DES MOINES — On behalf of Iowa’s beef farmers, the staff of the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) presented a check from the 35th annual Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show (GCSS) to the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Iowa in Des Moines. This year’s GCSS event featured the highest selling auction, including breaking the cumulative $3 million mark. The money raised every year are split and donated to the three Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. All of the houses are located near hospitals and provide a “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children.
The GCSS started in 1983 as the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association partnered with then Governor Terry Branstad to organize and sponsor the event. At the Governor’s request, the designated charity for the first-time event was the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa. Since its inception in 1983, the GCSS has generated over $3.2 million (equivalent to over 320,000 nights stays) in support of Iowa’s Ronald McDonald House Charity chapters. During that same time, more than 44,237 Iowa families have been served. Additionally, another 8,000 families coming from all 50 states and more than 60 foreign countries have used the three Iowa facilities. These facilities house the family members of seriously ill children being treated in area hospitals.
“The Governor’s Charity Steer Show highlights the best of the beef community where our Iowa beef farmers care about the families and local communities where they live,” stated Doug Bear, Director of Industry Relations for IBIC and GCSS Co-Coordinator. “During the thirty five years of this event, we have impacted families from all of Iowa’s ninety-nine counties, all fifty states, and even other countries to serve families in their time of greatest need.”
This past summer, the RMHC of Des Moines went through a complete transformation as Hubbell Homes rebuilt the entire house within eleven days with the help of a significant number of volunteers. With the new transformation – the new RMHC house of Des Moines has eighteen rooms, each with at least two queen beds and two of the rooms have space to sleep six people comfortably.
“It was really neat to see the new Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines. It now can serve a larger number of families each night, which allows the GCSS to reach a greater number of families on a daily and yearly basis,” stated Casey Allison, Eastern Iowa Membership Coordinator for ICA and GCSS Co-Coordinator.
The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is possible every year by the support and involvement of the steer show buyers, sponsors, youth, community members, and IBIC and ICA volunteer producer leaders. The next event will take place Saturday, August 11th, 2018, 4:00 pm in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair.
For additional information about the Governor’s Charity Steer Show, contact Doug Bear at the Iowa Beef Industry Council at doug@iabeef.org.
— Iowa Beef Industry Council
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