Local FFA officers seeking donations for service project

MOSES LAKE — Local District 9 FFA officers are seeking donations for their upcoming leadership event, to be held during FFA week, Feb. 16-23. This year, they will be making tie blankets to give to members of their communities.

FFA officers from Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Warden, Lind-Ritzville, Soap Lake, Wilson Creek, Othello, Wahluke, Royal City, Almira-Coulee-Hartline, Washtucna, Kahlotus, Odessa and Connell chapters meet during FFA week to develop leadership and promote unity.

“The purpose of the Leadership Excursion is to promote leadership within our district as well as uniting the different chapters in District 9,” said 11th-grader Alissa Whitaker, Moses Lake FFA Secretary and the District 9 Vice President. “It is an excellent opportunity for younger kids to learn what FFA is all about and for the older kids to enhance their leadership skills.”

This year, the officers will be holding FFA-aimed workshops, playing a few games and doing a community service project.

“In the past, we have done a lock-in and played games half the time,” said Whitaker. “This year, we decided to be more productive.”

The FFA officers will be making fleece tie blankets as a way to give back to members of their communities. Whitaker hopes they will be able to make 40 blankets.

In addition to the community service project, the FFA officers will be doing two workshops in which they will practice giving short, concise speeches or explanations and will evaluate what FFA means to them while putting it in a way they can explain to others. The purpose of the workshops is to give the FFA officers the ability to take these tools back to their individual chapters.

To help with the cost of the purchasing fleece for the tie blankets, Whitaker is asking for help from individuals and businesses in the towns within FFA District 9 area.

Anyone wishing to donate money towards the project should take the money to their local FFA chapter’s Ag advisor. Checks may be made out to the Columbia Basin Ag Teachers Association.

“I need donations ASAP, but I will probably purchase the fabric around Feb. 18,” Whitaker said. “As long I know what businesses or individuals are interested in donating, I can still receive donations through the end of February.”

Rachal Pinkerton can be reached via email at rpinkerton@columbiabasinherald.com.