CANFIELD — With precautions against COVID-19 affecting so much, one Junior Fair adviser will be missing this year’s scaled-down fair.

William Wainio, 27, son of Anthony and Cynthia Wainio of Boardman, will be focusing on his studies at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland.

But he will not be able to attend this fair. Due to COVID-19, St. Mary Seminary has modified the fall semester and canceled the Labor Day break from school. Wainio did say he plans to support the 4-H livestock sale online as a buyer and supporter.

His story and connection to the fair begins in the world of scouting.

Wainio joined Boy Scout Pack 60 when in the third grade, almost 20 years ago. After he earned the Arrow of Light award, he moved up to Boy Scout Troop 46 in Boardman where he obtained his Eagle Award in 2009.

MENTOR

His scouting path led him to know George Grim, who was not only a driving force for Boy Scouts in the Mahoning Valley, but was also a devoted member of the Canfield Junior Fair Board.

“As a Boy Scout, I was invited by the late George Grim to apply to become a member of the Junior Fair Board,” Wainio said. “I was hesitant at first. I was a kid from the suburbs and while I had enjoyed visiting the fair each year, I did not think I had the skills to work with livestock and agriculture.

“Today, over 10 years after making the decision to accept Mr. Grim’s invitation and becoming a member of the Mahoning County Junior Fair Board, I am so thankful that I did. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined all the great things that came out of being a member of Boy Scouts, Junior Fair, and later 4-H.”

While a youth in Junior Fair, Wainio developed skills and learned to work with animals. In his final year of showing at the fair, 2012, he joined 4-H and was encouraged by advisers and friends to bring a livestock project. He did and brought his goat named Fawn, which he entered and won Grand Champion Kinder Goat.

“I thought they were all crazy, but their encouragement [on entering an animal project] was motivating,” Wainio said.

CAREER PATH

After graduating from Ursuline High School in 2011, Wainio went on to Youngstown State University, then was hired as a 9-1-1 dispatcher for Mahoning County. He also moved from a Junior Fair member to a Junior Fair adult adviser representing Boy Scouts. He became an adviser to the public relations committee and helped with The Roundup Junior Fair newspaper and preparing television and radio interviews.

“While I did my best to represent Boy Scouts, that wasn’t the only thing I did with the Junior Fair board,” he said. He currently serve as a member of the Mahoning County Youth Agricultural Society which supports the mission of the Junior Fair.

Wainio’s other big move was in 2017, when he left his dispatching job and was assigned by Bishop George Murray to St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland. Wainio said becoming a priest was something he had always wanted to do.

“Growing up, my family was involved at our local parish,” he said. “It is there that I grew to love Christ and His Church. I also had the great privilege of coming to know Father Joseph Fata, who as the pastor of my home parish (St. Luke Catholic Church in Boardman) growing up. He showed me how the life of a priest was a joyful life of service to all people. He really showed me how to be Christ to everyone I met. He was just one of any number of priests and ministers in the Church that have pointed me along the path to where I am at today.”

One fair-time item that Wainio enjoyed seeing was the scholarships that are handed out during the Junior Fair honors ceremony. In 2014, Wainio had founded and presently serves as chairman of the George L. Grim Memorial Scholarship, given to a Junior Fair member who shows great leadership skills and is in financial need to continue their college or trade school

“Scouting and Junior Fair taught me life lessons that I use each and every day,” Wainio said. “These groups taught me that life is not always an easy journey but through hard work and a positive attitude you might be the person to help someone else through a bad day. The skills I developed from scouting, junior fair, 4-H, and other extracurricular actives in high school provided me with a great future.”

“Thanks to the Canfield Fair, I have made life-long friends — some of whom I talk to daily. All of this was thanks to one man, George Grim, who got me involved with Junior Fair — a group of strangers that have become family.”