One family’s legacy to spread cheer at the Iowa State Fair reached a Washington County family. Eddie’s High $5 was given to Adrian Green, “A lady stopped us and she pulls up her bag. She pulls out an envelope and she said her dad died two years ago and he always liked kids getting what they want at the fair. So they were giving out envelopes of $5.” The note that came with the $5 for a special treat reads that Eddie, who lived from 1928 to 2018, loved the Iowa State Fair and wanted to give children $5 for a treat, souvenir, or ride on the grounds. In his memory, his friends and family donated funds to do just that. Adrian decided to purchase a special souvenir, “I got a pretty ring.”

Adrian’s mother, Amy Green, who is the Washington County 4-H and Youth Coordinator, said it seemed to create a ripple of joy around the fair, “We had gone to a little kids’ show and it was interesting, I saw two different kids walking around and they were holding their envelope. I know one got their face painted and they were taking a picture with it too. So it was neat, even in this huge giant place of strangers you could see how everybody was kind of connected through that random act of kindness.”

Eddie’s family wrote, “‘Nothing compares’ to seeing a child’s smiling face!”