Friday, August 3, 2007 1:02 AM CDT
4-H auction brings in about $68,000
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Despite a decline in animal project participation, the amount of money raised during the annual 4-H Livestock Auction at the Coles County Fair was about on par with previous years, said officials.
Thursday’s sale, which marked the 50th anniversary of the 4-H Livestock Auction, generated approximately $68,000.
“That’s pretty much on target with normal,” said Sharon Kuhns, county director for University of Illinois Extension of Coles County, which oversees 4-H locally.
“I know we had a great crowd, and everybody seemed in a festive mood for the 50th anniversary,” said Kuhns.
She added there were “a few less 4-Hers this year, (and) they’re not taking as many livestock projects.”
Kuhns speculated this is due somewhat to rising costs of feed and fuel.
The auction was established in 1957 by farm advisers Louis Christen and John Conerty. On Thursday, Christen’s family members made the highest bid for the grand champion steer and then donated the animal back to Coles County 4-H. Including a matching contribution from the University of Illinois, the resale of the steer netted about $3,000 for 4-H.
“We’ve got 50 years of 4-H children who have benefited” from the auction, said Tom Donnell, Christen’s stepson. “A lot of them have gone to college on 4-H money.”
State Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, hurried from the overtime legislative session in Springfield on Thursday to present a resolution passed by the Illinois House of Representatives in honor of the Coles County auction’s 50th anniversary.
Reading from the resolution he introduced, Rose said the success of the auction is owed to volunteers, 4-H members and a host of other participants.
Rose offered his congratulations “particularly to the youth who have participated in (this) great adventure,” he said.
As part of the 50th anniversary recognition, Effingham-Clay Service Company and Fritts Fertilizers/Beck’s Hybrid Seed donated to 4-H a total of $1,400, which will be matched 100 percent by the state.
At the end of the auction, a Yamaha scooter was raffled off as part of the Coles County Extension Foundation’s largest ever fund raiser, in which 250 tickets were sold for $20 each.
“I think (the auction) went great,” Kuhns said.
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