The event is meant to honor OYEA students, faculty, volunteers and sponsors, but it is also the organization’s most important fundraiser, raising $43,000 for the program according to one of the evening's hosts.
Prescott schools cheerleaders, Key Club members and students in OYEA from elementary school age to soon-to-graduate high school seniors helped staff the event, acting as ushers, waitstaff and servers. They also were a part of the program, coming to the front of the room to be honored. Then the OYEA students were invited forward by Prescott Public Schools Agricultural Science teacher Dennis Guidry to be praised for their work over the past year in raising animals and participating in other ways.
Fred Harris, a co-founder of OYEA who sits on the group’s five-member volunteer board, did a lot of the hosting and announcing, sharing duties with Farmers Bank and Trust’s Lynn Vanderveer who offered many moments of comic relief, especially when mentioning that his cat Roberto was home unfed and likely to burn a hole in the sofa in frustration if the event ran too long.
Guest speaker was Charles Looney, a Camden native who is now a professor of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and stationed at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope. The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame inductee briefly explained his going from a youngster interested in agriculture and participating in it at his school to now being involved in cutting edge applications of genetic technology to the raising of cattle.
In closing, he advised students to never say never when it comes to considering what new developments in the field of agriculture might turn out to be, to never burn a bridge with a person with whom you associate professionally, to work hard, be respectful and to “listen to what’s right.”
Guidry then came to the front to speak about the contributions of individual students to his program, expressing his pride in the work of over a dozen students in raising and showing their animals over the past year.
Prescott High student and OYEA member Jamir Purifoy spoke of how he has benefited from being in the program. “I plan to continue growing in the ag industry a lot. It has impacted me so much. I've gained knowledge, a lot of patience and many friends,” he said.
Then the fundraising duties began. A bucket raffle was held, with prizes that included a tool set, gift certificates, gift basket and assorted pork. Prizes were donated by the Prescott Rotary Club, Prescott School Agriculture Class, Tim’s Custom Meats, Women in Prescott.
The draw down raffle followed.
The evening ended with a live auction officiated by Bruce Maloch. Twelve items including a picnic table, a handmade quilt, lottery tickets, baskets of mums, a Bluetooth speaker, a shop heater, a muzzle loader, two Adirondack chairs, a spa package at Hourglass Aesthetics, a deer feeder and corn, 12 gauge over under shotgun and a 65 inch LED TV.
The meal was of pork loin, prepared by the Prescott Fire Department, baked beans, potato salad and desserts prepared by the Prescott Police Department and rolls provided by Hope Baking Company.
Fred Harris reported Tuesday evening, "The banquet was a huge success and raised approximately $43,000.00 for the OYEA program."
