An Odebolt woman who’s spent years lifting up her community is about to be celebrated on one of Iowa’s biggest stages.
Ruth Ann Mohr has been named one of the Iowa State Fair’s 2026 “Iowans of the Day,” an honor reserved for a select number of Iowans each year whose service, volunteerism and community leadership stand out statewide. The Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation and Cookies Food Products will recognize Mohr at noon Wednesday on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage at the fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Mohr’s nomination highlights decades of work in and around Odebolt. After a 30‑year career as a registered nurse, she continued serving neighbors in ways both big and small — running errands for homebound residents, tending flower beds across town at her own expense and donating more than 25 gallons of blood over her lifetime. Local organizations say she’s been a steady volunteer through First Presbyterian Church, the American Legion Auxiliary, the nursing home auxiliary and Odebolt’s annual Creek Days celebration, where she helps raise funds by sorting thousands of cans for recycling.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation says Mohr embodies the spirit of the program: Iowans who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their communities, strong work ethic and pride in helping others. Since the program began in 1997, only 10 Iowans each year receive the honor.
As part of her recognition, Mohr will receive four Iowa State Fair admission tickets, four grandstand concert tickets, a VIP parking pass, hotel accommodations at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, $200 in cash, a golf cart for use during her day at the fair and an Iowa State Fair swag bag.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation, a nonprofit that has generated more than $220 million for improvements to the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds since 1993, says Mohr’s decades of quiet service made her stand out among this year’s nominees.
