Gene Wiles Memorial Fund Awarded at Washington County Ag Expo

The Community Foundation of Washington County MD and the Wiles family presented the Gene Wiles Memorial Award of $1,000 to Magdalene Green during the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair’s 4H/FFA Market Sale. The Wiles’ family and local community created this fund to honor Gene and his love for agriculture. The award offers financial support in the form of an annual grant through a qualifying organization to assist a young adult from Washington County, Maryland, or the surrounding area, pursuing an agricultural endeavor.(Pictured: Richard Ginn, buyer; Emily Stamper, Ag Expo Fair Queen; Macayla Wiles Martin; Forrest Martin; Magdalene Green and Brad Wiles.)This year’s recipient, Magdalene Green, will use her grant to expand her meat rabbit business, build new hutches and acquire additional rabbits. She then plans to sell the rabbits for 4-H meat pen projects as well as food during the fall and winter months. Green currently works at Palmyra Farm and serves as the president of the 4-H Dairy Goat Club where she shows Alpine goats, rabbits and market goats. She is a member of 4-H, Future Farmers of America and the Farm Bureau. In 2017, she served as Miss Washington County Farm Bureau and Washington County Dairy Princess in 2018. Green currently attends Hagerstown Community College for biology with plans to transfer to a four-year university to pursue a degree in veterinary science.