Melissa Betts speaks Thursday night at the annual Farm-City Banquet after she and her husband Jay Betts, looking on, were named the 2019 City Family of the Year. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)
CULLMAN – The annual Farm-City Banquet took place Thursday night at the Cullman Civic Center. This year, the Cullman Farm-City Committee named Jay and Melissa Betts the 2019 City Family of the Year in recognition of their commitment to helping feed children across the community. Melissa helped found the Knapsacks for Kids program at First United Methodist Church Cullman in 2012 and has been heavily involved in helping local children ever since.
The Farm-City Committee chooses a Family of the Year each year, rotating between choosing a Farm Family and City Family.
The Bettses succeed Stan and Suzanne Wood of Riverwood Farms in Bremen, who were the 2018 Farm Family of the Year.
The committee also recognized several local students for their work over the past year and their bright futures in agriculture. First up were the elementary school poster contest winners.
It was a competitive field this year but there were six posters made by six students that stood out among the rest. There were two competitions separated by age group.
Kindergarten – third grade
- 1st place – Lyric Antone, West Point Elementary
- 2nd place – Noah Martin, Good Hope Elementary
- 3rd place – Maggie Phillips, Good Hope Primary
Fourth grade – sixth grade
- 1st place – Vivian Tran, Sacred Heart School
- 2nd place – Katie Chamblee, Sacred Heart School
- 3rd place – Brayden Bell, Holly Pond Elementary
The committee also recognized the high school aged-recipients:
Outstanding FCCLA Member: Matthew Blair, Cold Springs High School
Outstanding 4H Member: Raegan Lindsey, Cold Springs High School
Outstanding FFA Member: Katie Smith, Holly Pond High School
"Absolutely Alabama" host Fred Hunter was the special guest speaker for the night, and entertainment was provided by the Cotton Pickin' Kids.
Farm-City Week is celebrated each year beginning on the Friday prior to and ending on Thanksgiving Day. The stated purpose of Farm-City Week is “to bring about a better understanding between rural and urban people by increasing their knowledge and appreciation of each other as partners in progress.”
For more information about Farm-City programs, visit www.cullmanfarmcity.org.
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