82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 30, 2002
Virginia Dairy Princess Touts Milk As Eighth Natural Wonder
GAY BROWNLEE
Virginia Correspondent
BRIDGEWATER, Va. Joanie
Will, the Virginia State Dairy
Princess, declares milk is the
eighth natural wonder. In fact
When reminiscing about her reign as the Virginia State
Dairy Princess, nothing is as refreshing for Joanie Will of
Bridgewater as a mug of cold milk while sitting at the
table reviewing a scrapbook full of memories.
last January 25 at Fredericks
burg, that was the gist of the skit
that helped to elevate her to the
pinnacle of state title ownership.
Milk really is a natural wonder
if only more consumers would re
alize it.
Will knows that drinking milk,
eating cheese and ice cream all
contribute to the strength of the
bones she needs to run and kick
while engaged in soccer. And soc
cer is a game she has loved for
quite a few of her 17 years. Even
as a high school freshman, she
was good enough to play on the
varsity soccer team. Currently,
for the Turner Ashby High
School girls team, the princess is
a senior occupying the position of
right wing.
Representing the dairy indus
try of Virginia, Will has tallied
miles and miles, up and down,
over and across the majestic
Shenandoah Valley. To the north
and Winchester, to the south and
Roanoke, to the east and Rich
mond, the state capitol. In be
tween she attends DHIA meet
ings and all types of other events
throughout the state.
A promotion in Maryland was
a night to remember. She and
other dairy maids handed out
milk at a soccer game. Not only
did they witness the U.S. wom
en’s team play Pittsburgh but
also Mia Hamm, who is Will’s
soccer hero, in action on the play
ing field.
“Most promotions have been
good experiences. I think Im still
nervous when I give speeches or
a milk toast,” she said, confessing
that on those occasions she felt a
bit taut.
She recalls segments of the
state competition before an audi
ence at the convention that at
tacked her nerves.
“One thing I remember,” she
said, “Marty Potts (the coordina
tor) asked: ‘Do you need a hug?’
What a boost it was to take Potts
up on the offer.”
The open spaces in her daily
appointment diary began to fill
up as soon as the event was over.
Among the first official duties
was a visit to the Virginia Gener
al Assembly, where she was intro
duced to the state law makers.
Chaperoned by Beverly Will,
her mother, Will traveled to Hag
erstown, Md. to meet the state
dairy princesses from Maryland
and Pennsylvania. She also at
tended the dairy princess seminar
held in Pennsylvania. Will and
her counterparts were fine-tuned
to deliver solid dairy knowledge
to the public with feminine grace
and courtesy.
The best payoff for her efforts
since then have been from the
dairyman himself. Will says a
word of appreciation or thanks
from the farmer goes a long way
toward feeling good about her re
sponsibilities.
“It always makes me feel good
to hear a farmer say, ‘Thank
you,” she said.
Her dad, Joe Will, along with
her grandfather and uncle keep a
100-head dairy herd of primarily
Holsteins and 20-25 Jerseys. The
business also includes two poul
try houses which during the 2002
AI outbreak escaped unscathed,
according to Joe.
Jenny Will, 15, and Charlotte
Will, 13, have picked up addi
tional farm chores since their
elder sister has so many promo
tional responsibilities mainly
tending the chickens. That’s been
a blessing to Will who shows Jer
seys and belongs to the Rock
ingham County 4-H Dairy Club.
She showed the grand champion
Jersey breed animal at the Rock
ingham County Fair. Jenny and
Charlotte showed Jerseys too as
they exhibit as a family.
Mall promotions for Will have
included one at Valley Mall in
Harrisonburg where live animals
were on site.
“It was popular. We had
calves coming from everywhere,”
Will said. Another memorable
occasion was competing with
Miss Farm Bureau, the Virginia
Beef Queen, Miss Virginia, and
the state Commissioner of Agri
culture Carlton Courier in a
milking contest. In the art of ex
tracting the warm white liquid by
hand his greater expertise caused
the commissioner to be disquali
fied. It seems he out-squirted the
competition. Nevertheless, with
him out of the running, Dairy
Princess Will and Miss Virginia
were declared to have tied for
first place.
A little girl Will met around
the same time was disappointed
when the dairy princess was
caught without personal photo
graphs to pass out. The youngster
was asking for one along with an
autograph. Will diplomatically
wrote down the child’s address
and as soon as she got home,
signed a picture and mailed it to
her.
The first new babies to be bom
in Rockingham and Augusta
Counties were celebrated during
June National Dairy Month.
Bearing “dairy good” gifts for
them the princess paid visits to
the parents and their newborns.
During the month, she sent dairy
messages to the audience of a
local radio station.
In more routine requirements,
Will presented ribbons at dairy
events.' She whipped up home
made ice cream for the co-work
* ers* at - a ‘local “restaurant where
she is employed.
Serving individuals from the
giant ice cream sundae in a kids
plastic swimming pool for July
National Ice Cream Month was a
barrel of fun.
The small gifts she gives away
are provided by the Southeast
United Dairy Industry Associa
tion (SUDIA).
Will can’t emphasize enough
how important and helpful the
dairy maids are to the success of
a dairy princesss work.
Will says, ‘You wouldn’t need
a princess to promote milk if
there were no farmers.”
So she applauds dairy farmers
and is honored to promote their
health-giving product MILK.
Got it???
Will’s successor to the crown
will be named in January 2003.
Following is a dairy recipe con
tributed by Will:
Chicken Divan
2 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cans cream of mushroom
soup (or chicken soup)
'A cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup shredded sharp cheese
4 cups soft bread crumbs
Vi cup melted butter
Place chicken in baking dish.
Combine soup, mayonnaise, and
lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
Pour over chicken. Sprinkle
bread crumbs and cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to
30 minutes.
Superior 4-H’er Lori Hess enjoys Jatina, a 4-year-old Brown Swiss, and the fami
ly farm that dates back to 1915 in the Hess family.
‘Hustle ’ Describes Superior 4-H’er
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
PEQUEA (Lancaster Co.)
Lori Hess said that one of the
H’s in 4-H originally stood for
“hustle” when the organization
was founded 100 years ago.
“Hustle meant to serve the
community at a moment’s no
tice,” Lori said.
Hustle is also what best rep
resents Lori, recently named
the county’s superior 4-H’er,
and a nine-year member of the
program.
Lori hustled to meet deadli
nes in order to excel in school
and community organizations.
But hustle is not the only “H”
that describes the 17-year-old.
The 4-H creed that specifies
pledging head, heart, hands.
In addition to fresh, cold milk, Joanie Will is also ad
dicted to playing soccer. Without milk in her diet for
strong bones and teeth, she wouldn’t be as good at her
game. She is pictured with her soccer ball and a one-year
old pet Beagle named Lucy.
and health have been instru
mental in developing her lead
ership skills and helping her
excel in numerous areas.
As president of the Kids and
Kows Club, vice president of
the swine club, and secretary of
the county 4-H club, she said
that she uses her head to think
clearly, logically, and in plan
ning ahead when lining up
speakers, serving refreshments,
planning teaching sessions for
the younger members, and or
dering supplies needed for club
work.
Her heart pledges loyal,
kind, and sympathetic action
toward others and especially
younger members struggling in
4-H.
Although Lori strives to use
her hands to excel in every
project, she said that she has
also learned that winning isn’t
everything.
She recalls that the first time
she showed a calf, it wouldn’t
cooperate. The calf laid down
in the show ring and the halter
slipped off.
“Everything went wrong,”
Lori said, and ended up with
her placing last in a long line of
novices.
Although tempted to give up
showing, Lori persevered. After
nine years of showing, she has
earned a table full of ribbons
and trophies for fitting, show
manship, and breed.
Lori is the only child of
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