By Rori Bennett – Junior Reporter
The sun was shining as thousands of residents and out-of-town visitors flocked to Wallaceburg for this year’s WAMBO 31 event.
Taking place at 31st annual Wallaceburg Antique Motor and Boat Outing (WAMBO), was a car and boat competition, an antique fire truck parade, as well as a toy show, flea market, dunk tank, soap box derby, cardboard boat race, mini garden tractor pulls, karaoke contests, art in the park, a children’s play area, and LIVE entertainment.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff was in attendance and entered a boat in the Cardboard Boat Races.
Along with Wallaceburg Councillor Aaron Hall, Mayor Canniff was seen riding the Municipality of Chatham-Kent boat and placed second in their heat, against 99.1 CKXS.
The team consisting of Mayor Canniff and Councillor Hall received the ‘Best Sunk Award’ for their efforts.
“WAMBO is one of the largest, most important events in Chatham-Kent,” Canniff told the Sydenham Current.
“I’m so excited to be here, it’s been 31 years, and I look forward to another 31 years. This is what community is all about: bringing people together and having some fun. All of the fantastic things going on around here, I love it.”
Matt Thomas, the car manager for WAMBO, stated that there were approximately 150 cars, trucks and motorcycles lining James Street in Wallaceburg.
WAMBO 31 was also the second year for the Youth Ambassador Program.
The purpose of the program is to engage the support of the youth and encourage the need for volunteering in the community.
Wallaceburg District Secondary School Grade 12 graduate, Kyra Ritchie was selected as this year’s ambassador.
She received $1,500 to go towards her post-secondary education.
She will be attending Nipissing University in the fall with the hope of one day becoming a primary school teacher.
“For the Ambassador competition this year, I had to write an essay about why volunteering was important to me, as well as fill out forms, hand in resumes, volunteer hours and sheets showing involvement in the community, school and everything else,” Ritchie told the Sydenham Current.
“This weekend I’ve been in many events, like the cruise on Friday night. I was at the cardboard boat races, and I get to be in the fire truck parade, as well as hand out car awards. Really, I just float around, and talk to everyone.”
Ritchie added: “I wanted to be the ambassador of WAMBO, because it really helps me to be involved in the community, and be able to be a part of WAMBO, since I have attended since I was a kid.”
Here are some photos from this year’s 31st annual WAMBO event:
