UNION TWP., Clinton Co. — The 13th annual Dinner in the Fields was served up successfully Saturday at the new Nutrien Ag Solutions facility at 2022 Gleason Road northeast of Wilmington.
The event is the main fundraiser in support of the yearly Clinton County Leadership Institute programming.
By all measures it was a success, as 262 tickets were sold — 222 pre-sold and 40 at the event.
And the annual pie auction brought in several thousand dollars to support Leadership Clinton’s Youth Collaborative class.
“To say that it was beyond all of my expectations is an understatement,” said Leadership Clinton President Elizabeth Huber. “We had a core committee of Jonathan McKay, Shelby Boatman, Molly Boatman, Ashley Rose and myself who have worked for months to prepare for the event. Closer to the event we had help from sponsors who came and joined us in set-up to tear down and everything in-between.
“I cannot thank enough the committee, volunteers, and guidance from past committee members who helped me in every step of this adventure!”
The new Nutrien Ag Solutions facility — which kept attendees safe and dry during on-and-off showers and storms — is on 20 acres and includes three buildings, plus a 1-million-gallon liquid fertilizer tank, with 6.8 acres of open space to help maintain the character of the agricultural district.
“With the help and support of Nutrien Ag representative Greta Gray, I feel we had a great mix of LC alumni and a whole new crowd who all showed up to support the institute,” said Huber. “We raised money for the youth collaborative and the institute itself and, most importantly, we educated the community about CCLI.”
New this year was a children’s area with activities for the kids.
Leadership Clinton is “a unique community leadership opportunity designed to enhance the development of existing and future leaders for Clinton County. Participants explore critical issues and opportunities with knowledgeable speakers, existing community leaders and effective facilitators, and participate in a variety of experimental activities including a community enhancement team project,” according to its website.
