TIMONIUM, Md. — An ice cream social and reunion to benefit the Maryland 4-H Dairy Programs is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 3, at the Maryland State Fair.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the show ring of the Cow Palace. Organizers are asking for a $10 donation per ice cream sundae. There will be a silent auction to benefit the 4-H Dairy Programs and further donations are welcome. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
There will also be dairy judging memorabilia from previous Maryland 4-H Dairy Judging Teams on display and anyone with memorabilia of their own is encouraged to bring it with them to share.
The Maryland 4-H Dairy Judging program is highly regarded nationally and has helped many youth over the years. Since the National Dairy Judging Contest’s inception in 1919, Maryland has brought home the championship title a record 29 times.
"Maryland Dairy Judging means being a part of a tradition with great cows and great people. I was surrounded with enthusiastic and passionate coaches that helped me learn not just about dairy cows but also the dairy industry. These great people inspired me to pursue a career in the dairy industry so that I could help youth just as they helped me," said Parker Welch, a 2005 Maryland 4-H Dairy Judging Team member.
While the team members themselves have excelled in competitions year after year, it is the network of people in the dairy and 4-H community that helps to cultivate great judging teams.
“The true strength of the Maryland 4-H Dairy programs is not in the hands of a single individual, but instead rests in the arms of the entire dairy industry in Maryland,” said Kiera Finucane, coordinator of dairy and beef Extension activities with the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland.
No RSVP is required for the event, however, it is scheduled during the state fair activities so fair admission or a valid 4-H member/volunteer card is required. For more information, contact Amanda Brown Clougherty at akbrown@umd.edu, or 410-310-7966.