MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) BEST Program for youth ages 8-21 years co-hosted the Celebrity Showdown at the Clark County Cattle Battle and an online auction to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (RMHC). The Clark County Cattle Producers sponsored the event.
The Celebrity Showdown was hosted at the Champions Center in Springfield, Ohio on Jan. 29, 2021. For this event, youth were responsible for raising a minimum of $100 for the opportunity to dress up their cattle and present them to the celebrity judges. This year’s judges were Autumn Regula and her doctors, Dr. Lionel Chow of Dayton Children’s Hospital and Dr. Maryam Fouladi of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Through donations from family, friends, their local community and members of OCA, youth participating in the Celebrity Showdown raised $16,415.
The top 10 participants that raised the most money were Weston and Lawson Grauer, $3,700; Austin Sutherly, $1,100; Weston, Jordan, Avery and Reese Flax, $1,030; D’Lelah Laber, $1,000; Emma and Alayna Grafft, $940; Helsinger Cousins (Lindie, Emma, Rylie), $738; Tay Wadsworth, $620; Alli Milner, $550; Kynze Henry, $470 and Hailey Cornett, $425.
The overall Celebrity Showdown winner chosen for having the best costume was Aubrey Taylor from Sycamore who was dressed as a baton twirler.
Additionally, an online auction was held with numerous items selling, and thanks to the many generous supporters, an additional $20,747 was raised.
Incentive prizes will be awarded to the community service top fundraisers at the OCA BEST Program Awards Banquet on May 1, 2021. Donations to RMHC will continue to be accepted after the Celebrity Showdown until the BEST Banquet. Anyone can donate conveniently online at www.ohiocattle.org/best/community-service. Donations can be attributed to a BEST participant’s name through the online donation form as well. Online contributions must be made prior to May 1, 2021 to be accredited to a BEST participant’s cumulative fundraising total for the year.
BEST is a youth program of the OCA that recognizes Ohio’s junior beef exhibitors through a series of shows. Juniors who participate in these sanctioned shows earn points for their placing at each show. The OCA BEST program promotes educating Ohio’s juniors about the beef industry’s issues and rewards the successful accomplishments and hard work of those junior beef producers.
RMHC’s mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. For more information, visit rmhc-centralohio.org, or call 1-614-227-3700.
— Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
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