Women for Family Farms Meets
The Women for Family Farms met at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 23rd and was led by Ashley Davis, Chairwoman, with the following members present: Patti Sartori, Loretta Sartori, Anita Schneidewind, Karen Warrick, Ashley Davis, Dana Brandau, Katie Sharkey, Kelly Reus, Ann Nagel, Liz Manning and Mark Schneidewind, manager.
The minutes from the previous meeting were approved as printed. Ashley reported on the Christmas party set for 2024. Wreaths Across America is set for December 14th and there is a meeting next week with the new chairperson as Debbie Smothers Bennett has stepped down as chair earlier this year. Ashley reviewed the flower sales and the amount of money heading in that direction for Wreaths Across America. We are in charge of several items just like before.
The fall luncheon is set for November 13th at the Victorian Ballroom with a Hawaiian theme . The committee reviewed the decorations that have been secured and the entertainment is also booked featuring a person who sings as “Elvis”. They will put the center pieces together the day of event and will set a menu at next committee meeting.
The garden program held April 7th went over well and they want to invite Nancy back to do another program in 2025. They will shoot for a date in April 2025 and will look at the topics of houseplants, raised gardens and starting plants inside. Ashley reviewed the annual meeting theme ideas and the group decided to send forward “Hats off to Agriculture”. The 2025 annual meeting has been set for Saturday, January 25th, 2025, and the Foundation will not have a live auction at all during the annual meeting, only a few raffles and the silent auction will be on-line again this year.
The group reviewed the summer Young Farmers Committee golf outing set for Friday, July 26th at the Green Garden Country Club. Everything has been moved up 30 minutes. They developed an early work schedule and discussed some live auction ideas.
The Fall Harvest Dinner is taking 1 year off this year and will be held in 2025 tentatively as we have done it 3 years in a row and need to give it some rest to the volunteers. Christmas Cuties and Christmas pets/farm animals were approved for the 2024 year. They developed a new flyer for both. Emergency Services for agriculture is moving forward for an August program and they will pass currently on a new safety program idea but will keep it in their files. Family Fun night is set for Thursday, July 11th, and the group developed a work schedule. We have secured the face painting, photo id and fingerprinting and the balloon art/twisting activity.
Ashley reported that the Ag Expo had over 800 students including 47 teachers participating and the people who worked the event said it was good. The fall flowers fundraiser were approved and Mark will work with the crew. The pesticide applicators program which was run through their committee had 148 people participate. The paint program will be held on Sunday, June 2nd after being rescheduled after the instructor came down sick the day of the event in April.
Karen reported on the CPR program which is set for Saturday, October 26th at 1 pm and they would like to get 15 people signed up for attendance. Cost is $60 per person. Ashley reported that the young farmers retirement party for RJ and Kevin is set for September 14th and they will finalize a location at their June meeting. Flags at the ALNC cemetery is May 24th and you can meet up by 9:30 am. Ashley then updated the group on the Threshermen’s Show and the Will County Fair. They are working with the fair office on the Scavenger Hunt and the Wheel of Ag trivia game.
The group had discussed some opportunities for women to learn more in the nutrient management area and a program has been set by the corn and soybean group for July 31st at the Kiefner farm. The program will include a meal and will run from 3-6 pm. Another program was marketing for women and Ashley reported Mark was working with Britt O’Connell from Ever-Ag. They liked the idea of a women being the teacher so we will shoot for this program in September. So…..ladies mark your calendar as it will be a very good program as Mark indicated they have had her as a speaker and Karen said she was very good and easy to follow.
Ashley reported that the Foundation approved an extra scholarship for 2024 year and that they will be raising the scholarship amount to $2,000 per scholarship for 2025 with a plan to give 54 scholarships. She said the Foundation placed a new wall plaque in the hallway for what was called “the original 6”, the original directors who started the Foundation in 1986. With this year’s scholarships being provided in late September they have exceeded the $1 million mark in awarding scholarships. She also reported on the new foundation handouts and passed them around.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 pm. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, July 18th at 6:30 pm.