Four-H is a great youth program with many opportunities to grow as a person, and I just wanted to say how much fun I have being in 4-H and also how much I appreciate the 4-H auction. I have been a 4-H exhibitor at the Freeborn County Fair for nine years. I have exhibited market goats, dairy steers and breeding beef. In the dairy steer project and all market animal projects the 4-H’er gets to take his or her animal through the 4-H auction.

The auction provides some support to the 4-H’er, which in my case goes into my college savings account. Also a certain percent of the money from the auction goes back to the county 4-H program, which in turn they provide some money to the kids when they go on 4-H outings to help offset some of the costs.

The money at the auction comes from businesses all over the county, such as ag lenders, agronomists, grain elevators, gas companies and many others. In addition many retail businesses donate to a pool that the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce representatives bid from. It is this kind of support from the community that makes this organization special.

Grady Ruble

Albert Lea High School

English class

Albert Lea