"We affirm a responsibility to contribute to a better quality of life within our communities..." This is one of the 6 We Care Principles pig farmers follow on their day to day operations. While this principle is practiced year round, there's no doubt the holiday season is the epitome of giving back. The next generation of pig farmers at Iowa State decided to be a part of the season of giving this year.
The Iowa State Block and Bridle Swine Interest Group is a club of around 300 hog enthusiasts that meet once a month with industry professionals or to plan upcoming events. The current exec team, Macy Marek, Austin Pueschel, and myself have had the opportunity to lead and serve this club this past year and wanted to end our term on a high note. We decided that we should put together a philanthropy during the holiday season, to emphasize our commitment to giving back to our community. With some guidance from the National Pork Board, we were able to work towards a cause that not only helped those in need but also involved the meat product we love the most.
#HamsAcrossAmerica is a campaign put together by the National Pork Board to encourage pig farmers to give back between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a very simple concept: farmers buy hams or other pork products and give them to someone in their community whether it be a fire department, police officer, secretary, food pantry etc. Easy enough for college kids to even be a part of it, which is exactly what we did!
During our final Swine Interest Group meeting of the year, we asked the members to simply give a couple dollars towards this philanthropy. Members were informed on the #HamsAcrossAmerica campaign and understood why we needed to be a part of it. Our members were so gracious that we were able to purchase 8 hams, which we donated to a local food pantry!
Many students in college don't think they are able to financially give back during the holiday season. While there's no doubt that student loans, tuition, and rent can limit ones ability to donate, our members proved that even the smallest amount can make a BIG difference. All they had to do was sacrifice a candy bar or Starbucks stop for a day and use that money towards something else. Anyone can do it!
Did we end world hunger? Absolutely not, but we did help ensure that a couple people won't go hungry this Christmas. I'm very proud and honored to have served a great group of students this past year that value philanthropy and service in their lives. We are the future of the Swine Industry, and after this projects I have no doubt we will be contributing to a better quality of life within our communities for decades to come.
The Iowa State Block and Bridle Swine Interest Group is a club of around 300 hog enthusiasts that meet once a month with industry professionals or to plan upcoming events. The current exec team, Macy Marek, Austin Pueschel, and myself have had the opportunity to lead and serve this club this past year and wanted to end our term on a high note. We decided that we should put together a philanthropy during the holiday season, to emphasize our commitment to giving back to our community. With some guidance from the National Pork Board, we were able to work towards a cause that not only helped those in need but also involved the meat product we love the most.
#HamsAcrossAmerica is a campaign put together by the National Pork Board to encourage pig farmers to give back between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a very simple concept: farmers buy hams or other pork products and give them to someone in their community whether it be a fire department, police officer, secretary, food pantry etc. Easy enough for college kids to even be a part of it, which is exactly what we did!
During our final Swine Interest Group meeting of the year, we asked the members to simply give a couple dollars towards this philanthropy. Members were informed on the #HamsAcrossAmerica campaign and understood why we needed to be a part of it. Our members were so gracious that we were able to purchase 8 hams, which we donated to a local food pantry!
Many students in college don't think they are able to financially give back during the holiday season. While there's no doubt that student loans, tuition, and rent can limit ones ability to donate, our members proved that even the smallest amount can make a BIG difference. All they had to do was sacrifice a candy bar or Starbucks stop for a day and use that money towards something else. Anyone can do it!
Did we end world hunger? Absolutely not, but we did help ensure that a couple people won't go hungry this Christmas. I'm very proud and honored to have served a great group of students this past year that value philanthropy and service in their lives. We are the future of the Swine Industry, and after this projects I have no doubt we will be contributing to a better quality of life within our communities for decades to come.