TRIBUTE TO HARRY DENDY

TRIBUTE TO HARRY DENDY

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S223-S224] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO HARRY DENDY Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to recognize Harry Dendy as he retires from the sales committee of the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions. Each year, hundreds of young agriculture enthusiasts gather at the State fairgrounds in Jackson, MS, to show their livestock at this sale. Mr. Dendy has attended every sale since 1975, making this year's sale on February 6 his 50th. The Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions consistently raises money for 4-H and Future Farmers of America scholarships and programs that shape Mississippi youth to become the State's agriculture leaders. The sale and the programs it supports enable youth to develop both the technical knowledge and soft skills that they will need to become professionals working to feed and clothe the world. There is hardly any better way for youth to learn essential life skills like patience, persistence, hard work, and personal responsibility than by working with livestock. Mr. Dendy has been a cornerstone of this sale for decades, and his hard work and support have been essential to the [[Page S224]] sale's success in youth development. Mr. Dendy's passion for agriculture and its future has been evident throughout his entire life. He first joined 4-H in Chickasaw County, MS, at the age of 10 and later worked for the Farm Credit System for 33 years. He served multiple roles on the 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees and was instrumental in the development of the Mississippi 4-H Learning Center and Pete Frierson 4-H Museum. He was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame in 2011. I look forward to watching the future of the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions continue to grow on the foundation that Mr. Dendy has laid. Mr. Dendy leaves behind big shoes to fill, but I am confident his legacy will continue to inspire the sale and its youth toward success for decades to come. ____________________