TRIBUTE TO HARRY DENDY
Congressional Record Vol. 171, No. 9
(Senate - January 16, 2025) PDF
Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to recognize
Harry Dendy as he retires from the sales committee of the Dixie
National Sale of Junior Champions. Each year, hundreds of young
agriculture enthusiasts gather at the State fairgrounds in Jackson, MS,
to show their livestock at this sale. Mr. Dendy has attended every sale
since 1975, making this year's sale on February 6 his 50th.
The Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions consistently raises money
for 4-H and Future Farmers of America scholarships and programs that
shape Mississippi youth to become the State's agriculture leaders. The
sale and the programs it supports enable youth to develop both the
technical knowledge and soft skills that they will need to become
professionals working to feed and clothe the world. There is hardly any
better way for youth to learn essential life skills like patience,
persistence, hard work, and personal responsibility than by working
with livestock.
Mr. Dendy has been a cornerstone of this sale for decades, and his
hard work and support have been essential to the sale's success in youth
development. Mr. Dendy's passion for agriculture and its future has been
evident throughout his entire life. He first joined 4-H in Chickasaw County,
MS, at the age of 10 and later worked for the Farm Credit System for 33 years.
He served multiple roles on the 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees and was
instrumental in the development of the Mississippi 4-H Learning Center and Pete
Frierson 4-H Museum. He was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame
in 2011.
I look forward to watching the future of the Dixie National Sale of
Junior Champions continue to grow on the foundation that Mr. Dendy has
laid. Mr. Dendy leaves behind big shoes to fill, but I am confident his
legacy will continue to inspire the sale and its youth toward success
for decades to come.