Annual event on June 20 supports next generation, offers showcase of Pennsylvania foods

Tickets are now available for the annual “Toast to Dairy” farm-to-fork celebration, hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania to support next generation programs including scholarships, internships and curriculum. The event will be on June 20 at the Historic Acres of Hershey in Elizabethtown, Pa., from 6 to 9 p.m.

The evening includes a showcase of Pennsylvania artisan cheeses, wines and brews, with the Pennsylvania Cheese Guild leading wine and cheese pairings throughout the night. Local artist and dairy supporter Debbie Cornman of Boiling Springs, Pa., will donate her time to do a live art rendering of a local barn scene. The painting will be auctioned during a raffle supporting the Dairy Excellence Foundation.

Dairy enthusiasts and friends are invited to network and enjoy an evening out while supporting and celebrating the Dairy Excellence Foundation’s next generation resources, which include scholarships, internships and curriculum. Along with enjoying the fun and fellowship, those who attend will have the opportunity to hear from benefactors of Dairy Excellence Foundation programs — students, teachers and scholarship recipients — who will share their experiences throughout the evening.

This year’s event specifically showcases the foundation’s “Adopt A Cow” Program, which offers classrooms a year-long discovery for students to explore where their food comes from. During the 2018-19 school year, 486 classrooms with more than 25,000 students combined are enrolled in the Adopt A Cow Program. Students and teachers in 38 different states and British Columbia are participating in the program.

Tickets to the event cost $75 per person. All proceeds from the event will go to support the scholarships, internships and curriculum supported through the Dairy Excellence Foundation. To purchase tickets, go to centerfordairyexcellence.org/a-toast-to-dairy/.

Companies that want to support the event through sponsorship opportunities should contact Katie Waite, fund development coordinator, directly by calling the Center at 717-346-0849 or emailing her at kwaite@centerfordairyexcellence.org.