MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — It will be an evening of good old-fashioned fun at Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County’s (CCEOC) third annual Bountiful Harvest Celebration. The gala is being held on Saturday, September 16th at the CCEOC’s new Education Center and 4-H Park in Otisville, with all proceeds going to the continued support of building at the new site.
The evening’s festivities will include games, carriage rides, line dancing and the highlight of the event – a “Celebrity Cow Milking Contest”. This year’s celebrities include Michael Gilfeather, President & CEO, Orange Bank & Trust; Michael Horodyski, President & CEO, Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan; Maggie Smith, President & CEO, First Federal Savings of Middletown; and Derrik Wynkoop, President & CEO, Walden Savings Bank. The celebrities will have three minutes to show their talent in hand milking a cow. The celebrity who collects the most milk will win the “Blue Ribbon.” Previous champions include former Orange County Executive Lou Heimbach and John Lavelle, Associate Broker, Rand Commercial Realty. All four celebrities are also collecting donations for Cornell Cooperative Extension in a friendly “wagering” of pledges that accompany the contest. To make your donation, visit www.cceorangecounty.org. The event is raising funds for the continued building of the Education Center & 4-H Park to serve the residents of Orange County.
“Our cow milking celebrities are great sports and we appreciate their support,” said Lucy Joyce, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension. “They are taking time out of their busy schedules to join us for cow milking training, they are drumming up donations on our behalf, and they are getting up close and personal with a cow, all to help us raise much-needed funds as we work toward the completion of our Education Center and 4-H Park, which will serve as a great resource for Orange County residents of all ages,” Lucy added.
The Bountiful Harvest Celebration planning committee is chaired by CCEOC past board president Andrea Nilon and board member Robin White. A sumptuous farm to table dinner catered by Catherine’s Restaurant of Goshen featuring locally sourced items will be served highlighting grilled fall vegetables, goat cheese, warm apple crisp and kielbois. Rick Golden of Burke, Miele & Golden, LLP, located in Goshen serves as the top sponsor of the Bountiful Harvest Celebration.
The new Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County Education Center and 4-H Park is located at 300 Finchville Turnpike, Otisville. Three open pole barns and an enclosed pole barn are completed. The bathhouse and large horse arena are nearly completed. To learn more about this event and to purchase your tickets, schedule a tour, or to pledge financial support for one of our celebrity cow milkers, visit our website at www.cceorangecounty.org or contact Peggy Kral at 845-344-1234, or email pk333@cornell.edu. Visit www.cceorangecounty.org for updates and to make a donation.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County
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