HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-08-25, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016.
Deitner returns with life lessons from CNE comp.
End of an era
Tiffany Deitner, the 2015/2016 Brussels Fall Fair
Ambassador, functioned in that capacity for the final time
over the weekend in Toronto at the provincial ambassador
competition at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). She
said she came away with plenty of life lessons and an urge
to educate the rest of the province about what goes on in
rural Ontario and why it's important. (Photo submitted)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Tiffany Deitner, the 2015/2016
Brussels Fall Fair ambassador
returned from the Canadian National
Expo (CNE) Ambassador of the
Fairs contest in Toronto with some
new experiences under her belt.
Deitner, who won the
Ambassador's sash last year,
competed in the provincial
ambassador competition at the CNE
and told The Citizen the event was
one to remember.
After two early morning bus rides,
one from Clinton and then a limo
bus from Stratford, Deitner and the
rest of the ambassadors from District
8, which includes locales as far away
as Stratford, were on their way to the
first day of the event which started,
for Deitner, with her interview with
the judges.
"We were grouped alphabetically
by community," she said. "Since I'm
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On top again
Brian McGavin, right, was on top of the Huron County
plowing world again when he was crowned Senior
Champion at this year's match, which was held just outside
of Belgrave. McGavin received his trophy from the newly -
crowned Queen of the Furrow, Marion Studhalter. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
from Brussels, I got to hang out for
the morning until interviews started
at 10:30 a.m."
Deitner said the questions were
really interesting and she wanted to
speak a lot on each issue she was
presented, however each candidate
only has five minutes to talk each.
"The judges were really nice, and
it was a good interview," she said. "It
went well."
Friday afternoon, when the second
group had their interviews, two
former community ambassadors led
a seminar teaching the assembled
ambassadors about using the skills
they have learned once a new
ambassador has taken their place.
"They reminded us about how we
learned to be poised, how to
interview and everything else we
learned about and told us how we
could use those skills in life," she
said. "They reminded us about how
we learned to be the face of
something and how we can use that
in our futures."
After that, Deitner's group visited
the farm building at the CNE where
the pictures of the ambassadors are
hung. The group then rehearsed for
the semi-final competition that was
set for Sunday.
Following rehearsal, Deitner
said the ambassadors enjoyed
a "Mardi Gras" parade
where contestants go through
the CNE grounds on big floats
and throw beads to people watching.
"We finished the night with a
pizza party," she said. "It was good;
a nice way to finish off a long day. I
was up at 3:45 a.m. to catch the first
bus in Clinton."
Saturday featured more seminars
about poise, presentation and
communication as well as another
"Mardi Gras" parade and a formal
dinner that doubled as another
seminar.
Sunday was the main day of the
competition where the ambassadors
took to the stage at the Queen
Elizabeth Theatre.
"We introduced ourselves one at a
time," she said, "We would walk
back and forth across the stage as
they read our bios."
After that, ambassadors got to visit
with family members and take in the
sights and sounds of the CNE before
heading back to the theatre for the
whole program.
At the end of the program, the top
three nominees were named, Amy
Natyshak from Comber won with
Kayla Veldman from Stratford
taking the runner up position. Myra
Kiezebrik from Sunderland took
third place.
Matt Garwood, the 2015
Ambassador of the Fairs, gave a
speech on his time wearing the sash.
He had also helped with the
impromptu question and answer
period, Deitner explained.
Deitner said she took a lot from
the day, but the most important and
poignant lesson she learned as an
ambassador was summed up for her
on the drive home with her family.
"I learned it is vitally important
for people within agriculture, not
just me as an ambassador but
everyone, to utilize the information
we know to make sure people are
being educated about agricultural
practices to the best of our abilities,"
she said. "Going to the CNE was just
one experience that proved we need
to educate people on agriculture"
Deitner explained that, on the way
home, she saw someone sharing a
story on Facebook that stated people
should stop drinking milk.
"The whole article was full of
ridiculous misconceptions and it
wasn't true," she said. "My family
was laughing about it in the car but
then the realization hit that some
people are reading this and actually
believing it. It's not good that's the
case."
Deitner said that each rural
community needs to step up as a
whole to tell their own stories and
make sure that people know the truth
about agricultural.
She said that, aside from that
lesson, learning how to be a public
speaker, how to be on stage and how
to talk to people were likely the parts
of being an ambassador that will
stick with her the most.
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