For almost 40 years, the Montgomery County Fair has given out a volunteer of the year award to someone who made a huge contribution to the biggest event in the county.

When Tim and Kim Schroeder found out they were selected as recipients of the 2023 award for painting the barn at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds last summer, they were shocked.

“We weren’t expecting all of that,” Tim said. “We were just happy to see it get painted and finished and get it done and make it a lot better.”

The Schroeders live in Buell and have two children. Kim works as a district conservationist for USDA for Montgomery, Lincoln, Pike and Warren counties, while Tim works as a mechanic at the MoDOT office in New Florence.

Kim grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from MCHS. She met Tim while they were students at the University of Central Missouri. They graduated from the Warrensburg school in 2009. They lived in Knob Nobster – which is Tim’s hometown – briefly before moving to Montgomery County in 2021.

The fair started giving out the volunteer of the year award in 1985. Walt McQuie, Sr. was the first recipient of the award. The honor has been given out every year except 2020, when the fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By getting the volunteer of the year award, the Schroeders were named Grand Marshals of the fair parade that was held on July 16. Tim said he enjoyed coming out to this year’s fair.

“I think it’s a great experience for the kids,” he said. “It’s a good community event. It’s a great atmosphere and we always have fun here.”

Kim said the best part of the fair is seeing many people from the Montgomery County community.

“It brings back a lot of memories from when I was a kid,” Kim said. “I started showing lamb when I was in fourth grade. I made a lot of memories and a lot of friends. It’s not just Montgomery kids. It’s countywide. It’s good to see the kids from Rhineland and different towns you don’t see all year around.”