The Whitewater FFA Alumni will host its 24th annual Farm Toy Show, Sunday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Whitewater High School, 534 S. Elizabeth St.
Members of the Whitewater FFA – the beneficiaries of money raised – help out at by assisting vendors by bringing their items into the school and back to their vehicles or trailers at the end of the day. The show has grown over the years with hundreds of vendor sell tables and more than 50 display tables.
Vendors and shoppers travel from throughout Wisconsin as well as Illinois and Iowa for the show. Average attendance is about 800 though it’s been as high as 1,100.
The entry fee is $3 for 11 years old and higher while kids 10 and younger get in free with a paid adult. In addition to toys for sale, there will be farm dioramas, food and drinks available and door prizes.
The show got its start 22 years ago when the FFA Alumni realized it needed a fundraiser to help out the local chapter. At that time, a few FFA Alumni members who were toy collectors themselves and had been to shows realized this area didn’t feature any large venue toy shows.
The toy show is only one of several fundraisers the FFA alumni and chapter partner on each year, including a fall cookout and a spaghetti supper in the spring.
“The Whitewater FFA Alumni sponsors this event to raise money for the FFA. The money goes to pay for the activities and community service projects the FFA participates in,” FFA reporter Sammantha Thelan said. “The funds also help sponsor FFA members attending the Washington Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. each summer.
“As you can see the Whitewater FFA and FFA Alumni find more ways than one to give back to the community,” she said.
The Whitewater FFA Alumni is always looking for more people to join. Being a former FFA member is not a requirement to join.
“These are people who are dedicated to providing youth the leadership growth available through FFA membership,” Paul Majors, FFA advisor at Whitewater High School, said.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Whitewater FFA Alumni should contact Tom Nielsen at (262) 215-2464 or Paul Majors at (262) 472-8177.
