Cattlemen efforts continue to blossom with $372,250 since 2010 for scholarships/loans

    PANAMA - The steaks were cooked to perfection, the banquet hall filled to the rim and the annual Cattlemen’s banquet was the place to be for great food, an outstanding community auction and friendship.  
    St. Mary’s Parish Center was again packed as more than 700 area residents and cattlemen attended the event.
    The overflow crowd was served a New York Strip steak with all the fixings in just over an hour and that feat could only be topped by the announcement from cattlemen vice president Kevin Goshorn that in the past eight years $372,250 in student and heifer scholarships and financed interest free heifer loans will have been given out by the organization.
    “This year the 29 - $1,000 academic scholarships is something we are very proud of. The key to this is those of you in the crowd that support the scholarship auction both by purchasing items and donating them for the auction,” Goshorn said.
    “We’ve given 199 - $1,000 academic scholarships, awarded 23 heifer scholarships in the amount of $34,650 and interest free loans in the amount of $138,600.”
    “That’s a total of $372,250 in scholarships and interest free loans given back to the youth of our communities. That’s a very impressive number and thank you all.” Goshorn said.
    Although final receipts won’t be tallied until later this week, officials said the annual trophy auction alone set another record of $29,000 while estimates of the general auction were pending for the event.
    Funds raised go toward the Shelby County Fair trophy awards, college scholarships, heifer scholarship programs, beef promotions and banquet expenses.

Great event
    Cattlemen president Tim Graeve repeated his annual thanks to everyone, “It was another extremely successful night and is a reflection of the pride and ownership that we have as a county. The money raised and the support are truly heartwarming, plus it’s a lot of fun and nearly all the funds raised go back to the greater community -- that’s why I believe this event is so successful.”
    Graeve said it is also great to have the new president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Assoc. in attendance, David Trowbridge, Tabor.
    Each year the 19-member board and their spouses create the single largest fund raising effort in the county. Fifty-five New York strip loins weighing some 800 lbs.  from Fareway went into the handmade Roto-Smoke Grill early that morning.
    Grilling was handled by: Ken Schechinger, Ernie Peters, Kent Andersen, Dave Schomers, Kasey Bradley, Justin Ahrenholtz, Josh Leinen and Matt Hodapp. The organization also welcomed new board members: Josh Leinen and Brea Schwarte.

Cattlemen of the Year
    This year’s Cattlemen of the Year, Steve Leinen, has been a lifelong citizen of Shelby County and his farm has been in the family for generations. His passion for farming was evident at an early age as he and his brothers imitated what his dad did in the field with their toy tractors.