HARRISBURG, Pa.— During its summer meeting, the All-American Dairy Foundation (AADF) Board of Trustees discussed its fundraising programs to continue AADF’s mission of “securing funding to allocate to the All-American Dairy Show for grants, awards and scholarships as incentives for educational youth activities.”
The Premier week-long All-American Dairy Show (AADS) is held each September at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg and draws youth competitors from across the country. In addition to the Premier National Junior Show, one-half of the approximately 2300 youth contestants each year are entered in competitions outside the showring — including the Challenge Contest, Dairy Management Contest, Judging Forum, Invitational Youth Cattle Judging Contest (University, Junior College, 4-H, and FFA), Career and various youth-and-dairy-industry networking events.
“These AADF-supported events are opportunities for our future dairy leaders and managers to not only hone important animal health and husbandry skills, but also develop confident decision-making and valuable interpersonal and leadership skills as they compete for awards, knowledge, self-improvement, and the opportunity to earn scholarships,” said AADF Executive Director Bob Heilman.
“The AADF Trustees raise funds to safeguard the future of the youth events at the All-American Dairy Show. Youth events are the only events AADF can financially support, and we are building an Endowment Fund for the future of a potential International Youth Dairy Event,” he added.
Currently, the Premier National Junior Show, which will be held Monday, September 14 during the 2015 AADS, is the largest Youth Dairy Show in the nation with over 2000 participants.
The events include six breed National Junior Shows with nearly 1000 youth showmen, a Showmanship contest with nearly 500 participants, the Dairy Management Contest with 24 teams and 90 individuals from across Pennsylvania, the Northeast and Midwest participating, the 4-H / FFA Judging Forum of 20 teams and 175 participants from across the U.S., the Invitational Dairy Cattle Judging Contest with nearly 175 participants at the junior and collegiate team levels.
In addition to financially supporting the youth events at the AADS in the amount of $145,000 over the past five years, the AADF also financially supports the Pennsylvania State 4-H Dairy Show and other youth events at its budget permits.
To-date, four Arthur W. Nesbitt AADF scholarships have been awarded and two more will be announced at the upcoming All American Dairy Show Sept. 11-18 at the Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, Pa.
To continue this legacy of Foundation support for youth events at the All American and beyond, AADF looks to members of the dairy industry for their assistance and involvement in the AADF Contributor-Membership Campaign. This varied avenue for contributing to the cause can be through funds designated to specific youth events or to youth shows by class and/or breed.
At the summer meeting, the AADF board also approved to three-year terms Michelle Morian of Atlantic, Pa., Brent Schuler of Fleetwood, Pa., and Loren and Helen Zimmerman of Hummelstown, Pa. In addition, Patty McMurray of Eight-Four, Pa. was elected for a one-year term.
Irene Osborne of Millerstown, Pa., was elected chairman; Patti Hushon of Red Lion, Pa., vice-chair; Rita Kennedy of Butler, Pa., secretary; and Loren Zimmerman of Hummelstown, Pa., treasurer. Osborne, McMurry and executive director Bob Heilman will constitute the executive committee.
Retiring trustees Dick Chichester, Jay Houser and Donna and Jason Myers were recognized in appreciation for their service and leadership of the AADF in its formative years as Lifetime Honorary Trustees.
Founded by the Pennsylvania Dairy and Allied Industries Association, the AADF’s purpose is to assure the continuous educational youth activities of the All-American Dairy Show in light of continuous state budget cuts and downsizing of other sources of revenue relied upon for youth events at the All-American Dairy Show.
Donations are tax deductible as the Foundation is an IRS charitable educational organization for youth activities at the All-American Dairy Show (501 (c) 3).
For more information about the AADF scholarship and fundraising programs, contact Bob Heilman at 804-240-1539 or [email protected] or visit www.AllAmericanDairyFoundation.org and follow the All-American Dairy Foundation on Facebook. Contributor-Membership donations and other correspondence can be mailed to AADF, P.O. Box 11211, Henrico, VA 23230.