Lebanon Cou.. Jncess Karen Lentz and her dad, Bob, stand In the meadow
with the heifers that they raise.
Life With Lebanon County
Dairy Princess Karen Lentz
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Unlike many dairy princesses,
Karen Lentz did not grow up wish
ing for a tiara and banner.
“But when I saw what the reign
did for my friends like Becky Son
nen (1988 state dairy princess),
Clarinda Leatherman (1988 state
alternate) and Terry Hill, (1990
Lebanon County Dairy Princess) I
changed my mind,” Karen said.
Karen is glad that she did. She
was crowned Lebanon County
Dairy Princess a year ago and went
on to become one of the finalists at
the state pageant. More than the
tiara and banner, Karen enjoys
spending time with the many per
sons she has met through the
program.
Her duties have taught her to
become inventive and adaptable
such as the time she was helping
students make homemade ice
cream in coffee cans. Because it
was a hot day, the teachers wanted
the students to work outside. As
the students roiled the cans across
the macadam, it became apparent
that ice cream was not hardening
inside them because the macadam
was too warm. Instead of eating ice
cream, the children drank
“milkshakes.”
For the most part, Karen said
that her reign has been enjoyable
although she had a few moments of
panic shortly after she was
crowned. While well wishers were
congratulating her, the booking
chairman thrust a stack of papers to
her and said, “Sign this...
sign...this...sign this.”
“I thought what am I getting
myself into”? Karen recalled. As it
turned out, Karen wasn’t signing
away total control of her life as she
had feared. Instead, she was sign
ing forms for eligibility to the state
pageant.
It was there, that Karen was
named one of the seven finalists
for the state title, met another con
testant who will become her col
lege roommate at Penn State this
fall, and established friendships
across the state.
Karen lives with her parents
Bob and Sandy Lentz. She has a
married sister, Brenda, and a
brother, David, 20, who is a Penn
State student
The Lentz family moved off
their Lebanon County farm in
1987 but continue to raise 20 heif
ers in the meadow bordering their
home. Karen also owns a couple of
Holsteins, which she boards with a
local farmer.
Although quite active in agricul
tural events, Karen isn’t a “hands
on” farm girl. She doesn’t like
milking or showing cows.
She said, “My brother said that I
have some good cows so I should
show them. Because I respect his
opinion, I did show them, but I
don’t enjoy showing.”
When her brother encouraged
her to join the dairy bowl team,
sponsored by the Junior Holstein
Club, Karen was skeptical. It
sounded like a lot of hard work and
not much fun. Surprisingly, Karen
found out she loved the chidlenge
of memorizing facts and figures
about the dairy industry.
“It made it a lot more exciting
because my cobsin was also a
member of the Dairy Bowl team.
We were so competitive, we’d go
to the practice just to show off to
each other,” she said.
The competition with other
team members spurred her to dedi
cate six years in Dairy Bowl mem
bership. Her 1990 team won the
state dairy bowl title and went on
to compete in national competi
tion. Unfortunately, when Karen
arrived at the national contest, she
and another member were disqual
ified because the national organi
zation interpreted the age eligibili
ty rules differently than the state
does.
Karra is a member of the Junior
Advisory Committee for the Penn
sylvania Holstein Association,
secretary of the Pennsylvania
Junior Holstein Club, president for
three years of the Norlebco 4-H
Dairy Club.
As a senior at Northern Lebanon
High School. Karen has been able
to arrange her schedule so that she
only needs to attend morning clas
ses. Her flexible schedule allows
her to take off whenever she has a
dairy promotion.
For three years in high school,
Karen has been a peer counselor,
who tutors students with problems
that restrict them for learning. She
also is a member of SHADE (Stu
dents Helping to Aid the Disabled
Elderly) and a member of the
National Honor Society.
Before her coronation, Karen
expected to become an elementary
school teacher. That has changed.
She said, “When I started going
into schools for dairy promotion, it
wasn’t at all like I expected. I don’t
really like the school atmosphere.”
What she does like is radio
promotions. Karen does radio
spots promoting dairy products for
three different stations.
She said, “1 had a public speak
ing class that really helped teach
me to talk slower and control voice
volume. Doing the spots is my
favorite promotion. It's exciting to
hear your own voice.”
Karen also enjoys singing and
has participated in school musi
cals, chorus, and in the church
choir at Mount Zion Road Church
of the Brethren.
Karen is employed part time at
the Jonestown Food Market and at
the Farmers’ Wife Restaurant.
Recently, she completed a cake
decorating class.
(Turn to Pago BIS)
See your nearest
I\EW HOLLAND
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service:
PENNSYLVANIA
Annvllle, PA
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle, PA
R&W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Davldsburg, PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
Elizabethtown, PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit
717-367-1319
Gettysburg, PA
Yingling Implements,
Inc.
3291 Taneytown Rd.
717-359-4848
Halifax, PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Honey Brook, PA
Dependable Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
Honey Grove, PA
Norman 0. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Loysvilte, PA
717-789-3117
MARYLAND
Frederick, MD
CeresviDe-
Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MO,
800-331-9122
Hagerstown, MD
Antietam Ford Tractor
301-791-1200
NEW JERSEY
Bridgeton, N.J.
Leslie G. Fogg, Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
Woodstown, NJ
Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308
Hughesvtlle, PA
Farnsworth Farm
Supplies, Inc.
103 Cemetery Street
717-584-2106
New Holland, PA
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Oley, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman, PA
Schreffler Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Quakertown, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 1
215-536-1935
Temaqua, PA
Charles S, Snyder, Inc,
R.O. 3
717-386-5945
West Grove, PA
5.6. Lewis & Son, Inc.
R.D. 2, Box 66
215-869-2214
Washington, NJ
Smith Tractor &
Equip., Inc.
15 Hillcrest Ave.
201-689-7900