A Thank You Letter to the Community from Joe Frey

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful community of Fallon and Churchill County. The 2024 Fallon Cantaloupe Festival was an immense success, and it was all made possible by the incredible efforts of so many within our community who came together to bring this event to life.

While it is impossible to name everyone who contributed to this success, I must express my deep appreciation for the Festival Board Members and its Executive Director. The countless hours you all dedicated to coordinating this first-class event have not gone unnoticed. Thank you to everyone at the Rafter 3C complex for your tireless work in ensuring the facility was at its best. Jesse, Kevin, Matt, Flo, and Hunter—your efforts were nothing short of amazing. And, of course, a special thanks to our County Manager, Jim Barbee, whose vision and determination were instrumental in bringing this facility from concept to reality. Jim, your remarkable achievement is a tremendous asset to our community, and I am personally grateful for your unwavering commitment.

This year, I was particularly impressed with the representation of our agricultural sector. Festival Executive Director Adrienne Snow deserves special recognition for being the driving force behind this initiative. Adrienne’s vision of how agriculture should be showcased at the festival came to life through the efforts of the committee she formed. My deepest thanks go to everyone who served on this committee and dedicated countless hours to making the agricultural experience a reality. A special note of gratitude to Michelle Gabiola-Rogers, whose instrumental role in both the formation and presentation of the agricultural experience, as well as her tireless work with festival sponsorships, cannot be overstated. Michelle, you were the cornerstone that brought everything together. Additionally, I want to express my appreciation to Jon of Pape, John Hancock, Ott's Farm Equipment, Hillside Dairy, and Desert Oasis for providing the ag equipment and to all who brought livestock, hosted arena events and contributed in countless other ways.

This was, without a doubt, the cleanest, most well-organized, and professional festival I have ever witnessed. Vendors and sponsors, many of whom have attended for numerous years, were full of praise for the caliber of this year's festival.

Once again, thank you to everyone who made this event possible! Let’s keep up the excellent work, Fallon, and aim even higher next year!