County Fair Foods Fund Assists Local Nonprofits
Published 2021
County Fair Foods of Watertown has found at least one more way to pay it forward in the Watertown area. The grocery store located in downtown Watertown has established the County Fair Foods of Watertown Fund at the Watertown Area Community Foundation to assist local nonprofits and charitable groups.
It was an easy decision after a fundraiser earlier this year met success and a vision. In March of this year, the store’s co-owners, Chris and Laycee Gamber and Tyler Thuringer, decided to support long-time employee Monica Marko’s family due to her late husband’s serious illness. They picked a Saturday, promoted it, and donated 5% of store sales. The fundraiser surpassed their expectations and a plan to help others was initiated.
“We decided to make it a monthly thing,” said Thuringer. “We established the fund so we can build it over time and do bigger things with it, too.”
Area nonprofits may contact us to be considered. We hope to do a 5% “giving back” day one Saturday a month. Months when a designated charity isn’t chosen, the 5% will grow the fund.
The effort brought $1,400 to the Watertown Hockey Association to raise funds to support plans for the new ice arena and another $1,500 to ICAP/60’s Plus Dining this summer.
“Giving back is important to us,” said Laycee. “We live here, too, and want our community to be the best it can be.”
“County Fair has always tried to help the community and downtown,” they said applauding previous owners Jeff and Annette Gamber. “This is just a different approach to doing the same things they’ve always done.”
“When people think of County Fair we hope they think we are locally owned and that we give back to the community and the families that support us,” said Thuringer. “That was another reason to team up with the Foundation– we are both vital parts of the community and now we’re partnering to help people.”
Nonprofit organizations may contact Thuringer and Laycee at tyler@countfairwatertown.com and laycee@countyfairwatertown.com, respectively. You may also call them at 605-886-4127.