A special volunteer appreciation supper was held by the Ponoka Agricultural Society (PAS) last week to recognize folks’ dedication over the year.
PAS president Lauraine Weir said without the volunteers the many events the society hosts would not be possible and this supper, held Tuesday, Dec. 1 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre, was one way to thank them. Looking at the many events they hosted, Weir suggests the society has strong community involvement.
“It takes time, effort, talent and a little bit of money, sometimes a lot of money,” explained Weir.
She referred to the long hours spent at the ag event centre helping out at the ranch rodeo or during other ag society events. According to a fact sheet presented at the dinner, the society hosted 12 events this year.
Among those were the home and hobby show, ranch rodeo, cowboy challenge, farming with horses, several rodeos and horse cutting challenges, the women’s conference, a youth ATV safety course and the society also sponsored two $500 high school scholarships. Besides the regular committee and board work, the society has also taken over operations of the Calnash Ag Event Centre, while the Ponoka Ag Event Centre Society is an operations committee that monitors the day to day activities.
Weir said the more than 90 people in attendance, as well as the many sponsors of the society, spend countless hours helping out. “They log hours in there (ag event centre) and sometimes they’re logging days.”
Other areas the PAS gets involved with sponsorship is with the empty bowls fundraiser, 4-H activities, the high school rodeo, at the Ponoka Stampede and other community events.
Weir suggests the PAS board realizes how important those volunteers are and the supper is a way to show that. The evening closed with comedian Ol’ Ugly (John Glawson) out of Nanton entertaining attendees.