On a night of recognition, the Swift Current District Chamber of Commerce held its first in-person Farmer's Appreciation event in two years to honour local farmers and agriculture workers.

In communities like Swift Current all across Saskatchewan, it is the rural roots that help raise up every branch of the community they support.

That's why the Chamber of Commerce honoured those individuals who help to feed and support southwestern Saskatchewan with Farmer Appreciation Night, at the Living Skies Casino Event Center. The goal of this celebration is to recognize not just the farmers, but all workers involved in the agriculture sector.

CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, Karla Wiens, was both present and responsible for helping to organize the double feature event that took place both Friday and Saturday night.

"Our local chamber recognizes and puts huge importance on the facts that the entire agriculture industry in and around our area is the fabric of our community," affirmed Wiens.

Farmers have long been crucial to life here in the southwest, and indeed, Saskatchewan as a whole. Most families can still tell you where the family farm was, if it isn't still in the family. That provides people here with a unique insight into just how valuable these people are to our lives.

That this event went so far to honour the agriculture sector and its workers speaks to the high regard they are held in, to this day.

"It was a fantastic event to have," confirmed Wiens. "It was a wonderful evening."

Each night saw a full attendance of 160 seated to listen to key guests and speakers. Influential local Saskatchewan names like John Gormley, radio personality and former Member of Parliament. Jeremy and Kyla Patzer were both in attendance, with Jeremy serving as the current Cypress Hills-Grasslands MP. Saskatchewan's Agriculture Minister, David Marit also was able to attend the event that honoured him and those he represents.

"Well, John Gormley notwithstanding," recounted Wiens. "His message was focused on the awareness of the ag industry as a whole, but also the Saskatchewan role as a key player in the world agriculture industry and that the ag community truly does feed the world."

This will be the event that lays the groundwork for other events hosted not only by the Chamber of Commerce in the future but also other organizations around Swift Current who will have been paying attention to how this went.

We can expect to see even more of these in-person gatherings again now that the mask mandates have been lifted, as well as social distancing. A welcome return to pre-covid era social etiquette.

"It was so heartwarming to see so many people happy to get out and connect with their friends and coworkers and neighbours," Wiens shared. "Some they haven't seen for a really long time, so the opportunity to get out and socialize and have a night out on the town for enjoyment was really welcomed by everyone in attendance."