ASPARAGUS KIDS

The first group of Asparagus Kids, under the direction of Jean Scheerer of New Era, were selected and active from early spring to the fall of 1975. In 1981, Mary Ann Carey, of Shelby expressed a desire to bring the Asparagus Kids back when competing for Mrs. Asparagus that same year. Once crowned she contacted local schools and asked for a boy and girl from each fourth grade who would enjoy singing and going to parades to promote asparagus. Under the direction of Carey, Jean Loughmiller, Penny Wahl and Dawn Beckman, the

2nd group of Asparagus Kids was born.

This “Asparagus Kids 2.0” included David Betz, Jill Fox and Chad Grinwis from Shelby; Jennifer Ford from Mears; Sarah Schuyler from Benona; Jeremy Warmuskerkin from Walkerville and Eric Whitaker from Hart. The group wore matching t-shirts and bandanas and made appearances singing the Asparagus Song at TV stations in Cadillac and Grand Rapids and the Asparagus Festival Talent Show. They also rode on the NAF float in the NAF Royale Parade and Walkerville

Pioneer Days. Eric Whitaker of Crystal Valley remembers being told he’d been selected. “I’d never heard of the Asparagus Kids, but my parents were raising asparagus so it made more sense to me I suppose. Having kids on the floats and making appearances was a big draw. I wasn’t a dancer, but we did six or eight steps and twirled around. Basically it was a bunch of cute kids going places with the queen to show off our area and promote asparagus,” he joked.

A third group of Asparagus Kids selected in 1982 and accompanied

Mrs. Asparagus, Carol Waller at some of her parades and other appearances that year. This troupe included Tracie Anderson, Stacy Augmiller, Lee Borgeson, Trace Borgeson, Jodi Brown, Sherri Burmeister, Valerie Chase, Crystal Clevenger, Jaimee Ford, Jon Gale, Ronda Glover, Erin Goff, Craig Heer, Chris Heer, Kari Kelly, Anna LaGuire, Greg LaGuire, Angie Metts, Melissa Metts, Sarah Riddell, Heather Rider, Heidi Rider, Missey Roberts, Amy and Andy Samuels, Pam Scheer, Jon Schee and Cindy Schrump.