Peggy Smith named Iowa State Fair Iowan of the Day

The Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation and Cookies Food Products are pleased to present Peggy Smith of Baxter as a 2025 Iowa State Fair Iowan of the Day.

Smith does everything she can to help her community flourish. When she noticed the disrepair of the picnic tables at the local Sports Complex, she and her husband provided the labor to replace all the wood and bolts. To address the issue of littering along downtown sidewalks, she worked with the Baxter Chamber of Commerce to obtain a grant that financed the installation of new trash cans.

Smith also recently introduced the concept of “Welcome Bags” to the Chamber of Commerce. These gift packages help welcome new residents to Baxter and provide information about the community. In addition to working with the Chamber of Commerce on these projects, organized a breast cancer walk in Baxter that raised $4,000, which she donated to the Mercy Cancer Center in Des Moines.

Smith’s day of recognition will be Thursday, Aug. 14, at the 2025 Iowa State Fair. She will be recognized with a presentation on the Anne & Bill Riley Stage at noon. Along with accommodations at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, she will receive Iowa State Fair admission tickets, Grandstand Concert tickets, use of the Iowan of the Day golf cart, VIP parking and a cash prize.

The Iowan of the Day program was founded by the Blue Ribbon Foundation in 1997 to honor outstanding Iowans who have made a difference in their communities. From nearly one hundred nominations, the Iowan of the Day committee selected ten Iowans who demonstrate exceptional integrity, hard work and dedication to their communities.