Each Merced County 4-H and FFA group will send ambassadors to a dessert reception April 12 at 7 p.m. at the Merced County Fairgrounds. The ambassadors will learn about the barn fundraising project and pick up donation containers to hand out to their members. The goal is to get family and friends to put their spare “bucks” and change in the donation containers in April and May. The donations will be returned to the fairgrounds the week of May 17-21. Prizes will be awarded to the 4-H and FFA clubs and individuals who collect the most money.

Erecting the barn is one of the goals of The Friends of the Fair, Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit formed in 2008 to make improvements at the Merced County Fairgrounds. In addition to the current “Bucks for the Barn” fundraiser, Friends is helping finance beautification and long-term development of the Merced County Fair with membership fees, charitable donations, grants and other fundraisers. For more information go to www.friendsofmcf.org