Poultry Days Announces Donations

1st Row: 4th Vice Chairman-Brent Pepple, 2nd Vice Chairman-Alex Luthman, 2017 Festival Chairman-Kevin Kissinger, 1st Vice Chairman-Jeff Lyme, 3rd Vice Chairman-Lucas Subler, Rage & Rocko-Allen Keaser.  2nd Row: Versailles Historical Society-Arlene Luttmer, Versailles Historical Society-Deb Pohl, Versailles Bike Rodeo & Versailles EMS-Crystal Buteau, Council of Churches-Dan Brown, Kinder Korner-Penny Treon, Versailles Hometown Christmas-Rodd Hale.  3rd Row: TASKS-Scott Garrison, Bob Frey and Dan Watren, Versailles Youth Wrestling-Jerry Bey, Heritage Park-Mike Poling. Not pictured: Children's Shriner Hospital, Boy Scouts, Versailles Acme Baseball, Versailles Community Scholarship, VFW, and Versailles Musical Theatre.

Versailles Poultry Days is a volunteer based organization dedicated to serving the Versailles community by supporting community projects and activities that improve quality of life and create an inviting environment for people of all ages. Since 1952 Poultry Days has donated festival proceeds back into the community. Over the last ten years Poultry Days has donated more than $700,000 to the community and took time recently to recognize 2016-2017 donation recipients. Efforts to benefit the community are not limited to direct donations. Poultry Days owns and, in partnership with the Heritage Park Board, operates a 40-acre public park including shelters, a pond, walking track and both soccer and baseball fields which are available for community use and athletics. This investment keeps the cost for sports such as baseball and soccer low.

Poultry Days also provides an opportunity for local non-profits to conduct fundraising including Versailles Band Boosters, Rotary, Serendipity Mothers, YOLO and St, Denis Knights of Columbus. As an example, YOLO (You Only Live Once) has recently announced plans to take this to another level. After taking over running the Poultry Days 5K in 2015 YOLO is investing proceeds from the 5K (and fundraising) into a plan to build an amphitheater at Heritage Park. Heritage Park owned by Poultry Days originally had an amphitheater built into its plans but that project was never completed.

The Poultry Days Board has also conducted a blood drive for over 20 years and supports other activities through volunteering or providing support. For the last several years the board has volunteered at the Bike Rodeo and more recently has a new event called Confident Chicks for girls in grades 5-8.

Poultry Days also benefits the community by drawing in visitors who support local businesses. The Ultimate Frisbee Tournament alone nearly doubles the Versailles population bringing in over 2,000 competitors from throughout the United States. Estimates are that festival draws a total 40,000 visitors over the weekend.

Poultry Days thanks the volunteers and businesses that contribute their time and resources as well as festival goers which allow us to support community projects. The 2017 Versailles Poultry Days Festival will be held June 9, 10, and 11th. For more information go to www.versaillespoultrydays.com.