LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
—One of the main functions of the
Farm and Home Foundation is
awarding scholarships to high
school seniors pursuing careers in
agriculture, home economics, and
related fields. To date, 321 seniors
have benefitted from die $230,300
scholarship money.
During the 28th annual meeting
of the Farm and Home Foundation,
held January 21, three of those
scholarship winners told how the
scholarships have helped form
their careers and benefitted the
community.
“It would have been difficult if
not impossible for me to attend
college without the scholarship,”
said Leon Ressler, who received
the scholarship in 1971.
After graduating from Penn
State in 1975, Leon worked for a
fertilizer company and then spent
six years working in Africa. It was
Newly-elected Farm. .ectors..
baker, Mary Shellenberger, Evelyn Crider, J. Leßoy Esbenshade, J. Clayton Charles,
Raymond Wltmer, and Jim Garber.
Farm And Home Foundation Reviews Year
there that he reached the conclu
sion that a nation’s greatest resour
ce is the minds of the young
people.
Ressler is now a Penn State
Extension agriculture and environ
ment agent who works out of the
Lancaster office.
Another scholarship winner,
Martha Gregory, told the Farm and
Home Foundation that the scholar
ship money is a tangible way to
encourage education in young peo
ple. Her scholarship enabled her to
graduate from Penn State in 1982
with a B.S. in nutrition. After
working with the WIC Program,
for women, infants, and children in
the Lancaster area, Martha joined
Lebanon County Extension where
she works with 4-H youth.
“The scholarship money was
very helpful,” said Util Risser,
who received a scholarship in
1978. After earning an ag engi
neering degree from Penn State,
Risser pursued a master’s degree
former Jents of Farm and Home sci jrshlps tell how a-.. js
Influence careers and benefit the community. From left: Martha Gregory, 4-H Lebanon
County Extension agent; Phil Rlsser, county farmer; and Leon Ressler, Penn State
Extension nutrient management agent.
Lancaster Firming, Saturday, January 25, 1992411
from the University of Wisconsin.
Since then, Risser has worked for
Soil Conservation Services, deve
loped a Penn State manual for
ethanol production, worked on a
project to develop a way to make
hay for one day, taught college
courses, worked for International
Harvester, and received several
patents for his work.
In 1987, Phil returned to Man
heim Township in Lancaster
County to farm in partnership with
his father. In 1990, Phil and his
wife, Lisa, bought out the partner
ship and now farm 90 acres and
milk 60 cows.
The scholarship money is
derived from interest income from
the late Elmer L. Esbenshade, who
donated the 10.5-acre site of the
Farm and Home Center in addition
to leaving a financial legacy. The
number of scholarships given
annually depends on the income
available from the fund. In 1991,
14 seniors were selected for
$l,OOO scholarships. The number
of scholarships to be given this
year will be decided by the scho
larship committee that meets in
February.
The Foundation also reviewed
income and expenses for the year.
A new heating and ventilation sys-
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