TODAY WAS THE FINAL DAY OF THE KMAQ FARM AND HOME SHOW AND WITH EXCELLENT WEATHER, WE HAD ANOTHER GOOD DAY. TWO-DAY ATTENDANCE WAS
AROUND OR JUST OVER 16-HUNDRED PEOPLE.
THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB AND AG COMMITTEE OF THE MAQUOKETA AREA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THIS NOON AWARDED THREE ANNUAL AG AWARDS.
THE FARMERS OF THE YEAR, ABOVE, DAN AND ABBY MARTIN OF RURAL
BERNARD. THEY HAVE 5 YOUNG CHILDREN, 3 IN PHOTO ABOVE. THE AWARD
WAS PRESENTED BY AMBER MATHEISEN OF THE EXTENSION OFFICE, A MEMBER OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE. SUGGESTED NAMES ARE FROM THE PUBLIC FOR
EACH AWARD.
THIS AWARD WAS STARTED 23 YEARS AGO BY THEN ROTARY SECRETARY BILL
STEWART. HE DIED SEVERAL YEARS LATER, AND YESTERDAY HIS WIFE HELEN
DIED AT THE AGE OF 99. SHE WOULD HAVE BEEM 100 IN APRIL. FOR MANY
YEARS SHE WOULD NOT MISS THE FARM AND HOME SHOW. SHE WAS A GREAT VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITY. HER HUSBAND BILL WHILE AN AG INSTRUCTOR
AT MCHS, DID SOME FARM BROADCASTING FOR KMAQ, PART-TIME.
AND HIS DAUGHTER MARY NOW WORKS FOR ME AT THE DRIVE-IN EACH SUMMER.
THE AG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR, AT LEFT, IS TOM LAPKE OF LaMOTTE,
A VET AT ROLLING HILLS VETENARY SERVICE AT LaMOTTE. THE AWARD WAS
PRESENTED TO HIM BY BRIAN SCHWAGER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
WITH FIDELTY BANK IN MAQUOKETA. TOM DOES A LOT ANNUALLY FOR
JACKSON COUNTY 4-H AND FFA.
THE AG PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD WAS GIVEN TO TED STRAIT OF MAQUOKETA.
TED IS RETIRED AND VOLUNTEERS A LOT. HIS PET PROJECT IS RUNNING
THE FARMERS MARKET. SALLY DAVIES OF THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY
CLUB AND CLOVER RIDGE PLACE, PRESENTED HIM WITH HIS PLAQUE.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE KMAQ STAFF, THE EXHIBITORS, THE CATTLEMEN,
THE PORK PRODUCERS AND ALL WHO WORKED TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S SHOW
A GOOD SUCCESS. AND THANKS OF COURSE TO ALL WHO ATTENDED.
DENNIS VOY
