Sixty-eight golfers on 17 teams gathered in Ames for the fifteenth annual AASV Foundation Golf Outing. Veenker Memorial Golf Course hosted the event on Thursday, August 22. The outing coordinator, Dr Ron White, made a slight change in the rules from previous years, requiring teams to make use of each team member’s drive at least four times during the 18-hole round. Merck Animal Health’s team, composed of Dave Iverson, Catherine Van Der Weide, Curtis Bomgaars, and Dave Bomgaars, rose to the challenge, taking the event’s top honors with a team score of 60 – five strokes ahead of the second place team.

The annual fundraiser provides support for AASV Foundation programs, including veterinary-student scholarships, travel stipends to assist students attending the AASV Annual Meeting, research grants, swine externship grants, distinguished member videos, and more.

The generous support of sponsors ensured the fundraiser’s financial success and also enhanced the event for all participants. Zoetis sponsored the awards dinner held after the golfing, giving attendees the opportunity to enjoy pork that had been raised using Improvest. PharmGate Animal Health provided the on-course lunches for all golfers. Golf-hole sponsor Harrisvaccines supplied the golfers with coozies and golf tees while Insight Wealth Group took photos of each team on the course. Alltech, AVMA PLIT, and Zoetis also lent their support to the foundation by sponsoring golf holes.

To conclude the event, the following team and individual contest winners were announced.

Championship flight

First place team hosted by Merck Animal Health (score 60): Dave Bomgaars, Dave Iverson, Catherine Van Der Weide, Curtis Bomgaars

Second place team with players from Norbrook and PharmGate Animal Health (score 65): Chip Whitlow, Mick Kent, Dan Rosener, Gene Spellman

Third place team hosted by Phibro Animal Health (score 66): Doug Weiss, Mark Rooney, Dan McManus, Lynn Garrels

First flight

First place team hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim (score 67): Jeff Okones, Adam Schelkopf, John Kolb, Maddie Kolb

Second place team hosted by Elanco Animal Health (score 68): Eric Christianson, Tom Marsteller, Craig Boelling, Matt Anderson

Third place team hosted by Zoetis (score 70): Ron White, Steve Sornsen, Jeff Zimmerman, Kent Schwartz

Second flight

First place team hosted by Merck Animal Health (score 71): Steve Hall, Shamus Brown, Jon Van Blarcom, Dale Mechler

Second place team hosted by Zoetis (score 71): Rick Swalla, Eric Greiner, Alan Whiley, Ian Levis

Third place team hosted by Zoetis (score 72): Tim Stuart, Steve Schmitz, Michelle Sprague, Paul Knoernschild

Third flight

First place team hosted by Zoetis (score 73): Kelly Coulson, Doug King, Mark Brinkman, Al Frischmeyer

Second place team hosted by GlobalVetLINK (score 73): Cliff Smith, Connie Schmidt, Judy Schmidt, Brian Steffen

Third place team hosted by Merck Animal Health (score 76):Warren Wilson, Steve Menke, Mike O’Neal, Randy Leete

Individual contests

Longest drive, men (hole #4): Brady White

Closest to the pin, men (hole #6): Jeff Zimmerman

Longest putt, men (hole #9): John Kolb

Straightest drive, men (hole #10): Gene Spellman

Closest to the pin, men (hole #13): Chad Grouwinkel

Longest putt, men (hole #15): Dale Mechler

Longest drive, men (hole #18): Curtis Bomgaars

Straightest drive, women (hole #1): Catherine Van Der Weide

Closest to the pin, women (hole #8): Judy Schmidt

Longest putt, women (hole #12): Judy Schmidt

Longest drive, women (hole #16): Catherine Van Der Weide

AASV Foundation earmarks $60,000 for research in 2014

The AASV Foundation board is moving forward with a revitalized commitment to fund research with direct application to the profession, announcing that $60,000 will be available for research support in 2014. This amount represents a dramatic increase from previous years – a direct result of the success of the 2013 fundraising auction, which was spurred to new heights by matching funds provided by MJ Biologics and MVP Laboratories. Bill Marks and Mary Lou Hogg, who signed the $100K matching-funds check last March, are intent on encouraging and supporting research to benefit the swine industry.

A call for research proposals will be issued by the foundation in mid-November at https://www.aasv.org/foundation, with submissions due by January 31, 2014. A maximum of US$30,000 may be requested per proposal. Proposals selected for funding will be announced on March 2, 2014, during the AASV Foundation Luncheon in Dallas, Texas.

For more information, contact the AASV Foundation, 830 26th Street, Perry, IA 50220–2328; Tel: 515-465-5255; Fax: 515-465-3832; E-mail: aasv@aasv.org.

Bigger and better in Texas? You bet!

It will be a challenge to surpass the results of the record-setting 2013 AASV Foundation fundraising auction, but Auction Committee Chairman Dr Daryl Olsen has no intention of sitting back and basking in the glory of last year’s amazing fundraising effort. Rather, he wants to spur the foundation to a new era of stability AND ability by increasing the foundation’s endowment so it can generate sustainable, substantial funding that will have a meaningful impact on the swine veterinary profession for years to come. He’s counting on another strong auction (or two) to help reach the foundation board’s goal of achieving an endowment of $1 million by the year 2015.

Of course, Dr Olsen is also counting on AASV members and industry to amaze him once again with enthusiastic participation in the 2014 fundraising auction, which will take place where all things are said to be bigger and better: Texas! Here’s how YOU can lend your support.

Donate an item for the auction by December 2

Do it now! Download the donation form at https://www.aasv.org/foundation and submit a description of your item(s) by December 2. Your contribution will be recognized in the printed auction catalog as well as on the auction Web site, and your name will appear in the JSHAP full-page spread recognizing all of our auction-item donors. If that’s not enough, there’s a good chance Dr Harry Snelson will say something witty about your donation in the AASV e-Letter, too!

Be creative and have fun! Successful auction items in the past have included handcrafted items, hunting and fishing trips, antiques, sporting equipment, books, electronics, artwork, jewelry and accessories, furniture, tickets to sporting events, lawnmowers and utility vehicles, and of course anything featuring pigs!

Raffle ticket, anyone?

Last year’s raffle raised nearly $24,000, so it’s a pretty good bet you’ll have another opportunity to support the foundation for a chance to win some incredible prizes. Stay tuned – and remember, you don’t have to be present at the AASV Annual Meeting to support the foundation!

Volunteer

Are you good at making friends and influencing people? Or stepping on toes and twisting arms? Either way, you’d make a great addition to the AASVF Auction Committee! Contact Dr Olsen or the AASV office if you would like to help make the 2014 auction bigger and better than ever.

Remember, proceeds from the auction enable funding for AASV Foundation programs designed to “ensure the future…create a legacy” for swine veterinarians, such as the following:

•  Administering endowments for the Howard Dunne and Alex Hogg Memorial lectures

•  Administering the Hogg Scholarship for a swine veterinarian pursuing an MS or PhD

•  Administering funding for Veterinary Student Scholarships

•  Co-sponsoring travel stipends for veterinary students attending the AASV Annual Meeting

•  Providing swine externship grants to veterinary students

•  Funding swine research with direct application to the profession

•  Administering funding for the National Pork Industry Foundation Internship Stipends

•  Providing support for Heritage Videos

•  Funding AASV student interns