The Solanco Fair is one of Quarryville's most beloved traditions. Every autumn, local residents gather at the fairgrounds to enjoy the company of neighbors and the area's unique character. One of the highlights of the annual fair is the crowning of a new fair queen; in September, Solanco High School senior Keeley Kreider was selected as the 2023 Solanco Fair queen, and she hasn't wasted any time using her new title to support the community.

In addition to serving as fair queen, Kreider is a member of the Solanco High School FFA. Every year, members of the club individually sell fresh fruit to raise money for various endeavors such as conventions and other group activities. Kreider and her fellow Solanco FFA members decided to shake things up this year by partnering with Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (SNM). Through the collaboration between the fair queen, SNM and the Solanco FFA, patrons were able to purchase fruit for SNM's food bank in Quarryville. From the end of October until Nov. 15, the Solanco FFA accepted online orders for boxes of fruit, which Kreider will personally deliver to the food bank on Monday, Dec. 11.

"This partnership benefits all parties; we get more boxes of fruit in and we're able to give them right back to people in Quarryville," Kreider said. "It's an awesome way for me to use my platform to help my community."

During the fundraiser, customers had a variety of fruits to choose from, including oranges, grapefruits, clementines, pears and apples, as well as sampler boxes that contain multiple types of fruits and vegetables. Although the purchased fruit will be delivered to SNM's food bank this year, the profits will support the Solanco FFA.

Since Kreider donned her crown in September, she has been performing her duties as fair queen in more ways than her role in the fruit sale. On Oct. 15, Kreider attended the Quarryville Fire Department's annual Trunk or Treat to hand out candy to costumed youngsters. On Saturday, Dec. 9, Kreider will return to the Solanco Fairgrounds for Christmas in Qville. As Kreider works to make an impact in Quarryville, she is gearing up for the state fair queen contest in January, where she will represent the local community and its values. "I'm looking forward to representing our small community on a larger scale and meeting other girls who are voicing the same passions that I have," Kreider said.

Kreider has participated in the Solanco Fair for as long as she can remember, first attending the event with her parents as an infant. During the fair queen competition, Kreider was tasked to write a speech, compose an essay, complete an interview and answer questions from a panel of judges. Each portion of the process allowed Kreider to express her deep connection with the agriculture industry; Kreider currently lives on a dairy farm, and she hopes in pursue a career in agriculture business after graduating from high school. "I love being able to connect with the community and influence other girls to get involved," said Kreider.