By Betty Gandee
Are you a Future Farmer of America (FFA) former member?
Do you have a special skill that could relate? Do you enjoy helping the youth and your community? Then the FFA Alumni Association needs YOU! The idea for this type of organization has been tossed around before, but never could get off the ground. With the help from the community so many could benefit from this group.
When speaking with President Samantha King about how this idea came about, she stated that with this group the FFA at Clay County High School could grow tremendously. She stressed that Clay is a small community and there are over 100 students that are active and pay their dues to participate in this program. With the help of this alumni, each student could focus on their strengths and excel in their area of competition. With Clay being small that didn’t stop the FFA dairy team from making it to the national competition in October of 2017. This was a major accomplishment considering this team had only been assembled for two years. They want to bring more to the local Agricultural fair as well and raise the interest in this yearly event.
The goals for this group is not to only benefit the school’s programs but to give back to Clay County and its residents. They hope to help families that are faced with any hardship or when a disaster strikes in our area. Samantha added that all the officers of the alumni are former FFA members and are striving to help in any way that they can.
This organization meets monthly at the Clay County High School in the Ag building. They are looking for individuals who are willing to donate their time and energy to something positive for the future of Clay County. It is important to note that you do not have to be a previous member of the FFA to contribute your time nor attend all meetings. You can contact Samantha King, President, at 304-415-3416; Betsy Keiffer, Vice President, at 304-587-7131 or Thomas Mullins, Secretary, at 304-982-4363 with any questions. The next meeting is April 27, 2018 at 6 p.m. where they will also be raffling off a kayak with paddle to help get this all started.
