Busy Cloverdale FFA competing in Monsanto Chapter Challenge

Cloverdale High School FFA members (from left) Heather Goss, Samantha McHugh, Kyleigh Mitchell, Kayla Cheatham and Mackinzie Russ placed fifth at the recent Easter Hancock Meats Judging Invitational.

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale FFA has been quite busy this winter.

In December, the chapter raised more than $700, which allowed it to buy 11 bikes through the Bikes for Tykes program sponsored by the Terre Haute Exchange Club. The bikes went to children in Putnam County.

That was made possible by generous donations from the Cloverdale Agri-Center and the faculty at Cloverdale High School.

The chapter also sponsored two families during the Christmas season, which was part of a new community service called the Week of Hope. Members enjoyed collecting food, clothes and toys for their adopted families.

Recently the chapter received a grant through Putnam County Farm Bureau to help fund a new program known as PALS, which stands for Partners in Active Learning Support.

Through the program, the Cloverdale FFA has teamed with a second-grade classroom at Cloverdale Elementary School. PALS allows high school FFA members to serve as mentors and bring agriculture to the classroom while focusing on literacy and reading comprehension. Thanks to Farm Bureau, the group was able to buy each child a book during December.

This weekend students will be participating at the State Dairy Foods contest and for the first time, State Meats Judging contest.

The Cloverdale FFA is also looking forward to hosting district leadership, the district parliamentary procedures contest, and its seventh annual Livestock Invitational in March.

It was also announces that the Cloverdale FFA is participating in the FFA Chapter Challenge contest sponsored by Monsanto.

The top 10 chapters in Indiana will receive between $1,000 to $2,500 worth of FFA credit though the National FFA. Cloverdale is currently in third place and working toward first but needs more votes. Anyone related to the agricultural industry who is at least age 21, can go to www.ffachapterchallenge.com and click register to vote as farmer and select Cloverdale FFA.

The Chapter Challenge runs through Feb. 29.

The Cloverdale FFA offered thanks for everyone who has supported its efforts.