An acclaimed public speaker will share her perspective on farm living at next month’s “Da Ladies Nite Out.”
Sponsored by the Elgin Chapter of the Knights of Columbus, the 23rd annual event will be held Wednesday night, April 24, at the KC Hall.
Guest speaker for this year’s event is Karen Schwaller of Milford, Iowa.
She told The Elgin Review last week she will bring a message of hope to share with more than 200 ladies expected to attend that night.
“I hope to share a message telling women their value in our world–from the work they do to the heart they put into all of that, including their families, communities and society overall,” she said. “Of course, I will have a spiritual undertone with some of it, and a humorous twist to other parts of it, but overall, I hope they come away from my presentation feeling good about all they are as women of society, and as women of God.”
Looking at life through an “ag lens,” she shared her thoughts on what makes ag life the best life. “There are so many things to be learned in a life of agriculture–the farm is a teacher with a barn as its anchor. There are lessons about life and death, responsibility, dreams, finances and more, that cannot be taught from a textbook, but can only be lived,” Schwaller said.
“The farm teaches people of all ages, as we never stop learning from it–owing our lives to its very being. Agriculture is going through some tough times today, and farm families experience some of the best and worst times as they sail through those rough waters. But in the end, they find that rough times only help them try harder–if only because the farm has taught them that kind of work ethic from the very beginning. A farm is a great place for kids–and adults–to grow up.”
More information about tickets will be announced at a later date.
Schwaller said humor and heart are so important to the agricultural way of life.
She said they are both important because you cannot continue to keep farming during tough times without a heart to do it; that is instilled in farm kids at a very young age, and it’s a good thing because they know it will not always be easy to make a living from the farm.
“Farmers have a lot of heart–especially livestock farmers–because they have to have enough heart to care for other living beings. But livestock or not, they have to love what they do, because it would otherwise be too hard to do the work in the face of all they have to deal with.
“Humor goes right along with it, because with all that can happen on the farm, a person needs to practice resiliency–coming back from a setback. Humor is the best way to deal with setbacks of any kind, agriculture or not. It helps us stay focused on what’s really important, and sometimes allows forgiveness to more easily enter into the picture when that is necessary. And when financially tough times come to the farm, humor can help farm families through them–even if it’s only that they can laugh about it after it has passed. Humor can get us though a lot of things–and it can help bind a family together if it is applied in all the right ways,” she said.
Tickets are sure to go fast for what promises to be a very special night. Tickets will soon be available for purchase at Dean’s Market, Lordemann Insurance, The Elgin Review or from any KC member. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with dinner served by KC members at 6:30 p.m.
