The Kent Agricultural Hall of Fame Association will induct another group of Chatham-Kent’s most accomplished agricultural and rural community members on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
The annual ceremony will take place at Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club on Highway 40 north of Chatham, with a meet-and-greet reception beginning at 10 a.m. and two of the inductees’ biographies presented at 11 a.m. Lunch will follow, with the remaining two biographies presented afterward.
Tickets are $45 per person and are available by contacting Kathy Vanek at 519-683-2929. The ceremony is open to anyone with agricultural or rural interests.
This year’s inductees include Janet Arlene Campbell of the former Township of Harwich, considered the heart of 4-H in Chatham-Kent for her work mentoring youth and strengthening agricultural programs; Barry Robert Kearney of the former Township of Orford, who spent 48 years customizing mass-produced planting equipment to the needs of local farmers; Edward J. Tomecek of the former Township of Chatham, who has played a significant role in maintaining the viability of the Ontario processing vegetable industry; and Edgar and Patricia Vanrabaeys of the Thamesville area, who advocated for fairness in the agricultural industry and mentored local youth at the “University of Thames Sales Yard.”
Since its inception in 1989, the Hall of Fame has inducted 213 members and has supported another 17 Chatham-Kent agriculturalists into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame. The listing of inductees can be viewed in the lobby of the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, 315 King St. W., Chatham.
The Hall of Fame board encourages nominations from the public of individuals, living or deceased, with a long-term commitment to agriculture or rural living in Chatham-Kent. A nomination form is available at chatham-kent.ca/aghoff.
The annual meeting will be held at Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club on Thursday, Dec. 3, beginning at 1:30 p.m., and everyone is welcome to attend.
