THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410260166
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Somewhat less than a contented cow, there was a puzzled look in Bessie Sue's warm, brown eyes.
And C.R. ``Buck'' Jones, president of the Windsor High School Athletic Boosters Club, understood why.
``She ain't got a clue what's happening, all these people standing around,'' Jones said of the 10-year-old, red Jersey strolling across the school's softball field. ``She's never been away from the farm.''
Despite her confusion, the designated cow of the day gave an award-winning performance Saturday in the first production in Windsor, and maybe the first in Hampton Roads, of Cow Patty Bingo.
The real awards, however, went to club supporters who bought one of 165 squares drawn onto the field. Wherever Bessie deposited her patty, or wherever her rear end happened to be at the end of the time period, that number was a winner.
``We had to come up with a contingency plan,'' said Teresa Weaver, who chaired the event. ``Since she hadn't done her business when we were ready to award the first cash prize, we decided it would be wherever her haunches were.''
Bessie was less enthusiastic about the idea than the small group of locals surrounding the field. Mostly, she seemed content during the hour-and-a-half event to stand in the middle of the field and stare at the people rather than to do what was expected of her.
``This is real excitin', ain't it?'' a bystander said, as he kept a close eye on the action.
``It's like the lottery - you buy a ticket and hope,'' said booster member and Town Councilman W.L. ``Buck'' Jones, chuckling. ``But it's for a good cause. We'll put the money we make to good use for the school.''
The original idea came from one club member who visited North Carolina and heard about a school down there sponsoring the event, Weaver said. Later, she got a book from the library on fund-raisers, and - well, there it was.
``The book said it was a fairly easy fund-raiser with a whole lot of potential, if you got out and hustled it,'' she said. ``We thought it was a natural idea for a farming community. The PTA has done `kiss the pig' for the last two years. I guess we're into animals.''
And even though it may have sounded a little odd to ask a local farmer to borrow his cow for the afternoon, William O'Berry obliged.
``I call her Susie,'' O'Berry said as he leaned against his pickup truck. ``She's real gentle. That's why I picked her.''
Junior varsity football center, 15-year-old Jason Thrasher, was the official cow tender for the day. Looking like a cross between a hunter, a farmer and a fireman - in his bright yellow, rubber boots - Thrasher spent his time talking to Bessie and urging her to spread the, uh, joy.
``I'm real excited,'' said Sandra Briggs, winner of a $50 prize and mother of one of the school's varsity football players. ``I just got here, and I won!''
Booster president Jones said the club works with every athletic team at the school, including the cheerleaders. And when the teams need something outside their own budgets, they come to the boosters. The club also awards annual scholarships to athletes.
``It was an idea for raising money for the kids,'' he said, grinning. ``We also run the concession stand at home football games.''
Councilman Jones, the other ``Buck'' and a three-square holder, didn't win any bucks this day, but he had fun.
``I think it's better than what one guy I sold a ticket to told me about. In Texas, they let a duck loose on a tennis court and do it that way. I like the cow.''
Jan Thrasher, the cow tender's mom, liked the cow, too, especially after Bessie landed her best shot on one of the family's squares and Thrasher deposited the $500 grand prize.
To keep the game honest, Thrasher said she was careful not to let her son know what numbers she held.
Still, she said, ``He told me he thought he deserved a new computer game for spending the afternoon with a cow.''
Will the club do it again next year?
``Maybe,'' Weaver said. ``It will be up to the officers.''
At that point, nobody had asked Bessie. by CNB