VERSAILLES – Versailles Poultry Days is a volunteer-based organization that in addition to conducting an annual festival serves the Versailles community by supporting community projects and activities that improve quality of life for people of all ages. For 2018-2019 the festival made donations to: Versailles Historical Society, Versailles Bike Rodeo, Versailles Life Squad, Versailles Fire Department, Council of Churches, Kinder Korner, Versailles Hometown Christmas, TASKS, Versailles Youth Wrestling, Children’s Shrine Hospital, Boy Scouts, Versailles Library, Versailles Acme Baseball, Versailles Community Scholarship Fund, VFW, Versailles FFA, Versailles High School Musical, Confident Chicks, Versailles After Prom, Rage & Rocko Fire Prevention, Heritage Park and the Versailles Bicentennial. The festival also donated wood carvings to: Zac Richard Memorial Scholarship, FFA, Versailles Fire Station, Goat Farmers Club, Versailles Eagles, Friends of Hole Field, Diamond Club and Versailles Schools.
Over the past year, the festival was able to donate nearly $75,000 into the community and over $600,000 in the last 10 years. This included a contribution towards the replacement of the walking track and amphitheater being constructed at Heritage Park by YOLO and the Heritage Park Board. This project is currently under construction and still accepting donations.
Poultry Days recently met with Versailles Youth Wrestling. Poultry Days has supported this group with an annual donation for over 10 years. In true community partnership, the wrestlers, parents and coaches along with the Boy Scouts keep the festival grounds extremely clean during the festival.
In addition to supporting area groups with direct donations, the festival strives to include organizations in the festival to support their fundraising. This includes Versailles Music Boosters, VAPPA, The Zac Richard Memorial Scholarship, Knights of Columbus, YOLO, 4-H, and Versailles Lions. If your Versailles area organization would like to become involved, please contact them.
Poultry Days thanks festival goers and the volunteers and businesses that contribute their time and resources to the festival. Increasing attendance and chicken sales have allowed the board to keep pace with inflation and to invest back into the festival to maintain a quality event. The 2019 Versailles Poultry Days Festival will be held June 14-16. For more information, visit www.versaillespoultrydays.com.
