Times Advocate, 1997-04-16, Page 8Page 8
Times -Advocate, April 16, 1997
The Exeter Optimist Home,
Garden and Leisure Show,
held over the weekend, was a
great success thanks to
many new and returning ex-
hibitors. Pictured from_ top left
of page to bottom are sna-
- phots of the show including
an overview of the ice surface
booths, Thom and Liz Hughes
wandering through the exhib-
its, the Huron Ridge garden
display and one of Friday's
highlights, an aerobics dem-
- onstation -featuring well -know
Exeter figures including T -A
Editor Jim Beckett, Town .CAO
Rick Hundey, Optimist Presi-
dent Bill Dinney, Butcher Jim
Darling, Mayor Ben Hoogen-
boom and Former Mayor
Bruce Shaw.
Dinney's Furniture
once again created a
beautiful home show
display featuring this
season's interior de-
sign trends. Pictured
above, Ross and Kath-
leen Hodgert of Exeter
wandered through the
exhibit livingroom. At
left, Mike Brintnell
spoke with a home
show visitor about his
handcrafted signs.
Home show demos draw crowd
EXETER - Following the success
of this year's 12th annual Optimist
Home, Garden and Leisure Show,
plans arc already underway for a
"bigger and better" show next
year.
Exeter Optimist President Bill
Dinneyattributes much of this
year's success to larger displays, a
lower admission price, the return of
demonstrations and new ex-
hibitors. The cold, wet weather
was also a help in keeping people
inside where they could plan and
dream of warm months ahead in the
garden or by the pool.
"This year was a better turnout
than last year, said Dinney, who
added the date didn't conflict with
either the London or Godcrich
Honrc Shows.
Approximately 25 new exhibitors
filled the home show held Friday
through Sunday at the South Hu-
ron Recreation Centre.
Dinney said feedback from the
•exhibitors was excellent and vis-
itors enjoyed many of the new
booths including Above Par, which
fit in well with the weekend Mas-
ters golf tournament. The Taste of
Pork exhibit was also popular with
food samples and recipes for this
surnnier's barbecue season and the
Thames Road Ladies sold out of
their home-made pies.
Highlights of the many exhibits
and demonstrations included a step -
aerobics demo by well-known lo-
cal figures including T -A Editor
Jim Beckett, Mayor Ben Hoo-
genboorn, Administrator Rick Hun-
dey, Butcher Jim Darling, Foriner-
Mayor Bruce Shaw, Optimist Pres-
ident and Funeral Director Bill
Dinney and a special appearance by
Town Mascot, White Wonder.
This year Optimists will re -invest
more than $20,000 of proceeds to-
wards community youth initiatives
such as ringette, minor hockey and
baseball, Boy Scouts and Girl
Guides.