Awards given at Montgomery Farm Bureau's annual meeting July 23

Farm Bureau held its 2009 annual meeting for the general membership on July 23, with 101 in attendance.

A dinner was served by the Mills-Montgomery County Cattlemen and Villisca Foods an the business meeting followed.

President Jon Young gave a welcome and introduced special guests. Secretary and treasurer reports were given by Howard Olson and Axel Larson, respectively, and approved.

Young gave the nominating report for the board elections. Officers unanimously named for 2009-10 were Will Frazee, president; Jeff Sallach, vice president; Teresa Hossle, secretary; Axel Larson, treasurer; Wayne Peterson, voting delegate; and Jerry Vennerberg, women’s chairman.

Directors elected were Nathan Johnson, East township; Clint Rubey, Garfield township; Stacy Perkins, Red Oak township; Jason Sallach, Sherman township; and Jon Young, Douglas township.

Vice president Will Frazee led the policy development discussion. He read questions from the county opinionnaire and proposed resolutions prepared by the policy development committee. The resolutions were approved as written, with two amendments, by the members present.

For his 2006-09 presidency, Jon Young received a retiring president’s plaque at the meeting. Also recognized were Marvin Adolphson (36 years) and Howard Olson (22 years) for their years of service on the board.

Both are retiring this year.

After the business meeting, the 2009 Outstanding Citizen Award was presented to Donna DeVries of Red Oak. Her involvement over the years has included the family farm, farm animals, 4-H, Bethlehem Lutheran Church board, and Montgomery County Pork Producers. She has always been willing to lend a hand to neighbors by fixing meals, cleaning and picking up groceries.

From 1988 to 2003, Donna served on the Montgomery County Farm Bureau board of directors as secretary, vice president and president.

She is also active in the public relations and women’s committees for Farm Bureau.

Donna currently spends time at two part-time jobs and with her four grandchildren.

To end the evening, a drawing was held to give away 18 beef and ethanol certificates to members.

For anyone unable to attend, a few annual meeting booklets are available at the Farm Bureau office.