Hartford-Litchfield Sister Cities: July 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Group celebrates 40th Anniversary in Litchfield

Archie and Sue Fondren, Jimmy and Evelyn Strickland, and Stacy and Cary Hatcher spent July 4-9 in Litchfield, Minn., celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Sister City Program at their Watercade Festival.

Their first event was on Thurs., July 5, with the "Brat Feed" at Center Bank with entertainment by a live polka band!

It was followed by an "Ice Cream in the Park" sponsored by the Meeker County American Dairy Association where they met up with old friends, especially Bruce Cottington, founder of the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival.

On Fri., July 6, they toured two wind farms and the ethanol plant near Litchfield, then attended the Beach Party at Lake Ripley sponsored by KLFD Radio. The planned fireworks were rained out that night and postponed until Sat.

On Sat., July 7, they attended "Art in the Park" in downtown Litchfield featuring arts and crafts and several food booths, followed by a picnic lunch sponsored by the Peanut Butter and Milk Committee at Lake Ripley. That evening, they rode the 40th Anniversary float in the parade, and then attended the fireworks show at the Lake.

On Sun., July 8, they attended church with their host families and then the Little Crow Ski Team demonstration at Lake Ripley.

At the ethanol plant, Evelyn decided to clean up a bit, sweeping up corn that didn't make it through the slats in the floor!

Their visit concluded that afternoon at a lakeside picnic hosted by Roger and Janet Huhn - the same location where each delegation that attends in Feb. gets to snowmobile - and enjoyed a pontoon boat ride around the lake!

Thanks to host families and the Peanut Butter and Milk Committee for a great week! Each couple that attended had a wonderful time renewing old friendships!

Pork Sandwich Fundraiser

The Hartford Sister City group held a fundraiser on June 29 at the Square selling pork filet sandwiches, chips and a drink for $6. Thanks especially to Winton and Josh for their hard work with supplies, set up and cooking! And thanks to everyone who worked -- and purchased the lunches! Without you, we couldn't keep this program going . . . now in our 40th year!

History of Program

The idea began in January of 1971 when Bruce Cottington, a Litchfield grocery store owner and host of a talk show on local radio station KLFD, was talking about how often he ate peanut butter and drank milk. Looking for a good sales promotion, Litchfield was proclaimed the peanut butter capital of the world, and the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival was begun to promote rural America, good food, agriculture and the dairy industry, and young people.

As a lifetime Future Farmers of America (FFA) member, Cottington naturally involved the FFA.Cottington’s search through Auburn Univ. in Alabama led to Paul Dean, FFA advisor at Geneva County High School in Hartford. In October, Cottington’s family traveled to Alabama to make a presentation to then Governor George Wallace who signed a legislative resolution proclaiming Meeker County citizens as residents of Alabama. (Although they couldn't vote, they were welcome to pay taxes!) They then visited Hartford, Dothan and the National Peanut Festival. Cottington and Dean then developed the idea of a north-south FFA and FHA exchange program.

In 2008, the Sister Cities Program celebrated the 37th year of what has become an annual exchange of people, good will and peanut butter and milk. Hartford students and citizens travel to Litchfield each February for the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival, and Litchfield students and citizens travel to Hartford each November.