Fonds AGS - Milo and District Agricultural Society fonds

The Milo & District Agricultural Society was formed in 1973. Colloquially known as the Ag Society, its purpose was to provide a structure through which several existing Milo organizations (Fall Fair, Ice, and Milo Race Meet Association) could obtain government grants. These organizations became the original Committees of the Ag Society, with their executives remaining as their Committee executives, and their bank accounts remaining separate. The Milo Community Hall was also an independent organization before becoming an Ag Society Committee in 1976. The offices and functions of the Milo & District Agricultural Society which took responsibility for the oversight of these Committees, usually referred to simply as “the Ag Society” in early records, became known as the Head Committee in 1988. Early meetings were held in the Milo Town Office, or at the Curling Rink, with the new Community Hall becoming the regular meeting place in 1986. It is not uncommon for the minutes to reflect that a vote was taken, and sometimes an entire meeting was held, over the phone.

The Agricultural Society has since become the sponsoring agency for many of the events and organizations of the town of Milo. Through its Head Committee, sometimes referred to as the Main Committee, it is a respected supporter of the town and area’s activities and institutions, contributing money and resources to a wide range of groups that includes the municipal library, the Snake Valley Riding Club, Milo School’s community-wide recycling project, STARS air ambulance, fishing derbies, Alberta Farm Safety Centre, the Milo Gymnastics Club, the 4-H Foundation, Milo Fire Association, various literacy programs, the Agriculture Education Network, Vulcan & District EMS, and the Milo Curling Club.

Over the years the Milo & District Agricultural Society has overseen many sub-Committees, some of them established to run a specific time-limited project, others for an ongoing, indefinite duration, with ongoing projects of their own. Specific Milo & District Agricultural Society Committees have included Race Meet Committee, Lions Race Meet Committee, Fall Fair Committee, Ice Committee, Hall Committee, Reunion (1991), New Hall Committee, Rural Initiatives, Canopener, Snake Valley History Book II Committee, School Advisory Committee, Snake Valley Hoedown, Sno-Goers, Milo Sustainability Group, and Liberty School.