Archive: Around Town

The Tompkins County Dairy Princess court might slow down as the days get shorter and a bit more frigid, but we are always finding ways to promote dairy nutrition and the hard work the farmer does 365 days of the year.

Tompkins County Dairy Princess Elizabeth Drake recently had the opportunity to remind female athletes from high schools around New York State to refuel with chocolate milk at the NYSPHSAA girls swimming and diving championships.  Thursday night she went around handing out Intense chocolate milk to each division as they finished practice at Ithaca College for the night.

She was asked to come back Saturday to help present awards to swimmers in that placed first through tenth.  Being on deck in sash and crown with hundreds of girls, coaches, and referees was a benefit by itself.  She had many swimmers and even spectators all weekend ask her who she was and what her title meant.  Asking about the program allowed her to educate more people about dairy nutrition and the work the farmer puts into their farms with caring for the environment and their animals to make sure they produce healthy wholesome milk.

She took the time to explain how milk has nine essential nutrients and that refueling with chocolate milk is better than sports drinks.  Milk has calcium for strong bones, protein for energy, and potassium, a source of electrolytes, to help re-hydrate to body after a hard workout.


Elizabeth was also part of the Wegmans dairy outreach at the Ithaca Wegmans along with Franklin and Chemung County Dairy Princesses.  The Princesses helped hand out Wegmans low fat chocolate milk and pointed out the ingredients changed in the milk.  Wegmans lowers the calories of the milk from 170 to 150 by using real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, as well as using real coco instead of the artificial flavoring found in other brands.

The Tompkins County Dairy Princess Program is made possible through the support of the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, the local planning and management organization funded by dairy farmer check off dollars.

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