Derek's Project

We see a lot about Lainey here, but what about Lainey's parents? We've come accustom to our child's stardom, as the paparazzi follows her around... but behind every pretty baby are some exhausted hard working parents.

So anyway. Derek had a big event pass in the middle of October. He is a member of the Texas Section of the Society of Range Management (TSSRM). This organization is comprised of landowners, farmers, ranchers, educators, students, government employees who are looking out for and are interested in the health and future of our rangelands and natural resources. Derek has been a Camp Director and Counselor for the Youth Range Workshop which is sponsored and organized by the TSSRM. This week long camp is held in Junction, TX every July and is basically a crash course of a Rangeland Ecology degree. It teaches plant identification, water resources, range health and management, controlled burns, stocking rates and many other topics. I could go on and on about why Derek enjoys this camp and what he's learned from it... but that's not what I'm here to write about.

Anyway. He was on a committee this year to raise money for the youth camp. Their committee decided to do a reverse raffle at the state conference. For the raffle, Derek and his dad built and donated this fire pit. Derek welded this together in his dad's shop. Together he and Ronny put in about 30 hours. The top piece was cut by a local FFA teacher using a computerized plasma torch. The pit has two cooking surfaces that can swing out to the side and move up and down to different heights. The pit also has a lip around the edge that can be used for cooking utensils and such. He's got a few hooks at the top to hang a dutch kettle from.

At the end of the evening, they had raised over $5000 for the camp. Well over what they had expected to raise. Prizes included the pit (grand prize), a $500 & $700 cash award, gate signs, a handmade mesquite pen & pencil set (Donated by our Uncle Randy King), Mooremaker knife, Case knife, and a Hummingbird feeder set. Additionally, they auctioned off an original painting donated by one of our friends here. He's a high school art teacher and does paintings on the side. He's a well known western artist that goes by Tanner Wells .

So, yeah... I thought I'd share something going on with us other than Lainey.