[This article originally appeared in the Osceola News-Gazette on February 20th, 2016.]I am proud to be a third-generation Silver Spurs Club member and am serving as this year’s Big Boss. We would like to invite you to the 136th Silver Spurs Rodeo this weekend. The Silver Spurs Club is a nonprofit organization made up of over 300 volunteers who desire to give back to those in need in our community, while promoting and preserving our county's agricultural roots. The rodeos we produce are a labor of love by our members and volunteers and also a time we can come together to see old friends, make new ones and make some memories. The Silver Spurs Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association sanctioned event and is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi featuring many of the top Cowboys and Cowgirls in the country.

One of our missions is to give back to other nonprofit groups and provide scholarships to students in Osceola. Our focus is on children and families who need a little help. This year we’ve added a new charitable organization we are very excited about. A portion of our proceeds from our 136th Silver Spurs Rodeo will benefit the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families. The Howard Phillips Center provides dignity and healing for children, families and individuals who face overwhelming challenges like child abuse, sexual trauma, developmental disabilities, and lack of access to medical care. They have just added a new branch in Osceola County. One of the programs they offer is called Healthy Families Osceola. This program is centered on preventing child abuse in families under stress on the verge of becoming destructive and abusive. They have a 98% success rate of preventing child abuse by equipping these parents with the skills and resources to help them get their lives back on track before destructive behaviors begin. We are lucky to have them in Osceola and we are proud and thankful of the help they provide to families in Osceola County.Now, I could write a laundry list of reasons you should attend the Silver Spurs Rodeo. It’s a 73-year-old tradition in Osceola County, it’s a ton of fun for a good price and safe for your families to experience together. The county fair runs all week with the rodeo, giving you the opportunity to make this a full day of family time. You can even visit the youth barn and witness over 500 of our children who raise and sell market animals and citrus trees to learn about commercial agriculture, as well as display their art and other 4H projects. You will enjoy experiencing the traditions of Osceola County. This is truly a family event. After all, how many places could you live that takes a day off school for the rodeo?