CowBelles participate in spirit of giving
Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
Because the holidays are just around the corner, the Weston County CowBelles, the local chapter of American National CattleWomen, has decided to donate 50 pounds of beef, contained in 1-pound packages, to the BREAD office for Thanksgiving and another 50 pounds in December for Christmas.
But they aren’t stopping there. Longtime CowBelles member Nancy Darnell said that during the holidays, many people “think of sharing with others” but that it should be something thought of all the time. For that reason, the CowBelles will donate an additional 50 pounds in both January and February.
“People need to eat year-round,” Darnell said.
The beef was purchased (and will be purchased) from Woody’s Food Center and Decker’s Market because in order to sell meat and then distribute it, the beef must be federally inspected to meet “the highest level of safety.” Beef from local ranchers is only inspected on the local and state levels; however, Darnell said it is still safe.
Barb Crow, contact person for the CowBelles, said there are many needs in the community, and local, nonprofit charities such as BREAD allow donations to go directly to those who are less fortunate.
“It helps people right in our own community,” Crow said, adding that donations to bigger organizations such as Red Cross could possibly wind up in the pocket of a CEO, but when people donate a pound of beef to BREAD, they can be assured that the entire pound goes to those who need it.
Although some people take advantage of BREAD’s services, Crow said, but “most of the people are genuinely in need and are very grateful.”
“We believe there is a great abundance of food in America, and we want to share that abundance with others,” Darnell said. “We believe in sharing the abundance of food.”
The CowBelles have also helped people in other ways. They’ve provided beef meals for local seniors and also provided meals for victims of a South Dakota storm.
According to Darnell, the American National CattleWomen began sometime in the 1950s and Wyoming was one of the first states to join. Darnell’s mother was a member of the local club at the beginning, and Darnell has been there almost as long. Its members are mostly ranch women and daughters, but anyone interested in promoting beef can join the “social organization—a place for country women to get together.”
“I’ve never had a cow in my life,” Crow said.
The purpose of the CowBelles is to inform people on the benefits and importance of the beef industry and educate the youth about “agricultue in general,” Darnell said.
The organization has many ways of doing this, and one way includes assisting “Ag day” at the fairgrounds. It’s now put on by Future Farmers of America, but the CowBelles started it in 1974 and continue to be involved by providing a beef lunch for the attendees.
There are many different “stations” about various topics related to agriculture, not limited to beef, at this event, and Crow recalled the time a milk cow was even brought in, so all the kids could get a “squirt of milk” and have the “experience of milking.”
The CowBelles are also passionate about beef produced on American soil.
“They promote beef on the local level,” Crow said, explaining that beef imported from other countries such as Brazil can bring diseases such as “foot and mouth” and have a negative impact.
One of the main benefits of beef is the protein and iron it provides.
“It is one of the most complete proteins and one of the most usable,” Crow said. Darnell added that the zinc and iron are just a few of the advantages in beef “for healthy bodies and minds.”
“The fact that you eat animal protein is very important to the development of the brain,” Darnell said. Meat is also filling, so “you feel more satisfied.”
But as with anything, too much good can be bad.
“It you eat a balanced diet, you are going to have the most success,” Darnell said. “Moderation is really, really important in your diet.”
In addition to being beneficial to the human body, the beef industry is also “one of the most productive ways” of cultivating grass into edible protein.
“It does absolutely no good to eat a bale of hay,” Darnell said, but by eating beef, a person can get the protein that cow gained from eating grass. So, when there’s a “wasteland” of grass where crops can’t be grown, it can still be utilized because cows can benefit from and live off the grass.
“We are beef producers. It’s our product,” Darnell said.
Anyone interested in joining the CowBelles can contact Barb Crow. A year’s membership is $10.
“We meet monthly on the third Tuesday of every month,” Darnell said, so tune in to the local radio station or look for ads in the News Letter Journal for the latest information.