Board honors the late Vern Bancroft
The Greene County Lamb Producers came close to the $5,000 mark in fundraising at their annual banquet and auction held March 18 at Clover Hall on the Greene County Fairgrounds. A large portion of the funds will support the community lamb barn project, which invites 4-H members who do not have access to animals and/or barn space to experience raising and showing livestock.
About 115 persons attended the alcohol-free, family friendly event. A dinner feature leg of lamb and skewerless lamb kabobs was catered by Hy-Vee.
Dr Steve Karber, a Lamb Producers board member, paid tribute to the late Vern Bancroft, who passed away unexpectedly in December. Bancroft was active in the 4-H sheep and horse projects. He was the designated ear-tagger at the lamb weigh-in every year, and according to the banquet program, “Vern was always willing to help a young 4-H member with their project and give them good advice.”
Karber presented Vern’s wife Corinne Bancroft with embroidered plaques. The Lamb Producers also gave the Greene County 4-H Foundation $350 as a memorial to Vern. Billie Hoskins accepted the check on behalf of the foundation.
Special entertainment was a condensed version of “Flight of the Lawn Chair Man” performed Robbie Pedersen and his daughter Samantha Schmidt of History Boy Theatre. In his introduction, Pedersen reminded the audience that RVP~1875/History Boy Theatre was named as the Outstanding Tourism Attraction in the state for 2016.
4-H members who exhibited champions or received showmanship awards at the 2016 Greene County Fair were recognized with a dual picture frame holding an embroidered piece naming their award and a photo of him or her with the animal. Mason Burkett, Emily Finch, Karissa Stephenson, Wade Wuebker, Aubrey Heupel, Justin Stream, Brandon Wilson, Garrett Peterson, Brock Badger, Paige Citurs and Caden Etherton were recognized.
After the recognitions were given, Kevin Lentz began auctioning a variety of donated items, and even the leftover food from the banquet. That portion of the auction netted $3,805. Pies made by Kerry Brooker got the highest bids, with Karber paying $130 for a French silk pie, Hamilton Redi-Mix paying $110 for a rhubarb pie, and Home State Bank paying $100 for a strawberry rhubarb pie. A caramel apple crumb pie baked by Megan Walker went for $95.
Three awards for the 2017 fair were auctioned. Hamilton Redi-Mix bid $350 to sponsor the award for grand champion market lamb and Peoples Trust & Savings Bank of Scranton bid $350 to sponsor the reserve champion market lamb award. Muir Embroidery bid $250 to sponsor the supreme champion ewe award.
Members of the Lamb Producers board of directors are Brian Sandage, Randy Hedges, Dave Wolf, Bigg Taggart, Steve Karber, Eldo Walker, Justin Walker and Kevin Lentz.
