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Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation hosted its 4 ^th annual golf outing June 13. According to Foundation Director Dale Arnold, this year’s event was one of the largest ever -- nearly 150 golfers and others participated to support the foundation and pay tribute to this year’s honoree Dean Simeral.

Held at the Country Club at Muirfield Village in Dublin, the event raised between $15,000 and $20,000 to support measurable agricultural community improvement in Ohio through the support of projects that focus on agricultural education, environmental and economic issues.

Simeral is a Jefferson County native who began his career with OFBF in 1949 as an organization director in northeast Ohio. He was appointed director of state legislative activities, then vice president for public affairs. He has received the FFA Distinguished Service Award, Meritorious Award for Distinguished Contributions to Agriculture, OSU College of Agriculture Centennial Award and National Friend of Extension Award. He retired in 1989.

Event participants included Farm Bureau members as well as organizations affiliated with agriculture such as agribusiness, energy services, legal firms, business management, insurance and risk management. Arnold said special thanks goes to the Nationwide family of businesses for their financial support of the event: Nationwide, Nationwide Health Plans, Nationwide Agribusiness, Nationwide Ohio Operations, GatesMcDonald and Insurance Intermediaries.

New this year, Wally Armstrong, a veteran of more than 300 PGA Tour events, conducted a golf clinic. He instructed participants on improving their grip and swing. All participants received a copy of Golf in America that Armstrong autographed. He also participated in a contest at hole 4, where for a $20 donation to the foundation, he would guarantee to drive the ball to the green. Arnold said the golfers indicated they would like Armstrong to participate in the event again.

The foundation holds a number of fundraising activities including the Commitment to Lead program, which runs through September 2005. For more information, contact Arnold at 614-246-8904 or via e-mail darnold@ofbf.org

Next year’s event is scheduled for June 12 again at the Country Club at Muirfield.

Caption: Jack Fisher, right, introduces the 2005 Foundation Golf Outing honoree Dean Simeral, former OFBF vice president of public affairs.