Published: May 11, 2009 09:25 am      

$8,000 raised for rural fire departments

MINCO -- Oklahoma pork producers, Top Farms of Minco, Okla., and The Maschhoffs of Hinton, Okla., provided the pork for a pulled pork lunch held on May 3 at the Minco Fire Department.

The meal fed over 500 people and raised $8,000 for the Minco, Pocasset, Cogar and Harold fire departments. In past years the Masonic Charity Foundation has matched the funds raised. Event organizers have applied for that grant again which would provide an additional $8,000 if awarded. The funds will help the departments upgrade equipment, buy fuel and operate their department.

“The wild fires here in Oklahoma this past year have emphasized the importance of local fire departments in protecting our homes and our operations,” said David Richardson of Top Farm. “This is the least we can do to give back to them and help them gather the resources needed to do their jobs and ensure their safety.”

Top Farms and The Maschhoffs each donated a sow which was processed courtesy of Prairie Rose Processing in Chickasha, Okla.

This is the sixth firefighter’s dinner and over $71,000 has been given back to local fire departments in six years.

The Oklahoma Pork Council (OPC) is a producer organization consisting of pork producers from the state of Oklahoma. OPC represents the interests of all pork producers in Oklahoma. OPC uses federally collected Checkoff monies to promote pork and pork products, to fund research, and to educate consumers and producers about the pork industry and its products. OPC provides consumers with current information regarding food safety, nutritional value and preparation tips for pork products. This includes recipes, cookbooks, educational materials for classrooms and promotional materials. OPC also provides producers with the latest research regarding management practices, nutrition needs of swine, odor management, nutrient material and educational programs dealing with other producer concerns.