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Williamsburg senior teams up with SIDS Foundation
Hinrichsen honors baby Max at Governor’s Charity Steer Show
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WILLIAMSBURG — When Elery Hinrichsen was offered a chance to participate in the Governor’s Charity Steer Show this year, the Williamsburg senior felt she needed to honor a little boy she used to babysit.
“I lost a little boy I babysat to SIDs,” Hinrichsen said last month. Hinrichsen decided to represent the Iowa SIDS Foundation during the steer show in honor of Max Krueger.
“It needed to be done for Max and be able to honor him and his family,” Hinrichsen said.
Max, the son of Chase and Rachel Krueger, died of SIDS June 3 at the age of eight months. Hinrichsen used to babysit Max and his brother, Alex, who is now two. The Kruegers are friends of the family, Hinrichsen said.
Hinrichsen contacted Iowa SIDS Foundation, and Iowa SIDS Foundation Executive Director Casey Manser, became her celebrity partner for the steer show. The Iowa SIDS Foundation gave Hinrichsen a sweatshirt with the names of babies lost to SIDS, including Max, on the back.
Alex and his parents were at the steer show to support Hinrichsen.
Hinrichsen, the daughter of Neil and Mandy Hinrichsen, has been showing steers for four years and is the Iowa Simmental Princess.
Iowa County Supporters sends a representative to the steer show every year, Hinrichsen said. Hinrichsen finished third at the Iowa County Fair, but the exhibitors who finished first and second had already been to the Governor’s Steer Show so Hinrichsen was offered the opportunity.
“It’s extra work,” said Hinrichsen, so most people don’t take part in the show more than once.
Participants have to have a fundraiser and secure sponsors and donations for the Ronald McDonald House. They earn points for the Community Hero Award by collecting canned goods and pop tabs.
Likes and shares on the Steer Show Facebook page also contribute to the point total.
The steer show itself judges the quality of the animals. Hinrichsen finished fifth out of 25 exhibitors.
“I felt really good but also sad to say good-bye to my steer,” Hinrichsen said. She always gets close to the animals she takes care of.
Mack was named for the Mack truck in the “Cars” movies, said Hinrichsen. Her team T-shirts included a picture of the “Cars” character.
In addition to showing their steers, the 25 exhibitors had lunch with the Gov. Kim Reynolds, visited Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines and cleaned up around the grounds.
Hinrichsen didn’t know any of the other exhibitors before the steer show, she said. “I formed some really good friendships through that experience.”
Before leaving for state fair, Hinrichsen conducted a canned food and pasta drive for the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City and collected 44 pounds of can tabs to donate, her mother said. She also purchased gift cards, personal care items and other wish list items for patient families staying at the house.
Donations came from 4-H friends and families and people who saw Hinrichsen’s Facebook post asking for donations. The Iowa State University Extension office in Williamsburg was the drop-off point for donations.
Hinrichsen has collected pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House before. She collected 270 pounds for a 4-H project last year. Collecting 44 pounds this year was good, said Hinrichsen, considering the short time she had to collect them.
After her final year of high school Hinrichsen is headed to Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs to major in ag business and to join their dance team. She’s been dancing since she was two and competes with Debut Dance in North Liberty, she said.
The Governor’s Charity Steer Show raised more than $569,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, this year through fundraising and sale of the steers, according to a press release.
The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer has surpassed $6 million in donations since its inception in 1983.
All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50 states and many foreign countries.
Families from all 99 counties in Iowa have benefited from the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa, according to The Governor’s Steer Show.
The charity steer show is hosted by the Office of the Governor of Iowa, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council.
