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6 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2006 FORMER CITIZENS OF YEARS: Fair President Dale Hewitt, left, introduces for- mer Citizens of Year George Henderson (1996), Ed McGilloway from Acton Volunteer Firefighters (1978), Jack Carpenter (1995), Janis Fread (2001), Dave Manes (1999) and Jon Hurst (1992) at last Fridays 2006 Citizen of the Year dinner honouring the Acton Agricultural Society. STANDING OVATION: Members of the Acton Agricultural Society were given a standing ovation at the Citizen of the Year dinner at the Blue Springs golf course Friday evening. REGION RECOGNITION: Regional Councillor Clark Somerville, right, brought greetings from Halton Region for the 2006 Citizen of the Year dinner, accepted by President Hewitt. CHAMBER APPROVAL: President Dale Hewitt accepts a plaque from Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Hue. GRIP AND GRIN: Mayor Rick Bonnette, right, presents a plaque of recognition to President Hewitt. ONTARIO TRIBUTE: MPP Ted Chudle- igh, right brought greetings from the Province which he presents to Agricul- tural Society President Dale Hewitt. ANOTHER NAME: Acton Rotary Club President Bill Sanford, right, presents Ag. Society President Dale Hewitt with the official Citizen of the Year plaque and a keeper. Acton Rotary Club salutes Actons 2006 Citizens of the Year Beardmore Tannery, gone; Storey Glove Fac- tory, gone; Acton railway station, gone; Dominion Hotel, gone; but the Acton Fall Fair continues which is how speaker Jack Carpenter drove his point home that the fair has continued every year since 1913 while many of the towns landmarks and busi- nesses have not been able to withstand the test of time. It was fitting tribute to the volunteers of the Acton Agricultural Society, voted Citizen of the Year 2006, who were feted at a banquet last Friday night at Blue Springs golf course. MP Michael Chong, who presented a plaque on be- half of the Government of Canada, noted that while Acton was the largest com- munity in Halton County at the turn of the century it now personifies small town Ontario. He drew chuckles from the capacity crowd when he related the story of telling his fellow Members of Parliament about attend- ing the truck and tractor pull at the Acton Fall Fair - they had no idea what he was talk- ing about! New Tanner editor Hartley Coles presented a scrapbook of fair history while noting that Acton is like a Norman Rockwell town where all kinds of people get involved in their community as evi- denced by the Agricultural Society, which keeps get- ting better and stronger. Service above Self is the motto of Rotary, a statement that could also be applied to the Acton Agricultural Society said Acton Rotary Club President Bill Sanford as he presented a plaque to the Society. AAS president Dale Hewitt also accepted awards, plaques and accolades from Mayor Rick Bonnette, Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Hue, Independent/Free Press editor John McGhie, and MPP Ted Chudleigh. When Regional Councillor Clark Somerville presented the plaque from the Region of Halton, he commented that his own family history goes way back: his grandmother won a kicking contest at the fair in the 20s, his father was President in 1942, and his niece is the current Miss Acton Fall Fair! Clark also paid tribute to the many un- sung heroes, the volunteers who dont hold office in the AAS but work diligently all year so that the average fair visitor has no idea all that has gone on to make the fair happen it just runs smoothly every year. President Dale Hewitt thanked all presenters for the awards and kind words and referred to the fair as Actons annual homecom- ing as people travel from far and wide to come home on fair weekend. He too paid tribute to the volunteers, many of whom take a weeks vacation every year to help put up the fair, and who may never have the spotlight on their work but are a very vital part of the organization. Hewitt also paid tribute to the Town of Halton Hills for their good housekeeping seal of approval in approv- ing the principal financing for the new building in Pros- pect Park and extended his sincere thanks to those who have worked so hard and kept the dream of the new building alive you know who you are. The evening could be summed up by the words of Jack Carpenter Jack Carpenter, you have an enviable and colourful history and you should be proud. PRAISE FROM MP: Wel - lington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong told those at the Citizen of the Year dinner that Acton and the Acton Agricultural Soci- ety personifies small town Ontario. Photos by Hartley Coles and George Henderson