A year’s worth of hard work came to fruition for many 4-H children on Thursday, July 25 as they proudly showcased their livestock during the Porter County Fair’s annual Celebration Sale. Held at the Porter County Fairgrounds, the Celebration Sale allows 4-H children ages 9-18 to care for and auction off livestock of their choice for money and valuable life lessons along the way.
Leading up to the big event, children select the livestock they wish to exhibit at the fair - poultry, swine, rabbits, beef, dairy steers, dairy milk, goats, and/or sheep - and spend the year caring for their four-legged friend prior to the Celebration Sale. Once the day of the sale arrives, the children spruce up their animals for the auction, where they compete before a judge and offer up their livestock for public purchase.
This year’s Celebration Sale saw extraordinary success and achieved record breaking sales reaching well over half a million dollars.
“The Celebration Sale is run by Jonathan Kraft and his committee, and they sell the 4-H children’s animals at the auction during the Thursday night of the fair,” said Porter County Fair Manager David Bagnall. “A lot of times there's buying groups and things like that, but the children get all the proceeds from the sale of their animals. This year, I think, was a record year – the gross was $670,000 or close to that. It's a really phenomenal amount.”
The Celebration Sale is monumental to the children for many reasons, especially since it brings about many unique opportunities that help pave the way for a bright future for each participant. Much of the money the children receive goes towards their college funds, making it possible for them to receive an education that will set them up for success long after their 4-H days have ended.
“It's their money, but generally, a lot of the kids go to college, and they'll save some of it. They'll probably bankroll it for next year's project, but they also save it and use it for their education,” Bagnall said.
This is a heartwarming feeling, especially for Bagnall who was once a 4-H member himself raising calves alongside his parents. The money he received from the Celebration Sale allowed him to attend Valparaiso University with his tuition paid in full along with some extra money left over. Knowing children today have similar opportunities available to better their futures because of the Celebration Sale means the world to Bagnall, and he’s grateful this beloved Porter County tradition is able to carry on for generations to come.
However, no dollar sign can fully encapsulate the amount children gain by participating in the Celebration Sale. They also pick up a plethora of life skills and knowledge that can be applied in multiple areas of life. The children get to fully understand the responsibilities of taking care of another living being, from learning how to properly feed the animal to the cumbersome, dirty work that goes into keeping the animals happy and healthy. It also opens them up to real world experiences, such as reaching out to a veterinarian when the animal falls injured or sick, and to learn more about the science behind agriculture and livestock throughout their time participating in the Celebration Sale.
“The kids have a goal, and everybody wants to win, but there's obviously more to it than winning,” Bagnall said. “They learn how to do business, they learn about the inputs that go into their animals, the cost of the food – they're very sophisticated on the nutrients and things that these animals get these days, and everybody tries their own little thing to produce the best animal.”
The community is always proud to rally behind the Celebration Sale and the children each and every year. From businesses of all kinds coming together to volunteer to local individuals pitching in wherever they can, hundreds flock to the fairgrounds each year to pitch in and give the kids an extra hurrah of encouragement as they compete in the sale.
This includes people such as Dr. Lonnie Ailes, an individual who brought so much to each sale he was a part of up until his retirement. Bagnall noted Ailes would always get the ball rolling during the sale each and every year, and would always get a group of fellow doctors to come out and encourage them to buy some livestock. Bagnall is also thankful for the help of late Superintendent of the Cattle Project Don Bloom and the late Superintendent of The Poultry Project Russell Gluth, the latter who unfortunately passed about a month before the start of this year’s fair. However, to continue his legacy, the fair will soon offer a scholarship on behalf of the Gluth Poultry Project for 4-H students attending higher education as early as next year. Bagnall noted that both gentlemen would always be remembered for their generosity and their support for the kids for many years to come.
Many others have also been major sources of support throughout the sale over the years, and through their efforts, the Celebration Sale is able to continue to provide a plethora of wonderful opportunities for children both now and in years to come.
“They're great kids, and that's why people get involved with 4-H and the fair. They stay involved because it's so rewarding to see these young kids, and it's pretty flattering the support from our community,” Bagnall said. “The banks in the area, such as Centier and 1st Source Bank, are involved, businesses from ready mix companies to retail stores to convenience stores and on and on and on are all involved. We also have accountants, lawyers – there's a couple law firms and some doctors such as Lakeshore Bone and Joint and people like that. They always put money and put it into either buying groups or they come and bid on it themselves.”
Being a part of such a major event means a lot to Matt Vessely and the team of volunteers from 1st Source Bank who have championed the Celebration Sale year after year.
“This is an event that we have supported for many years. It means a lot in our community and it teaches the kids great values while providing an example of what community support is all about,” Vessely said. “We enjoy being a part of that and helping to ensure that the 4-H mission can continue over time. We also understand that a big event like the Celebration Sale can't happen without volunteerism. As an organization, we believe in community leadership, and we think that volunteerism is an important part, which is why so many people on our team choose to volunteer their time each year.”
Whether it’s in the community, on the farm, or at the fairgrounds, 4-H and the Celebration Sale are working hard to make a positive change in local children’s lives. To learn more about the Celebration Sale and stay updated on the event throughout the year, please visit portercountyfair.com/celebration-sale.