Sharing The Wealth

By Leslie Bauer
Posted: August 10, 2008

At this year’s Howard County Fair 4-H Bake Auction, a 4-H member did something to give back to the community in a big way.

Each year, one of the opening day events is the Bake Auction, which features first place and champion baked goods made by the 4-H’ers. Proceeds from the bake auction are split in half. Half is given to the 4-H’er, and the other half is kept to benefit Howard County 4-H programs.

This year, Bryan Bowman had the top selling baked good in the auction – a prize winning peach pie. However, it is not the fact that Bryan had the top selling item that is noteworthy. Bryan’s generosity is what needs to be recognized. Bryan is a 12-year old member of the Howard County Beef Club. When he paraded his pie around the ring, auctioneer Chip Ridgely read a note from Bryan. He shared with the bidders that Bryan would be donating his share of the pie proceeds to a family friend who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Bryan’s friend, Jacquiline Hobbs, a Mount Airy resident who Bryan attend preschool and elementary school with, is preparing to undergo a bone marrow transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

While undergoing this procedure, the family will need to stay nearby in Baltimore. Bryan thought this was a little something he could do to help offset some of the family’s costs while they are in Baltimore and are traveling to and from the city as well. The bidding started at $100 and quickly rose to $200, $300, $400 and kept on going until it hit a final price of $800.

Bryan’s mother, Heidi, had tears in her eyes, as did other onlookers, at the generosity of the bidders. A group of people went in together to help raise the funds for this cause – a young child giving up his fair earnings to help out a friend. Bryan’s donation would not be possible without the help of the buyers of his pie – Jeff and Rhonda Winkler, Johnson Crane Service, Charlie’s Bobcat Service, the Moxley Family and Gary and Theresa Stonesifer.

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