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Over $15,000 was raised to benefit the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation, Ministry of Caring’s Milk for Children Fund and Food Bank of Delaware’s Backpack Program. Despite the rainy weather on Saturday, May 18, 82 participants ran the course at Ramsey’s Farm during the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation’s Annual Milk Run/Walk 5K. In its eleventh year, the event has now raised over $215,000 for Delaware-based organizations. Stewart Ramsey of Ramsey’s Farm in Wilmington, DE has been involved with the Milk Run since the beginning and was happy to host it again this year. “I continue to be amazed at the generosity of our community and partners in agriculture.” He said “the Milk Run was born out of a need to provide milk to children who otherwise would go without that valuable nutrition. The event generates awareness of the need and brings local sponsors together to provide a solution, Delaware Farm Bureau is the perfect organization to tackle this challenge.” One of the beneficiaries of the race, the Ministry of Caring, provides for those in need in the Wilmington area. Milk is one part of the nutritional meals served to the hungry at Emmanuel Dining Room. Priscilla Rakestraw, Deputy Director of Development for the Ministry of Caring, said “We are so grateful to the Delaware Farm Bureau and to all the people that participated in the Milk Run! We can provide poor and homeless children with as much milk as they can drink, and that is so important.” The Food Bank of Delaware’s Backpack Program allows children in need to take a backpack full of food home at the end of the school week to alleviate hunger for the weekend. The backpacks have food such as shelf-stable milk and juice, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, and apple sauce. The Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation strives to increase awareness, understanding, and positivity surrounding Delaware agriculture. Funds raised from this event will benefit the Foundation’s various programs and other initiatives to support this mission. According to Mikayla Paul, DEFB marketing coordinator, “This is a fun event for everyone! Whether they were running or walking the course, they got a great view of Northern Delaware agriculture”. She added, “There was even a milk cow from Emerson Dairy!” Winners of each division received an engraved cow bell. Sponsors also donated an array of gift certificates that were raffled off to participants. This year’s sponsors are as follows. Diamond Sponsor: Delmarva Farmer Hoober Hy-Point Dairy Land O’ Lakes Ramsey’s Farm Woodside Farm Creamery Gold Sponsors: Broadbent Insurance Inc. Clay Farms Del-One Federal Credit Union Delaware Department of Agriculture Dempsey Farms, LLC Kevin Rogers & Jackie King King Crop Insurance LabWare Holdings, Inc. New Castle Conservation District New Castle County Farm Bureau Puglisi Egg Farms Sussex County Farm Bureau Syngenta Silver Sponsors: By the Book Services, Inc. Crow Insurance Agency Delaware Running Company Delaware State Grange Delawarren Farms Emerson Farms/Cowgirl Creamery EMSI ESECO Francis Optimal Performance Chiropractic Horizon Farm Credit J.E. Bailey & Sons Inc. Kent County Farm Bureau L&L Farms Legacy Farms M&T Bank NovaCare Nutrien Ag Solutions Roland & Laura Hill Seth L. Ivins, MD Vanderwende Farm Creamery Friend Sponsors: Bruce C. Ennis Charles S. Postles Jr. Dairy Farmers of America G&S Dairy Guy & Nancy Phillips Powers Farm Richfield Farms Taylor & Messick, Inc. Taylor’s Bridge Farm For more information on the Delaware Farm Bureau and Foundation, visit www.defb.org. For more information on the Ministry of Caring, visit https://www.ministryofcaring.org/. For more information on the Food Bank of Delaware, visit https://www.fbd.org/.