HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-05-14, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015. PAGE 13.
Fare on 4 honoured with Huron Cultural Award
Big win
Fare on 4, an event that was part of the Blyth Arts and
Cultural Initiative 14/19 Inc., was named the top cultural
event/organization in Huron at the Huron Cultural Awards
on May 1 in Holmesville. Shown is 14/19 Administrator
Karen Stewart, right, receiving a painting from Huron-Bruce
MP Ben Lobb to mark the win. (Photo submitted)
The Blyth Arts and Culture
Initiative 14/19 Inc. had a lot of
celebrate last week when Fare on 4
the event that saw 1,419 people
served dinner on Blyth’s main street
last August, was named the cultural
event/organization of the year for
2014 at the Huron Cultural Awards.
“The news was fantastic and great
and a real testament to the talents of
the chefs [Jason Rutledge of the
Blyth Inn and Peter Gusso of Part II
Bistro] and also the work of the
volunteers,” 14/19 Administrator
Karen Stewart said. “We had over
100 volunteers who worked for 900
hours to bring the event together.”
The awards were held at
Holmesville’s White Carnation Hall
on May 1.
Fare on 4 is an example of what
the Initiative is capable of, Stewart
said.
“One of our board members called
the original idea for 14/19
‘audacious’ and this project was just
that,” she said. “It shows the risks
and the rewards we can manage.”
The event was a celebration of
local food and local talent that has
increased not only the profile of
Blyth, but also of Rutledge and
Gusso, who both said they have
received feedback from the events.
“Everywhere I’ve been, I see
people figure out that we, Peter and
I and all the people in Blyth, did it,”
he said, mentioning that during visits
to Owen Sound and Kitchener he
met people aware of the event. “I
haven’t seen a lot of direct impact
from the event, but everyone is
talking about it and about us.”
Rutledge said, in an interview with
The Citizen, that looking back he is
still impressed that the event
worked.
“Winning that award is fabulous,”
Rutledge said. “The event went over
so well and really brought the
community together. I saw so many
people out that I didn’t expect to see
and it was just great to see people
supporting the event.
“It really brought the whole
community together,” he said. “As
many Blyth people as possible were
involved in both organizing and
volunteering and working at the
event.”
Rutledge echoed Stewart’s words,
saying that the volunteers were
integral to the event but he also said
that the people who bought tickets
were just as important.
“From doing preparation to sitting
down and dining, the whole thing
would not have worked without
everyone coming together,” he said.
Gusso said that he was ecstatic to
be named as part of the team that
won the award and said he chalked it
up to working so well with Rutledge.
“We knew each other in the past,
but this was really the start of a great
working relationship,” he said.
“Jason and I won a soup
competition, and now this award, it
just shows that we have something
great here in Blyth.”
Gusso also mentioned that he and
Rutledge would be working together
in Exeter for a fundraising dinner.
The pair is taking over for a
caterer who backed out of the project
due to its sheer size
“They called us and said, if you
can do 1,419 people, 600 should be
easy,” he said.
Gusso said the spin-off has been
great for him, but that the friendship
and partnership he has discovered
with Rutledge is, by far, more
valuable.
Rutledge, echoed that, saying that
being a part of the event with Gusso
is something that will always be a
fond memory.
“It was great to work with Peter,”
he said. “This was one of those
events we’ll never forget and always
be proud of because we pulled it off
and it was great to share that with
him.”
Stewart said that while an iteration
of the popular event is unlikely this
year due to the amount of work the
initiative has undertaken for
fundraising and the relatively short
time left to plan it, Fare on 4 is
definitely not done.
“It’s coming back to the 14/19
board next week,” she said. “We’ll
be looking at next year and 2019. We
will definitely do it again.”
Both Gusso and Rutledge said
they were anxious to take on the
project again.
“I’m very excited,” Rutledge said.
“I’m looking forward to it. Working
with Peter, Karen and [14/19 Project
Director] Peter Smith was a
pleasure.”
If Fare on 4 returns for a third time
2019 it could be much larger, one as
well according to Stewart.
“We’ll be looking at a big
celebration to mark the end of the
Initiative,” she said. “It will be a big
blowout to mark all the work that
has been done.”
Other winners from the event
included Blyth’s Kelly Stevenson
who received the Individual Artist
award, Alison Lobb who received
the Community Contribution award,
David Yates who received the
Heritage Individual or Organization
award, Holly Clausius who received
the Youth Award and Leigh Cassell
who received the Innovator’s Award.
Verna Steffler of Wingham
received the Warden’s Award,
presented by Warden Paul Gowing,
recognizing her work as a dedicated
volunteer.
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Be our guest
Volunteers, chefs Jason Rutledge of the Blyth Inn and Peter Gusso of the Part II Bistro and
the Blyth Arts and Cultural Initiative were recognized at the Huron Cultural Awards for putting
on the best cultural event/organization on May 1. The award marked Fare on 4, where 1,419
people were fed on Blyth’s main street last August, as the event to be at last year. (File photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen