Every year thousands flock to the Drayton Farm Show at the PMD Arena.
Generally, they are seeking information, looking to purchase something or just looking around.
But attending the show, which is organized annually by the Drayton Kinsmen, also helps others in a variety of ways.
First of all, $1 from every $3 admission is donated to cystic fibrosis (CF) research. In previous years, over 2,000 have attended the farm show, which translated into annual donations of over $2,000.
About CF
According to www.cysticfibrosis.ca, CF is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults.
There is no cure for CF, a multi-system disease, primarily affecting the lungs and digestive system.
In the lungs, where the effects of the disease are most devastating, a build-up of thick mucus causes increasingly severe respiratory problems. It may be difficult to clear bacteria from the lungs, leading to cycles of infection and inflammation, which damage delicate lung tissue.
Improved therapies have helped to address digestive issues and virtually all CF-related deaths are due to lung disease.
Community betterment
The rest of the proceeds from the Drayton Farm Show will be put towards various Kinsmen projects in the community.
The farm show is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Kinsmen (in 2011 over $4,600 was re-invested in the area).
Over the years Kinsmen members have completed hundreds of projects, including an addition to the agricultural society building, the purchase of a rescue van and the Jaws of Life for the local fire department, the development of ball parks and soccer fields, and a huge contribution to the PMD Arena.
Those are only a few examples of what Kinsmen have done for the community. They also provide support to a wide range of causes.
Over the years those have also included: minor ball, hockey, soccer, figure skating, the Scouts, school trips and activities, Kinsmen ball and soccer fields, the Moorefield Optimist Park and playgrounds, the Drayton Festival Theatre, community theatre groups, youth theatre, the Drayton Farmers’ Market, seniors outings and foster children causes.
The club has also aided the fire department and Pregnancy Crisis Centre, the area United Way and the local food bank, as well as helping to fund multiple sclerosis research.
The club is very concerned with children and has provided anti-drug programs including a local Chicken Club, as well as bicycle safety courses.
It supports the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Ontario March of Dimes, and also provides financial help to local 4-H programs for children and the local agricultural society.
New this year, the Kinsmen Club of Drayton has partnered with the Optimist Club of Moorefield to offer the first ever Mapleton Rodeo. Set for July 5 to 7 in Moorefield, the rodeo will kick off with a barbecue dinner and feature traditional rodeo events as well as children’s activities, exhibits and displays, and food and refreshments.
The Drayton Kinsmen and Moorefield Optimists are also teaming up for new playground projects in the township this year.
Other show benefits
Though run primarily by the Drayton Kinsmen, other service clubs and local groups also help out at the show.
For example, in the past the Drayton Rotary Club helped run the door, minor hockey representatives prepared and served food, and high school students worked at the show to obtain their volunteer hours.
Kinsmen officials say the show has become a total community effort, and the great feedback received each year seems to support that assertion.
Mitchell’s Mark Junkin, who attended the 2011 show, said he was “blown away by the level of professionalism” of the organizers.
“The fact that this is a community-run event really demonstrates the quality of your Kinsmen Club and the community at large,” Junkin said in a letter to the Advertiser.
“You should definitely be proud of what your community has to offer.”
For information on the Kinsmen visit draytonkinsmen.ca.
