As we wind down the annual festivities of June Dairy Month, the Hoard’s Dairyman team has reason to celebrate. We were able to enjoy the company of colleagues each week and raise money for a good cause at the same time.
This year, our Hoard’s Dairyman marketing team had the excellent idea to host “meals with a purpose.” Each Friday of the month, employees were invited to gather in fellowship over a dairy-centric meal. Prepared by the marketing department, the rest of us were simply asked to contribute a $2 minimum towards our weekly meal, which was then donated to purchase milk for the Fort Atkinson Food Pantry.
The menu for the month was as follows:
• June 7th: Grilled cheese sandwiches made with Hoard’s Dairyman cheese
• June 14th: Homemade macaroni and cheese
• June 21st: Baked potatoes with LOTS of cheese and sour cream
• June 28th: Pizza and an ice cream sundae bar with toppings
Each meal included a side dish or two, a dairy dessert, and obviously milk! The fundraiser collectively produced $320 towards purchasing milk for the food pantry. That’s approximately 160 gallons of milk!
We are so happy to be part of this dairy community and celebrate June Dairy Month, but perhaps more than that, we are happy to share dairy with people who might otherwise not have the opportunity to access it. That’s truly the spirit of this celebration.
June has come to a close, but I think all dairy enthusiasts would agree that we can spread this cheer throughout the year. Keep sharing your passion for the dairy industry, stimulate conversations with others, and gear up for next year!
Sarah Thomas grew up in Pittsboro, N.C., showing and raising dairy heifers. Thomas attends Virginia Tech, majoring in dairy science with minors in agricultural economics, communication, and Spanish. On campus, she’s involved with Dairy Club, Sigma Alpha, and has been a member of the Virginia Tech dairy judging team. Thomas is the current National Junior Holstein Advisory Committee Chairperson and is the 2019 Hoard’s Dairyman summer editorial intern.