Last year, the 4-H and FFA Meat Animal Sale Committee worked tirelessly to raise funds and replace half the old swine pens in the pig barn at the Dodge County Fairgrounds. It’s time to replace the second half, and your help is needed! Brush up on your favorite trivia subjects, assemble your team, and prepare to have some fun at the Meat Animal Sale Trivia Night, March 24, 2018.

“The old swine pens are more than 50 years old and are unsafe for both animals and exhibitors,” mentioned Eric Salmi, the trivia-night co-chair. “Visitors who walked through the swine barns during the Dodge County Fair last summer easily noticed how nice, safe, and functional the new pens are. Now we need the rest of the swine barn to look the same and offer the same level of safety.”

The trivia committee is accepting eight-person-team registrations for the fundraiser at $10 per person or $80 per team. “There will be 10 rounds of trivia, again, like last year, with 10 different questions per round,” noted Salmi. “There will also be a tie-breaker round.” Other games and numerous prizes will accompany the trivia.

Trivia night will take place at Dodgeland High School, Juneau. Doors open at 5 p.m. on the 24th and trivia starts at 7 p.m. If trivia is not your game, though, the committee has other opportunities for you to support the cause. “We’ll have a raffle, 50/50 raffle, silent-auction items, and door prizes for those participating. There will also be food catered by Turner Hall in Watertown until it’s gone. Everything should wrap up at about 10 p.m.”

New this year, families and clubs can donate money to cover the price of one pen or part of a pen; the cost of one complete pen is $450. “We will have a plaque with your club or family name on it in the swine barn starting in 2018, and we can name a pen in someone’s honor, too” noted Salmi. “In addition, our committee is selling short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts to help raise money. There’s a pig on the front of the shirt, and the back says, ‘I supported swine lock up 2017-2018.’ “ All shirts are gray with black lettering. The cost of each t-shirt is $15 for sizes youth through XL. If you need a 2XL or larger, the cost is $17. The long-sleeve shirts are selling for $20 (all sizes).

Raffle items will include two pigs raffled off as four halves, donated by the Dodge County Pork Producers. “Silent-auction items will include numerous gift certificates, clothes, oil changes, wine baskets, homemade blankets, a handmade wooden American flag, a one-night stay to AmericInn Lodge and Suites of Beaver Dam, and much more.”

If you’re interested in sponsoring a raffle item or making a donation, click here. For those who wish to enter a team, click here to submit a registration form. Contact Salmi at [email protected] for more information.

Written by Dori Lichty — farm wife, 4-H Mom, and full-time communicator