Over $15,000 was raised to benefit the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation, Ministry of Caring’s Milk for Children Fund and Food Bank of Delaware’s Backpack Program.
Despite the rainy weather on Saturday, May 18, 82 participants ran the course at Ramsey’s Farm during the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation’s Annual Milk Run/Walk 5K. In its eleventh year, the event has now raised over $215,000 for Delaware-based organizations.
Stewart Ramsey of Ramsey’s Farm in Wilmington, DE has been involved with the Milk Run since the beginning and was happy to host it again this year. “I continue to be amazed at the generosity of our community and partners in agriculture.” He said “the Milk Run was born out of a need to provide milk to children who otherwise would go without that valuable nutrition. The event generates awareness of the need and brings local sponsors together to provide a solution, Delaware Farm Bureau is the perfect organization to tackle this challenge.”
One of the beneficiaries of the race, the Ministry of Caring, provides for those in need in the Wilmington area. Milk is one part of the nutritional meals served to the hungry at Emmanuel Dining Room. Priscilla Rakestraw, Deputy Director of Development for the Ministry of Caring, said “We are so grateful to the Delaware Farm Bureau and to all the people that participated in the Milk Run! We can provide poor and homeless children with as much milk as they can drink, and that is so important.”
The Food Bank of Delaware’s Backpack Program allows children in need to take a backpack full of food home at the end of the school week to alleviate hunger for the weekend. The backpacks have food such as shelf-stable milk and juice, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, and apple sauce.
The Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation strives to increase awareness, understanding, and positivity surrounding Delaware agriculture. Funds raised from this event will benefit the Foundation’s various programs and other initiatives to support this mission.
According to Mikayla Paul, DEFB marketing coordinator, “This is a fun event for everyone! Whether they were running or walking the course, they got a great view of Northern Delaware agriculture”. She added, “There was even a milk cow from Emerson Dairy!”
Winners of each division received an engraved cow bell. Sponsors also donated an array of gift certificates that were raffled off to participants.
This year’s sponsors are as follows.
Diamond Sponsor:
Delmarva Farmer
Hoober
Hy-Point Dairy
Land O’ Lakes
Ramsey’s Farm
Woodside Farm Creamery
Gold Sponsors:
Broadbent Insurance Inc.
Clay Farms
Del-One Federal Credit Union
Delaware Department of Agriculture
Dempsey Farms, LLC
Kevin Rogers & Jackie King
King Crop Insurance
LabWare Holdings, Inc.
New Castle Conservation District
New Castle County Farm Bureau
Puglisi Egg Farms
Sussex County Farm Bureau
Syngenta
Silver Sponsors:
By the Book Services, Inc.
Crow Insurance Agency
Delaware Running Company
Delaware State Grange
Delawarren Farms
Emerson Farms/Cowgirl Creamery
EMSI
ESECO
Francis Optimal Performance Chiropractic
Horizon Farm Credit
J.E. Bailey & Sons Inc.
Kent County Farm Bureau
L&L Farms
Legacy Farms
M&T Bank
NovaCare
Nutrien Ag Solutions
Roland & Laura Hill
Seth L. Ivins, MD
Vanderwende Farm Creamery
Friend Sponsors:
Bruce C. Ennis
Charles S. Postles Jr.
Dairy Farmers of America
G&S Dairy
Guy & Nancy Phillips
Powers Farm
Richfield Farms
Taylor & Messick, Inc.
Taylor’s Bridge Farm
For more information on the Delaware Farm Bureau and Foundation, visit www.defb.org. For more information on the Ministry of Caring, visit https://www.ministryofcaring.org/. For more information on the Food Bank of Delaware, visit https://www.fbd.org/.
