Herkey's club raises over $50K from inaugural dinner

Mike Eads, Gainesville Daily Register, Texas
·2 min read

Jun. 28—Over 200 people turned out to Lindsay's Centennial Hall on Father's Day weekend to raise money for local students interested in 4-H and studying agriculture after high school.

Herkey's Champion Buyers Club (HCBC), formed to honor the legacy of local rancher David "Herkey" Biffle (1950-2018), raised over $50,000 at the June 18 event to support those students. The club also buys champions' entries at the annual Cooke County Junior Livestock Show at the county fairgrounds each January.

"Showing livestock and creating high quality items for the FCS show requires commitment and time, often years of work to perfect skills. HCBC wants to recognize model seniors who have done the work and provide financial assistance to help them take the next step," said organizer Janice Williams.

The inaugural dinner and silent auction was something new for HCBC, part of its plan to expand support for Cooke County youth.

"The allocation of funds is where we are looking to expand and impact more exhibitors," Williams told the Register. "HCBC is just one of several groups in the county who work to gather resources to be able to bid on their local kids' projects at the annual Premium Sale. The success of the event will enable HCBC to go beyond support for Champions and be a partner with groups to assist eligible youth exhibitors who may have not been selected Grand Champion, but nonetheless carried out a quality project to completion.

"Another goal is to expand community outreach so more families with kids in grades 3-12 will know that involvement in the CCJLS offers the opportunity to experience growth in self-confidence, practical skills and is a pathway for funds they may use for their education."

HCBC officials weren't sure what to expect with the inaugural event, but they were more than pleased with the outcome.

"It's hard to know, since this was our first such event," said Jason Olson, who co-chaired the dinner. "We did it in mid-June, on Father's Day weekend, and we still had a helluva turnout."

Read more about Herkey's Championship Buyers Club and the big night at https://www.facebook.com/hcbc2018/.