Tom Henihan
Express Staff
@SmokyRiverExprs
SARDA’s Farmer Appreciation Dinner at Centre Chevaliers was a highly entertaining end to the opening day of the SARDA Trade Show weekend.
Two of the four MLAs who attended the opening day of the Trade Show had the opportunity to stay and attend the appreciation dinner; Minister of Energy and representative for Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley, Marg McCuaig-Boyd and Deputy Speaker, Debbie Jabbour MLA for Peace River and head of NADC.
SARDA’s Chairman of the Board Audrey Gall, did an excellent job as MC, providing pertinent information, some amusing anecdotes and expressed gratitude on behalf of SARDA to sponsors, exhibitors and farmers.
She also expressed appreciation of the numerous people responsible for organizing the Trade Show and other additional events and especially Roch Bremont, “for being the mastermind behind it all.”
MLA and Minister McCuaig-Boyd spoke at the podium about moving from Edmonton to Fairview in the 1970’s.
“I come from a farming background even though I am a city girl who moved from Edmonton to Fairview in the 1970s to stay two years,” says McCuaig-Boyd.
“I not alone fell in love with Fairview but fell in love with my husband who happened to be a farmer in the area. We had a cow/calf operation for a number of years but we are no longer farmers but acreage owners though we still live in the same house where we raised our children.”
She also lauded SARDA for its thirty-years of research and innovation, from water research, fertilizer quality and promoting diversification, which has advanced the agriculture industry in the region.
“This trade show is amazing. This is the first time I have been to it and I couldn’t believe the amounts of booths, the amount of people. I had to park about three blocks from the show. It’s got to be one of the best trade shows in the region, congratulations for doing this.”
After an excellent chicken breast and ham supper catered by Crystal Catering, the entertainment began with ventriloquist Norma McKnight of Vancouver.
McKnight is an extremely talented ventriloquist with great comedic timing.
She presented a number of puppets during her set and, obviously quick to read the crowd, did a very entertaining routine with some audience participation.
Veteran First Nations comedian Howie Miller who is from Edmonton did the final set of the evening.
Miller is also an actor and writer and a Gemini award nominee for best writing in a comedy for the APTN show “Caution: May Contain Nuts,” in which he also stars.
Miller with his relaxed stage presence and affable manner easily related to the audience as he gleaned constant laughter by depicting and debunking stereotypes from an aboriginal and non-aboriginal perspective.
SARDA’s Farmer Appreciation Dinner, the great food, and excellent, first class entertainment was certainly enjoyed by all the farmers and exhibitors who attended the event.
