Like many who help put on the annual North Guilford Country Fair and Auction at North Guilford Congregational Church (NGCC), Dave DiNoia wears a lot of hats-five of them, in fact.

When it's time to meet up and get things done at NGCC, "I wear whatever hat happens to be the focus of the meeting, sometimes switching hats mid-meeting, and line the rest up on the table in front of my seat," says Dave of his specially labeled baseball cap collection, adding, "the church members seem to get a kick out of it."

At any given meeting, Dave will put on his Council Chairman hat, his Search Team for a Settled Pastor co-chair hat, his Personnel Committee hat, his Confirmation Mentor hat, or the topper he'll be wearing this Saturday: a blue and white striped engineer's cap.

As he has for many years, Dave will once again engineer "Little Toot," a beloved ride-on attraction for little folks that's been tooling around the fairgrounds for many decades. This year, the fair marks its 52nd anniversary. Admission, as always, is free. The fair will be held Saturday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 159 Ledge Hill Road.

"Little Toot's engine cover and cars and caboose were built many, many years ago," explains Dave. "The engine cover that went over the tractor has since gone missing, so we now have what I see as a bit of an esoteric train, with a John Deere tractor pulling Little Toot's train cars and caboose. I think they kind of tie together well because using the tractor to pull Little Toot is kind of a tribute to the agricultural history of Guilford, combined with a favorite Country Fair past-time of NGCC."

Situated on the grounds and within NGCC church hall on Ledge Hill Road, the annual fair and live auction bills itself as a "pretty big deal in these parts" with "music, great food, a quilt show, homespun treasures, books, jewelry, a silent auction, toys, farm animals, famous Little Toot train ride, and a raucous auction that runs the whole day," according to an NGCC website notice.

Fair proceeds support mission programs and church maintenance of NGCC's historic, Federal-style white meeting house, completed in 1814. Established in 1719, NGCC is the oldest continually used church in Guilford. It sits atop Ledge Hill next door to St. John's Episcopal Church and overlooking a historic cemetery just across the road.

In addition to the live auction, the annual country fair offers a huge White Elephant sale (linens, jewelry, book nook, toys, Christmas Room, and hand-sewn items); silent auction; gift baskets raffle; sales of plants, vegetables, antique tools, and baked goods; and a trademark peach shortcake luncheon. As a seasoned Little Toot engineer, Dave drives passengers by many of the fair's sights and sounds.

"We start down by the grassy area behind the church where the farm animals are, go up in front of the church and around the island of the church, so you see where tractors are located, then go down toward St. John's next door, wrap around [and] go back for a drive around tool table and the auction, and back behind Melissa Jones School where we tool around a little bit. The kids think it's a blast."

The train features two passenger cars that give a nod to the area's history in their names, Cohabit and Nausup.

"With the two cars plus the caboose we can probably fit easily six and sometimes eight kids, and their parents can go, too. Sometimes, just the parents want to ride!" says Dave. "Last year, there was a family reunion of more than 40 and we must have had 10 parents in the back of that thing. They were hootin' and hollering and having an absolute blast. A lot of them said they'd done it when they were kids."

Dave and his wife, Barbara, moved here 20 years ago and have raised their daughter, Morgan, and son, Benjamin, in North Guilford as part of NGCC. His kids attended North Guilford Nursery School and then Melissa Jones Elementary School, all within walking distance of the church.

"My wife and I moved here because we were looking for a new place to go," says Dave. "I live exactly one mile south of the church and when we came here and found it, there happened to be an interim minister who was really cool, and really the reason we first joined the church."

To this day, the church has maintained that cool factor. It's something Dave's especially reminded of every year at fair time, he says.

"We start setting up tents on Tuesday, and I love the fact that people just show up and help get it done," says Dave. "It's that kind of cool camaraderie that this church is known for. We always talk about how this church is very divergent and people in the pew next to you will likely have views that are different from your own, but when the time comes, whether it be a mission project, a disaster situation, or a country fair, everyone who's there pulls together."

Dave's involvement as a member of the council and other church committees started up in earnest when his kids began attending Sunday School (his youngest is now 14 years old) and "we've been involved there ever since," he says.

"Officially, we have 257 people in the congregation, with 85 or so families," says Dave. "We are very small and that's why you end up wearing a lot of hats. There are always things to be doing and things that need doing. That's why, at council and church meetings, I line up all my hats; to let people know there are a lot of positions available and a lot of ways to help out. When you come to the fair, almost all of the people you'll find working under the tents and at the tables wear more than one hat."

In addition to helping out at NGCC, Dave signed up to help with Guilford Boy Scouts when his son first joined as a Cub Scout years ago. He remains involved with his son's Boy Scout Troop 472, for which he serves as committee chair. Dave was also a cub master and Cub Scouts den leader.

"We do a lot of community stuff with the Boy Scouts here, too," he says, noting Troop 472 is based in North Guilford out of St. John's. "We just love living in the area. It's a nice little environment. We spend a lot of time up on that hill."

On Saturday, Dave will be there, helping to make NGCC's Country Fair and Auction one of the best yet. He encourages everyone to come and enjoy.

"People really do look forward to it. There's always a good crowd, but the more people, the merrier," he says.

While you're there, look for Little Toot, pulling out from the fair's "North Guilford Station" with Dave at the helm. If Little Toot's not there, he'll be right back, Dave adds.

"It's very popular, so I almost never have a break. I drive around in circles so many times I sometime get dizzy," Dave jokes. "Actually, I'm having just as much fun as the kids!"