FERGUSON EVENT LOOMS
FOR only the second time since it began fundraising,Dromore's Harry Ferguson Celebration Committee is to donate the proceeds of its annual Homestead Show to charity.
This year's tractor event at the Ferguson homestead and memorial garden takes place on Saturday (August 21) and the committee's chosen charity is the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Northern Ireland.
Last year, after a long haul to pay for the Ferguson Memorial Garden, the committee held the first of its events dedicated to charity, presenting proceeds to a local Cancer Research group.
The committee's Mr. Bill Forsythe said, "For many years the Ferguson committee could not give their proceeds to any charity as they needed all the money to build the memorial garden.
"It is wonderful to have this tourist attraction in memory of our famous inventor, Mr. Harry Ferguson, and even more wonderful that through such an attraction we can raise funding for charities each year.
"MS is a condition that is not curable but, with funding, research will continue and quality of life can be made a little easier."
history
To raise money the group will be tracing a long line of Ferguson history by exhibiting just about every model of Ferguson tractor, both in grey and red.
"So if you are attending with your tractor," said Mr. Forsythe, "we need to know so we can add your model in the correct order."
Other features of the day include toy tractors, remote-control and ride-on tractors and trailers, face-painting, tractor parts stalls, catering stalls, toys/models, soda bread "made on the spot", tractor colouring-in competitions, live music throughout the day, and more.
MS Society staff will be helping throughout the day, advising visitors as to how they can help sufferers live a better life.
The show will also afford the opportunity for owners keen to have a photograph with their tractor beside the memorial garden's life-size statue of Harry Ferguson, to have their tractors placed beside the statue at certain times during the day, when club officials are available.
"This facility has been requested many times,"said Mr. Forsythe. "There will be a small fee towards MS and you will supply your own photographer while we supply the unique setting.
Mr. Forsythe said the committee enjoyed the continued support of many businesses, groups and associations and he particularly thanked Carryduff's Alan Milne Massey-Ferguson tractor dealership and the Poots family, who live in the Ferguson Homestead and allow the committee to use the land for its long-running exhibition.
Saturday's event will take place at the Long Field from 10am-5pm, preceeded, on Friday night, by the traditional tractor road run, leaving Ballykeel Baptist church car park at 7.30pm sharp and travelling past the memorial garden for a few miles before returning; food and refreshments will be available. For more information contact Bill on 077 2026 2530 or George on 028 9268 2151.
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Weather for Dromore
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
