“THE INSIDE
SCOOP” ~ YouTube Video, Photographs, Music & More!
Interview with President of the Halton Agricultural Society, Vincenzo
Carito and Penny Patterson, Homecraft President
... Milton ... "Home of
the “Milton Fall Fair”.
Full of fun photographs, music and great "content" from "Behind the Scenes with the Milton Fall Fair"!
MILTON FALL FAIR ~ HALTON
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Presented by Judi “Scoop” McWilliams
Ontario
Festivals Visited
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Penny Patterson & Vincenzo Carito
Halton Agricultural Society
Milton Fall Fair |
This edition of “THE INSIDE
SCOOP” we talked with President
of the Halton Agricultural Society,
Vincenzo Carito and Penny Patterson,
Homecraft President, and great insights from Jodi Passmore.
They shared with us, that the “Ultimate goal of the Milton Agricultural Society is based
around education and awareness surrounding agriculture”.
Although the Fair provides entertainment, they also
want to bring back a “Taste of the
Heritage” and preserve the “History”
and “Legacies” for years to come.
Their goal is to not only
create awareness of where family’s food comes from, but what life was like
decades ago.
Educational aspects are
tied in with the entertainment at the Milton
Fall Fair.
“Scoop McWilliams” states that …
“It is important to stay true to the core
of agriculture! It is “Our past &
Our future!”
Milton is
close to the Greater Toronto Area
and the Halton Agricultural Society
feels it is important to keep “City
Folks” aware and in touch about the agriculture that is so vital, and so
close to the city.
The Milton Fall Fair is smaller than other “Fall Fairs” in the
Province (not the smallest by far, as the Festival
Nomad and I have experienced). Vince says it has a “more
intimate feeling” where you can get closer and experience on a personal level.
You can get more time with the
agricultural industry both from the “farmers” to “producers” in the area.
This Milton Fall Fair offers a
little more “hands on experience”.
WHERE
VOLUNTEERS COME FROM …
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| Halton Agricultural Society ~ Milton Fall Fair |
Penny and
Vince share with “THE INSIDE SCOOP” that most of their Volunteer’s typically are the family,
friends, kids of families and their friends who are involved in agricultural in
the area.
THE
CHALLENGE…
The Volunteer Base is changing as the generations are getting older.
They share with us that one of
their toughest challenges is to get Youth Involved.
Vince himself started volunteering
in high school, after a school friend invited him to come along.
As age gaps and careers
blossom, so does the core of the volunteer base.
Once people are involved
through their own participation, such as animals, crafts, they usually stick
around.
It’s getting them involved
initially that is the challenge.
GETTING
HOOKED ~ BECOMING A “LIFER”
Once they take that step …
they generally “get hooked “become
as Vince says “a lifer”!
He
goes on to share … “lives
have not gotten busier than they were, per se, but our lives have
changed, becoming complex, making it difficult for volunteers to make the
meetings, do all the paperwork and more”.
Society
today … A DIFFERENT KIND OF BUSY …
Life today is a “different kind of busy” prohibiting
people from making a large commitment from being an Executive Director, Boards
member or key role.
Vince has been President for 2 years
now, being on the board for 11 years. A lot of fun, great rewards, but there is
a bit of a time commitment, which can be the difficult part.
Being in such a Key Role is
not what is always needed.
MANY
ROLES at the FAIR …
Volunteers are
needs for many aspects to host the
Milton Fall Fair.
From set-up to tear down, to
helping manage some of the actual events within the Fair. There is a lot that goes on “behind the scenes”.
THERE
IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! …
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| Halton Agricultural Society ~ Milton Fall Fair |
Vince
shares … “I truly believes there is
something for everyone”!
It’s a matter of getting
people to find what they like there! What is their interests?
Volunteering is part of the organizers responsibility
to help find a “great fit” that the volunteer enjoys.
MORE
FUN THAN WORK!
Vince says
it’s important to not only “utilize their
help (volunteers) but make it enjoyable at the same time”!
You want them to want to come
back. “You have to make it as much
enjoyable, if not more, then there is labour. You want to keep the Volunteers and appreciate them!”
MILTON
FAIR GROUNDS ~ “THE HEART OF MILTON!”…
The Milton Fairgrounds are “The
Heart of Milton” ~ “The Milton Fall
Fair jams a lot Heart into the Fair”!
There’s
is a lot of content in their Fair, a
lot of Education, especially for the
schools … and there is a lot of large amount of entertainment. Some people just want to come out for the shows,
but actually, there’s so much more they could enjoy while at the Fairgrounds!
PLANNING FAR AHEAD …
We
weren’t surprised when both Penny and Vince share that they
plan the Fair a year in advance, if
not further.
They
plan their marketing and promotions and programming far in advance, so if there
is a problem, say something needs to be cut out, or even added in, there would
be time to manage it all. From the promotions, to entries or prize monies.
Youth Volunteers … Outside of 40 hours requirements; How to engage youth?
Vince and I had a long chat about some ideas how to Engage Youth.
We
talked about a perhaps holding a Competition during the Fair through Social Media. Vince says even that would require a
Volunteer to coordinate.
“Scoop McWilliams” shares … it wouldn’t it be
nice if some of the youth brought their friends along.
If
you asked a high school youth to Volunteer, the student might reply … “I don’t want to Volunteer at a Fair”, but, if you invited them to
participate with Social Media such as “Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest”, they
might be more inclined to get involved.
We
need to offer our Youth something they
are interested in!
Perhaps
a Photo competition. Prizes given out on the final day of the Fair.
Offer
Photograph Competition in all kinds of Different Categories.
Ideas
seem to be endless … but starting the conversation on “Engaging Youth” would be a good start.
One
way to ensure “quality control of Social Media” (nothing negative, rude, etc.)
is to have the Students “Mentor” with a Senior Agricultural Society member. Together
they can learn, grow and succeed!
ATTACHED TO YOUR DEVICE … HAVE FUN AND
SHARE! …
As
we continue to talk, Vince says people are so attached their phones and devices,
that Engaging Youth through Social Media
could be a great way to bring a little more promotion to the Fair.
Participation
throughout Friday and Saturday, taking the shots and sharing, then Sunday,
bring the family, parents, and grandparents to see if they “WON”!
A Choice ~ MILTON FALL FAIR ~ WEEKEND
PASSES!
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| Halton Agricultural Society ~ Milton Fall Fair |
Penny and
Vince shared with me today there is a Weekend Pass available at
the Milton Fall Fair. You can visit
at your leisure. This will be great for people to experience different events
all weekend long, come and go as they please.
Share
YOUR EXPERIENCE at the Milton Fall Fair …
LEGACY!
…. YOUR LEGACY! …
“THE
INSIDE SCOOP” talks with Vince, who shares with
us today, that one of the most gratifying experiences at the Fair are the people that you get to
meet!
KEEP
GOOD THINGS GOING … IT’S NOT JUST THE FAIR … IT’S ALSO THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN
THE COMMUNITY …
Vince says
the people are really “one of a kind”, devoted to hard work and
keeping good things going”.
Vince
thinks that not only is it the Fair itself
that is special, but the people involved in the community!
It takes an
entire community, youth and volunteers to keep our “Fairs” alive!
LEGACY
THROUGH GENERATIONS …
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| Halton Agricultural Society ~ Milton Fall Fair |
Vince
shares his experience with us … “It’s an
honour to walk the Fair hallway to
see the Past Presidents and the Legacy throughout the generations”. All the
family names go so far back.
Vince is
the first of his family involved and hopes that for many generations to come,
he too can “pass the torch” and the Legacy will go on!
Many generations are the make-up
of the Milton Fall Fair, Halton
Agricultural Society.
Tradition
or legacy, Fairs offer you the opportunity to establish a traditional legacy
and keep them alive.
Scoop
McWilliams tells Vince in
response to his statement … “you wonder
in life, where’s your mark, how am I different, what’s my legacy going to be?
…It sounds like Vince found a nice
niche and hopefully it will continue.
Scoop goes on to say … “There is a satisfaction and feeling in life that you helped, and
contributed, and hopefully helped make something successful”.
YOU
CAN BE A PART OF IT … YOUR LEGACY …
Vince shares … “It is a wonderful feeling to see how many other generations have been
involved and you can be a part of it!”
We welcome you to check out
the Milton Fall Fair ~ Halton
Agricultural Society website to learn about the Fair and more! (Check out the Milton
Fall Fair, and all the
activities at the Fairgrounds, at LINK (http://www.miltonfair.com/).
Check out
Ontario Festivals Visited YouTube Video of this Interview at
LINK
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| Milton Fall Fair ~ Halton Agricultural Society Fairgrounds |
Get
connected! Become Involved in Your Future!
