Four young Pontiac residents spent the evening of Aug. 20 making their pitch for why they believe they should be chosen as this year’s Shawville Fair Ambassador.
Felix Vereyken, Molly Dowe, Grace Kelly and Laura Graham each took a turn at the mic set up in the Fair’s homecraft building, delivering a speech they had written about what the Shawville Fair means to them, and why they believe they are best suited to be its highest representative.
Kelly, representing the entertainment division, spoke of how some of her fondest fair memories were born by the main stage. She said she chose to represent this division because it is reliable in its ability to bring fun to every age.
Dowe, representing the dairy division, spoke of her love for the ins and outs of working on a dairy farm, and the value she sees in the Shawville Fair.
“It is a celebration of the community. Whether people come to learn, for the competition, or just to cheer from the stands, their presence helps strengthen the bonds that make the Pontiac so special.”
Vereyken, representing 4-H and a longtime member of the club himself, spoke of the labour of love that is the club’s food canteen at the fair, and the excitement and stress that comes with showing an animal in the club’s Shawville Fair auction.
“When you’ve trained an animal and watched it grow and loved it, you are very proud to see it go up for sale,” he said, then closing his speech with a zingy one-liner.
“You can find me slinging burgers in the booth or growing them in the barn.”
But ultimately, 16-year-old Graham’s speech about the virtues of the often-overlooked horticulture division that won her the ambassador honour.
She shared stories about her earliest entries in the horticulture division, recalling the glee she felt after winning first place for a little sheep she crafted out of lavender for the “flower arrangement in the shape of an animal” category.
“Granted, I was the only person to submit anything in that category,” she said, landing the punch line to the story, which was greeted with eruptions of laughter from the audience.
But it was the case she made for the value of horticulture which, she said, doesn’t often claim much of the spotlight in 4-H or other fair competitions, that no doubt won her the crown.
“As ambassador of horticulture, I hope to bring local horticulture the attention it deserves, so that youth may be encouraged to diversify the agriculture industry in Ottawa valley and start farms they may not have even considered as an option before,” she said. “Agriculture is a diverse and beautiful field, and there’s a world of opportunity for whoever can find a niche in it.”
The ambassador program was organized by sisters and fair board directors Hayley and Holly Campbell. The program is open to anybody who wishes to take on a leadership role over the course of the fair weekend. Anyone who expresses interest in representing a division will be able to do so. It is only those interested in the top Shawville Fair Ambassador title that will need to give a speech.
Throughout the fair, the ambassadors will assist with exhibiting, passing our ribbons during shows, and potentially helping to receive and set up entries in the horticulture department, and “also just have fun,” according to organizers.
Graham’s winning
Fair Ambassador speech
This year’s Shawville Fair Ambassador is Laura Graham, who won this title after delivering the below speech about why she chose to represent the horticulture division.
Good evening members of the Shawville Fair Board, parents, friends, and esteemed judges. My name is Laura Graham, I am 16 years old, and I will be representing horticulture at this year’s fair.
The fair in all its parts has always been important to me. I remember bumping into several walls in the mirror maze, cheering on cars at the demolition derby, and spending hours at the magician’s tent. However, one of my favourite fair memories happened when I was about 8 or 9. As a child, I would often submit my arts and crafts projects to the fair board. I usually got participation ribbons, maybe a fourth-place ribbon if I was especially lucky. In this particular instance, I had submitted a little sheep made out of lavender for a flower arrangement in the shape of an animal, and against all odds, I got first place in this competition against not only kids, but actual adults as well. It was the first first-place ribbon I had ever received, and I was beyond proud of it. Granted, I was the only person to submit anything in that category that year, but it was important to me.
I have always enjoyed gardening. I was probably the only child who looked through the horticulture displays extensively, marveling at the giant pumpkins and wondering what made one zucchini better than another identical zucchini. So when I decided to become an ambassador this fall, horticulture seemed like an obvious choice. Growing up on an apple farm, I was always frustrated when 4-H focused almost exclusively on livestock, although it is much better now than it used to be. As ambassador of horticulture, I hope to bring local horticulture the attention it deserves, so that youth may be encouraged to diversify the agriculture industry in the Ottawa Valley, and start farms that they may not have even considered as an option before, like greenhouses, beekeeping, orchard-tending, flower growing, even keeping livestock other than beef, dairy, sheep, and chickens. Agriculture is a diverse and beautiful field, and there is a world of opportunity for whoever can find their niche in it.
Canadian horticulture and agriculture in general are beyond important. The tireless efforts of farmers keep food on the table and the country running. No operation can run without food and farmers to produce it, and therefore agriculture is the most important industry in Canada. In addition, agriculture in all its forms is vital to self-sufficiency, which in light of recent events is especially important. The Fair, from its beginning, has been at its core a celebration of agriculture. Through the fair, we can share farming techniques and innovation. We can show off our best heifer or cabbage or loaf of home-baked bread. In the end, the most important part of the fair is not the midway or the food or the entertainment, although those are all certainly very nice, but rather showcasing and celebrating our agricultural heritage. Through everything we do here at the Fair, we can teach the public at large the true importance of agriculture, and ensure the farming community stays alive for generations to come.
Thank you all.
