Hartford-Litchfield Sister Cities: Hartford Alabama Litchfield Minnesota Sister Cities

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Celebrating 40 Years of Friendship

How fast the week went by -- but what a wonderful time we had hosting the Litchfield regular group (Nov. 5-13) and the 40th Anniversary group (Nov. 10-13)! And here is a slide-show of the past 40 years:

It's amazing to see how the clothing and hair styles have changed over the past 40 years -- but our bond of friendship has only grown stronger!

Anyone willing to share photos to add to this album, email to Cary Hatcher. And here's to another 40 years of friendship!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Welcome 2008 Litchfield Delegates

Hartford welcomed our Litchfield delegates Sat., Nov. 1, when they rolled in to the gazebo on the square in downtown Hartford. They were welcomed by host families, members of the committee and city officials including Mayor Eria Sorrells. The 2008 delegates are:

Jennifer Turck, hosted by Hayden Hatfield
Tyler Warren, hosted by Jake Waters
Nick Maahs, hosted by Adam Brunson
Andy Siegler, hosted by Maggie Galloway
Rachael Becker, Dairy Princess, hosted by Allyson Tindell
Jayne Ackman, hosted by Angie & Tony Lee
Darcy Cole, hosted by Debbie & Mike Brunson

A busy week for our guests is planned.

Sunday - They joined their host families at church, then some met at Stacy Hatcher's home to shoot skeet. The day ended with a barbecue at Wiregrass Electric Co-op's community room. The barbecue was furnished by Joshua and Winton Fulford.
Monday - The group traveled to Montgomery to tour the Capitol and other sites of interest. They attended the National Peanut Festival that evening, with the highlight the Calf Scramble and Greasy Pig Chase. Hartford's two students, Bradley Kinman and Eric Walding, both were successful in catching calves.
Tuesday - Tours of Sysco in Geneva, and the Carver Museum and Michelin Plant in Dothan. A community banquet was held at 7:00 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church sponsored by Harrell Milling Company and decorations by Paul Spivey, Hartford's Florist and Gifts.

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.