The 48th annual Chadron Ag Appreciation Banquet is tonight at the Dawes County Fairgrounds. The doors open at 5:30 with serving starting at 6:30
It’s the Chadron business community’s way to say Thank You to area farmers and ranchers for shopping with them
The Chamber Ag Committee does all the organizing for the dinner with committee member Don Huls again serving this year’s MC. He was the county agent when the first ag banquet was held and has been the MC each year.
Huls says the idea for the dinner didn’t originate in Chadron. Before moving to Chadron, banker Tom Cummings had helped organize an Ag Week/Ag Day celebration in Dawson County sponsored by all the local banks and he thought it would be a good fit for Chadron.
The first ag dinner was in March, but Huls says it was the farmers and ranchers being celebrated who led to the banquet being held in January.
Several weather-plagued years and a pandemic hiatus led to the 2022 banquet being held in May as a trial, but the date was quickly moved back to January last year.
A highlight of the Ag Appreciation Banquet are the door prizes – more than 700 donated by local businesses. Committee member Tony Denke says it might seem like getting so many donations would be difficult, but it isn’t.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gabby Michna says tonight’s invitations will serve as the entries for the door prizes, but not to worry if you forget to bring yours.
Michna says the Ag Banquet would not be possible without the hard work of Huls, Denke, and other other committee members or without the local 4-H and FFA members volunteering tonight.