If the annual Aldergrove fair can鈥檛 find enough people to help prepare for next year鈥檚 event, the 111-year-old Lower Mainland tradition that draws thousands may have to be canceled, the all-volunteer board of directors is warning.

Right now, there simply aren鈥檛 enough people working on Aldergrove Fair Days, and they are overworked and burning out, according to Robin McIntosh, who just stepped down as president of the fair, new president Kylene Shannon, and long-time board member Mike Robinson.

A special general meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday Nov. 14 to recruit members, team leaders and directors.

McIntosh estimates organizing the annual community fair requires between 12 and 15 people, 鈥渁nd we鈥檝e got about five.鈥�

It means the small group of volunteers has to take on multiple roles and put in longer hours, McIntosh told the 91原创 Advance Times on Tuesday, Oct. 24

READ ALSO: That鈥檚 a wrap: another successful Aldergrove Fair

鈥淓ach year, more and more of the overall tasks are being performed by fewer and fewer team leaders,鈥� he said.

Instead of a few hours a week, preparing for this year鈥檚 summer fair in July required seven days a week and long hours every day, McIntosh reported.

In a 鈥渓ast ditch鈥� effort to save the fair, he said the board has decided to make a public appeal for help.

鈥滻f there were enough people, we could split up the tasks and we figure that, if you spent two hours a week, you could handle one of these roles, which we don鈥檛 feel is that much,鈥� McIntosh commented.

Shannon, the new fair president, said they need at least 鈥渇our to five鈥� additional people to help share the workload and learn from experienced volunteers like McIntosh and Robinson.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 have a fair without more people stepping up in the community to help,鈥� Shannon warned.

Shannon pointed out she, personally, has many other commitments that make it hard to put in the long hours required when there aren鈥檛 enough volunteers.

鈥淚鈥檓 a hockey coach, a hockey player, a mom, a realtor,鈥� Shannon noted.

鈥淚 sit on other volunteer organizations, plus the fair. The list goes on.鈥�

Without enough people to help, it is 鈥渘ext to impossible鈥� for her to devote the extra hours, she explained.

Long-time director Mike Robinson said he is looking at an 鈥渆xtremely busy year鈥� at work, and he can鈥檛 spare as much time.

READ ALSO: Volunteers vital part of Aldergrove Fair reaching 111 years

While the fair was able to find close to the number of volunteers it needed for the days the fair was open this year, Robinson said they are short people who can handle the essential advance planning.

鈥淭he type that we鈥檙e missing now, is the volunteers who are ready to work for basically a year to put on a fair,鈥� Robinson advised.

鈥淢ore and more [responsibilities] sort of ended up in the hands of just a very small number of people and those people are effectively burning themselves out,鈥� Robinson said, and he includes himself among the 鈥渕ental fatigue鈥� casualties.

However, Robinson, like Shannon and McIntosh, believes the situation is 鈥渟olvable鈥� if enough people step up.

But if they don鈥檛, 鈥渋f we can鈥檛 get enough people to take personal responsibility for each of the various tasks, and there鈥檚 about a dozen [we need], then it just can鈥檛 happen. The tanks are empty.鈥�

Location and time of the special Tuesday, Nov. 14 meeting has yet to be announced.

In the meantime, anyone interested in getting involved can email president@aldergrovefair.ca, or contact through the fair website at or Facebook at .