Junior Leaders' milkshake booth considered a tradition for many at Medina County Fair

MEDINA — For only one week of the year, people line up outside the Junior Leaders' milkshake booth at the Medina County Fair to purchase a freshly spun milkshake. With a wide range of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter or chocolate-covered strawberry, the booth has a tall cup of milkshake for everyone. Brittany Gordon, an adviser for the Junior Leaders program, said the milkshake booth is run by Junior Leaders members. The Junior Leaders is for current Medina County 4-H members between 13 and 19. The program is held in addition to the members' original 4-H club. Gordon said about 15 kids are taking part in Junior Leaders this year. They work shifts at the milkshake booth and participate in activities throughout the year. Junior Leaders members work in scheduled shifts through the week, Gordon said. Three members serve as managers and schedule the shifts, stay on top of inventory and manage the staff. The money raised is used in several ways, from donating to local organizations to funding future Junior Leaders' activities. "(The members) get to learn about running a business in a way that you don't quite get in class or just through taking courses," Gordon said. "It's important to see them grow and learn and also just become young leaders." The milkshake booth has been a Medina County Fair staple for years, Gordon said. Many of the booth's visitors are past Junior Leaders themselves, she said, telling the people they are with about their weeks working the booth. Gordon said the milkshakes served are based on a more traditional recipe, using syrups and hard-scooped ice cream instead of flavored soft serve. The base is flavorless. "Typically, when you get a milkshake somewhere, it's a vanilla base and they're adding flavors on top of that," Gordon said. "Our base is just frozen milk, basically. It's stronger because it's only taking on the flavor of whatever you're adding to it." Gordon said that for some people, visiting the milkshake booth is a tradition and just a part of what they do every year when they come to the fair. For others, it's their first time and they've been told by others that they have to try the milkshakes, she said. "It's been such a staple," Gordon said. "The booths might come and go or change owners, but this is always Junior Leaders. It doesn't matter what adult or what youth is in here. It's a staple of 4-H of Medina County." Contact reporter Sara Crawford at (330) 721-4063 or scrawford@medina-gazette.com.