 |
This pair of Justin Boots was signed and donated by billionaire Warren Buffett to be auctioned at the Cattlemen’s Ball in June. |
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 UNMC 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.”
|
|
“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.