SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Wisc. — Roland Buss knows the Sheboygan County fairgrounds like the back of his hand — and he should because he’s been working there for more than half his life.
Buss is 81.
"When I first started, I was a clean-up kid for a couple of years,” he said. Buss also spent some time in the entertainment sector of the fair but found his true passion in landscaping.
“Roland is an institution here. He's been here longer than I can remember," noted County Fair Board President Bill Lubach.
Buss has taken pride in bringing life and color to the grounds with flowers. A rainbow of petals covers nearly every square inch of spare space.
He insists that although this has been a multi-decade-long venture, he’s no expert.
“I do it for the beauty," Buss said as he proudly showed off one of his favorite flower beds.
"Half of them I don't know the names of, but when I pick them out, I look at the tag, see how big they get and how tall they get and how long they'll be in blossom."
Lubach said Buss’ work makes fair goers’ experience more comfortable and enjoyable
"If it's just dirt and rocks and it doesn't look that good, then it's just a barn.”
Others have voiced their compliments to Buss too, which is what has helped keep him going all this time.
"It makes the grounds look better. Every year a little bit better and bigger," he smiled.
"It's like a park,” Lubach added. “You want to bring your kids to it, you want your relatives to see it. You come here, you relax and you have a good time."
Throughout the fairgrounds, Buss’ years of service are recognized on several plaques and signs, along with his two buddies. Together, they have more than 100 years of combined service at the fair.
Watch: The man behind all those flowers at the Sheboygan County Fair.
Both friends passed away within the last few years.
Buss said he wants to continue working at the fair as long as he can.
"Something like this needs people like that,”Lubach said. “The day of the volunteer is going away. People all think they should be paid for all this stuff but guys like Roley who dedicate themselves to this — they're getting harder and harder to find."
For now, Buss is passing on his fair wisdom, and encouraging the public to buy tickets. All the money goes right back into the grounds, including his florals.
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