~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
It was a record night for the Greene County Cattlemen’s Association as the group raised $29,775 at its annual banquet Saturday evening. A nice-sized crowd enjoyed rib eye steaks grilled by the Cattlemen with Lidderdale Country Store providing the sides.
Dan Laughery of Guthrie Livestock Auction and Jon Schaben of Dunlap Livestock Auction cried the sale of the trophies, belt buckles, pies and other merchandise. The two kept the bidding lively with their jokes and comments.
M & W Ag Supply of Jefferson was the top bidder and will keep the traveling trophy for the next year. They spent $3,300 on buckles, trophies and an Iowa Hawkeye metal sign.
Cattlemen president Justin Robbins welcomed the guests, thanked everyone for attending and expressed appreciation for the generous bidding. His father, Tim Robbins, gave the invocation prior to the meal.
Special recognition was given to 2022 scholarship winners: Megan Palmer, Madison Grow, Eliot Schilling, Max Riley, Madilyn Van Pelt, Mallory Prescott, Logan Higgins and Carmyn Paup.
The 2023 program was sponsored by Landus. Brenda and Bill Thorp purchased the sponsorship for 2024, paying $1,000. Brenda also baked apple and French silk pies for the auction that brought $1,050.
The year 2022 was a busy one for the Cattlemen. The group grilled: at Bell Tower Festival, Pat’s Sliders for Bell Tower Parade, Beef Show Day at the Greene County Fair, lunch at Greene County elementary, middle school and high school; lunch for Paton-Churdan Schools, St Patrick Catholic Church anniversary, Farm Bureau farm tour, Greene County Fair BBQ, Scranton fundraiser, McDonald/Oakes fundraiser, Home State Bank, Midwest Behavioral Health golf outing, supper for high school and youth football teams, lunch for Conference swim meet, ISU Extension Office, Cruisin’ the Square, lunch for a graduation party, lunch at AAI, Greene County homecoming pep rally, Heartland Bank open house and more.
Donations were made to: ICA Carcass Challenge, eight scholarships, purchased FFA jackets for the eighth year, Greene County ARC, Greene County Clover Cafe, grilling proceeds donated to Greene County 4-H Foundation, Greene County Beef Show trophies and banners, Chamber of Commerce, beef snacks for state wrestlers, beef sticks for state soccer team, 4-H beef ear tags, bedding for the cattle barn, beef certificates during beef month, hats and gloves for all fourth graders at Greene County and Paton-Churdan, advertising for beef on KGRA, Greene County Fair ad in Scranton Journal, Greene County Fair donation, graduation ad for Jefferson Bee, and more.
The total donations in 2022 added up to $28,903.
Members of the Greene County FFA assisted at the auction by displaying items as well as clean up during the meal and at the conclusion of the banquet.
Brandon Muir is vice president of the organization. Noah Juergensen is secretary/treasurer. Ben Gannon is the grilling contact with Mike Klauer serving as social media manager. Additional directors are Jonathan Marshall, Patrick Minnehan, Bill Fields, Ryan Schroeder, Andrew Michaelson and Isaac Hoskins.
