Holmes County Alumni Buyers kick off something big
A group of Holmes County 4-H alumni put their collective heads together to create the Holmes County Alumni Buyers. In order to make a splash and let people know they too can get involved, the group purchased Derek Coleman’s grand champion market lamb as one of its purchases.
In 1956 Steve Allen wrote the song, “This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” and performed it on his show. In the performance he started the song, and one by one famous stars joined including Steve Allen, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Ann Sothern, Dinah Shore and finally Frank Sinatra.
It showed how when one person has an idea, it can grow into something special. A group of former Holmes County 4-Hers took a page from Allen and kick-started their own group.
The idea to form a group called Holmes County Alumni Buyers sprang to life following the Holmes County Fair sale last year, when many of them were sitting around chatting about the sale’s two days and how it would be neat for a group to bid on animals at the auction.
Spearheaded by Jason and Renee Zimmerman, Keaton and Ella Lorentz, and Taylor and Katie Faunce, they hatched a formula that opened the door for them to pool their funds together to purchase this year’s grand champion lamb and grand champion Holmes County born and raised lamb.
“It was really Keaton’s idea,” Taylor Faunce said. “We decided we’d pool our resources, and we decided to get a lot of the old group of 4-Hers together and see what we could do. We were just hoping to make a difference.”
With their hearts in the right place, the former six noted former 4-Hers along with Sara Sponseller Uhl, Macin Hager, Craig Hershberger, Kathy Schlabach, Lexi Ogi, Tara Sheldon, Amanda Berger, Jimmy and Lauren Croskey, and Kylie Ramirez formed the inaugural group.
Some of them were barely out of 4-H while others have been out for some time, but the important thing is they all felt called to support the new wave of youth coming through 4-H who are investing their time and talents into working with and selling animals at the county’s junior fair auction.
“We wanted to find a way to give back,” Keaton Lorentz said. “One of the things we want to do is to support the kids who maybe for whatever reason their animals aren’t bringing in as much money. We all know the amount of work that goes into raising an animal outside of the fair.”
Another purpose behind the group is to reward kids who they see working hard and helping others at the fair.
Lorentz said because all of the members are at the fair throughout the entire week, they recognize the young people who go out of their way to help other 4-Hers.
They see the investment being made by these young people who are exhibiting great leadership and showing compassion, and they want those types of acts to be rewarded.
“We see the kids stepping up and helping beginners who didn’t even ask for help,” Lorentz said. “Those are the kinds of actions and responsibilities we want to reward, those kids doing the things that don’t show up on the record books.”
In order to make the kind of impact they wanted to make, the group purchased the two grand champion lambs, a starting point for the group with a much bigger vision.
While the purchase was heartwarming, Keaton Lorentz said there is so much more in the pipeline as the group discusses where and how they can grow this idea into something much grander than simply purchasing animals at the fair. Lorentz said the group is discussing creating an endowment fund or perhaps an auction to help youngsters who can’t afford attending 4-H Ohio Camp.
He said the hope is to eventually raise enough funds that it will allow any child who wants to attend camp to do so without finances limiting their ability to do so.
“That’s an impactful way we can touch the lives of kids who want to go to camp but maybe can’t afford to go,” Lorentz said.
Faunce said there are many other ways they can help create funds to help 4-H kids, like STEM work in the elementary schools.
“We want to grow this as big as possible,” Faunce said. “We see these kids investing the same way we did when we were in 4-H. They are willing to put in the effort and work hard, and that should be rewarded.”
The impact of their initial effort was felt immediately.
Driving home from the livestock sale Friday evening, Margaret Coleman, whose son Derek raised and sold the grand champion lamb the group purchased, was reflecting on the sale, and she couldn’t help but tear up a bit.
“To say 4-H is about growing leaders or the motto of ‘to make the best better’ is not just a cliche thought or cheesy motto. (The sale) is evidence of that by the group of young people and business owners who bought Derek’s champion lamb,” she said. “They are all 4-H alumni on a mission to give back to the community. They have a goal to establish a foundation to send kids to camp, support 4-H programming in schools, support the livestock auction and a host of other ideas.”
Faunce said they already have heard from others who want to join the effort, and they welcome anyone who has the vision to support local youth in the 4-H program.
“We have such a giving community,” Lorentz said. “We take a lot of pride in our 4-H program, and we are humbled to support the effort.”
He said the nice thing about being part of the organization is it allows everyone to contribute to the purchase of an animal.
While some people may not have $3,000 to purchase a hog, they can contribute $10 or $100 or whatever they can give to support the group to purchase animals together.
“Collectively, we can make some great things happen,” Lorentz said.
Anyone wishing to join Holmes County Alumni Buyers may do so by calling or emailing Lorentz at 419-651-6998 or klorentz12@gmail.com.