CHILLICOTHE — Heather Giles’ passion for the Ross Country Fair started in 1993 and continues today as she still participates in several categories.
Giles has a mental developmental disability, something she said makes her think and act more like a teenager than an adult. But she does not let that stop her from taking on the world around her.
“I just want to prove to everyone that people who are handicapped aren’t useless,” Giles said. “Trying to get out there and show people that there’s more to life than just meets the eye.”
As the 2026 Ross County Fair draws closer, Giles has been busy working with the poultry she is showing, as well as her crafts. She said she has made aprons, purses, hats, and more.
“I like to do a little bit of everything,” Giles said. “I started at age 9, crocheting, and for the last five years I’ve knitted. Overall, I’ve been doing this practically all my life.”
She said she looks forward to the fair every year, to show people what she has created.
“I’m trying to encourage others to do stuff at the fair as well,” Giles said. “You don’t have to win a ribbon; you don’t have to earn money. Just go out there and have fun.”
Giles’ grandmother, Mary Brandum, she believes Giles has earned at least five hundred ribbons at the fair throughout the years.
Amy Beeler, superintendent at Pioneer, said she is proud of how far Giles has come in the years she has known her.
“Heather reminds us of what can happen when someone who has been underestimated is allowed to shine,” Beeler said. “Her passion project has always been about the Ross County Fair. It has become a way for her to teach, mentor, and encourage those served by the Pioneer Center to discover what they can do too.”
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: A fair tradition: Heather Giles continues a lifetime of achievement
Reporting by Destiny Torres, Chillicothe Gazette / Chillicothe Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Destiny Torres, Chillicothe Gazette | USA TODAY Network
