I didn’t get an allowance when I was younger. If I wanted to buy something, I had to earn the money for it. That being said, I owe Tom Rawn and his team for pretty much every penny that I earned from the time I was 8 until I was 16. I raised market lambs in 4-H and at the end of the Franklin County Fair each year, Tom and his crew would help us kids get the most for our projects. Some years it was tough. I remember times that Tom wouldn’t end an auction until a kid got at least a certain price. Other times(like at this year’s creative baking auction), Tom himself would kick in the money to make sure that every kid got at least a minimum amount. If it was your last year in 4-H, Tom would hold up the auction to remind all the bidders that this was it and let’s send them out with a bang. Even outside of 4-H, Tom has a presence in the community. When my elderly neighbor asked for my advice on who to have auction off some of her belongings without taking her for a ride, I suggested Tom. She couldn’t have been happier.