Shelby County Cattlemen's Banquet Feb 2018

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