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Farm City Day honors Marvin Owings as 2022 Volunteer of the Year

N.C. Cooperative Extension Service agent Steve Pettis presents Farm City Day Volunteer of the Year award to former extension director Marvin Owings Jr.

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 20, 2023

N.C. Cooperative Extension Service agent Steve Pettis presented the Farm City Day Volunteer of the Year award to former extension director Marvin Owings Jr. last week during a Hendersonville Kiwanis Club meeting.

Owings, who served at the ag extension agency from 1985 until his retirement in March 2017, said the farm-promoting festival serves an important purpose. “If you were to canvass all the children in the county, ‘Where does our food come from?’ over 50 percent would probably say grocery store,” he said. “We need to continue to educate these young folks about agriculture, whether it’s dairy, apples or even ornamentals.” The award presentation was made belatedly at the Kiwanis Club because Hurricane Ian caused cancellation of the farm festival last September.

New member Mike Breedlove (center) poses with Club President TyKeplinger (left) and sponsor Dick Lepak.The meeting was the club’s first at Grace Lutheran Church, where Breedlove’s Family Restaurant will be providing lunch. Also during the meeting, restaurant owner Mike Breedlove was inducted as a new member of the club.