A Petrolia couple was presented with the Ontario Association of Agriculture Society’s (OAAS) Service Award, at this year’s Brigden Fair. The award was presented Oct. 11 by Moore Agricultural Society president Bill Myers, to longtime fair board members and volunteers Don and Donna Pierce.
The award is given to agricultural society members who have given longtime or meritorious service to their local fair board or agricultural society.
The Pierces have been members of the Moore Agricultural Society for 23 years and worked diligently at each year’s fall fair. In accepting the award, Donna Pierce noted that on such a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend there was much for which to be thankful.
“We should be thankful for this beautiful weather and that we are well enough to be here,” she said, adding the Brigden Fair provides a wonderful time for families to get together. “And if we all ate today we need to thank our farmers who grew the food.”
Donna Pierce
She noted she and Don were honoured to be chosen as recipients of the OAAS Service Award and thanked the Moore Agricultural Society for bestowing them with the honour.
Don simply said he would second his wife’s comments.
With the sun glistening and temperatures well above normal, it couldn’t have been a more delightful Thanksgiving weekend for the Brigden Fair. A Lambton County tradition, the Bridgen Fair the county’s oldest and largest agricultural fair.
It is also the last fall fair of the season in Lambton, and many of the successful contestants in its beef, swine, sheep, horse, home-craft and crop competitions go on to compete at Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in early November. While no numbers were yet available, a scan of the crowd suggested this year’s fair may have set some attendance records.
At the fair’s opening ceremonies, Myers praised the fair board and its host of volunteers who toil year-round in planning and organizing the highly popular event.
“I can’t say enough about our vast group of volunteers and the amount of work they do to put this all together,” he said. “And they’ve been doing it for 163 years.”
St. Clair Township Mayor Steve Arnold said the Moore Agricultural Society represents a long history of work, dedication and love of community.
“The people who make this come together year after year are just incredible,” he said. “It doesn’t happen without the work and dedication of a great many people.”
John Phair/QMI Agency