It’s that time of year again: a new Wellesley North Easthope Fall Fair Ambassador is to be crowned.
This year three young hopefuls from across the townships are vying for the title.
Ashley Guild, 17, from New Hamburg; Kelsey Gardner, 19, from Baden; and Tori Lynn Brick, 18, from Wellesley are looking to replace outgoing ambassador Justine Walker.
To win the crown the three young women will be interviewed by a board of judges and on the night of the competition Sept. 14 will have to give a speech outlining why they are the best candidate for the position as well as answer one impromptu question.
As the newly crowned ambassador, they will have several responsibilities over the course of the year.
Their duties will include attending some of the fair board meetings in Wellesley and representing the Wellesley Fall Fair as well as the Wellesley Agricultural Society.
The new ambassador will get to take part in the Santa Claus parade, be part of the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival, attend conventions and compete at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) with 100 other ambassadors from across Ontario for the title of Ambassador of the Fairs. They are also expected to help recruit new fair ambassadors contestants and M-C the next fair ambassador competition while staying involved with the community.
Guild currently attends Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School and hopes to study social science next year to become a social worker. She has worked for Decorating Dreams for the last three years.
Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
I thought it would be a great experience and I heard that there would be a public speaking workshop and that would be a great opportunity to work on some of those skills. I am actually friends with Justine Walker the current ambassador and she has told me all about the position and it seems like a fantastic way to give back to a community and a great learning experience for me.
What is it that you enjoy about living in a small town?
I like how everybody is friendly; I like that you can walk down the street and not be afraid. Everyone is very welcoming. Everyone’s mom knows everyone in the community because they all grew up together. It is like a family and everyone is so supportive.
Gardner is preparing to attend Conestoga College in the fall studying Early Childhood Education. She currently works at Tim Hortons and volunteers at both the House of Friendship and at Second Chance farm horse rescue.
Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
I think being an ambassador is a really great way to support your community and you get the chance to educate people, especially kids about farm life. If I become the ambassador I hope to participate in some field trips with students and hold demonstrations at schools to teach them more about farm life and how important farmers are to our community.
What do you enjoy about being from a small community?
Being from a small town everybody is very supportive and if you need something you know everybody and they will stand behind you. When I went to Scotland with my school’s rugby team we held fundraisers and the community really stepped up and helped us by donating to our team. People from a small town can be really encouraging and are willing to help you even if you are not related. Everyone works together.
Brick will be attending the University of Guelph in the fall studying animal biology, and hopes to attend the Ontario Veterinarian College after receiving her bachelor of science. She currently works at Find Away Equestrian services in Baden.
Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
My family has always been a part of the fair, my grandmother and mom are heavily involved in the fair so I have always had a taste of the fair and I thought it would be cool to get involved this year and participate in it as well. I think running for ambassador would be a great learning experience and I love to be involved in the community. I am kind of the cliché, classic country kid, I love spending time with my horses and animals outdoors.
Are you excited about moving to the city to attend school?
To be honest I am a little nervous going to the bigger city like Guelph as I am such a country kid, but I feel it is the best place for me because a lot of people around there do come from the country and share a lot of the same experiences I have.
