Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
Called to volunteer! Thanks for joining me today on Ranch Raised!
There is no doubt that American society loves plugging children into a variety of extracurricular activities to help them develop skills and grow their passions. Now that we have settled into our back-to-school routine, many parents already have their calendars occupied with evenings or weekends when they are volunteering in their communities, especially at youth activities. I thank you for your time and service to these activities.
I am getting to the point where I think kids in this country completely take for granted the opportunities made available to them because of the hard work and sacrifice of volunteers. I am also getting to the point where I would love to make a law that states in order to participate in an activity, you have to give back to that activity! Can I get a “hallelujah” or am I being too harsh?
I know at some high schools; athletes must volunteer to run little kid’s sports programs or tournaments in their communities. Does your kid participate in rodeo? Great, maybe the next time an amateur rodeo event is in town, they should take tickets or work the stripping chute. Same goes for showing livestock. When was the last time your showman helped find sponsors or left their livestock at home to help work a show?
We all LOVE having top notch activities to plug our kids in to. But, I am definitely noticing a drain on the volunteer pool. I think it is time to refresh that pool and make sure we can all say confidently we are giving back to the activities we love so much!
Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 4 children near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Watching the cattle industry go the path that it has gone, she could no longer sit quietly at home checking cows, fixing fence, and doing all the everyday tasks wondering when some else was going to make it all better. As she became more active and outspoken on industry issues, she was asked to join the R-CALF USA staff in September 2020 as the Checkoff Petition Campaign manager. That position transcended into her former role as full time Field Director for R-CALF USA.
Listen to Ranch Raised on a Your Ag Network hometown station or www.youragnetwork.com where she talks about her daily life on the Jones Ranch.
Cattle producers are her people. She will meet you at the county fair, at the sale barn, or anywhere the dusty trail leads.
karina@youragnetwork.com or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
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