releases: http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362452
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| http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362452 | Blaine's Bulletin- An Act of Kindness Out of Lincoln County | 2013-11-22 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Republican | House | MO | Blaine Luetkemeyer | L000569 | luetkemeyer.house.gov | legacy | Thanksgiving is a time to pause, reflect and be thankful for the many blessings in our lives; a country full of opportunities, a loving family and special friends. Over the course of my travels around the district, I am able to meet many wonderful people with inspirational and sometimes tragic stories to tell. The following story should be inspirational to all. share: f t Thanksgiving is a time to pause, reflect and be thankful for the many blessings in our lives; a country full of opportunities, a loving family and special friends. Over the course of my travels around the district, I am able to meet many wonderful people with inspirational and sometimes tragic stories to tell. The following story should be inspirational to all. Nathan, a 15-year-old from Elsberry, and his story came to my attention when I had the opportunity to meet with him and other Future Farmers of America (FFA) members from Elsberry. That was in August, so this story has stuck with me for quite some time. It is a story that begins with an awful tragedy and ends with an act of complete and utter kindness. It is also a story that shows how impactful a single selfless act can have on a community and the people in it. Jillian Ann Young was a National Merit Scholar and a cheerleader, but Nathan and Jillian had forged their friendship in the FFA, as so many young people do. But that friendship forever changed on March 4, 2013, when Jillian was killed in an automobile accident on her way to school. Following her passing, the Jillian Young Foundation was created to provide college scholarships to students from Elsberry with financial need displaying academic excellence, strong citizenship and character and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to society. And that’s where Nathan decided to make a difference, even though he wasn’t sure if he could. Nathan decided that at this year’s Lincoln County Fair, he’d donate every penny he earned from the auction of his hog to the Jillian Young Memorial Scholarship. As with most young people showing livestock, Nathan sent letters seeking potential buyers and made it clear where the proceeds from the sale of his animal would go. But early returns were not encouraging, even though his parents told him to keep his head held high. Perhaps something would work out, they assured him. Behind the scenes, as Nathan focused on getting his hog ready, Nathan’s parents, as well as his advisor Jason Vandivort, enlisted the help of folks in the community to spread the word about Nathan’s promise to honor his friend. When the day finally arrived for Nathan to show his hog, something seemed different to him than it had in the past when he showed an animal. It was as if, Nathan has said, that someone was holding his hand in that ring. And then the bids began and they kept going higher and higher. Far above the $6 a pound that was typical for a hog like Nathan’s and, by the time it was over, the winning bid for Nathan Stone’s hog at the 2013 Lincoln County Fair was a whopping $31 a pound. Some say that the $8,600 Nathan raised was a fundraising record at the Lincoln County Fair. But Nathan wasn’t interested in records. After expenses, which he had to be talked into taking, Nathan was able to contribute $7,800 to the Jillian Young Memorial Scholarship. Nathan was later given the hog back, where he sold it on the market and donated those funds as well. The story of Nathan and Jillian is one that makes me thankful to represent such wonderful folks. There are so many stories of selfless acts throughout the 13 counties that I represent, and this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for those folks who make the 3rd District such a wonderful place to live and to represent in Congress. On behalf of myself, my family and my staff, I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and a Blessed and Joyous Christmas season. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |