THE FRIENDS OF AGRICULTURE AWARDS WERE PRESENTED AT 12:30 THIS
AFTERNOON TO A NEARLY PACKED-HOUSE AT THE PEARSON MEMORIAL
CENTER ON THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA, DURING KMAQ'S ANNUAL
FARM AND HOME SHOW. THIS WAS THE 23RD ANNUAL AWARDS PRESENTATION.
CO-SPONSORS ALL THESE YEARS HAVE BEEN THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB
AND THE MAQUOKETA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE.
SHOWN ABOVE, TODAY'S EMCEE AND MEMBER OF THE AWARD'S COMMITTEE,
SCOTT GENT OF RURAL MONMOUTH. SCOTT IS VERY ACTIVE IN THE COUNTY
WITH THE PORK PRODUCERS, FARM BUREAU, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
ALSO BELOW, MY PHOTO OF TODAY'S FIVE WINNERS.....
ON THE LEFT, FARMERS OF THE YEAR, PAUL AND SANDRA GERLACH OF RURAL
MAQUOKETA. IT TOOK A GOOD 5 MINUTES TO READ OFF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THE SAME FOR THE OTHER WINNERS, SO I WON'T BEGIN TO LIST WHY THEY WERE CHOSEN. I'M SURE KELLY GERLACH OF THE
MAQUOKETA SENTINAL-PRESS WILL MENTION A LOT IN HER STORY.
STANDING IN THE MIDDLE, JUDY TONDERUM, WHO WAS HONORED AS AG PUBLIC SERVICE PERSON OF THE YEAR. AGAIN, SHE IS VERY ACTIVE, BUT HERE AT KMAQ, WE KNOW HER BEST FOR HER VOLUNTEER WORK AS A JACKSON COUNTY MASTER GARDNER, WHICH INCLUDES CO-HOSTING TWICE A MONTH ON KMAQ'S "JUST TALK" SHOW, A FLOWER AND GARDEN PROGRAM.
AND TO THE RIGHT, AG BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR, GARY AND BETTY
FARRELL OF FARRELL'S, INC. AT PRESTON. THEY HAVE A LARGE AND GROWING
AG BUSINESS THAT INCLUDES TRUCKING.
ALL ARE EXCEPTIONAL WINNERS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FIVE!
TODAY, PORK DAY, HAS BEEN ANOTHER BIG ATTENDANCE DAY...AND IT IS NOT
OVER UNTIL 7:30 TONIGHT. HOPE YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT.
DENNIS VOY