THE BRANDON SUN • WINTER FAIR • MARCH 2022
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She is excited for the return of the 2022 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and is looking forward to mov- ing forward with business as usual. Some people may have a little bit of trepidation getting back to work af- ter seeing the event can- celled over the last two years due to COVID-19, Sweet said, but for the most part, anyone who has been involved in any way with the Winter Fair is looking forward to the show being back. Province Exhibition of Manitoba director Lil Bok has been volunteering with the winter fair for around 20 years. Bok first became in- volved with the show through her children. “It was just fun and the kids loved it,” Bok said. “I have a daughter that’s involved with horses. She doesn’t compete in the Fair, but we do have hors- es at home. It’s just a gen- eral interest and it’s just fun.” She returns each year because she enjoys work- ing with the animals and her fellow volunteers. “The atmosphere is pretty upbeat,” Bok said. “It should be really good this year since it’s been a pandemic and it’s been three years since we had the fair. Everybody’s really looking forward to getting back to some kind of nor- malcy.” It was strange not hav- ing one of her favourite events to attend during the global health crisis, she said. When the fair is on Bok’s day typically starts around 6 a.m. and she is on the grounds working until she returns home at 10 p.m. She spends her
Cody Hunter with Shady H Farms in Kenton, MB, washes one of their Belgian horses during the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair at the Keystone Centre. (File/The Brandon Sun)
ily and coworkers to join the team. She described volunteering as a great opportunity that offers a chance to get a foot in the door of agriculture. It takes about 100 vol- unteers to help run the show, and many volun- teers are looking to return because they have missed the winter fair over the last two years. Volunteers offer an ex- citing peek behind the curtain to see how volun- teers keep the fair a “well- oiled machine.” “It’s just a fun group to work with,” Bok said. “We’re hoping to fill the seats and get back to where it used to be.” » ckemp@brandonsun.com » Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
have no exposure to farm- ing, she said, it is espe- cially neat getting them to meet the animals. “To me, the whole fair is a favourite. It’s just nice to see all the different an- imals and the competi- tion.” Bok especially enjoys the competition aspect of the winter fair as it pres- ents something new each year. She also enjoys the friendships she has been able to forge in the barns with some of her favour- ite people she only gets to see once a year. “It’s just nice to connect with them every year at this time,” Bok said. “It’s a big reunion.” She encourages oth- ers to volunteer for the RMWF – Bok takes pride in recruiting friends, fam-
days on the horse show side of the winter fair. Her morning typically starts with helping with the schooling rounds and ensuring it is run in a timely fashion. She also organizes all of the volun- teers to work in the horse show area, this includes the main arena. “It’s just a matter of making sure everything is run in a timely fashion,” Bok said. She also enjoys getting the opportunity to intro- duce people to agricul- ture and help educate those who may be unfa- miliar with the sector. It is always exciting seeing youth from the city learn where their food comes from and other interest- ing things. For young people who
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