FFA Alumni fundraiser breakfast has a snowy start

The first ever NRHEG Future Farmers of America (FFA) alumni breakfast was held at the New Richland Community Center the morning of Saturday, Feb. 8. Working the event were 24 volunteers ranging from students to adults.

Alexa Viktora, 14, was manning the ticket table at the entry; she is a first-year member of FFA. She observed, “We’ve had 50 people come through this morning, I think the snowy weather and slippery roads stopped a few from coming out.” A few inches of snow had fallen overnight and continued to come down well into the morning.

Krista Reeder, Alumni Vice President and Dan Sorum, FFA Advisor, were present. Said Reeder, “We’re here to support our local student chapter, the trips they take and the scholarships they receive. Membership as well, student enrollment fees, this helps us by adding resources to help with teams and interviews for officers.” Sorum added, “Anybody that wants to support FFA can be a member. You don’t even have to live in Waseca County. We do have a few former graduates who don’t live around here, but still pay their dues. That helps a lot. We also take kids up to three years after they graduate high school.”

Speaking of trips, last fall’s trip to the FFA national convention in Indianapolis was chaperoned by past FFA Alumni. There are 67 local members in the NRHEG District; annual membership fees are $20 for an individual and $40 for a business. The 2025 FFA Convention and Expo is also scheduled to be in Indianapolis. It will mark year 97 for the annual event.

Along with the breakfast there was a silent auction. Said Reeder, “All our food was paid for with donations, all of the silent auction items were donated. This really helps the local FFA. With all this community participation, it gives the kids the feeling like everyone’s in on it.” Donations from places like: Lerberg’s Foods, Wagner’s Foods, Arnold’s Equipment, McDonald’s, L&D Ag, Hi-Yield, Farm Bureau, Roeker Farms, Reeder Ranch, Neighbor’s Meats, Steve’s Meats, Waseca, Steele & Freeborn Farm Bureau, Kibble Equipment, Waseca Soybean & Corn Growers, Titan Pro-Chad Johnson, Tastefully Simple-Lianne Possin, NRHEG FFA, NRHEG Food Services, Schlaak Seeds, Channel Seed, New Richland Fire Department, Hollandale Fire Department, Gehrke Farms, Matt Groskreutz, First Impressions, Becks/Corn County-Tyler Huber, New Richland Craft Mall, Legendary Woodcraft-Alex Schlaak, Farm Bureau-Bennit Schaak, Farmers Feed & Pet Supply, J & J Trucking and Krause Feeds & Supplies.

Reeder said there would be another breakfast like this next year, “Around February-ish, but we won’t know till we get closer.” In the meantime, she encourages everyone to remember the FFA is giving local kids a direction to go. “We all need agriculture, and who better to help them?” Reeder asked.