In January 2019, the Big Sandy FFA Alumni was chartered with 10 founding members. This organization is meant to support the local Big Sandy High School FFA Chapter. It is open to anyone who wishes to support this worthwhile organization; NOT just for FFA Alumni. In fact, two of the executive board members are not FFA Alumni. Those officers include; Mark Gasvoda, President; Jon Sheehy, Vice President; Kristie Rutledge, Secretary; and Mary Ophus Treasurer.
The annual fees are $10 per person. High School graduates who participated in FFA that wish to be part of the Alumni and Supporters chapter are granted alumni status for 5 years after graduation. This is a great way for graduates to become involved without the annual fee. We have grown from 10 members to over 40 in a few months and hope to again double that in the next few months.
The Alumni chapter has set two major goals; help Big Sandy HS FFA members attend workshops, trainings, and contests; which all have registration fees and travel costs, and work toward building a scholarship endowment. We will also generally support the HS chapter with contests and activities by providing what they need. By having an Alumni chapter, our HS chapter and students are now eligible for scholarships, experiences and grants that would not have otherwise been possible because of our affiliation with the state and national organizations.
Meetings will be held the 3rd Sunday of odd months, excluding July. The next meeting will be on September 15, 2019 at 5:00 pm in the HS Ag room. If you have questions or wish to join, contact any member. There is a Facebook page that includes information and updates as well. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to become involved and please consider becoming a member!
The Big Sandy FFA chapter would like to invite the community to attend their annual banquet on May 17th, 2019 at 6:00 pm at the Big Sandy Elementary School cafeteria. Hope to see you there!
