By JESSIE HORTON
TheFlashToday.com
While not all the checks have been collected and totals are still growing, officials with the 2015 Erath County Jr. Livestock Show are beyond excited this morning as word has it more than $425,000 was collected for local show participants.
“What an amazingly generous community we are blessed to live in,” said a grateful July Danley. “I have no doubt that when the add-ons are completed the total will be well over $430,000, and that is definitely a record year for the Erath County show.”
One of the main events was the final sale at this year’s auction. In December, the community was rocked with the loss of Bart VanKranenburg, a 16-year-old Lingleville High School student. He was planning to show a dairy heifer for the second year. A friend showed the heifer and then, when it was time to auction the animal, VanKranenburg’s family announced they would use the sale money to start the Bart VanKranenburg Foundation to help others in the community.
The heifer sold twice (the first buyer donated her back to be sold again), and with all of the additional money donated by local individuals and businesses, auction officials reported that, as of Sunday night, the total for the foundation was $30,000 and still growing.
Last year, the total for the county auction was just over $350,000 and is almost $430,000 this year. In addition to having more participants in the stock show and youth fair, there were more participants (local businesses and community members) in the auction as well.
“We truly are grateful for everyone who comes out and takes part in any aspect of the week’s events,” said event chairman Danny Phillips. “We’ll do it again next year, so make plans now to come on out and have a ball with us.”
Photos by JESSIE HORTON & MAIRA SANCHEZ
Be the first to comment