Perth East honours volunteers during appreciation dinner

Members of the Milverton Agricultural Society gather during the recent Perth East Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Front row, from left, are Michele Duskocy, Angela Schneider, Kaitlyn Elg and Debbie Riddell. In the back row are Helen Dowd, Virginia Elgrlich and Ann Marie Ryter. Gary West photo

By Gary West

Volunteers from across Perth East were recognized recently during the township’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner held at the Milverton Recreation Complex.

Each year, Perth East Township hosts the event to thank the many volunteers and community organizations that help make the municipality a vibrant and welcoming place to live.

Among the organizations recognized this year was the Milverton Agricultural Society, whose members are already hard at work preparing for the 2026 Milverton Fall Fair.

This year’s fair is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18 and 19, and will carry the theme “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams.”

Fair-board members continue planning a full lineup of agricultural displays, exhibits, entertainment, children’s activities, the popular baby show, pedal-tractor pull and many other attractions celebrating rural life and agriculture in Perth East.

Perth East Mayor Rhonda Ehgoetz welcomed volunteers attending the appreciation dinner and thanked them for the countless hours they contribute throughout the year.

Ehgoetz congratulated the 17 volunteer groups represented at the dinner and praised their role in keeping Perth East communities active and connected.

She described volunteers as the backbone of the community and credited them with helping maintain the quality of life residents have come to appreciate throughout the township.

Community organizations like the Milverton Agricultural Society continue to play an important role in preserving local traditions while bringing residents together through events, recreation and agricultural education.