The Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association is doing their part to make sure students in the county and city schools have fresh beef to work with in their family and consumer science classes.

On Tuesday, members of the Cattlemen’s Association continued a 20-year tradition of distributing ground chuck and thinly-sliced steak to representatives from Phil Campbell High School, Red Bay High School and Russellville High School, which are the only three schools that have family and consumer science departments.

“The reason we do this is to celebrate Beef Month, which was held in October,” Orland Britnell, past state and county president of the Cattlemen’s Association, said. “But we also want these students to learn the importance of beef and how nutritional and easy it is to use.”

Britnell said that they donate ground chuck and thinly-sliced steak because both of these can be cooked within an hour-long class period.

RBHS family and consumer science teacher Sherry Hutcheson said she already has plans for the beef she received. “I’m planning to use the beef between now and Dec. 15 for a beef cook-off competition,” she said. “The beef will also be helpful because we will be able to learn different cooking techniques with different kinds of meat.”

“We use the ground chuck to learn grilling techniques and we use the steak when we study foods from different countries,” PCHS family and consumer science teacher Amy Gunderman said. “We use the steak in dishes like stir fry and fajitas.”

Both Gunderman and Hutcheson added that the Cattlemen’s Association supplying them with beef saves them money that they will now be able to use in other areas.

“I’ve taught in several other counties and this is the only county where the Cattlemen’s Association does this for the schools,” Gunderman said.

RHS representative Mike Powell was appreciative of the donation.

“This will really help our family and consumer science department, especially in a time where money is scarce,” he said.

“I just want to thank the Cattlemen for what they do,” Franklin County Superintendent Gary Williams said. “Not only do they supply beef for our schools but they also provide scholarships for our seniors. Last year they gave out 26 scholarships and every school receives some of them.”

Britnell added that the Cattlemen’s Association is proud to support the schools and will continue to do so for as long as they can.