Page 13 - Dresden Buzz 08/22/2025

AUGUST 22 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 FAIR REVIEW | PAGE 13
Farm Credit Mid-America and Permanent building added for

Rural 1st Kick Off Fifth Year Old Steam and Gas Club on
®
of Fight the Hunger, Stock the Fairgrounds by Lynette Dotson

Trailer

Annual competition encourages youth leadership in
agriculture and supports local food banks

submitted

An antique baler was one of many old pieces of farm equipment on display in the Old Steam and Gas
Club Agricultural Educational Museum at the Muskingum County Fair. Lynette Dotson
A local club celebrated the opening The following people and businesses
of their permanent display building, The who aided in the effort were: Bill Knupp,
Old Steam and Gas Club Agricultural Ed- Gary and Linda Osburn, Joe and Kevin
ucational Museum, at the Muskingum Gutridge of Gutridge Electric Inc. (do-
County Fairgrounds. The Old Steam and nated electrical), Terry Havens and Bob
Gas Club has been working toward get- Mock of Mock Excavation (excavation
ting the structure in place for years but and site prep).
have been displaying in tents until they The building displays donated antique
could erect a building. farm equipment and is located between
A dedication ceremony complete with gates one and two at the fairgrounds.
the cutting of the twine took place on Besides the fair, the group also hold
the opening day for the 2025 Musking- another large show at the Colony Square
um County Fair. Mall in the Spring. They also host Gar-
Club officers are Brad McCune, Presi- den Tractor pulls at Gaumer Park in
dent; Caleb Baker, Vice President; Andy Adamsville including during the Adams-
Prouty, 2nd Vice President; Barbara ville Homecoming held annually in July.
Gutridge, Treasurer; and Martha Prouty, The next pull will be on August 23 at 5
Secretary. The committee members p.m.
behind getting the building established You can find the club on Facebook
Caption Lynette Dotson
are Brad McCune, Caleb Baker, Tracy where they actively post schedule up-
Holdren, T.J. Holdren, Joe & Barbara dates and pictures of recent pulls.
The Muskingum County Fair once ing interest in additional ways to donate. Gutridge, Kevin Gutridge, Gene Hanning,
again joined a growing statewide effort Fairs that participate receive a $500 Mark Uphold, and Bruce McConnell.
to fight hunger and give back to local award, and top-performing counties in
community food banks by participating each of five regions across the state will
in the Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer earn additional prizes: $5,000 for first
contest — presented by Farm Credit Mid- place, $1,500 for second place, and
America and sponsored by Rural 1st. $500 for third place. All prize money
This friendly competition among Ohio goes directly back to local 4-H programs,
county fairs encourages youth leaders further supporting youth development
to collaborate with their local commu- in rural communities.
nity to collect food donations for local “Ultimately, the true winners are the
food banks. From fairground gathering communities we serve,” added Siegel.
to club-level contests, participants have “This contest fuels our purpose to se-
found unique ways to rally their commu- cure rural communities and agriculture
nities since the contest first launched in by empowering youth leaders and sup-
2021. Muskingum County won the re- porting the local food banks who help
gional competition in 2023 and placed local families in need.”
third in 2024 collecting more than Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer is just
26,000 pounds of food in the two years. one way Farm Credit Mid-America and
“We’re excited to bring this initiative its consumer lending brand, Rural 1st,
back to Ohio county fairs, and to once invest in rural communities and agricul-
again see how young people across the ture. In 2024, the association contrib-
state encourage participation,” said uted nearly $4.5 million to impactful
Bob Siegel, regional vice president for programs—including $1.7 million for
agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid- youth, college students and young and The new Old Steam and Gas Club building located between gates one and two at the Muskingum
America. “In Muskingum County, we beginning farmers. Of that, $450,000 County Fairgrounds. Lynette Dotson
know the fair is a gathering place for supported the next generation of Ohio
the whole community, and this contest ag leaders, including $82,000 for Ohio
is a great way to rally people around an 4-H programs.
important cause that ultimately helps To learn more about Fight the Hunger,
those in need close to home.” Stock the Trailer, or to get involved, con- Additional tractors were
Since its inception, the annual contest, tact your local Farm Credit office. lining the path near the
which is also held in Indiana, has col- Memorial Gardens and
lected and donated more than 950,000 Veteran’s Complex.
pounds of food. This year, participants Lynette Dotson
can also contribute fresh protein from
livestock auctions—a reflection of grow-

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