Posted: 02.16.2011

What a sweet way to raise money for Wisconsin youth dedicated to animal agriculture.

Every year during the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Pork Association, an annual pie auction is held to raise funds for youth scholarships - and there was no disappointment in 2011.

According to Tammy Vassen, executive director of the WPA, the auction itself raised $6,725 for youth programs. The highest bid of the evening was for an apple pie, which sold for $1200 to Premier Insurance.  All of the pies were donated by industry supporters and families involved in the Wisconsin Pork Association. 

In addition, a silent auction was held to continue to build the Buell Gunderson Memorial Scholarship fund.  The total raised for the Buell Gunderson Memorial Scholarship fund was $1,911. 

The Wisconsin Pork Association also selected their 2010 WPA Producer Distinguished Service award and presented it to Keith and Marie Rithamel and Marke Semen, of Sharon. 

The pork industry is fortunate in having many industry representatives who are dedicated to promoting and serving the industry.  WPA honors these individuals and companies by presenting them with the Distinguished Service Industry Honoree Award.  The recipient of the award for 2010 is Norval Dvorak.

The 2010 Agri-Communicator Award, which acknowledges the efforts of individuals in the ag industry to communicate with others, went to Greg Sambs.  Sambs earned the honor for his outreach efforts to educate youth with pig projects and for his efforts as an Operation Main Street speaker.

Senator Dan Kapanke was presented the annual WPA ‘Friend of the Industry Award,’ which recognizes a legislator who provides legislative support to the pork industry. 

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