From busing to hauling to fuel, plowing match crew is covered
The Chatham-Kent International Plowing Match 2018 (IPM) team unveiled its transportation options last week at Victory Ford Lincoln.
The committee will have the use of a coach bus from Badder Bus Lines when travelling to promote the IPM. Victory donated a Ford F-150 pickup for around town events, as well as to haul a trailer, donated by the family of Leon and Collette LeClair, which will carry souvenirs to various events around the province.
All three items are wrapped in graphics, courtesy of Impact Graphics and Signs, the design of which came from Candice Cottingham of Abstract Marketing.
The diversified support is greatly appreciated, IPM 2018 co-chair Darrin Canniff said.
“This is a great example of the community coming together. Five groups all stepped up,” he said. “That’s about $100,000 in sponsorship right there.”
Adam Lally, general manager of Victory Ford Lincoln, said being involved in IPM 2018 was a simple decision.
“We think being a part of the community is important,” he said. “Agriculture and farming are a big part of this community. Something like this doesn’t come around often. It’s easy to get involved in an event like this.”
Victory is leasing out the truck for $1 a month for the next two years to the IPM committee.
Preparations are in solid shape, Canniff and LeClair said. In fact, they may have to slow down.
“We’re almost too far ahead,” Canniff said. “There is still a year and a half to go. Planning is going really well.”
About 1,200 volunteers are needed to pull off the IPM, and people can sign up via www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2018. LeClair said some individuals who have stepped forward are wondering why they haven’t been asked to help yet.
“We don’t need the volume of people at the moment, but we will,” he said. “We need about 1,200 volunteers in the days leading up to the plowing match. We’re expecting 100,000 people to attend the event. We’re creating a city out there. It will take about three weeks to set up.”
One key souvenir being sold to promote the IPM is the cookbook, A Taste of Chatham-Kent. It’s been on sale since late fall, and Canniff said about 3,000 of the books have been sold to date. The price per book is $15 plus tax.
The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo will be held in Pain Court, Sept. 18-22 2018.
