Long-time Farmer's Market manager retires

For as long as anyone familiar with the Yorkton Farmer’s Market can remember, Lorraine Sully has been a fixture.
Before she became the market’s manager, Sully was a vendor. Her husband ran a commercial egg operation just south of the city. They would come in and sell eggs. When they sold the farm, she took over the operations of the Farmer’s Market.
That was 1980, when the market was still held at the Agri-Pavillion. After that it operated out of the curling rink at Gallagher Centre briefly, but it was ultimately too small and they moved to the Parkland Mall in 1995.
Now, after 37 years, Sully is retiring.
Bob Purton, current president of the market said what made Sully a great manager of the market was a combination of excellent organization, a “very pleasant personality” and firmness when required.
“She’s been an excellent person to work with, and a great resource,” he said. “We’re going to miss her, for sure. She is a wonderful individual.”
Sully herself is a reluctant subject for the publicity of a newspaper article, something Purton attributes to a humble nature.
She did say that managing the market sometimes meant putting personal plans aside, but now she’s ready to pack up the motor home and do some serious traveling.
Reflecting the last four decades, she is unequivocal about what was most rewarding about her job.
“The vendors,” she said. “The vendors are a very nice group of people. We’re just like a family here. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
The feeling is mutual according to Marian Smart, who has been selling baking, canned goods, jams, jellies and other homemade goodies at the market for 35 years.
“She was a super coordinator,” Smart said. “We enjoyed having her and we hate to see her go.”