A local agricultural society working to promote, preserve, and celebrate rural life has received $15,000 in funding.
The money was given to the Highgate District Agricultural Society (HDAS) from the FCC AgriSpirit Fund.
HDAS is a member of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies and focuses on community events, like the annual county fair. It is a volunteer-based group that owns and operates the Highgate fairgrounds, including the playground equipment, facilities, red barn, 4-H barn, and ball diamonds.
HDAS put the funding towards installing and repairing fences used to maintain the safety, functionality, and longevity of the community park and fairgrounds.
"We actually undertook a number of pretty substantial capital upgrades to the park this year," said HDAS Secretary Treasurer Cory Gosnell. "That funding is going towards, we replaced fencing around our 4-H show ring, as well as new fencing all around the parking lot."
Gosnell explained that they wanted to use the funds for a 4-H project due to the funds connection to the agricultural community.
He said that having this support from the FCC AgriSpirit Fund is huge.
"As a 100 per cent volunteer charity-based organization, we really depend heavily on operating grants and financial support," Gosnell continued. "The support from FCC this year, those two projects, we wouldn't have been able to do that without that support."
The work was completed by the end of September, in time for their annual fall fair.
This project is one of 17 across Ontario that is being supported by the FCC AgriSpirit Fund in 2026.
