Year Round

Mission Statement

The mission of the Montgomery County Agricultural Center Inc. is to coordinate the efforts of our volunteers to present the annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. This event provides the opportunity for 4-H and FFA members to exhibit their livestock, homemaking and craft projects. We also focus on promoting the science and preservation of agriculture in Montgomery County and educating Fair patrons and the community regarding agricultural related topics.

Volunteering

Membership into the Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc. may be obtained by volunteering 200 hours for the Ag Center. Volunteers are the key to this organization, whether it be clerical work in the office during Fair and off-season, or ground maintenance throughout the year. Volunteers also operate various center sponsored stands during Fair week and off-season rentals, serve banquets and dinners for rentals in the dining hall, and serve as committee chairmen and committee members for various events held during Fair week.

To become a volunteer, call (301) 926-3100.

“The Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc. oversees the use of the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds. Founded on its present site in 1948 to provide an agricultural showplace, it is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the experiences of and providing a platform for performance and achievement by the 4-H, FHA, FFA and the community at large through its network of thousands of volunteers. It continues to grow as a vital part of the Montgomery County business community promoting agricultural issues and acting as an agriculture educator for Montgomery County and the surrounding areas.”

–adopted by the Montgomery County Agricultural Center’s Board of Directors December 1991

Where are you needed?

Arts & Crafts:
Volunteers needed on each of the 4 Saturdays prior to the Fair and throughout the Fair. This job is in building 3 and consists of cleaning, setting up displays, accepting entries, monitoring entries, and other duties as assigned.

Cheese Booth:
Volunteers needed workdays and throughout the Fair. This job includes serving meals in the cheese booth, cleaning the building, preparing sandwiches, operating a cash register, and serving customers. Profit from the cheese booth is used to support Fair operations.

KidZone:
Volunteers needed workdays and throughout the Fair. This job includes working with small children, running game, and stations, and helping to maintain a clean and safe children’s area.

Grounds:
Volunteers needed year round doing a variety of cleaning and maintenance work including but not limited to weeding, mowing, sweeping, painting, and building set up and tear down.

Home Arts:
Volunteers needed workdays and throughout the Fair. This job consists of cleaning, accepting entries, setting up displays, monitoring exhibits and other duties as assigned.

Information Booth:
Volunteers needed for workdays and throughout the Fair. This job includes completing a training session and then working at an information booth answering questions and helping patrons.

Parking:
Volunteers needed year round to collect parking fees and support Non-Fair events.

Earning Volunteer Hours at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center

1. Hours can be earned toward Fair membership after a volunteer has reached the age of 12.
2. Volunteer hours can be earned during the Fair within the following guidelines:
   1. A maximum of 60 hours can be earned during the publicized Fair dates.
   2. Membership hours may be earned in the department where a volunteer is exhibiting only when performing duties related to the general functioning of the department, as described and approved by the superintendent, Fair Chairs, and the Executive Director.
   3. Maintaining one’s personal exhibit cannot be counted as volunteer work hours.
3. Hours worked on the Fairgrounds at times other than during the Fair may be earned as recorded and approved.
4. Hours worked at a location other than on the Fairgrounds can only be counted with the prior approval of the Executive Director and the Fair Chairman or MCAC president.
5. Volunteer work hours can be submitted as follows:
   1. Except during publicized Fair dates, volunteers can enter their own hours at a computerized volunteer station.
   2. If a signed-in volunteer fails to sign out, only three (3) hours will be recorded for that day.
   3. Volunteer hours submitted by a Fair superintendent for volunteer work performed during the publicized Fair dates and Fair preparation and clean-up days, must be submitted by September 15 of that year using an Excel spreadsheet with the following column headings: Member Name, Membership Number, Department, Date, and Hours Worked.
   4. Hours worked on the Fairgrounds at times other than during the publicized Fair dates must be reported on that day or the next business day to the Department Superintendent or the Fair Office. The Department Superintendent will review and approve all hours that are submitted for membership purposes.

Membership

1. There are four (4) classes of Membership: Associate, Life, Sustaining, and Honorary.
   1. Associate Member.  An individual contributing 100 hours of labor shall be designated as an Associate Member and so listed on the records of the corporation.  This entitles the member to a season pass for himself/herself, but no vote at the annual meeting and no passes for spouse and/or minor children.  The right to a pass will only be valid for ten years unless the member contributes additional hours of service during that ten-year period, working towards life membership.
   2. Life Member.  An individual may become a Life Member by contributing 200 hours of labor for the benefit of the corporation.  A Life Member shall be a voting member of the corporation. Each life designee and their spouse, and minor children shall enjoy the right and privilege of attending the educational exhibitions of the Montgomery County Agricultural Center, free of admission fees.
   3. Sustaining Member.  An individual, club, business or corporation may become a Sustaining Member by contributing one thousand dollars ($1,000) to this corporation. This is a non-voting membership which annually conveys a single season pass to the Fair.
   4. Honorary Member.  This category of membership shall be bestowed upon an individual who has rendered unusual services to the corporation as determined by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, or to a Life Member who has achieved 1000 hours of service. This honor may be awarded posthumously.

   
   If you have any questions regarding membership, please email: membership@mcagfair.com

   Example Questions:

   1. How many volunteer hours do I have recorded?
   2. Can I transfer hours and how?
   3. I would like to notify the Fairgrounds of an address change. Who do I notify or contact?
   4. I would like to notify the Fair of a passing member.