Jordon Sitzmann, Vice President of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee (left) presents the “Outstanding Service to Agriculture” Award to Debra and John Ahlers during Thursday evening’s banquet.
(Le Mars) — Last night (Thursday) during the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce 25th Annual Agriculture Business Dinner, a farm couple from rural Le Mars was awarded the “Outstanding Service to Agriculture” honor. The introduction for the honorees was as follows: “Agriculture has played an important role in the lives of the 2019 Service to Agriculture recipients.
This couple was born and raised in Plymouth County and currently live on their family’s century farm raising corn and soybeans. This couple is a prime example of a great farming family in Plymouth County. They serve as vocal advocates for agriculture helping to lead the way on community boards and
even working side by side farming and harvesting.” John and Debra Ahlers have been involved with the Plymouth County Fair, Plymouth County Farm Bureau, Plymouth County Extension Council, 4-H leaders, and have been inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame for Plymouth County. The couple has also judged
FFA competitions. When their introduction was read before the crowd attending the event, Debra Ahlers says it was a little ways into the introduction before she had realized they were the ones being honored.
John Ahlers says he was surprised and humbled for receiving the honor.
John has been a Plymouth County Fairboard Director for the past ten years, and he also served as a director and officer for the Plymouth County Farm Bureau.
The farm couple has led active lives with 4-H and Extension, with both serving as 4-H leaders, and Debra was a director with the Plymouth County Extension Council.
The Ahlers were honored last summer during the Iowa State Fair for being named to the Iowa State 4-H Hall of Fame, and the Ahlers’ have been 4-H leaders for more than ten years. The ironic part is John was never a member of the 4-H organization.
Both have also helped judge FFA competitions. During the sub-district competition held at Hinton last month, John judged prepared speeches, while Debra helped judge the job interview contest. Many times the Ahlers are celebrating their wedding anniversary during the Plymouth County Fair.
According to Debra, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Our congratulations go to John and Debra Ahlers of rural Le Mars for being honored with the “Outstanding Service To Agriculture” award from the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee.
A Le Mars Community FFA Senior was the recipient of the Chamber Agriculture Committee’s FFA scholarship. Christian Koch was presented the honor by Kevin Eekhoff of the Chamber Agriculture Committee. Koch will receive a $500 scholarship.
Key-note speaker Scott Siepker, aka “Iowa Nice” Guy kept the crowd laughing with his stories about his childhood, how he got started with acting, and other tales of his film productions of the “Iowa Nice” guy.
