Page 10 - October 2020 WCA Ketch Pen

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Headquarters
From the WCW President
Our caring hearts and prayers are going out to all those ranchers and farmers across our state who are currently affected by the devastating wildfires. The pain of losses such as these are not for the faint of heart. Some have lost a year’s worth of grazing lands. Some have lost even more...some everything. Never in my life have I personally known wildfire victims and this year alone I know so many throughout the west coast, including some in my own family. Please, if you have the ability to help in some way, reach out to see how you can support our ranching community.
Old Mill Country Store has been organizing relief funds and resources and shipping them to the areas in need. At our September meeting, WCW voted to send a $1,000 donation through Old Mill to purchase fencing supplies and other needed items to send to our ranching friends. The Washington Young Farmers and Ranchers organization is also putting together a work crew to travel up there on a weekend soon and help repair fences damaged by the fires. WCW will collaborate with that effort to put together food for the work crew. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page or reach out to me directly to stay up to date as we put these plans together.
We covered a lot more productive topics at our September meeting, and were joined by some great guests speakers with one of the largest attended meetings in some time! Our speakers included Deb Wells of Ellensburg Noon Rotary who told us about a beautification project they funded at the local fairgrounds. The project included laying new pavers around an undeveloped walking area and then selling personalized pavers to be professionally engraved. This is a great way for people to promote their business, share a memorial, or leave a family mark on a high-traffic area of one of the busiest fairgrounds in the state. Therefore, WCW voted to purchase an engraved paver to set our mark for years to come. We are looking forward to seeing the finished product and share pictures!
Kristin Ashley also joined us for our meeting as she wanted to meet some local ranchers of the area and discuss her views on why keeping our farming and ranching heritage alive is so important. She’s also a great advocate
on local agriculturists, especially ranchers, should have the largest voices in how those public lands are utilized because of the high benefits of grazing in our forests and range land. She’s running for Kittitas County Commissioner, so part of her campaign platform sets a large focus on agriculture that we as ranchers can greatly appreciate.
Our third presentation was from KayDee Gilkey of the Beef Commission. We very much enjoyed getting to hear a recap of how the Commission changed gears to promote our product during these challenging times during a pandemic.
The United Steaks of America promotion through t-shirt sales was awesome and the funds raised from that went to our beloved Beef Counts program! It’s the 10-year anniversary for Beef Counts and we still have some big goals, so stay tuned to find out more about our annual beef handouts and the auction in Toppenish. The Beef Commission also presented the Washington CattleWomen with a plaque to thank us for all our support and partnership over the years, especially in the Beef Counts program. We of course echo the love of our partnership right back!! The gals at the Beef Commission do amazing work and if you ever get the chance to listen to them
speak about their results promoting our product, you are encouraged to take advantage of it.
KayDee Gilkey of the Washington Beef Commission pres- ents President, Kady Porterfield, with a recognition award for the Washington CattleWomen for partnership and dedication to the Beef Counts program.
Ketch Pen www.washingtoncattlemen.org
September 2020