LAKEPORT >> Sutter Lakeside Hospital partnered with 4H and Stokes Ladders to purchase a steer at the Lake County Fair and donate the meat to the Lakeport Senior Activity Center and North Coast Opportunities (NCO). The hospital purchased half of the steer in collaboration with the ladders company from 4H participant Cameron Graham.
“This is my fourth year in 4H and my first year raising a market steer,” said Graham, 13. “I’ve raised market hogs in the past, and won Reserve Supreme Grand Champion in 2012 and 2014. I spent over 100 hours on my fair project; I walked the steer over a mile a day as well as groomed and bathed him.”
Graham used his auction profits from the last four years to purchase a truck, but his favorite part of 4H is the camaraderie.
“I love going to the fair and seeing all of my fair friends,” said Graham. “I already have money in the bank for next year’s project. I can’t thank Sutter Lakeside and Stokes Ladders enough for purchasing my steer.”
“This is the second year Sutter Lakeside has donated meat from the livestock auction,” said Jonathan Crooks, executive director of the Lakeport Senior Activity Center. “Last year was lamb. This year we’ll use the meat for a volunteer appreciation meal and to feed our seniors. We feed about 300 seniors a day.”
Crooks has worked for the senior center for eight years and has been the executive director for five.
“I started volunteering as a driver for Meals on Wheels and fell in love with the people and the place. I love helping this community and feeding seniors,” said Crooks.
NCO, a community action organization focused on meeting the needs of low-income residents of Lake County, offers a food pantry on Wednesdays.
“NCO offers a full choice pantry with healthy options for our clients. It’s such a treat to offer fresh, local meat that was raised locally and benefits our community. We are all so thankful,” said Tammy Alakszay, community action coordinator for NCO. “We’ll distribute Sutter Lakeside’s meat donation over the next two weeks to make sure all of our clients get a chance to get some.”
“We’re proud to partner with our community to support the hard working kids of 4H and the organizations that are making a difference in our county, like the Lakeport senior center and North Coast Opportunities,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “It’s great to see collaboration in action.”
