2008 PRESS RELEASES
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September 15, 2008
NINTH-GRADER WINS EAT LOCAL FOR A DAY CONTEST
Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804.786.7686
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced the winner today in the Eat Local for a Day challenge for Virginia Farmers Market Week, which was August 3 - 9. The winner is 14-year-old Gavin Erskine of Charlottesville. Gavin’s video, “From Our State to Your Plate” showed how he and his family ate only Virginia products for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even how they served Virginia-produced doggie snacks to the family dog. His video is posted on www.virginiagrown.com or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGy5r-2wiO8.
“Gavin’s video was exactly what we were looking for when we decided to sponsor this contest,” said Todd Haymore, VDACS Commissioner. “Our goal was to get people thinking about all the places they can find local products, and then buy them. He and his family hit everything from local bakeries and coffee roasters to farmers markets and farms. They showed fresh products, as Gavin put it – ‘Vegetables, vegetables, and more vegetables.’ But they also showed ham, eggs, candies, chocolates, dog snacks, milk, juice, wine, cheese, meats and so much more. His video was witty, showed a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for Virginia products and his title won us over from the start.”
In the closing credits for his 5-minute video, Gavin wrote “Thanks Va. Dept. of Agriculture for putting on this contest. We had a blast!” When VDACS called the family to say Gavin had won, his mother Kathy said they had bought local in the past but entering the contest really opened their eyes to the great variety of Virginia products out there beyond ham and peanuts - like beef, chicken, eggs, breads and baked goods. Mrs. Erskine also said that Gavin told her that if he won he wanted to donate the food products in his prize package to their local food bank.
Gavin is a 9th grader at Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville. He will receive a prize basket full of Virginia products, including fresh fruits and vegetables from his part of the state; many Virginia’s Finest products; and a Virginia Grown polo shirt and baseball cap.