Franklin County Cattleman Orland Britnell reads to first grade students at Russellville’s West Elementary School this past week.

There aren’t many organizations that are more active in the county than the Franklin County Cattleman’s Association.

Even though their community activities take place all year-long, the Cattlemen are especially busy in the month of October, which is National Beef Month.

One of their long-standing traditions during October is participating in the Alabama Cattleman’s Association’s “Read Across Alabama” initiative.

Throughout the month, a member of the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association will go to a local school and read a beef or cattle-related book geared toward the younger students to help them understand the importance of beef and the beef industry.

Orland Britnell, Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association vice-president and past state president, recently read to the first grade students and the third grade students in the Russellville City School System.

Britnell said typically the Cattlemen only read to the first grade students, but this year they also included the third grade students as well.

“It was great to get to read to the kids and to help answer all their questions,” Britnell said.

“You wouldn’t believe how many kids there are that don’t realize where the meat for the hamburgers comes from or the leather for their ball gloves.

“We want them to learn early on the importance of the cattle industry and being a cattle farmer.”

Britnell said once each Cattleman reads at the different elementary schools in the county, the books will then be donated to the schools’ libraries so the students can read the books as often as they would like.

“The kids always seem to have a good time with this activity, and we all do too,” Britnell said.

“We are glad to support our local cattle farmers by promoting the industry, and we are glad to support our communities and our schools by reading to the students and donating these books.”