District 8 Youth Award Recipient, Cate Thompson, with a feathered friend. (Photo courtesy Ontario Farmer Magazine)
Teresa Hendriks won 2nd prize for this exquisite hand-stitched quilt. Closeup of quilt detail shown.
One of the Bayfield Agricultural Society youth volunteers won a special award at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) District 8 on Oct. 24. This year the AGM was held in Milverton, Ontario.
Cate Thompson of Bayfield was chosen from all the nominations to receive the District 8 Youth Award. District 8 consists of the 12 Societies in Huron and Perth.
This award is given to acknowledge youth taking charge and demonstrating an interest in the betterment of their Agricultural Society. The award recognizes the impact that youth members have and celebrates the importance of youth within all agricultural societies.
Cate began volunteering with the Bayfield Agricultural Society when she was in elementary school by helping with the Friday night dinner and the Jamboree on Sunday. Over the years, she has become much more involved with the Bayfield Fair and now has a vast knowledge of how the Fair works, where things go, where the help is needed, and the people organizing it. Cate can be found just about anywhere during the Fair doing a variety of tasks that need immediate attention, without having to be asked.
Currently in her second year at the University of Guelph, Cate is majoring in Biological Science with a minor in Agriculture but still finds time to join the Ag Society meetings by Zoom. Cate is the daughter of Kimberley Thompson, who is also a Fair volunteer, and granddaughter of Catherine Thompson who ran Camborne House B&B in Bayfield.
Each local fair has some competitions in which the winner has the honour of competing at the district level. If they win at the district level, they move forward to compete at the provincial level (a major honour). These competitions were held and judged at the District 8 AGM. Of the 5 eligible entries from Bayfield, 3 came home with ribbons. In the category of Hand-stitched Quilt, 2nd prize went to Teresa Hendriks. In the category of Junior (K-Gr. 4) Poster, 2nd prize went to Isa Wigchers-van Boheemen. Last but certainly not least, in the category of Youth Chocolate Chip Cookies, 1st prize went to Jackson Hivert.
The Bayfield Agricultural Society offers sincere congratulations to Cate Thompson on her well-deserved recognition and to the winners of the individual competitions. However, Jackson’s baking days are not over! With 1st prize at both the Bayfield Fair and at the district level, he now has the privilege of competing at the provincial level against the winners in that category of 14 other districts throughout Ontario. Winners of the provincial level competition will be announced at the OAAS annual convention in February 2024.
In addition to all the competitions and awards, there was also a general meeting that was fairly quickly dealt with. District 8 Provincial Director Jentje Steenbeek brought greetings from the OAAS. A wonderful evening of friendship and fellowship was had by all.