Charles Dickson, Editor

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Ralph Lang was elected president of the Pontiac Agricultural Society (PAS) for 2024 at the organization’s annual general meeting held in Shawville on Thursday evening.
The meeting, held at the PAS office at the Shawville fairgrounds, also saw four new members join the board – Gerald Lance, Scott Lemay, Ben Younge, Kait Meilleur-Theriault – bringing its membership to a total of 29.
“We got four brand new directors with a diverse skill set and backgrounds, and we got all of our current directors returning,” a buoyant Mavis Hanna, the PAS general manager, told THE EQUITY on Friday.
The meeting reviewed the financial statement for 2023 and, according to Hanna, it told a very positive story.
“It was a very positive year. We had a lot of projects on the go. We had summer students who did a lot of work around the grounds. We made a lot of capital improvements, painting and execution of other projects around the grounds and buildings, so that worked out really well.
As for attendance at Shawville Fair, “We had lots of people through, between 40 and 45,000 people coming through the gates. We’re back up to pre-covid times,” Hanna said.
Vaughan Bastien, who operates a Shawville-based tire business, nominated Clarendon crop farmer Ralph Lang for president at Thursday’s meeting. When someone else nominated Bastien, he declined.
After serving as president for the past three-and-a-half years, he says it just felt like it was time to go.
“I just felt it was time. Sometimes you know, new blood is good,” Bastien told THE EQUITY on Friday.
“It was time to let somebody else come in with new ideas, maybe better ideas, and take over,” he said.
Recalling his time as president, Bastien said parts of it weren’t easy.
“The second year, we came out of covid, it was tough, we lost money. And then the third year, we did well,” he said.
“You know, they worked so hard last year as a team, and we did such a great job,” he said referring to the board.
“There was not a director there that would not help another director, or go out of their way to do something for them. We achieved so much, but we also came out almost like family. I felt part of a family, I could depend on them at any time. “I’m going to miss it, truly I’m going to miss it,” Bastien said.
“It’s great to take over from Vaughan. There’s no issues,” Ralph Lang told THE EQUITY on Sunday.
“It’s kind of like a boxer stopping when he’s on top, so it makes it easier for me to come in because there’s no issues to deal with,” he said.
“So, we’re in a good position,” Lang said, looking forward.
“We want to reinvest in the fairgrounds again, and rejuvenate the arena. It’s been 30 years since it’s been revitalized. So, it’s time to form a committee in the community and hopefully revitalize it and renovate again, whatever we have to do.”
“I think it could be a great facility for daycare, camps, or lacrosse or basketball, or whatever, with people managing it all year long, but that’s only my idea,” said Lang.
“Vaughan brought up the idea of pickleball the other day, it could be our new thing,” he added.
Lang has a long history with the fair board. He has served on the board for a total of 15 years, and as one of the vice-presidents last year. His father, Elwyn was a president almost 40 years ago, and his late mother, Lynn, was president about 15 years ago. His aunts Joan and Joyce and his late uncle Jack, and their families, have long been part of the volunteer workforce that makes the fair happen every year.
“It’s always like a family homecoming for the Langs to come back and help out, and do whatever. It’s like a reunion every year. And it’s like that for a lot of families that are involved” he said.
Lang is a crop farmer. His company, RM Lang Farms grows corn, beans and wheat on about 4,000 acres of land from Luskville to Calumet Island, half of which it owns and half it leases. It also operates a commercial grain elevator, buying and selling grain, with a trucking company on the side. Last year, he added sunflowers to the mix.
Raised on his parents’ dairy and beef farm, which he took over in 2005 and switched to cropping, Lang has deep roots in agriculture.
“I learned how to run a meeting at 4H, so hopefully I’ll be able to run a meeting at the fair board,” Lang said.
“We have a good general manager in Mavis Hanna, and that’s going to make my job easy,” said Lang. “She’ll make me look good, hopefully.”

2024 Pontiac Agricultural Society
Board of Directors

Ralph Lang President
Vaughan Bastien Past President
Josey Bouchard First Vice President
Holly Campbell Vice-President
Kelly King Vice-President
Kendal Lang Vice-President
Jason Wilson Vice-President
Hayley Campbell Secretary
Heather Dale Financial Officer
Ken Bernard Director
Rayden Besharah Director
David Bobier Director
Lisa Coles Director
Ryan Currie Director
Gerald Dagg Director
Sandra Dale Director
Tanya Greer Director
Beth Knox Campbell Director
Gerald Lance Director
Elwyn Lang Director
Scott Lemay Director
Kayla McCann Director
Tyler McCann Director
Kait Meilleur-Theriault Director
Mike Rusenstrom Director
Paul Scheel Director
Lee Stanley Director
Nancy Tubman Director
Ben Younge Director
Mavis Hanna General Manager