An update from the Bonners Ferry FFA Chapter

Thank You to everyone who donated towards the 68th Annual FFA Harvest Sale! The annual FFA Harvest Sale is a tradition of the Bonners Ferry FFA Chapter.

The money we raise from the Harvest Sale helps our members travel to different events where they learn important professional and leadership skills.

“FFA is an organization dedicated to helping students develop leadership skills and find their own personal talents so they can develop important career skills for the future,” FFA member Shawna Siver said. “This amazing program has helped me personally to break out of my shell and develop into a person who is outgoing and ready for whatever is thrown at me, without FFA I wouldn’t be the confident and strong person I am today.”

This year we auctioned off many different items, from baked goods to hay, to a dresser, to a ticket to Apple Cup 2016.

Thank you to the people of Bonners Ferry.Without your continuous support, the Bonners Ferry FFA chapter would not be where it is today.

Our chapter had the opportunity tro tavel to Indianapolis from Oct. 18th to Oct. 22 for the 2016 National FFA Convention and Expo. Julie Smith, the chapter’s advisor, got word that Thomas Smith was picked as one of the top finalist for his SAE Proficiency Agricultural Sales-Entrepreneurship award.

Smith, as a freshman, started a business where he sold Christmas trees. He started out by selling only 75 and by the time he was a senior he sold 200 Christmas trees.

FFA is a national organization with over 600,000 members and only 188 FFA members had the opportunity to go to nationals as a National Proficiency Finalist.

Every year, the new national officers pick a theme, and this year’s theme was “transform”. By transforming ourselves, we have the opportunity to help transform our community, state, country and the world!

By 2050, we will have to feed over nine billion people, and through FFA, we can learn exactly how to do that because we are the future and we need to learn how to feed our world.

After hours and hours of fundraising, Bonners Ferry FFA raised over $2,500.

With the money that we raised, Bonners Ferry Chapter paid for our convention registration, housing and transportation while in Indianapolis.

While in Indianapolis, FFA members went to the 2016 National FFA Convention and Expo Center, a Chris Young with Cole Swindell concert. and the World’s Toughest Rodeo.

A few of the people who attended the National Convention have testified to how successfull this year’s convention was.

“I think the nationals was a truly amazing experience,” Conner Underhill said. “I advise for everyone to go! As well as all the other FFA trips!”

“It really made me realize just how big of an organization FFA is, and that if one FFA member starts something, that the rest of the organization can finish it and change the world for the better,” Siver said.

“FFA nationals was so much fun — It was a great experience and opportunity to go!” Brittany Spangler said. “I encourage everyone to go at least once!”