A Legacy for Leadership
A Legacy for Leadership
The Washington Conference Endowment was established to provide funds to support and sustain the Washington Leadership Conference in perpetuity. Rev. Dr. Cathi Braasch made this donation in loving memory of both her husband Leroy “Red” Braasch and their daughter Sara Braasch Schmidt.
As a young man, Red Braasch was a member of the Manitowoc FFA Chapter in Wisconsin. He and Cathi (maiden name Hopkins) met in 1966 through their mutual involvement with the North Salinas FFA Chapter in California. Red and Cathi remained active in FFA throughout the nearly 50 years of their marriage, most recently as alumni in the establishment of the Bertrand-Loomis (BerMis) FFA Chapter in Nebraska.
A One Time Gift Compels Others to Give
When Rev. Dr. Cathi Braasch talks about her daughter Sara Braasch Schmidt, it’s with a fondness of how much she loved FFA and the role FFA played in her life.
Sara was a former state president of the Idaho FFA Association, participated in Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in 1986, and was a counselor for WLC in 1991 and a WLC director in 1992. She saw WLC as a life-changing event on a personal level as well as for the members who participated while she was on staff. Sara often told people that her time in FFA was what made everything else possible and contributed to her success. Before her death from cancer in 2016, Sara established an endowment with the Idaho FFA Foundation to provide scholarships to WLC.
A Profound Commitment Emblazoned by a Memory.
A One Time Gift Compels Others to Give
When Rev. Dr. Cathi Braasch talks about her daughter Sara Braasch Schmidt, it’s with a fondness of how much she loved FFA and the role FFA played in her life.
Sara was a former state president of the Idaho FFA Association, participated in Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in 1986, and was a counselor for WLC in 1991 and a WLC director in 1992. She saw WLC as a life-changing event on a personal level as well as for the members who participated while she was on staff. Sara often told people that her time in FFA was what made everything else possible and contributed to her success. Before her death from cancer in 2016, Sara established an endowment with the Idaho FFA Foundation to provide scholarships to WLC.
A Profound Commitment Emblazoned by a Memory.
Rev. Dr. Braasch knew how much FFA and WLC meant to Sara, and to continue the family legacy, she announced the Washington Conference Endowment that will allow more students to experience the conference. “WLC made such a profound impact on Sara’s life. It’s beyond words. It opened doors. It opened horizons. It opened relationships that continued up until the time of her death,” Rev. Dr. Braasch said.
“Our hope is that through this endowment, the Washington Leadership Conference continue to grow, to reach more and more kids who might never have the life-changing opportunity that it provides.”
Driving Ambitious Leaders by Providing Life-Changing Opportunity.
Rev. Dr. Braasch also established the endowment so that others can contribute to it with gifts of any size to help secure the future of WLC and FFA members.
“The Washington Leadership Conference has been building future leaders for 50 years, and Rev. Dr. Braasch’s commitment is not only generous, but it will also ensure that WLC will continue to provide life-changing experiences for FFA members long into the future,” said Jim Williams, executive director of development for the National FFA Foundation.
Driving Ambitious Leaders by Providing Life-Changing Opportunity.
Rev. Dr. Braasch also established the endowment so that others can contribute to it with gifts of any size to help secure the future of WLC and FFA members.
“The Washington Leadership Conference has been building future leaders for 50 years, and Rev. Dr. Braasch’s commitment is not only generous, but it will also ensure that WLC will continue to provide life-changing experiences for FFA members long into the future,” said Jim Williams, executive director of development for the National FFA Foundation.
“I have truly grown so much as a leader through FFA. I appreciate your support and hope that you realize the impact you have made on members everywhere.”
– Journey S., FFA Member, Texas