LAKE COUNTY – Members of the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture recently elected and installed new officers of the all-volunteer, agricultural support organization.
Leading the group in 2010 will be Toni Scully, president; Sausha Racine, vice president; and Bonnie Sears, secretary, all of Lakeport; and Paula Bryant, Hidden Valley Lake, treasurer.
Marilyn Holdenried, Kelseyville, chapter founder and first president, conducted the installation at a recent luncheon meeting.
Also serving on the board of directors as area representatives will be Linda Juntunen, Lakeport; Matilda Robinson and Rachel Quist, Upper Lake; Sue Steiner and Sally Beckner, South County; and Nellie Dorn, Kelseyville.
Past president Margaret Eutenier will continue to edit and produce the chapter’s newsletter.
Members attending the recent gathering included the new officers, Juntunen, Holdenried, Eutenier, and past presidents Carolyn Henderson Rohner, Laura Hodgkinson and Wilda Shock. Also present were active members Colleen Rentsch, Janice Stokes, Diane Henderson and Sara Dorn.
CWA members are advocates for agriculture. Initially, when formed in 1976, members were directly involved in farming; now the statewide membership includes professionals working in banking, law, business, regulatory agencies, sales, politics, communication, and education.
Many members, including those in the Lake County Chapter, are also community leaders, volunteers, and consumers interested in and concerned about agriculture in California.
The new officers are professionally allied with agricultural interests in Lake County.
Scully’s family owns and manages Scully Packing Co., growers and shippers of Lake County pears, and is based in Finley. Racine is the assistant manager of Scully Packing. Sears is the administrative manager of Snows Lake Vineyard, Lower Lake. Bryant is vice president/relationship manager for Umpqua Bank, Lakeport.
“I’m honored to become president of the Lake County Chapter of CWA,” said Scully. “Some of our members have been farming pears, grapes, walnut, or cattle here for generations. Other members come from various walks of life and recognize what a contribution these family farms and farmers make to our local quality of life. We are dedicated to helping this important segment of our economy survive and prosper.”
She added, “These Lake County farms and ranches have been sustainable over the course of many generations, and their owners and operators, along with CWA members, are committed to seeing them continue to supply fine Lake County products to domestic and international markets.”
The role of CWA is to convey the benefits of a vibrant farm economy to those in positions to impact the future of agriculture in California. The members do so by providing the information, skills and network so that volunteers can make a difference, both locally and statewide, sharing their perspectives with the media, teachers and students, elected officials, opinion makers, and community leaders.
More information about the Lake County CWA may be obtained from Toni Scully at 707-263-3710 or by writing to P.O. Box 279, Finley 95435. Annual activities include the awarding of scholarships to college students pursuing careers in agriculture or allied businesses, using proceeds from the popular sales of pear pies during the Kelseyville Pear Festival.
