Rural Women’s Council Present Awards for Service Projects

A number of awards were handed out to rural women leaders and supporters during the recent American Farmers & Ranchers annual state convention.

The AFR Women’s Cooperative Council presented Outstanding Service Awards to three organizations during a luncheon Feb. 18. Receiving a $200 reward was:

• Stephens County AFR. The county organization donated $8,039 or one dollar per student to each school in their county.
• AFR Local 582 in Okmulgee County donated $2,500 to the Twin Hills Public School system and spearheaded an effort to replace school buses damaged by vandalism.
• Harper and Beaver County AFR, Laverne Insurance, sponsored the Laverne Life Skills event to help high school seniors prepare for the future.

The Women’s Cooperative also handed out awards to the top participants in their annual Drive Away Hunger food drive campaign. Receiving awards for specific events were:

• First place, Hofschulte Agency, Miami.  They raised enough for a total of 667 meals or 800 pounds of food donated through a joint effort with their 4-H and FFA chapters during a local food drive.
• Second place, Lincoln County AFR.  They donated 162 meals or 196 pounds of food during their county annual meeting.
• Third place, Custer County AFR.  They donated a total of 133 meals or 160 pounds of food during their county annual meeting.

County groups were recognized for making the largest monetary donations to the food drive.

• First place, Custer County. They donated a total of 3,750 meals.
• Second place, Oklahoma County.  They donated 2,615 meals.
• Third place, tie between Porter Insurance Agency, Edmond, and Tackett Insurance Agency, Ft. Cobb.  Both donated a total of 2,500 meals.

The top award, a traveling trophy and $200 check, was presented to Custer County AFR for donating a total of 3,883 meals throughout the past year.

The AFR Women’s Cooperative also announced their 2017 council members.  Serving as chairman will be Crystie Shebester, Chickasha. Other members include Suzanne Gilbert, Tecumseh, Debi Thompson, Carney, Geneva Bolenbaugh, Enid, Donna Newsome, Clinton, Pam Livingston, Seiling, Julie Brown, Sapulpa, and Stephanie Miller, Antlers.

The council announced they will be working with the Oklahoma Blood Institute during 2017 to attract at least one donor per county.  The blood drive initiative will kick off during the Oklahoma Youth Expo, March 11, from 8 a.m. to noon in barn 3, Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Donors participating in the OYE event will receive a free t-shirt and pork chop sandwich courtesy of American Farmers & Ranchers and the Oklahoma Pork Council.

For more information, contact Megan Albright, (405) 218-5416, malbright@afrmic.com

PHOTO CAPTION: 2017 AFR Women’s Cooperative Council (left to right), Suzanne Gilbert, Geneva Bolenbaugh, Debi Thompson, Crystie Shebester, Stephanie Miller, Donna Newsome, Pam Livingston, Julie Brown.