Ingram, Collins Recognized for Distinguished Service
Each year, West Virginia Farm Bureau selects one male and one female to receive the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of their contributions to the establishment, development, advancement or improvement of agriculture through their service to West Virginia Farm Bureau.
This year’ s recipients are Bonnie Collins and Bill Ingram.
Bonnie Collins was born and raised on a farm near Wileyville, West Virginia, in 1946. After graduating high school, she married Junior Collins and for several years lived on military bases in North Carolina and Virginia while he served in the Marine Corps. During this time she raised three children and worked as a seamstress. Enrolling in the Woodbridge Beauty Academy, she attended evening classes for 18 months to receive her beauty operator license. But she longed to return to the farm.
In 1977, the family moved back to the farm where Bonnie was born. They rebuilt the house, built fence, added buildings and soon were raising Hereford cattle, rabbits and poultry. Bonnie used everything
they raised, freezing and canning it. Each fall they butchered a beef to put in the freezer to feed the family for the year. She also raised a large garden, had fruit trees and berry vines. While Junior drove school bus, the farm chores fell on Bonnie and the kids. She learned to be a pretty good farmer, handling all the calving duties on her own and tending to all the animals’ needs- while caring for three children. Life on the farm wasn’ t easy, but she always enjoyed it.
In 1982, Junior & Bonnie joined the Wetzel County Farm Bureau( WCFB) and took on a very active role. Bonnie served on the Women’ s Committee and compiled several winning scrapbooks. She entered and won many pie baking contests. Bonnie became one of the first female county president in WVFB. She stepped up and kept the county program together and saw membership and participation grow. She also served on the WCFB Board of Directors. Bonnie has served as voting delegate for the WCFB many times, has helped with the Ag in the Classroom program, poster contests and Heritage Days. Bonnie received her 30 year service award, was named 2012 WCFB Female Distinguished member, and was inducted into the WCFB Hall of Fame in 2012.
8 West Virginia Farm Bureau News