Any public event that’s endured for almost two centuries has had a lot of dedicated people working to keep it alive and some of those people were honoured Sunday afternoon by the Belleville Agricultural Society.
The Society held its annual Volunteer Awards at Boston Pizza as it celebrates 198 years of the Quinte Exhibition, commonly known as the Belleville fair.
Volunteers of the Year were Nancy Forestell, Reta Baker, and Jennifer Mack.
Junior Volunteer of the Year was Nicholas Sagriff. New Volunteer of the Year was Bruce Swan.
Carl Huffman was named an Honorary Life Director. The Kelly Caddick Memorial Award went to Mona Tummon-Lyon and the President’s Award was presented to Don Carr.
Local politicians, MP Neil Ellis, MP-elect Derek Sloan, MPP Todd Smith and mayor of Belleville Mitch Panciuk all praised the hard work of the volunteers and the importance of agriculture to the heritage of this area.

From left to right: Junior Volunteer of the Year Nicholas Sagriff, Carl Huffman, and Belleville Agricultural Society President Jamie Chatten. (Photo: Quinte News)

At left is New Volunteer of the Year Bruce Swan. (Photo: Quinte News)

Nancy Forestell (in green) won a Volunteer of the Year Award. To her left is MP-elect for Hastings-Lennox and Addington riding Derek Sloan. (Photo: Quinte News)

At left is Reta Baker who won a Volunteer of the Year award. Elsie Dowdle is to her right. (Photo: Quinte News)

Also presented with a Volunteer of the Year award was Jennifer Mack (in blue)of the Belleville YMCA. On the right is MPP Todd Smith. On the far left is MP Neil Ellis and next to him is mayor of Belleville Mitch Panciuk. (Photo: Quinte News)

Carl Huffman (left) is honoured with as an Honorary Life Director by President Jamie Chatten. (Photo: Quinte News)

Mona Tummon-Lyon (second from right) was presented with the Kelly Caddick Memorial Award. Marilyn Caddick is at the far left. (Photo: Quinte News)

The President’s Award was presented to Don Carr (right). (Photo: Quinte News)