By KRISTY AMBROSEN
Elkhart County 4-H Fair Marketing Coordinator

GOSHEN — While community spirit, community involvement and community service are on display throughout the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, one 4-Her hopes to inspire extra generosity during the Friday, July 31, 4-H auction.

“My name is Kylie Frauhiger; I am 16 years old and will be a senior at Northridge High School. I am a nine-year member of the Elkhart County 4-H Swine Club. At the conclusion of the fair, I will have the opportunity to present my swine for auction,” Frauhiger said.

Typically the community supports the efforts of 4-H youths by buying their animals.

In the past, Frauhiger has put the money from the sale into her college savings fund.

“This year, I have chosen to donate the proceeds of the auction of one of my swine — as well as the swine — to the nonprofit organization ‘Seed to Feed,’” she said.

Seed to Feed was founded by Church Community Service to serve all of Elkhart County. It works alongside the CCS food pantry and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana to supply fresh food to local food pantries.

“At its inception, Seed to Feed had only two gardens and only two cash crop fields. Their goal was to provide fresh produce to food pantries in the area. Currently, Seed to Feed has quadrupled in size,” Frauhiger said.

Frauhiger joins a growing list of gifts to Seed to Feed from the fair. In 2012, the program’s first year, Emily Sheets donated one of her pigs to Seed to Feed and helped hand out the meat at the CCS food pantry; in 2013 72 animals were donated to Seed to Feed at the auction, while last year 4-Her Lane Flowers donated his steer and the proceeds to the program.

“I am inviting you to help me make a difference in our community by donating to the auction fund for my swine,” Frauhiger said. To make a donation to Seed to Feed as part of Frauhiger’s donation, contact Doug Thwaits at (574) 238-0395 or [email protected].

Of course, any buyer at the 4-H auction can donate the animal to Seed to Feed.

The 2015 Elkhart County 4-H Fair, “Planning Toward a Bright Future,” started July 24 and runs through Aug.1.

For more information go to www.4hfair.org, @ElkhartCo4HFair on Twitter or www.facebook.com/elkhartcounty4Hfair.