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Military Flair at the Fair

Tunbridge, Vermont - September 17, 2009

The cadets from Norwich University lend their strict, orderly way of doing business to the Tunbridge World's Fair.

"They do a fantastic job!" said Euclid Farnham, the president of the fair.

Helping direct traffic and park vehicles-- taking tickets, too.

"It's interesting to get a look at Vermont life around here," said Jake Nihart, one of the cadets.

This is the only fundraiser of the year for the Norwich ROTC training fund. Cadets who will go mostly into the Navy and Marine Corps get out of class to work the event, taking $15,000-$20,000 back to campus.

"And that money pays for training equipment, food, and things like that. Buses in the Springtime, we go to Camp Edwards on Cape Cod in Massachusetts and Mass Maritime to use simulators down there and leadership reaction courses at Camp Edwards," said Sgt. Jamie Tsang of Norwich University.

"Before they came here, they used to have a series of bake sales and car washes, and for one intense weekend they can earn all the money they need for their projects," Farnham said. "Beats a bake sale! Beats a TON of bake sales!"

It takes about 450 cadets to fill all the shifts over the four days of the fair, but there is down time.

"I got off working the gate and I got to experience a little part of the fair. They give you breaks," Nihart said. "It's not like I'm going to go on the rides, but you get to interact with the people and that's good enough."

Supervisors say there are plenty of learning opportunities at the fair, too. For leadership and communication: both skills these cadets will need in the military.

The cadets will pretty busy at the fair over the next few days. The Tunbridge World's Fair wraps up Sunday.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News