SASES Poster Abstract

-Real Chili Doesn't Have Beans!- What do chili and lawnmowers have in common?  Great fundraisers!  UNL's Agronomy club can be described as ambitious, outgoing, and not afraid of a challenge.  These qualities were certainly put to the test last year when the UNL Agronomy club teamed up with faculty members and graduate club members to participate in fundraising activities.  The club wanted to choose fundraisers that would promote agriculture and still reach a general public need while having fun in the process! 

The first fundraiser of the year was the first annual Agronomy Club Chili Cook-Off.  This cook-off was opened up to the faculty and staff of the University with three categories to enter chili under. So why did we choose to open the contest up to faculty and staff, and why a chili cook-off?  We believed having the Cook-Off would be an excellent, fun opportunity for the students to interact and stay involved with faculty members, while still promoting our club ambitions.

To finish out our fundraising for the year, the UNL Agronomy Club teamed up with the graduate club and the Mech systems club to provide a service for the public that would promote safety and environmental beautification.  For the second year, UNL hosted a lawnmower clinic.  This clinic offered anyone the opportunity to bring in their lawnmower in to have the oil changed, fixed, and cleaned up.  This fundraiser has been especially successful primarily because of the low cost we offer.  But not only did we feel that cost should be a factor but quality workmanship as well.  To keep obtaining customers it was vitally important to keep quality workmanship.  UNL Agronomy club had a good recipe for fundraisers to mow right into!