The Coos County fair in Myrtle Point has been a fixture on the southern Oregon coast since 1912.
Though the spirit of celebrating agriculture, crafts and livestock has been a constant, the technological needs of the fair have changed. For the past three years, Ziply Fiber has proudly sponsored WiFi for the fair, starting with the 4H area and expanding to cover the entire fairgrounds, which enables connectivity for the campground, vendors, performers and visitors.
It's an effort that takes two weeks of setup and requires constant attention. To ensure the WiFi stays up for the duration of the fair, Ziply Fiber local manager Harry Haines VII camps there for the entire week, his RV serving as a mobile office.
"The fair seems to appreciate that I'm available, and if they have an issue, we'll be there to take care of it," he says.
The main issue that Harry and his techs troubleshoot is fair participants unintentionally unplugging the WiFi for vendor booths or tools, like sheep shears. When he's not troubleshooting internet issues, Harry is chatting with fairgoers and listening to their feedback about Ziply Fiber.
"This is a small community," he says. "The way I manage down here is different than other areas. It's more person to person. We like to walk up and shake somebody's hand."
"We have built a really great relationship with the fair," says Valerie Henson, the local Community Development Manager for Ziply Fiber. Both Valerie and Harry have noticed that awareness of Ziply Fiber has increased and gotten more positive each year.
Says Harry, "Once they get Ziply Fiber, everyone is impressed with what we do and how we do it."
Ziply Fiber also sponsors the WiFi at SummerFest in Myrtle Creek and is looking into partnerships with more southern Oregon community festivals for next year.
"There are more members of the community that recognize that we give back," Valerie says. "It's proof that we're building relationships."
Learn more about our community involvement.
