2025 Grand Marshall
Neil and Donna Jo Smith
Neal and Donna Jo Smith are your Hunters Community Fair Grand Marshall’s for 2025! Neal & Donna have both been involved in Hunters Community for many years.
In the 1940’s - 1950’s, Donna Smith's grandparents, San and Jo Holbrook, owned the Hunters Grocery store, Hunters Auto Freight, and the Hunters bar and grill. Donna was the second generation to attend Hunters school. She has been giving music lessons to local kids since she was 16 years old. She was a Hunters fair princess, following in her mothers foot steps who was Hunters fair princess around 1950. Donna is very musical, and loves performing her talent at events such as weddings, funerals, and the Hunters Fair. She plays many instruments, but is exceptionally talented at the harp. While Donna plays her parts, Neal plays an Australian Aboriginal instrument, called the didgeridoo.
In 1968, Neal Smith moved from Spokane Valley and bought a dairy farm up Hunter Creek. He also worked at, as well as managed the old sawmill in Hunters. Neal and Donna Smith got married on January 8th, 1971. On January 30th, 1979, they had their only child, Ryan Smith, who was the third generation to attend Columbia High School.
Neal and Donna have helped with meat cooking for the fair in 1971 and for many years after. Donna has clogged with her clogging group during the fair luncheon, but the last couple of years, she has played the harp. Neal and Donna were involved in the Hunters chamber of commerce from 1971-1992.
Although Neal and Donna live in Gifford now, they are both still very influential to the Hunters Community. They are both involved in the First Presbyterian church in Hunters, where Donna also plays her instruments.
PAST GRAND MARSHALLS
2024 Wayne & Marlene Sampson
2023 Dan & Linda Somerlott
PAST GRAND MARSHALLS
