The University of Illinois' Illini Dairy Club was founded in 1927 and has been running strong ever since. The dairy club has meetings once a month during the school year, which are run by the president, but the floor is open to discussion and suggestions from the students at all times. Our first meeting is normally held at the UIUC dairy farm. This is a great opportunity for members to see the ava
ilable positions at the dairy. Additionally, any members that work on the farm can answer questions about the UIUC dairy farm. November brings the cheese sales activities in preparation for the Christmas season. Club members use the proceeds from the cheese sales to fund some of their activities. The November meeting also is the time for candidates for leadership roles in the club to begin looking forward to the December elections. In December, the seniors of the club get together and choose who they think would best fill each position, coming up with a "Senior Slate." The choices are presented at the December meeting and if everyone approves it passes, but it may also be voted down, and a regular election procedure follows. The spring semester becomes very busy with activities. The beginning to middle of February marks the annual Midwest Regional ADSA-SAD meetings, which are held at a different state university each year. Our club hosted these meetings in 1995, 2001, and 2012. The PDCA calf sale is held in April. The sale is sponsored by the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association and hosted by the Illini Dairy Club. Members are in charge of getting the animals ready for the sale, keeping them clean, passing slips, leading and the food stand. The Dairy Club Awards Banquet is held at the conclusion of the second semester and it honors and recognizes the club's outstanding members and achievements throughout the year. Proud parents, faculty of the Animal Sciences Department, scholarship donors attend the banquet. Even though the school year is over, that doesn't mean the work is. During the Illinois State Fair, the Dairy Club, along with the U of I Dairy Farm, has an exhibit. The Dairy Farm shows their animals in the State Fair, while the Dairy Club puts on their Milk-A-Cow booth. This is the club's moneymaker and several members of the Dairy Club give up their summer freedom to work the booth and help with the exhibit at the State Fair. This is only a piece of what the Dairy Club is all about. The Pipeline goes into more detail of the club's activities over the past year. If you are interested in the University of Illinois or in becoming a member of the Illini Dairy Club contact Derek Nolan at [email protected]