FFA: Inside the Embelem

150 members
Lomira, Wisconsin
Dodge County

Tell us about your chapter. Lomira FFA is a growing chapter that is a part of Section 10 in Wisconsin. Over the years, the Lomira FFA Chapter has been involved in many community activities and holds various fundraisers year-round that ensure our chapter can keep growing and participating in activities.

How does your chapter volunteer in the community throughout the year? Our main community event for the year is our chapter FFA drive-through food drive. We started this event a few years ago. Students bring in food items the week before Thanksgiving, and we deliver the collections to the local food pantry. It has been a great success, and they are very appreciative of the donations we provide each year. Another community event we host is the nature walk/run in July. We also assist with contacting businesses and gathering donations for a silent auction for Lomira Appreciation Days each August. This event helps raise funds for the community and scholarships. Finally, Lomira FFA has been very fortunate to have a wonderful FFA alumni group, which has supported all of us throughout the years. They support our fundraisers, including our yearly steak fry sale, which always turns out to be a big success. We also help our FFA alumni with local pit auctions and football concessions for all home football games.

What fundraisers does your chapter do throughout the year? Which is the most successful? Our annual fruit sale is our most successful fundraiser. It starts at the end of October and lasts until the week before Thanksgiving. Every year, this fundraiser keeps growing as our membership also grows. Teachers, staff and community members have come to know our FFA fruit sale and appreciate the quality it brings and the service we offer.

What are the biggest events of the year? The Lomira FFA Steak Fry in the middle of June and our annual plant sale in May. The Lomira FFA Steak Fry is always a great success because it is a fan favorite for community members. Our FFA alumni group supports us, and we invite all other FFA members to come and help. It is always a great event for us to network with the alumni and the community. The Lomira FFA plant sale is another one of our bigger events of the year, where all community members are encouraged to purchase flowers and plants for the spring. Our horticulture classes are in charge of our greenhouse and growing all the plants and flowers that are sold that week. This event also provides a good opportunity to bond with the community.

What is unique about your chapter? Lomira FFA is an affiliated chapter, meaning that when you are in an agricultural class in school, you are an FFA member. The Lomira FFA Chapter is also blessed with a very active FFA alumni group, and we try to assist them with as many activities as we can throughout the community. During the year, our officers and members assist with their fundraisers, and we always take advantage of the opportunity to work with them.

When was your chapter founded and how has it evolved? Lomira FFA was founded in 1965 by Mr. Cummings, Lomira’s first agricultural teacher. This year, we are celebrating our 60th annual banquet, and Lomira FFA is inviting all past officers and members to attend and celebrate this great achievement. The Lomira FFA Chapter has greatly evolved over the years. Each year, the FFA keeps adding members, plus adds new opportunities for members to become more involved and engaged throughout the year.