News : Bacon Buddies comes to the Benton County Fair

Bacon Buddies are coming to the Benton County Fair!

Click for a short video about Bacon Buddies.

If you are interested in becoming a Benton County Bacon Buddies Participant and would like to join us for the Bacon Buddies Show at the Benton County Fair, keep reading the details below!

Participants

WHO: Persons with an intellectual and/or developmental disability age of 10 years and older. Each participant will be paired with one-two youth mentors and a pig.

WHAT: Bacon Buddies participants will have the opportunity to experience showing a pig. The judge will assess how the mentors, participant and pig work together as a cohesive unit. All participants will receive a ribbon and t-shirt.

WHEN: Friday, June 24th at 3 PM

Arrival: 1:30 PM

Timeline:

1:30 PM Mentors Informational Meeting & T-shirt distribution ( time subject to change due to 4H/FFA Showtime ending

2:15 PM Group Picture for Mentors & Participants

3 PM Bacon Buddies Swine Show

WHERE: Benton County Fair Swine Arena

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 1st, 2022

SHOW ATTIRE: Closed toe shoes, long pants, Bacon Buddies T-shirt & a positive attitude!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 1st, 2022

PLEASE NOTE: There are a variety of activities, lights and sounds at the Benton County and in the Swine Barn. Please bring any calming or auditory devices necessary to enhance this opportunity for your participant. Parents and/or guests are encouraged to watch the show from the bleachers but will not be allowed in the show ring during the Show.

Click to download Participant Forms

Sponsors

Benton County is very excited to have the opportunity to bring Bacon Buddies to this year's Benton County Fair. Bacon Buddies is an event that was created in hopes to integrate people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities with 4-H/FFA members to give the athletes an opportunity that they otherwise would not receive. During this event, a 4-H or FFA member is paired up with a buddy to exhibit a pig! This program also allows the next generation of pig farmers to give back to their communities while giving an opportunity to the athletes.

Please consider sponsoring the Benton County's 2022 Bacon Buddies Event taking place on June 24th at the Benton County Fair Swine Arena. This event is not possible without the generous support from our community. We invite you to help support this event in a way which you feel best. Some examples of how you can support our Bacon Buddies event are listed below.

Ways that you can Support Benton County's Bacon Buddies event:

* Monetary Donation to Support the following expenses

* Providing T-shirts for Exhibitors/Mentors/Volunteers

* Providing Participation Trophies/Ribbons for all Exhibitors

* Donating/Providing a Meal/Snacks for Participants

If you are interested in this sponsorship opportunity, please let me know. Checks can be made payable to Benton County Fair and memo: Bacon Buddies. We are excited about our Bacon Buddies event and hope to hear back from you!

Benton County Bacon Buddies Youth Mentors

Join us for the Bacon Buddies Show at the Benton County Fair!

WHO: 4-H and FFA Members will be partnered with a person with an intellectual and/or developmental disability to teach them about exhibiting a pig.

WHAT: Bacon Buddies participants will have the opportunity to experience showing a pig. The judge will assess how the mentors, participant and pig work together as a cohesive unit. All youth mentors will receive a T-shirt and goodies

WHEN: Friday, June 24th at 3 PM

Arrival: 1:30 PM

Timeline:

1:30 PM Mentors Informational Meeting & T-shirt distribution (Subject to adjust due to 4H/FFA Showtime ending

2:15 PM Group Picture for Mentors & Participants

3 PM Bacon Buddies Swine Show

WHERE: Benton County Fair Swine Arena

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 1st, 2022

EXPECTATIONS:

* 4-H/FFA youth mentor must be age 12 or older

* Enrolled in 4-H or FFA project

* Arrive on time and dressed in appropriate show attire, Bacon Buddies T-shirt will be distributed

* Exhibitor (Buddie) will exhibit pig during the event and youth mentor will help assist and help when necessary

* Bacon Buddy Exhibitor and Mentor pairings will be assigned by Bacon Buddies committee

* Stay for the entire Bacon Buddies event and show

Click here for the required registration form for youth mentors of this year's Bacon Buddies event.

Would you like to volunteer for this event?

Click to find the information forms

QUESTIONS: Please email: Nichole McKenna 319-361-5895 or jnmckenna@hotmail.com