Livestock awards presented
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on February 19, 2008 1:53 PM
Pam Aycock received the 2008 Service Award at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Wayne County Livestock Development Association Monday night.
About 150 people attended the annual meeting held at the Wayne Center.
Mrs. Aycock started working at the fair in 1970. Association President Curtis Shivar said she must have been about 10 years old at the time. He praised her people skills, knowledge, experience and her calm friendly manner, noting that he had seen her "calm many a lost child."
Over the years, her job has grown to include directing the decoration of the fair grounds, delivering school tickets, locating judges for contests and ensuring that ribbons and other supplies are on hand.
The 2008 Outstanding Livestock Producer Award went to Jimmy and Ann Sasser of Grantham. Livestock Agent Eileen Coite, who presented the award, said the Sassers first became involved in livestock in 1992 when their oldest daughter, Leslie, decided she wanted to show a heifer.
Today they own Angus Acres, with 40 head of cattle. And they have stayed active in the Livestock Development Association.
"They were instrumental in the formation of the Wayne County Cattlemen's Association," Mrs. Coite said.
Sasser has served on the Livestock Development Association board of directors for many years, and Mrs. Sasser has worked as the Cattlemen's Association treasurer. They help with the Junior Livestock Show and Sale each year and have sponsored the Extra Effort Award for many years. And they have purchased animals in the sales.
The 2008 Retirement Award went to Floyd and Susan Sauls, who are retiring from the association. Mrs. Sauls was unable to attend the meeting, and her husband accepted the award for both of them.
The couple has been involved with the association on many levels, Shivar said. Sauls has been a member of the board of directors, and they both have served on the Swine Commodity Committee for many years. They have served many years as directors of the Junior Market Hog Show at the fair.
Shivar said Fair Manager Milton Ingram has told him many times that the Junior Market Hog Show was one activity at the fair that he did not have to worry about, because he knew that Sauls would take care of it.
"I want to let you know, Floyd, you will be missed. You could always be counted on to do the job right," Shivar told Sauls. He added, "The dedicated efforts of Floyd and Susan have helped make the Wayne County Livestock Development Association a much better organization."
Ingram announced that six students have received scholarships. The Livestock Development Association presents three types of scholarships, with $2,400 going to someone on their way to attend a 4-year university, $1,200 going to someone who plans to attend a community college or N.C. State University's Agriculture Institute and another $1,200 scholarship going to somebody who is transferring to a senior college. Kathryn Bliss received $2,400 to attend N.C. State with a major in agricultural science.
Hunter Casey received $1,200 to major in horticulture at N.C. State.
His sister, Jillian Casey, received $2,400 to attend N.S. State and major in agricultural education.
Christopher Pierce received $2,400 to attend N.C. State and major in crop science and entomology.
Carlisle Purvis and Laurin Turner received $1,200 each to attend Wayne Community College and major in agribusiness.
And Roderica Worrell received $2,400 to attend N.C. A&T State University to major in landscape architecture.