Fair alumni group Roots gets to the root of giving back

Last year a host of former Holmes County 4-Hers and current fair board members decided it was time to give back, forming a group of buyers that eventually pooled funds together to purchase that year’s grand champion lamb and grand champion Holmes County born and raised lamb.

While the purchase was key to creating some name recognition for the group, it is far from the end game of what the group wants to accomplish.

In fact, name recognition wasn’t even on the horizon because the group didn’t have an official name.

It does now, and Holmes County Roots has its sights set on some big things now and in the future.

“Last year our group really started to take a good, hard look at how we could foster the growth of our young people in agriculture,” member Keaton Lorentz said. “What we were able to start last year in purchasing the two grand champion animals in a united effort really helped strengthen our commitment of doing more for our young people who are investing their time and talents in agriculture.”

Now Roots is focused on growing its financial base through a meat raffle at the Holmes County Fair.

While purchasing animals plays a part in the effort, Roots is eyeing the bigger picture. That includes helping send youth to 4-H Camp, creating funds for 4-H clubs to pursue projects and implementing more money toward STEM studies throughout the county’s elementary schools.

“4-H and leadership camps are expensive, so if we can help provide funds to take off some of the financial burden for kids and families, we want to do that,” Lorentz said. “Getting more STEM programs into the schools would be extremely beneficial for a lot of kids. When we realized the positive impact we could have in banding together to help a wider volume of kids when we created Roots, it really brought everything into focus in terms of what we wanted to accomplish, and that was all about helping our young people.”

Roots was spearheaded by Jason and Renee Zimmerman, Keaton and Ella Lorentz, and Taylor and Katie Faunce, and they were quickly joined by Sara Sponseller-Uhl, Macin Hager, Craig Hershberger, Kathy Schlabach, Lexi Ogi, Tara Sheldon, Amanda Berger, Jimmy and Lauren Croskey, and Kylie Ramirez, all people who are familiar with the impact 4-H has in the county.

Roots is looking to develop a board that will make decisions on where and how the incoming funds are spent, always with an eye on helping the youth grow and develop.

In the meantime they are heading into this year’s fair with the goal of inspiring others to give through a fundraising project.

The meat raffle will consist of six $250 meat bundles provided by area butchers. The bundles will include beef, chicken and pork, with three of them being drawn Thursday night and three more Friday night during the livestock sales in the expo center.

“It was exciting to have the area butcher businesses jump on board, and we’re excited about raising money through this unique raffle,” Lorentz said. “This community understands the value of giving back.”

Tickets are $10 apiece or six for $50 and are available by emailing holmescountyroots@gmail.com. Tickets also will be available for sale at the Holmes County Fair Board main office throughout the fair and will be available right up to the time of each drawing. Winners need not be present on the evenings of the drawings.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the organization or donate financially can contact the group there.

Roots is already planning an endowment fundraiser dinner this coming winter, and Lorentz said that will be an ideal time for anyone hoping to invest more than financially to lend a hand in preparing that event.

“We know the hearts of the people of this community, and we realize how many people have a passion for helping our young people wherever possible,” Lorentz said. “Whether people can donate $1 or much more or help in other ways, we welcome every effort to aid us in our goal of fostering the growth of our youth. We want to give an opportunity for everyone to be able to give toward this effort.”

Holmes County Roots is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.