Residents at St. John’s Lutheran Home are again making a big showing at the fair this week.

Activities Director Diane Wichmann said there are more than 160 entries from 61 residents in all different categories including flowers, planters, woodworking, vegetables, jewelry, quilting and many more.

“I like when we can bring the community back to the residents,” Wichmann said.

She said residents get very excited while working on projects and when they can visit them at the fair. She also said that while residents love winning, they care more that people can see their projects and for the recognition.

“That’s what’s kind of exciting about it,” Wichmann said. “They can challenge themselves and still be part of the community.”

Wichmann credits volunteers Nancy Sather, Otto Becker, Curt Miller, Al Engen, Betty Patterson, Shirley Miller, Jan Birkofer and Phyllis Lynch, among others, for helping residents with various projects.

“We try to make it resident-centered,” Wichmann said.

Many of the projects are on sale at St. John’s after the fair. Wichmann said they don’t make a lot of money on the projects, but it helps fund more activities. They also get many materials donated to help defray costs of activities.

St. John’s also recently held a family planting evening where family members and friends could come visit residents and make a planter with them. Staff encouraged family members to feel free to enter the planters into the fair. Wichmann said they like to encourage residents to submit entries for their own benefit and because she knows people enjoy having lots of entries to view at the fair.

Wichmann said many of the projects are hobbies people already have like doing puzzles, which they can shellack and frame and submit at the fair. Residents display their ribbons all together after the fair to see who won what.

“If they get a purple ribbon, just like anybody else, they’re excited to win,” Wichmann said.