GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – The Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska got an unexpected boost — and some unexpected boots — this week for its upcoming "Famous Boots Auction" thanks to Omaha billionaire Warren Buffett.
Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., autographed a pair of cowboy boots donated by The Boot Rack in Albion, Neb., and Justin Boots, a Berkshire Hathaway company in Fort Worth, Texas.
In addition to his signature, Buffett wrote “I love beef!” on one boot. Buffett is a well-known steak lover who includes a visit to his favorite Omaha steakhouse each year during the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting.
The Famous Boots Auction is just one of many fun fundraising activities scheduled during the 11th annual Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska event scheduled for June 5-6, near Doniphan, Neb.
The Cattlemen’s Ball will be hosted by Robb Feed Yard, the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, the village of Doniphan and surrounding communities. The event’s theme, "Give Cancer the Boot," reflects both the fun-filled spirit the event’s organizers have created and the seriousness with which they see their cause.
The Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska, Inc. was established to promote beef in a healthy diet, to showcase rural Nebraska and to raise money for health care research. To date, the event has raised more than $3 million for the University of Nebraska Medical Center Eppley Cancer Center, while 10 percent of these funds have been granted to local health care organizations.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Mr. Buffett is helping us give cancer the boot by lending his autograph on these boots,” said event co-chair Don Deitemeyer. “His support means a great deal to the event, and we anticipate that his boots will be among the most highly sought after during the auction and help us achieve our goal of a new fundraising record for the Cattlemen’s Ball.”
Buffett’s boots join a camouflage pair donated by comedian Larry the Cable Guy, who included his famous “Git R Done!” line with his autograph.
“The ‘Give Cancer the Boot’ theme is terrific and getting celebrities to sign the boots is great way to generate more funds for cancer research,” said Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center. “It is quite a coup to get Warren Buffett to do something like this. I salute the committee for making this happen. It should make the auction extra special.”
Cattlemen’s Ball organizers anticipate receiving several more autographed boots from state and national celebrities in the coming months. The boots will be auctioned at a June 6 auction at the ball. A selection of donated boots can be seen at the event Web site at www.cattlemensball.com.
The two-day event includes a variety of activities including an art show, wine tasting, casino, live and silent auctions, style show, cooking demonstrations, health screenings and a general store.
A Full Throttle Driving School at Hastings Motorsports Park and a golf tournament at Lochland Country Club are among the weekend’s activities. The event will be capped off by a concert by country music star Craig Morgan.
Tickets for the 2009 Cattlemen’s Ball are now on sale at all Bank of Doniphan branches in Doniphan, Grand Island and Hastings. For ticket information, contact Stacy Bieck at 402-845-6565 or sbieck@bankofdoniphan.com.
Organizers also are looking for volunteers to serve as “ranch hands” for several event activities. Interested people can contact Chris Sullivan at 308-380-7437 or sullyville@charter.net.
For more information and regular updates, visit www.cattlemensball.com.
The UNMC Eppley Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer center in the state of Nebraska, the only NCI-designated cancer center from the Canadian border to Texas, and one of just 63 such cancer centers in the United States. One of the founding 19 members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center brings patient care, biomedical research, and educational programs together to benefit cancer patients, their families and the public.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.