PORTLAND — Sue McCrum of Mars Hill, representing Maine Agri-Women, was awarded the LEAVEN Award at the American Agri-Women (AAW) national convention recently.
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Contributed photo Sue McCrum of Mars Hill, left, accepts the LEAVEN Award from American Agri-Women’s LEAVEN Chair Merlynn Verstuyft. McCrum, AAW president and a member of Maine Agri-Women, and her family have a 4,000-acre potato farm. |
The award was first given in 1977 and uses the acronym LEAVEN — loyalty, enthusiasm, anticipatory, valiant, effectiveness and nurturing — to evaluate the candidates.
According to AAW officials, leaven (yeast) is a small element that can interact and influence everything around it. It permeates and raises the elements it’s mixed with. Leaven multiplies its effectiveness for good. AAW presents the LEAVEN Award to those persons who, to an outstanding degree, have acted as leaven, a truly feminine concept since “lady” means giver of bread. Winners are nominated by an AAW affiliate.
McCrum has been the president of AAW for the last two years and was the driving force behind this summer’s Drive Across America, a five-month educational and advocacy tour that marked its beginning June 3, 2015, at McCain Foods in Easton and visited sites across the country.
She was referred to by her peers as “a great communicator and ‘agvocate’,” having served on the AAW Foundation Board. Under her leadership, the organization created the new executive administrative position to help AAW become more effective. In addition, McCrum has been a hospice volunteer and is described as a rock for her family, friends and community. She has helped to grow her family’s 4,000-acre potato farm and their potato manufacturing business.
Her nomination stated, “What woman would dedicate five months out of her life as a volunteer to promote AAW, women and family farms? Sue McCrum, of course. Her enthusiasm for AAW and Agriculture is obvious when we look at her dedication to the Drive, but we all know what it extends way beyond this. She has been an enthusiastic supporter of agriculture, AAW, people and life for as long as we have all known her.”
Reacting to receiving the LEAVEN Award, McCrum said it was “humbling.” She added, “This award was given to me by my peers in American Agri-Women. I am grateful for those who supported me over the years of my involvement in AAW. Somewhere it has been said that we are only as good as the company we keep. Fortunately, the company I keep within AAW has been awesome!”
American Agri-Women (AAW) promotes a safe and reliable food, fiber and mineral supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers, advocate for agriculture and offer networking and professional development opportunities.
Closer to home, Maine Agri-Women was organized in 1992 in Aroostook County to unite farm women, advocate for family farming and promote agricultural awareness.
