The Monongalia County Fair Livestock Auction moves online. Here’s how the highest bidder can feed families in need.
Last month, the Monongalia County Fair Board announced the cancellation of the 2020 Mon County Fair, which could have dropped the hammer on the 6th annual Monongalia County Fair Livestock Auction. But in 4-H spirit, the WVU Extension Office and Monongalia County Fair Board came up with a plan to make the best out of a “bidder” situation.
4-H and FFA youth exhibit at the Livestock Auction—a learning and business venture they work toward all year. “These young exhibitors choose to take their time, money, and hearts and put them all into caring for an animal that they will know deeply for a very short amount of time,” says Monica Maxwell, a Mon County Fair Board member and 4-H volunteer.
To recognize their efforts, the Monongalia County Fair Livestock Auction will take place virtually this Saturday, August 15, from 6 to 7 p.m. View the more than 50-item catalog, including lambs, hogs, rabbits, beef, and poultry here, and, on auction day, bid from your phone, tablet, or computer. Proceeds benefit future market projects and exhibitors’ college funds.
The Livestock Auction can benefit not only our future farmers, but also families in need. Food pantries and feeding programs like Christian Help and Pantry Plus More have distributed emergency food boxes throughout the pandemic, easing the burden of economic instability created by reduced hours, furlough, and job loss experienced by many in Monongalia and Preston counties, says Erica Mayle, public relations coordinator for Christian Help.
“We source milk, bread, and produce fairly often,” says Roark Sizemore, co-founder of Pantry Plus More, “and would love to have donations of meat so we can add them to our weekly distributions for families.”
The Monongalia County Fair Livestock Auction makes the donation process easy. Successful bidders can have their animals sent to one of four processing facilities and donated to a feeding program like Christian Help or Pantry Plus More.
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