FERGUS – Sensational Elora’s Pumpkin Day has become a much-anticipated community event, and Patricia Brown of Fergus has been at the forefront of its success since she first joined Sensational Elora’s board in 2014.
Brown has been volunteering her time to causes and community events for most of her adult life.
At 25, she decided to volunteer with Multiple Sclerosis Canada by joining the Guelph chapter.
“I wanted to meet people and to get involved in the community,” Brown said, adding that she believed in the cause.
After more than ten years, Brown left the Guelph MS chapter and began devoting her volunteer time to the AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington County.
“There was a big gala they did every year, and I helped with that,” Brown said.
She eventually organized and ran the gala, furthering her skills in organization, in securing sponsors for live and silent auctions, and in finding artists and musicians to entertain guests.
Brown has also volunteered at Hospice Wellington and the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games and currently volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters Centre Wellington.
She is also on Centre Wellington’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee.
Sensational Elora board co-chair Kirk McElwain describes Brown as a major contributor to the non-profit organization’s success.
“She accepted the role of Pumpkin Day coordinator soon after joining and within a year, she was organizing the event primarily on her own and adding new features,” McElwain said.
“Pumpkin Day continues to expand and change to reflect our community. Patricia’s willingness to accept new challenges has made her a key member of the Sensational Elora Board.”
Board president Barb Lee had known Patricia as a friend and “got to see her community commitment through Sensational Elora.”
Lee said Brown is engaged in board decision making and actively contributes at the committee level as well as chairing Pumpkin Day.
“The community response to Pumpkin Day last year was wonderful and appreciative,” said Lee.
“This event is one of the reasons Centre Wellington achieved the Culture Days recognition of one of the best Culture Days Hubs in Canada.”
Lee said Brown’s strengths “include always looking for ways and opportunities to make something better and even more fun. I know her to be very honest and ethical in her dealings.
“Her passion, frank interactions, and humour keeps people engaged and happy to work with her.”
Sensational Elora’s annual Pumpkin Day has become such a success, that this year it will be held at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
Brown said she is trying to make the event even more successful this year.
“I’m trying to make it bigger. I love the fact that it’s something free for families,” she said.
“We didn’t have a lot of money growing up. And you know, there are so many people in this community that don’t, and they have kids and they struggle.”
Working with a limited budget, Brown said she relies on sponsors and volunteers to ensure Pumpkin Day remains a free and fun family event.
“All of our sponsors are important, and I think people who give up their time are important,” she said.
Brown is grateful for the help students at Portage Elora continue to provide and is always looking for more student volunteers to commit their time.
Brown said volunteering is important to her because she likes to make people happy. She said she strives to ensure other volunteers have a great experience when they help out with Pumpkin Day.
“You’re going to meet people, you’re going to have fun and you’re going to be part of your community,” Brown said. “People want to be part of something. It’s fun. It’s safe. It fills your heart.”
Brown will be reaching out to local senior centres, as “It is so good for seniors to be involved in their community. It makes them happy to be around youth. That’s part of my mission.”
For information on this year’s Pumpkin Day and on Sensational Elora, visit sensatioanlelora.com.
This profile is made possible by a partnership between the Advertiser and the Township of Centre Wellington as an initiative of Community Connect, which aims to celebrate and encourage volunteerism and connectivity. To find out more about this township program visit centrewellington.ca/communityconnect.
