‘Evening for Ag Education’ Gala helps plant the seeds of farm and food literacy
‘Evening for Ag Education’ Gala helps plant the seeds of farm and food literacy
The “Evening for Ag Education” Gala fundraiser was a fun-filled night to remember, which raised more than $29,000 to support agricultural literacy efforts in Cook County. The event was held Friday, July 19, at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park.
Attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, dinner, entertainment by the band The Hat Guys, a live auction, a silent auction, a Truth or Hogwash trivia game, as well as other fundraising activities for the Farm Bureau’s Ag Literacy Program and Foundation. Most importantly, members and supporters came together for a fun-filled evening focused on raising money to further the cause of the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation.
A new 5 minute video was premiered to promote the Foundation’s efforts in support of students, classrooms, and agricultural education in Cook County. The video may be viewed at cookcfb.org/about-the-foundation
Money raised will be used to support the Cook County Farm Bureau Agriculture Literacy Program and Foundation scholarships. The program helps urban children, their parents, and teachers know about where their food, clothing, fuel, and nutrition comes from. The program also offers scholarships to help area young adults attend college to pursue farm and food-related career paths, as well as provide farm experiences, hands-on lessons about farming, and food-based education to the community.
Goals/ Objectives Achieved:
- 190 people attended
- We substantially surpassed our fundraising goal of $12,500
- Attendees gained a better idea of the importance of the scholarship program for agricultural careers
- We showcased the programming efforts of the Cook County Farm Bureau Agriculture Literacy Program and the Foundation support
We would like to share our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Fundraiser Committee, the Board of Directors for the Farm Bureau and the Foundation, the Cook County Farm Bureau staff, donors and buyers for the silent and live auction, and our sponsors, with whom the event would not have been possible.
For more details about the event and photos, visit the Foundation section of our website, www.cookcfb.org.
Sponsors
Presenting Platinum - COUNTRY Financial and Kopping Farms Equestrian Center.
Gold - Julie and Dwayne Michaels Family, Cook County Farm Bureau Board, Ted’s Greenhouse, IAA Credit Union, Compeer Financial
Silver - Conserv FS, Goebbert’s Farm and Garden Center
Bronze - Prairie Creek Grain Company, Prairie Farms Dairy, Matthew O’Shea Consulting, ADM, J.L. Woode. LTD
Friends of Foundation - Mark Olander, Attorney at Law, Bob and Jayne Rohrer, First Bank of Manhattan, Cook – DuPage Beekeepers Association, The Feed Store, Enterprise Mobility.
Live Auction and Silent Auction donors – Thank you to our many Live Auction and Silent Auction doners.
Planning Committee - Janet McCabe (Chair), Gerry Kopping, Ruth Zeldenrust, Mike Rauch, Dan Biernacki, Sharon Stemke, Kim Morton, Heidi Yunker, Karen Biernacki, Greg Stack, Terry Landschoot, and CCFB Staff.