Shelburne Fair Board hopes corporations and developers will step up to the “mat”

July 19, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

In March of this year, the Shelburne and District Agricultural Society happily received an $11,500 grant from Employment and Social Development Canada. The money was used to purchase mobility mats for the fair grounds, but unfortunately, the grant falls a long way from the total cost of $17,000 for the mats.

The fair board purchased 250 feet of mobility mats, which they describe as “portable and durable roll out mats designed to enhance the mobility for pedestrians, disabled persons, wheelchair users and strollers.” The mats will be used to connect the two buildings and the washrooms, providing a smooth ride or walkway across uneven and sometimes muddy terrain of the fair grounds.

Long time volunteer for the fair, including in fundraising and promotions, Karren Wallace says the fair board is “showing true community leadership in investing in this important infrastructure for the fair.” She says, the board is hoping that area developers and corporations will “step up to the mat” and sponsor the mobility purchase, as well as help to fund other events at the annual fair, now in it’s 151st year.

“As our community grows in population,” says Ms. Wallace, “volunteer organizations struggle with dwindling volunteers to run diverse and successful events on their own. Organizations, like the Shelburne & District Fair are very dependent on donations to purchase and pay for items that they can no longer afford on their own.”

Businesses such as Garaventa wheel chair lifts out of Markham, Freeman Construction and Aluminium in Shelburne, and Shelburne Family Chiropractic have already made, or committed to generous donations, but the fair is still in need of close to $5000 for the mats alone. Corporate sponsors are still needed to pay for some of the annual fair’s events, such as the rental of the children’s bouncy castles, which will cost $10,000 this year.

Sponsors of the mobility mat will be recognized at the ribbon cutting event at the 2018 Shelburne & District Fair and their names will be engraved on a special plaque to be located in the Agricultural Society building on William Street.

Donations are appreciated and help is always welcome at fair time. Students wanting community hours can also PM the facebook page to volunteer. Donations may be made payable to Shelburne & District Agricultural Society and forwarded to P.O. Box 1112, Shelburne, ON, L9V 3M2, or PM the Shelburne Fair’s Facebook page and arrangements will be made to pick up donations. No donation is too small.