82-Laneastei Farming, > Saturday, Octohec 11, 1997. , Heidi Of Laurel Mountain As State Lamb And Wool LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) —‘“Wether ewe’ realize it or not, you couldn’t get through a day without the sheep industry,” says Heidi Svonavec, the newly crowned Pennsylvania Lamb and Wool Queen. Heidi, representing Somerset County, competed with two other contestants, Paula Jo Gevin and Shelley Patton, for the state title during the Keystone International Livestock Exposition (KILE) Sunday. Heidi challenged the audience to consider the importance of the lamb industry by recognizing the many by-products of the lamb industry. Even if you didn’t eat lamb or wear wool, Heidi said that she doubts that a person could still get through the day. “Not if ' don’* be From the left, Heidi Svonavec Is crowned 1997 Pennsyl vania Lamb and Wool Queen by 1996 Queen Andrea Musser. Northwestern Lamb and Wool Queen Paula Jo Gevln serves Lamb and Cheese Canape Spread. Homestead Notes caught with your pants down,” she joked in reference to the fact that both buttons and fasteners are made from sheep bones. She pointed out that toothbrushes, but tons, gum, gelatin, surgical sutures, photographic film, and gel caps are just a few of the hundreds of sheep byproducts. While Heidi, dressed in fashion able black wool pants and a red jacket, talked about sheep by products, her brother Gabe, dressed as a lamb, handed out items made from sheep products. His basket included such items as chewing gum, tissues, tooth brushes, and candy. Heidi is the daughter of Dave and Betty Lou Svonavec. The fam ily raises about SO registered and crossbred ewes on their Rockwood farm. Although Heidi leads a busy life involved in many school, com idchirh' ’ he Reigns Queen has already made an outstanding mark on the sheep industry. She worked with a butcher to develop lamb bologna, which she offers to people to acquaint them with the taste of lamb. “Everyone who tastes it loves it,” she said. Samples of the bolog na and a mustard dip were avail abl&for tasting at her display booth at KILE. Heidi has also compiled a “Fun With the Flock,” activity book to hand out to kids. The booklet includes coloring pages, dot-to-dot exercises, and word puzzles—all with the hidden agenda of acquainting children with sheep and sheep by-products. Heidi participates in county and Keystone leadline contests. Make it-Yourself-With-Wool contests, 4-H carcass, market, and breeding sheep projects and showing com petitions at county, state, and national levels. She is a member of the National Suffolk and Hamp shire Associations. At Rockwood Area Junior/ Senior High School, Heidi is active in National Honor Society, county and district chorus, band, student council, forensics, school plays, varsity cheerleading, FFA, FHA, ski club. She is basketball statistician, special needs class assistant, class officer, member of the community college honors class, and was named student of the month. Community activities include church choir, class helper, church event assistant, choreographer, community bulletin board,, enter tainment for DAR and area nursing homes, Special Olympics volun teer, 4-H rabies clinic. Salvation Army food drive, community thea ter member, dancer, and member of Country Road-Players. After high school Heidi, 17, plans to study veterinary science at Penn State. Shelley Patton, Waynesburg, was named state alternate lamb and wool queen. This is Shelley’s second time to serve as alternate. She is an honors student in physics and earth and space science at West Virginia University. She is the 18-year-old daughter of Rick and Janice Patton. The family raises 20 purebred Suffolk sheep and IS head of breeding club lambs. She has shown numerous (Turn to Page B 8) i Jilli Stephanie Bowman, a for mer state Lamb and Wool Queen, serves as master of ceremonies during the contest. Heidi Svonavec, representing Somerset County, won the state title for Pennsylvania Lamb and Wool Queen. Heidi hands out samples of Peppercorn Lamb Bologna with Mus tard Dip. Her promotional display at KILE showed many lamb byproducts in addition to wool fabric samples and recipes using lamb. Shelley Patton hands out Sweet and sour Meatballs made with lamb. The Greene County Lamb and Wool Queen reigns as the state alternate for the second year. . I' review rules with Susan Eshelman, state coordinator.
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