Volunteers are still needed
Over the next three years the municipality of Chatham-Kent will construct a new town, located near the village of Pain Court, due west of Chatham. For a five day period in September 2018, this little city could double Chatham-Kent’s existing 100,000+ population. Its buildings will be constructed of canvassed vinyl, and sod and shavings will replace conventional black-top, but the people, infrastructure and services needed to support a small city will all be in place, ready to host, park, feed and entertain crowds of thousands of visitors every day.
Two municipal councillors have stepped up to co-Chair the largest undertaking that rural Chatham-Kent has tackled in nearly four decades. Darrin Canniff and Leon Leclair, both life-long C-K residents, understand the complexity and the huge effort required from an army of volunteers to pull this rural event off. Leon Leclair, who farms near the tented city site, has already discussed the tasks that lie ahead with his C-K Councillor-colleague Frank Vercouteren, who chaired this legendary IPM event here, back in 1979.
According to Leclair, it will be a big job, but “This IPM Rural Expo event is the greatest opportunity we’ll have to showcase who we are, and what we have. If our executive and volunteers approach the success that Frank and his team staged nearly 40 years ago, our generation can hold our heads high in 2018.”
Darrin Canniff agreed with Leclair: ” I’m also very excited to be part of this event. It will showcase everything Chatham-Kent has to offer. And with the talented people and vibrant organizations in our municipality, we will host an innovative event that inspires, educates and entertains over 100,000 expected guests”.
Chatham-Kent was selected to host the 2018 event by the Ontario Plowman’s Association through the initiative of Carl and Rob Sterling, member executives on the Chatham-Kent Plowman’s Association. This father and son team continue to be committed in their efforts to help stage this event, and continue to be engaged through communications, marketing and site preparation responsibilities.
For further information contact:
Rob Sterling, Chatham-Kent Plowmen’s Association, 226-626-3947, ckplowing@outlook.com
Carl Sterling, Chatham-Kent Plowmen’s Association, 519-352-8365, sterrep@aol.com.
