How about a big, juicy, rib-eye steak for dinner Thursday night?

Plus home-cooked sides, sweet tea, and even some delicious dessert, all for only $15 flat.

That’s right-- no taxes or tips necessary!

It’s a meal you can’t beat, and a great crowd to boot.

The Piedmont Cattlemen’s Association is one of our largest donors each year, and Thursday night’s dinner and auction is its major fundraiser for local youth programs.

The silent auction begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the FFA-FFCLA Center on Highway 36, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and then the live auction.

You can reserve your seat by calling Piedmont Cattlemen’s President Glenn Hayes at 770-786-3737 by Tuesday.

Show fees
Our beef cattle livestock team receives $1,000 in financial sponsorship from this chapter of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association to pay entry fees for the two biggest livestock shows of the year, plus a large portion of all the other entry fees for the year.

Local 4-H and FFA beef showmen benefit from the club with free membership as Junior Cattlemen, free educational showmanship workshops, and $1,000 sponsorship of the Newton County local livestock show. The chapter also sponsors another nearby show attended by Newton County 4-H and FFA members.

Another project of the Piedmont Cattlemen is a $1,000 college scholarship awarded to one graduating senior in each county it covers. Last year’s Newton County recipient was Kari Dylong, who showed livestock with Newton County 4-H from the time she was 9 years old.

The chapter has also used these funds over the years to sponsor other events, including lamb camp for younger livestock showmen and the Georgia 4-H Clovers & Company performing arts show hosted by the Newton County Arts Association.

On Thursday night, you can expect to find a large variety of items available for purchase in the silent auction, including baby and children’s items, men and women’s clothing, furniture, decorations and even livestock feed.

The live auction features the biggest items of the night, which usually include incredible furniture pieces, a Braves ticket package, cattle products, gift certificates to popular local restaurants, tires, and homemade cakes.

If you’ve never attended this event before, let me guide you through the process.

First, arrive at 6 p.m. so you can view all the items before it gets too crowded, and then go ahead and pay for your dinner.

Don’t forget your checkbook. I always leave mine in the car, sure I won’t buy anything. But I never fail to end up with something!

You can even bring your own pen for easy bidding. For most items, bidding begins at only $1.

If the last bid was $3, you can simply write your name and $4 to be the newest high bidder. You may also view most of the live auction items so you’ll be prepared to bid later.

As the night progresses, you’ll need to continue to visit your favorite items to be sure you keep the highest bid.

By the time we near the end of the silent auction at the end of dinner, be sure you’re standing by your very favorite item so you can make last-second bids.

Or, make a high enough bid to scare off all other bidders; after all, it’s all for a good cause. The live auction begins after dinner, with a real, live auctioneer.

He’ll announce each item for sale, then take bids with the help of a few strategically placed Cattlemen’s Association members. If you’d like to bid, be sure to catch their eye.

Be careful, though; don’t make any sudden movements if you don’t want to bid, or you could be the owner of a truckload of cattle feed!

There are several cakes made by local ladies you just have to taste, and you’ll have to come ready to bid if you’d like to take one home.

There might even be a dessert by yours truly, but you’ll have to show up Thursday to find out.

If your organization can host a fundraiser to support 4-H events such as judging teams, project achievement, equestrian events, summer camp or leadership and service projects, please feel free to contact me.

Terri Kimble Fullerton is the Newton County 4-H Agent through UGA Cooperative Extension. She can be reached at tkimble@uga.edu.