Dr. Maurice Eastridge, Extension Dairy Specialist, The Ohio State University
The Annual Banquet for the Buckeye Dairy Club and the Department of Animal Sciences at The Ohio State University was held on May 12 at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City. It is held annually for recognizing students for their accomplishments as scholarship recipients, their involvement in co-curricular activities such as the OSU Dairy Cattle Judging Team and the Dairy Challenge, and their activities in the Buckeye Dairy Club; recognition by faculty and staff in the Department of Animal Sciences; and induction of dairy leaders into the Dairy Science Hall of Service. The scholarship winners were: AGS - Clair Jones - Brandon Colby; Lemmermen - Emily Dudash; COBA/Select Sires Wallace Erickson - Kara Uhlenhake; Dairy Farmers of America - Meagan Bolen; Wayne and Jane Dalton - Sarah Finney; Bob Gano - Marina Cable; Genex, Inc., Merle Starr - Ashlee Dietz; Ohio Agribusiness Association - Lara Staples; Salisbury - Danielle Roark; Ludwick - Caleigh Payne; McMunn - Cassandra Arling, Devon Bokeno, Natalia Jurcak, Rebekah Meller, Felicia Nonnenmacher, Julie Schmersal, Jacquelyn Sherry, and Sarah Swartzwelder; Brakel - Joey Brown, Alyson Deak, and Janet Josten; and H.E. & Florence Kaeser - Joey Brown and Rixt Miedema.
The recognition to Buckeye Dairy Club members included: Outstanding Freshman - Joey Brown; Outstanding Sophomore - Kayla Hinds; Outstanding Junior - Ashlee Dietz; and Outstanding Senior - Katie Cole. The Prestigious Member Award (plaque plus $500 scholarship) was granted to Ashlee Dietz. The 2012 officers for the Buckeye Dairy Club are: President - Ashlee Dietz; First Vice-President - Kayla Hinds; Second Vice-President - Sarah Finney; Recording Secretary - Jacquelyn Sherry; Corresponding Secretary - Kristen Wright; Treasurer - Erin Gehret; Assistant Treasurer - Jeneva Auble; and CFAES Student Council Representative - Joey Brown.
Another highlight of the program was the induction of Mr. Richard Indoe and Dr. Lynn Willett into the Dairy Science Hall of Service. As a dairy farmer and industry and community leader, Mr. Richard Indoe's work with mentoring young people, his lifetime of work serving Ohio and US dairy farmers, and his promotion of the dairy industry while building a nationally recognized herd make him worthy of this prestigious award. As a faculty member at The Ohio State Univesity, Dr. Willett throughout the years provided the research and scientific exchange that helped numerous farmers and agricultural industries to resolve chemical residue problems in food-producing animals. These two men have made major contributions to Ohio's dairy industry - our THANKS to them for their many years of dedicated service.
Pictured: Mr. Richard Indoe and Dr. Ron Kensinger (left photograph) and Dr. Lynn Willett and Dr. Ron Kensinger (right photograph). Mr. Indoe and Dr. Willett were inducted into the 2012 Dairy Science Hall of Service, and Dr. Ron Kensinger is the new chair of the Department of Animal Sciences. The photographs of the new inductees will be hung in the hallway of Plumb Hall on the OSU Columbus campus.