Kay County Farm Bureau holds annual meeting

Kay County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting was held Oct. 3 in the event center at the Kay County Fairgrounds in Blackwell.

The meeting began with Board President Stacy Simunek welcoming those in attendance. He then introduced the evening’s guests: Kay County 4-H Teens, 2018 Bushels for Books winners Elizabeth Martin and Haley Curfman, guest speaker Tracy Didlake, and State Representative Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City.

Board member Garrett Haskins led the invocation. Members and guests enjoyed a meal catered by DeWayne’s BBQ and Catering. After the meal, Farm Bureau Agent Doug Hodges introduced the Kay County Farm Bureau Board of Directors: Simunek, Haskins, Billy Steichen, Charlie Brandon, Justin Jeffries, Jim Hinton, Darlene Engelking, and Lyman Urban. Jason Schneeberger was unable to attend.

Simunek then advised the members that the organization is still looking for a new building for the county office in Blackwell.

The 2018 annual meeting minutes were read by Haskins and approved by the members. The financial statement was presented by Steichen and approved by the members. Steichen also paid tribute to the Kay County Farm Bureau members who died in the last year.

Following the memorial, door prizes were awarded. The prizes included: items from the state Farm Bureau organization, safety devices, and mums provided by Hart Floral. Items purchased at the 2019 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Fall Conference silent auction were also given out.

Brandon presented two resolutions from the board of director’s resolution meeting in September. The first resolution states that Kay County Farm Bureau is against the sale of certified or patented seed wheat overseas. It also stated that the organization is against border sales or trades for the use of planting and growing crops for overseas sale or trade.

The second resolution states that the organization does not support the Green New Deal.

The floor was opened for members to submit resolutions, but none were submitted. The two resolutions presented were approved by the members and will now be presented to the Farm Bureau Resolution Committee at the state convention in November.

Next, board members Schneeberger, Jeffries, and Urban were reelected to the board.

After the election of board members, Didlake, a clinical resource nurse with AllianceHealth Ponca City, gave a presentation entitled, “Heart Attacks Have Beginnings.” She allowed members to participate in hands-on CPR demonstrations after the meeting.

Austin Grossardt, 2018-2019 president of the Kay County 4-H Teens, thanked the members for their work with Kay County 4-H members.

Engelking, Kay County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee chairman, thanked the members and guests for attending and participating in the annual event. She introduced Women’s Leadership Committee District 7 Chairman Terry Pederson, who is from Alfalfa County. Engelking then introduced Northwestern Oklahoma State University Associate Professor of Nursing Nikole Hicks and her nursing students, who did blood pressure checks for members and visitors.

Engelking gave a report on activities the Women’s Leadership Committee has participated in throughout the last year, and she detailed the groups’ upcoming events. Oklahoma Farm Bureau is participating in a drive to donate individually-wrapped snacks to the Oklahoma Ronald McDonald House charities in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The organization will also join a campaign with the American Farm Bureau Federation to raise $100,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in honor of the federation’s centennial.

After delegates to the upcoming state convention were elected, the evening’s vendor and trade show participants were thanked, and the meeting was adjourned.