By Marra Andreas
The Elkhorn FFA Alumni and Supporters recently held their first meeting of the year where a recap of 2020 was shared and deemed successful, despite challenges brought on by the pandemic.
The group features parents, community members, local business owners and past FFA members that believe in supporting and advocating for the local FFA chapter and its members and the school district’s agricultural education department and its instructors. The group also focuses on supporting the FFA mission of providing premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
Current officers of the organization are Marra Andreas, president; Sharri Loveless, vice-president; Lisa Reinke, secretary; and Derrick Papcke, treasurer.
The 2020 financial report for the organization was presented at the Feb. 22 meeting along with a recap of the two food stand fundraisers at the Elkhorn Flea Market, which is at the Walworth County Fairgrounds. Significant investments of time and funds were made in the food stand building at the fairgrounds, focusing on improvements for the future.
The group shared that it provided support in 2020 for the Alice in Dairyland program.
“Alice in Dairyland is a one-year, full-time public relations professional employed by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Each year, Alice in Dairyland travels more than 30,000 miles throughout the state, promoting Wisconsin agriculture… to various audiences,” it states on the website, aliceindairyland.com.
“Additionally, she conducts hundreds of media interviews, speeches, and school presentations. Alice in Dairyland works with media personnel across the state of Wisconsin, and sometimes beyond, to share the story of Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry,” it states.
The Elkhorn FFA Alumni and Supporters also awards scholarships to graduates of Elkhorn Area High School. For the EAHS Class of 2020, the recipients of four scholarships, totaling $7,000, were Mia Ciancio, Alliah North, William Pinnow and Gwen Richardson.
The 2021 budget was passed at the meeting with members expressing hope for a better year ahead.
Convention review
On Feb. 13, the 2021 Wisconsin FFA Alumni & Supporters Convention was held. About 180 members attended this year’s hybrid convention, which was held at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Local attendees who opted to participate virtually were from Elkhorn FFA were: Bailey Hart (Agriculture teacher at Elkhorn Area High School), Sharri Loveless and Marra Andreas.
The morning convention sessions included the introduction of the 2020-2021 Executive Council, greetings from National FFA President Doster Harper and Wisconsin FFA State President Joe Schlies, and section meetings.
During the business meeting at the convention, a financial report and budget were presented and a new vice president was elected.
The Wisconsin FFA State Officer Team presented a reflections program, encouraging all those in attendance to focus on things to be grateful for during the past year, despite the obstacles presented by the pandemic. Virtual award presentations and president Rudy Kaderly’s retiring address took place in the afternoon session.
Elkhorn’s three attendees participated in different workshops online and talked afterward about how to use the information presented to better serve the Elkhorn FFA Chapter and support agriculture education in the local school district.
In 2022, the Wisconsin FFA Alumni and Supporters Convention will be held Feb. 4 and 5, at the Central Wisconsin Convention & Expo Center in Rothschild.
A successful year
To recap the past year, a video slideshow filled with pictures of the fundraisers and the work done by Elkhorn FFA Alumni and Supporters was shared at the meeting in Elkhorn.
It served as a reminder that though 2020 had been different than anyone could have expected, the group was able to make use of the time well.
Each of the agriculture teachers from the EASD introduced themselves: David Kruse and Bailey Hart, who teach at EAHS, Alex Hutson, who teaches at the Elkhorn Area Middle School and Ms. Amanda Herman, a student teacher working with Kruse.
Hart provided information about the agricultural education department and what the teachers and their students have been working on this school year. This included an update about the classes that are being taught this year, the plans for the land laboratories and an FFA/Alumni website, and upcoming FFA events.
Derrick Papcke was re-elected for another two-year term as treasurer for the Elkhorn FFA Alumni.
Dates were given for upcoming events in 2021 including the cleaning of the food stand at the Walworth County Fairgrounds, food stand fundraisers at the Elkhorn Flea Markets and at the local Star-Spangled Celebration and the parking fundraiser at Elkhorn Ribfest.
The public is welcome to attend the next general meeting of the Elkhorn FFA Alumni and Supporters, which will be on Monday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Elkhorn Area High School.
