Acting on behalf of the Exposition and its Board of Directors, ESE President Gene Cassidy bid on and purchased the steer at the 4-H Beef Auction, held during The Big E. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will be in attendance to thank Mr. Cassidy for the generous donation when it is delivered to the Open Pantry.
The 1,340 lb. Shorthorn steer was raised by Briley Wade of Massachusetts, who purchased it as a calf and spent a full year growing it to market weight to participate in the four-day 4-H Beef Program at the Fair.
Cassidy said the donation helps feed the hungry while it promotes the importance of agriculture in our daily lives and educates the public on the Farm-To-Table initiative. The Exposition’s 4-H agriculture projects support youth, and the 4-H Beef Sale rewards the hard work of these young aspiring agriculturalists.
“The mission of Eastern States Exposition calls for us to raise awareness of the importance of agriculture and production livestock in our everyday lives and how much we rely on the farming community to produce and harvest food for our tables,” Cassidy said.
Mayor Sarno states, “I cannot thank ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy and the Eastern States Exposition enough for their very generous and thoughtful donation to our Friends of the Homeless and Open Pantry. This much-needed top quality beef donation will go a long way in helping those in need and I am very grateful for the partnerships and friendships we have developed to keep this heartwarming and uplifting tradition going.”
West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt said, “It is important for us to remember that not everyone is as fortunate as one another. I am thankful that we have such great community partners to be able to provide donations such as this to the Parish Cupboard.”
The 2021 4-H Beef Sale presented 28 steer for sale to area buyers who included restaurants, businesses, colleges, farms and individuals. The sale culminated in close to $88,000 in total sales that directly benefit the participating 4-H youths who use their money for college, or to purchase another steer for the following year’s program.
