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United Way of NNY’s Cow Kissing for ALICE Fundraiser
Raises Over $16K for Under-Resourced Families in Lewis County
Published: July 23, 2025 at
05:15 p.m.
By: Press Release
from United Way of NNY
Second Annual Cow Kissing for ALICE Fundraiser
Highlights Generosity of the North Country
Proceeds will support under-resourced working
families in Lewis County
From left to right: Mel Busler (Channel 7 News),
Jeremiah Papineau (Volunteer Transportation Center),
Dan O'Brien (O'Biren Family
Dairy), Miss Jenn the cow, Samuel VanBuren (Rossdale Farm), Brittany Davis
(Naturally Lewis)
and Peter Ostrum (Dairy Health & Management
Services and formerly of Willy Wonka fame) pose in the cattle
arena
of the Lewis County Fair for the culmination of the
UWNNY Cow Kissing for ALICE fundraiser
WATERTOWN — United Way of
Northern New York is udderly
excited to announce the results of the second annual Cow Kissing for
ALICE fundraiser, presented by O’Brien Family Dairy and North Star Health
Alliance, with support from AmeriCU, Countryside
Veterinary Clinic, Dairy Health and Management Services,
LinkingLewisCounty.com and the Lewis County Fair.
Thanks to the
generosity of the North Country and beyond, this year’s event was nothing
short of moo-velous, with an incredible
$16,693 raised for ALICE families in Lewis County – up from nearly $11,000
last year!
Each cow kisser
went above and beyond raising awareness and funds, with their fundraising
totals as follows:
• Peter Ostrum (Dairy Health &
Management Services, formerly of Willy Wonka fame): $4,596
• Jeremiah Papineau (Volunteer
Transportation Center): $2,797
• Brittany Davis (Naturally
Lewis): $1,842
• Dan O’Brien (O’Brien Family
Dairy): $1,815
• Mel Busler (7 News - Sports): $643
 In a heartwarming twist, winner Peter
offered the honor of a kiss to Jeremiah for engaging the highest number of
individual donors. As Jeremiah reminded us, “The cow has two cheeks,” and
with that, they each kissed the cow, Jenn (Do-N-Joy MV Jennings), owned by
Samuel VanBuren of Rossdale Farms. If you missed the grand finale on July
19, we invite you to check out the video from our livestream on Facebook to
see how it all played out: https://www.facebook.com/unitedwayNNY.
Cow Kissing for
ALICE certainly brought plenty of laughs, cow puns and fun, but behind it
all lay a very real and urgent purpose. ALICE families (those who are Asset
Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)
represent a vital part of our local workforce doing their best to provide
for their families while navigating financial instability. When an
unexpected hardship arises, it can threaten an ALICE worker’s ability to
remain employed or keep a roof over their heads. Through the funds raised
with this event, we will be able to work to help ALICE families overcome
barriers, strengthen financial stability, and access essential resources
that empower them to thrive.
We are truly
grateful to everyone who hand a hand in making this event a success and
hope you save the dates for next year’s Lewis County Fair: July 21 – 25,
2026!
United Way of
Northern New York is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uniting
communities, resources and partners to collaboratively address local needs,
foster impactful programming, and enhance quality of life across the North
Country. Our offices are located at 167 Polk St., Suite 300, Watertown, NY
13601. For general inquiries, call (315) 788-5631 or email
info@unitedway-nny.org
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