Anson County Center

Anson County Center North Carolina Cooperative Extension PO Box 633 Wadesboro, NC 28170 Phone: 704-694-2915 Fax: 704-694-2248 The 2012 Anson Ag Expo and Fair Planning Committee is once again preparing for this year’s event of celebrating and promoting agriculture, working lands, and the county’s rural way of life. Scheduled for Friday through Saturday, September 21-22 at South Piedmont Community College's Lockhart-Taylor Center, the group has some great ideas for this year.

Our celebration has become an annual event that binds us together as a rural community. This year marks our eighth anniversary, recognizing the rich natural resources and agricultural heritage that we all share. For years, our local festival has been positively received and supported. We are proud of its success. We estimate that more than 1600 people came out in 2011.

This year we are planning the traditional County Fair with entries in agriculture, horticulture, crafts and foods. Last year 93 participants showcased 260 entries in the fair. The Expo will also be offered again, providing all businesses, organizations and groups the chance to share their successes with the community. We had 17 vendors last year. As part of the Expo, we will again host the Ag Educational Booth competition “The Importance of Agriculture to Anson County’s Economy”, open to county high school classes. When we hosted this event last, we had 5 classrooms participate. In addition, for our younger audiences, we are also planning the Youth Scavenger Hunt, our Kiddie Tractor Pull, and new this year, a Scarecrow Contest.

We will also be coordinating the annual Anson County 4-H Youth Livestock Show. Last year's event brought 87 youth from Anson and surrounding counties, showing 123 goats, lambs and heifers. This year we are also adding a Pee Wee Livestock Show for children ages 5 and under. The South Atlantic Woodsmen’s Association lumberjack sports competition will also return this year. Highly successful and well-attended last fall, the event will take place on Saturday afternoon starting around noon.

The two-day event, from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Friday will feature the goat show, fair, educational exhibits, expo and food vendors. Saturday will feature the rest of the traditional activities, the lamb and heifer shows and the lumberjack competition from noon until.

We are also planning to include our annual Farm-City Week Banquet as part of the week’s festivities. We have scheduled the dinner for Tuesday, September 18. Catered by the Anson County Cattleman’s Association, hosted with Brown Creek Soil & Water, and held in the Ingram Room of Lockhart-Taylor Center, SPCC, attendees from both the rural areas of our county and business owners from town come together for an evening to discuss agriculture, its ties to all areas of the economy, and future impacts. These annual events highlight the importance of natural resources and agriculture in the county, both past and present. With the changing landscape of counties all around, we are proud to be able to spotlight our rural community and heritage. Our planning committee is working hard to make this year meaningful and successful.

Putting on the annual Anson Ag Expo and Fair requires financing. We could not do it without the support and financial backing of different businesses and organizations to help as sponsors. You have been a tremendous help to us in the past and we hope you will consider assisting again this year. The following list shows a breakdown of our anticipated expenses.

Estimated Costs –

Farm-City Week $ 4,750 Fair $ 2,000 SAWA Lumberjack Competition $ 3,000 Livestock Show $ 6,500 Facility/Security $ 1,250 Expo $ 1,000 Marketing $ 1,500

Total $20,000

The 2012 Anson Ag Expo & Fair Committee is comprised of volunteers who are working hard to make this year’s celebration special. However, the event will require some dollars to pull it all off. Please consider helping make it successful by being a sponsor. The enclosed form outlines levels of sponsorship.

If you choose to help sponsor any part of the 2012 Anson Ag Expo & Fair, checks can be made payable to Anson County Cooperative Extension and mailed to P.O. Box 633, Wadesboro NC. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions at 704-694-2915.

Thank you in advance for entertaining this proposal, and thank you also for the support and resources that you have given to this county in the past. Our goal is to make this annual celebration one that highlights all of our rich heritage in natural resources and agricultural roots.

We hope this is an avenue that you think will help do the same. We look forward to hearing your decision.

Sincerely,

Janine B. Rywak County Extension Director

JBR/jbr Enclosure 2012 Anson Ag Expo and Fair Friday and Saturday, September 21-22 2012 *Please respond by August 17, 2012*

Gold Sponsor $1000 Event Sponsor: Silver Sponsor $ 500 County Fair $2000 Bronze Sponsor $ 250 Farm-City Week Banquet $4000 Supporter $ 100 Livestock Show $5000 Patron $ 50 SAWA Lumberjack Competition $2500

*Yes, (company name) will participate as a sponsor of the 2012 Anson Ag Expo and Fair.

We wish to participate at the level. Our check for $ is enclosed.

Please list a contact person from your company.

Name Title

Address

City State Zip

Telephone

Please make checks payable to Anson County Cooperative Extension, and send to Janine Rywak, County Extension Director, at P.O. Box 633, Wadesboro, NC 28170. Our tax ID# is 56-6000273-L.

You may request an official receipt for your records.

Thank you for your support!