About a thousand volunteers needed for IPM 2019 in Verner

An army of volunteers are going to be needed for the 2019 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in West Nipissing this September.

The Verner event goes September 17-21 and is a five-day celebration of agriculture and rural living.

Chair of Marketing Jean Beauchemin says they’re going to need upwards of a thousand volunteers.

“There’s going to be roles for everybody, anywhere from making sure people are safe, from a security perspective, to driving people around to get from parking to site in a tractor,” he says.

Volunteers are also needed for selling souvenirs, promoting the event at upcoming events, beautification and much more.

All the ways to get involved can be found on the event’s website: www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2019

Beauchemin also says RV sites can be booked now too.

“There’s going to be approximately 1,000 RV sites on the grounds, people can either call our office to book it, or there’s a registration form that they can download from the website,” he says.

This will be the 102nd International Plowing Match and Rural Expo and it’s only the second time the event has been held in the north.

Ten years ago it was held in Earlton.

There are plowing competitions, opportunities to learn about agriculture, live entertainment, vendors and exhibitors, food and much more.

According to the website, tourism industry figures put the economic impact of the IPM at about $25 million annually.

(Poster submitted)