Sleepy Eye FFA Receives Living to Serve Mini Grant

20241113ffapumpkins — The Sleepy Eye Ag. Students/FFA Members made these 2 x 4 wood pumpkins with the help of a National FFA Living to Serve Mini Grant. Pictured l to r, front – Zack Dominguez, Hayden Domeier, Carter Lazatin, Izzy Kunkel, Noemi Rodriguez, Kaytlyn Romberg, Dillon Gerzsik. Back – James Moore, Cameron Moore, Aiden Krzmarick, Mateo Moreno, Keeyan Netzke, Nico Nosbush, Jason Piotter, Manny Poplow, Brandon Flores.

20241113ffafall posters — These Sleepy Eye FFA Members, Chapter Officers, and Junior Officers made fall quote posters for the residents at Divine, the Sleepy Eye Rehabilitation Center and Assisted Living. Pictured l to r, front – Anna Johnson, Lucia Martinez Paredes, Alex Confer, Lily Kallevig, Kamille Capacia, Paola Gonzalez, Gus Hoffmann, Carsten Nienhaus, Sophia Mendiola, Natalie Rolling, Isabella Robb, Nevaeh Moore, Arianna Moore, Sophia Chavez, Jace Schauman, Jaelynn Schauman. Back – Daniel Armstrong, Charlie Hoffmann, Kayden Klein, Jacey Mills, Abriana Martinez, Natalie Fulmer, Karina Martinez, Ella Arkins, Arianna Hernandez, Lilyanna Uys, Isabella Campos, Serenity Avalos Gregg, Kylie Fischer, Taylor Berkner, Eric Lozano.

The Sleepy Eye FFA applied for and received a National FFA Living to Serve Mini Grant to do a service project to lift the spirits of senior residents in our community at the local nursing homes/assisted living/rehab facilities this fall. Members made 120 uplifting fall quote posters using colorful stickers as well as 27 2 x 4 wood pumpkins. We will reach over 130 senior residents and involved 85 members with this project.

The members and officers have painted pumpkins for the residents in the past, but we were looking for projects that would not only involve our members, but be something that would physically last longer than real pumpkins. We came up with the fall posters and 2 x 4 pumpkins ideas for the residents.

With the money from the National FFA Organization, we were able to purchase the poster supplies as well as the 2 x 4’s, paint, and decorations for the wood pumpkins. This was a great project for our members to participate in and we hope that it fulfilled our mission of uplifting the spirits of the elderly in our community!