAR TWP. — Although Wednesday proved to be a rainy day, senior citizens received an opportunity to shine at the Fayette County Fair as they enjoyed a competition especially for them.
Master of ceremonies Hazel Blaney led the seniors through a series of contests in the Fiddlers Building. She also introduced special guests that included fair queen Katie Diamond, contest originator Nancy Herring (who also started the fair’s racing pigs contest) and Scott Epperson of Benson, N.C., who impersonates Barney Fife, an endearing character from television’s “The Andy Griffith Show.”
“Anybody recognize this guy? Hey, Barney, come up here!” Blaney called to Epperson as he received applause from a thrilled audience.
“God has been good to me. I’ve met several members of the original cast, opened shows for country music stars and done television commercials and videos,” said Epperson, a retired police officer who has been appearing at the fair since Monday. “If I can make folks smile and laugh, I’ve achieved my goal.”
Epperson heckled the senior citizens, such as telling Philip and Dolores Ferguson of Markleysburg, who at two weeks and two days won the most recently wed contest, “Hey, you ought to be at home!”
But he also charmed folks, posing with them for photographs, dancing and shaking hands with participants in a cake walk and helping judge the beauty portion of the contest.
Epperson said of Fayette County, “This area has very friendly folks. It’s like being back in Mayberry.”
Contest results included: Ova DeRosa, queen, and Paul Sumey, king; most grandchildren, Elsie Vanorsdale with 41, Bob and Elsie Ahlgren, 26, and Elsie Adams, 15; scavenger hunt, Nila Rowe, first, Dolores Ferguson, second, Lorraine Coffman, third; largest group, Uniontown senior center, followed by Connellsville and Smithfield; oldest man, Charles Battisi, 90, Jim Grubbs, 89, and Robert Taylor, 88; cake walk winner, Nina Gratson; highest cookie stack, Mary Lou Kantorik, followed by Linda Metts and Nina Gratson; best female figure, Carol Myers, followed by Nila Rowe and Loretta Newell; oldest woman, Vivian Schipani, 95, followed by Carol Myers, 92, and Gerry Stuart and Bessie Sumey, both 91; sexiest legs on a male, Paul Burchard, followed by George Rowe and Robert Ahlgren; spelling bee, Flora Humbert of Mountain Citizens, followed by Carol Myers with Pat Lafko of Mount Pleasant and Barney of Mayberry, tied for third.