LISTOWEL – On July 14, as the parade celebrating the Listowel Fair’s opening night concluded, Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae congratulated members of the Listowel Agricultural Society (LAS) on the work done since receiving a $22,600 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2021.
Funds were used to buy health and safety equipment to use during community events, and to develop new online and in-person resources for the organization.
“It is wonderful to see such an important and deserving community organization receive this funding,” said Rae. “Our agricultural societies are pillars of our rural communities. This funding meant the Listowel Agricultural Society continued to have an impact in our community and in the safest manner possible.”
The grant helped the LAS create an online presence for competition entries and virtual competitions. It’s also helped purchase sanitation supplies and equipment to ensure a safe environment for patrons attending events, and it has given the organization the opportunity to have better lighting for entranceways to the fairgrounds, thus increasing the safety of both those working at the entranceways as well as patrons entering the fairgrounds.
“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be underestimated,” said Elizabeth Johnston, president of the Listowel Agricultural Society. “The last two years have been challenging for most agricultural societies in Ontario and our organization is no exception. We appreciate the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation as we rebuild and re-invent how we present events.”
The LAS is committed to providing a venue and events throughout the year that are safe and accessible for everyone. The Listowel Agricultural Hall and fairgrounds are used by a variety of community organizations for meetings, celebrations and fundraisers. Anyone wishing to enquire about using the Listowel Agricultural Hall and/or the fairgrounds for meetings or events, please visit www.listowelfair.com.
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year OTF invested nearly $209 million into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund.
Since 2020, OTF has supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
