9-year-old at fair donates proceeds from selling her pig to help build a new barn

By Erika Stanish

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    FAYETTE COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — She’s a fourth-generation 4-H’er and has quickly learned the values behind being involved in the agriculture community.

“It’s just letting kids grow to mature in life and learn things. Teaching responsibility, and like I said, agriculture is the backbone of this country, and it’s just good to be able to give back, and I couldn’t be any prouder of her,” said CJ Diamond, Harper’s father.

That’s why Harper decided during the livestock auction Friday to donate all the earnings awarded from selling her pig to a building fund for a new barn at the fairgrounds.

“She handed the auctioneer a piece of paper telling him that, and we were shocked, but the response was overwhelming,” said Linda Diamond, Harper’s grandmother.

“Normally, the animals bring right around $1,200. Well, a former 4-H member and his brother ran the bid up,” said Chris Diamond, Harper’s grandfather. “They ran the pig to $42.50 a pound, which generated right around $13,000.”

But it didn’t stop there.

It, instead, had a ripple effect on the crowd, who also began pitching in.

“They would offer, ‘Hey, I’d like to add $1 to that, another $2 for $5,’ per pound that is, in the pig weight, I believe, was 270 pounds,” Chris recalled.

In the end, Harper’s hope to help raised $27,000.

“We were needing a new barn, and we needed a fundraiser to build up the money to build the barn,” Harper said.

All the proceeds will go toward building the new pig barn.

“I mean, $42 a pound is a lot for just the, you know, basic marketplace, but the meat behind it, and the little girl that wants to make a difference, it just really, just really thankful to everybody,” Corey Diamond said.

The Diamond family says the new building will leave an avenue for generations to come to be part of 4-H.

The current pig barn at the fair has stood for 50 years and is set to be torn down next Monday. The Fayette County Fair Association has agreed to help take on the project to rebuild, but it needs more funding.

If you’d like to donate to help build a new barn, click here.

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