By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald

A single, simple phone call turned an Enumclaw mother and her offspring into stars of a television commercial seen by millions.

What makes this tale a bit different than most is the mother, Abby, is a Holstein cow. And her cute, brown-eyed daughter, Autumn, is, obviously, a calf.

The Enumclaw livestock are currently on screen in an anti-smoking commercial sponsored by the state's Department of Health. The public service announcement - which has run frequently during popular, early-evening TV game shows - features a skydiver free-falling from an airplane. As the unsuccessful parachutist smacks into the ground, viewers are reminded that it often takes numerous attempts to break the smoking habit.

When the would-be parachutist slams into a scenic pasture, a Holstein and her calf turn to view the events. That would be Enumclaw's own Abby and Autumn.

The pair belong to Renee Harder, a 1999 graduate of Enumclaw High School, who showed Abby as a 4-H project during her high school days. The cattle reside on her parents' farm just a couple of miles northwest of Enumclaw.

Harder's mother, Diane Pederson, said the commercial came about after someone from the Los Angeles-based MJZ Productions contacted a friend in Issaquah. Preparing to film the commercial, the company was in the market for a cow and calf combo that were used to being around people and would behave. The information was passed to Becky Birklid, leader of the local Chinook 4-H Club, who suggested Harder's animals.

Before long, Pederson said, they were loading up Abby and Autumn for the trip to an airstrip in Kapowsin - near Eatonville in Pierce County – where the commercial was filmed. Filming took place Nov. 28 and the anti-smoking spots started airing in mid-January.

For providing the animal atmosphere to the commercial, Pederson said, the production company paid $750.

Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com