82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 31, 1996
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Many view Jan Harding and
Pennsylvania Dairy Princess
Promotion Services (PDPPS) as
synonymous. But a new name is
fast becoming associated with
PDPPS Arlene Wilbur. The
Bradford County woman recently
was appointed assistant director to
Harding.
“Arlene is a very capable person
and is a tremendous asset to
PDPPS,” Harding said. “Through
her experience in having her
daughter serve as dairy princess
and through her involvement on
the Bradford County Dairy Promo
tion committee, she really has a lot
to offer the program.”
Arlene grew up in the small
town near Bradford. After she gra
duated fron high school and busi
ness school, Arlene married dairy
farmer Arlyn Wilbur. He con
tinued to farm the 110-acre family
farm that had been in the family for
almost a century.
While raising daughter Robin,
who became the 1991-1992 Pen
nsylvania Dairy Princess, and a
son Jeffrey, who is now a high
school senior, Arlene worked 10
years as assistant vice president of
a branch bank and later as a book
keeper for a construction
company.
“When Robin was crowned
j\
As assistant director, Arlene Wilbur, right, will assist Jan
Harding, left, In directing Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and
Promotion Services, Inc. In its 40 year history, PDPPS has
grown tremendously In its promotional services for the
dairy industry.
Arlene Wilbur Joins Dairy Promotion Efforts
dairy princess, I believed in the
dairy princess promotion and
program so much that I quit my job
to accompany Robin,” Arlene said.
The introduction to the many
agricultural groups who work
together for dairy promotion
impressed Arlene. Formerly she
was acquainted with promotion at
only the local level.
After Robin’s reign ended and
she went on to college, Arlene
went back to work as a bookkeep
er. Later Robin married a dairy far
mer from Tioga County and now
works as an administrative assis
tant at Cornell University. But
Arlene never stopped her involve
ment in dairy promotion. She
became chairperson for Bradford
County Dairy Promotion and
enjoyed accompanying dairy prin
cesses and alternates to training
and promotional programs. When
serving as a judge for the New
York Dairy Princess Program,
Arlene was overheard saying, “I
have a job, but this is what I really
love.”
When Jan heard her comment,
she suggested she apply for the
position with PDPPS. After inter
views with board members, Arlene
was officially hired in June.
“Over the past 10 to 12 years,
the dairy princess program has
grown tremendously to include
dairy maids and ambassadors,” Jan
said.
This means more bookwork and
meetings for Jan, who has run the
program with only the help of a
typist
“It’s been a rat race,” Jan said.
“The board of directors and county
committee members help a lot but
they are too busy to do all that
needs to be done.”
Because Arlene was acquainted
with so many different aspects of
PDPPS mother of a dairy prin
cess, county coordinator, and farm
wife she already has a working
knowledge of what needs to be
done and how the program can be
improved.
“People don’t realize what goes
into making milk how much
farmers care about their product.
There are a lot of misconceptions
about dairy products,” Arlene said.
When Arlene talks, she speaks
with confidence and contagious
enthusiasm for the industry and the
program. “Milk is nearly a perfect
food. You won’t get natural nutri
tion with any other alternatives.”
She’s concerned that surveys
show that many doctors and dieti
cians haven’t kept up with recent
research.
“One of our former dairy prin
cesses entered nursing school and
the dietician who taught a course
did not even know the proper daily
allowances for dairy products,”
Arlene said.
The former dairy princess used
her training and the resources from
the Dairy Council to acquaint the
nursing school professionals with
up-to-date information.
That’s why Arlene believes the
dairy princesses program is so
valuable.
“We need people in the profes
sional field. What dairy princesses
are taught stays with them. They
believe in dairy products. That’s
one more point for farmers.
“These girls are taught about the
many different dairy products
available and how even those with
restricted diets can use dairy pro
ducts to meet the need for cal
cium,” she said.
Television and radio advertise
ments can only do so much, Arlene
believes.
‘Television advertising doesn’t
explain the health standards of far
mers,” she said. Of PDPPS, Arlene
said, ‘‘We do a lot with promotion
al dollars. We are the grassroots
promotion. Consumers see dairy
princesses face to face. The girls
are armed with the best resources
to give consumers informed
answers.”
She’s alarmed that so many far
mers are under the impression that
dairy princesses just ride in para
des or hand out samples in grocery
stores.
“Of course, dairy princesses ate
taught to dress professionally, to
look nice because it makes a state
ment, but people often don’t see
the involvement or the education
these girls receive. They are mak
ing a difference.”
~ . ..
A-.'r
i %
i
As a dairy farm wife, mother of a former state dairy prin
cess, school board director, involvement In county dairy
promotion, and more, Arlene Wilbur brings a wealth of
experience to PDPPS.
While Arlene is pleased with the is the most natural perfect food,
presentations dairy princesses do It’s the base for the best products,
at the elementary school level sb® said,
they made 1,369 appearances so Arlene is excited to play a role in
far this year, she said its only an dairy promotion. She said, “Dairy
introduction. farming plays a big part in Pen
“Wc plant seeds in elementary nsylvania economy. The trickle
school, but we need to follow down effect overflows into other
through. We need dairy princesses ' businesses as well. We are doing a
going into human resource classes lot for dairy and ag-related
at the high school level. This age businesses.”
group is often going to the store for Arlene will handle the financial
their busy parents. The high records for PDPPS from her home
schoolers should know about look- com P“ ter . w T h< f she . 1 ! s “ ttin « l *
ing for the Real seal and be taught an office in Laßaysvillc. From M
about natural healthy' nutrition offic u e - ? he W,U also correspond
from someone their own age air y princesses a
•> coordinators.
As dairy princess coordinator in While Arlene is in training to
Bradford County. Arlene has ° ver Jan s responsibilities
required local dairy princesses to a^*er s^e |’®fir® s * doesn t mean
go into the high school and tell Jan’s retirement is imminent
their peers about the importance of , ct reU i*
using real dairy products. completely, said Charlene Ranck,
As a school boarf director for 10 coordinator for PDPPS southeast
years, Arlene knows that schools ,^ e 816 *j )rt “ nate 10 a
that use government money to both Arlene and Jan wor g
meet educational standards wel- ~ . .
come those from the community to PDPPS is supported and fun
help in education. by Pennsylvania dairy farmers
‘Teachers are sometimes skep- through American Dairy Assoc -
tical, but when they see the infor- f*® ll an< *
mation we have, they are thrilled to Middle Atlantic Milk Market! g
have dairy princesses visit,” Association, American Dairy
Arlene said. Association, Mid-East Allied Mux
“It makes good sense that milk Producers and independent
contributors.
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