COLCHESTER, Vermont, and BLAINE, Maine — American Agri-Women has honored an Aroostook County agricultural leader with one of two national LEAVEN Awards.
Pam Townsend of Blaine, president of Maine Agri-Women, recently received the award.
American Agri-Women officials said the group presents the LEAVEN Award to those persons who, to an outstanding degree, have acted as “leaven,” an appropriate feminine concept since “lady” means giver of bread.
According to a statement from Carie M. Moore, vice president of communications for the national organization, “‘‘Leaven’ (yeast) is a small element that can interact and influence everything around it. It permeates and raises the elements it’s mixed with; it multiplies its effectiveness for good.”
American Agri-Women LEAVEN Award Chairwoman Kimberly Schmuhl said Townsend, along with the other awardee, Jean Goslin of Kansas Agri-Women, stood out among the nominees.
“Pam is quiet and soft-spoken yet very passionate and dedicated to AAW. She is hard-working but prefers to be in the background or behind the scenes getting the job done,” Schmuhl said.
Townsend serves on the American Agri-Women Foundation board and consistently attends fly-in, midyear and annual meetings, never having missed a convention since her first in 2012 in Colorado.
She is in charge of event scholarships and single-handedly runs AAW’s Legacy Kids program. She is president of her state affiliate, which has seen membership increase under her leadership.
“Her grandfather was a potato farmer and she picked potatoes and worked on the harvester during school breaks and she is still working in the potato industry today. She can be trusted to get the job done in a timely manner and she always gives it her best. She is caring, honest, supportive and kind,” Schmuhl said.
She said Goslin’s family continues to raise beef cattle while also managing their hay operation on their ranch. Among her many contributions, Goslin is a longtime member of her state affiliate, former vice president of education for American Agri-Women and served on the Vital Issues Committee for AAW.
The first awards committee, formed in 1977, came up with the word “leaven” as a means of evaluating the candidates, to include the following: L, for loyalty to the mission of AAW; E, for enthusiasm; A, for being anticipatory (thinks and plans ahead; does not react to crises only; V, for being valiant (has courage; overcomes any natural timidity); E, for effectiveness (exhibits ability to produce intended effects); and N for nurturing (encourages and helps develop the talents and skills of others).
“As AAW recognizes these women, we hope they are individuals that our members will look up to as mentors and dedicated volunteers,” Schmuhl said.
