Livestock Auction Support Fund aims to improve sale experience for young 4-H'ers
(Talk of the Town photo by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Below, Kevin Ousley prepares to box up some chicken to go at the Farmers Market on May 10. Ousley will be selling chicken each Saturday from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. in support of the Livestock Auction Support Fund now through October.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
The icing on the cake for a child’s 4-H experience is having their animal sell for a good price at the auction. Unfortunately, just as there is always a top seller in any given category – there’s a bottom seller too. As elated as a child with a top selling project may feel, the child with the lowest selling item may leave the auction feeling very disappointed.
Long-time 4-H supporter and volunteer Kevin Ousley has been to quite a few 4-H auctions and has seen that disappointment in the eyes of young 4-H members. As a 10-year 4-H member himself, he’s been there. 
So, for the past four years, with the help of others through the 4-H Livestock Auction Support Fund, Ousley has been working to improve the auction experience for several youths.
“I go to the 4-H auction and I start the auction for the kids,” Ousley said. The goal of the project is to get lower priced auctions raised to the midrange for a given project – thereby shortening the gap between the lowest priced auction and a larger number of average priced auctions. Using donations, Ousley places bids and tries to encourage others to get involved in the bidding process.
Since beginning the project, Ousley’s bidding has helped many 4-H’ers. He said he’s received positive feedback from the members and their families.
“They’re very thankful,” Ousley said. “I get a lot of thank-you notes and kids talk to me during the fair about what they plan to do with their auction proceeds.”
Ousley added that 4-H alumni have also been very helpful and receptive about the program.
In the first year of the program, Ousley was able to find five donors. “Now, we have about 15 or so who contribute,” he added.
A 4-H Livestock Auction Support Fund board was formed and that group meets each year to determine an average price for animal auctions. “That becomes our target,” Ousley said.
In addition to accepting donations for the project, this year, Ousley is taking the fundraising downtown – on a weekly basis.
Ousley, a regular participant in the Columbia City Farmers Market, has been barbecuing chicken with his own blends of sauce and spices and selling them to market attendees with proceeds benefiting the 4-H auction project. The chicken is sold for $5 per half.
He plans to continue barbecuing the chicken each week through the end of October. The chicken is already becoming a hit and Ousley has been able to raise a bit of money to support the project. He hopes that when more people learn why he’s selling barbecue chicken each week, they’ll be interested in supporting the sale.
Later in the season, he’ll be selling barbecue chicken that was locally raised on his farm.
Ousley has stood in that auction ring himself, understands the level of emotions involved and knows it felt great when someone supported him. “I just wanted to return the favor,” Ousley said with appreciation for those who supported his auctions as a child.
To contact Kevin Ousley about making a donation for the project, call 244-0066 or visit him at the Columbia City Farmers Market on Saturday mornings between 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on the western edge of the Whitley County Courthouse Lawn. Ousley's booth is near the corner of Chauncey and Market Streets.