Local chapters celebrate National FFA Week

The Cloverdale and South Putnam FFA chapters are each hosting events in honor of National FFA Week (Feb. 18-25). Both chapters will also receive a visit from State Treasurer Nathan Blume.

The South Putnam FFA will host a canned food drive throughout the week, a teacher appreciation breakfast Wednesday morning and at 6 p.m. a silent auction and dinner at in the high school cafeteria. The prizes include Colts tickets and gear, passes to the children’s museums in Terre Haute and Indianapolis, restaurant gift certificates and Walmart gift cards.

South Putnam will also host an ag. education program at Central Elementary and participate in Page Day, Feb. 20, in which students help state legislators for the day.

The first National FFA Week was hosted in 1947 during the week of George Washington’s birthday, which is also Presidents’ Day, to commemorate his legacy as an agriculturalist and celebrate FFA.

“This is a super exciting time for the National FFA Organization,” State Treasurer Nathan Blume said, “that occurs in order to celebrate FFA across the country, in this state, in each district, and in every single FFA chapter. National FFA Week is utilized as a tool to ... advocate on behalf of agriculture and the organization.”

Until 1988, FFA stood for Future Farmers of America, but the name was changed to National FFA Organization to encourage students of all backgrounds and interests to participate.

“FFA is not just for those that farm,” Treasurer Blume said, “but for those interested in science, business, engineering, mathematics, art and much, much more.”