Energizing the Future of
One Ag-based Town
Energizing the Future of one Ag-based Town
With 120 lifetime members and nearly 90 annual members, North Carolina’s West Rowan Alumni Chapter draws from a broad base of professional experience. It also helps to be rooted in a rural farming community fond of blue jackets.
Despite the region’s bleak economy and declining number of dairy farms and agribusinesses, its residents remain passionate about agriculture. They are highly supportive of their local FFA chapter, which provides youth with the skills and experience in a wider selection of vocations—offering the promise of a brighter future.
An Alumni and Supporters chapter
is adding local fuel.
Establishing, maintaining and growing an FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter can be challenging, but members of North Carolina’s West Rowan Alumni Council make it look easy. They won the 2018 Outstanding FFA Alumni Chapter distinction at national convention last fall (and two other years before).
So what’s their winning strategy? Tony Wilhelm, a corporate information technology director and council member, thinks he has an idea.
“The goal is never
an award; the goal
is always about the
KIDS IN THE PROGRAM.”
An Alumni and Supporters chapter
is adding local fuel.
Establishing, maintaining and growing an FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter can be challenging, but members of North Carolina’s West Rowan Alumni Council make it look easy. They won the 2018 Outstanding FFA Alumni Chapter distinction at national convention last fall (and two other years before).
So what’s their winning strategy? Tony Wilhelm, a corporate information technology director and council member, thinks he has an idea.
“The goal is never
an award; the goal
is always about the
KIDS IN THE PROGRAM.“
“The goal is never an award; the goal is always about the kids in the program. If what we do doesn’t benefit the kids, it’s not worth doing. But if it’s providing an avenue for them to excel and helping them grow as leaders, it’s great for us, for the program and for the future of the community.”
A West Rowan FFA advisor and high school ag teacher, Jason Chester is also one of four advisors for the West Rowan’s alumni and supporters chapter.
Rattling off a list of activities and events supported or hosted by the alumni chapter, Chester sounds more like the town’s travel and tourism director. Highlights include: an alumni barn dance; John Deere Day; an alumni tailgate, complete with competitive tractor-driving contests; Agriculture Day for area second-graders; a summer social; a county fair day; a community garden; and West Rowan’s most widely attended fundraiser — the Annual Oyster Roast. The last of which raised a combined total of $19,000 last spring to be used for students of the local FFA chapter.
“A lot of people are busy, but
really it comes down to this:
If something’s important to you,
you’ll find time for it. For me,
THIS IS IMPORTANT.”
— Garin Kluttz
President of West Rowan’s Alumni Council, Garin Kluttz is a second-generation farmer who also works in farm equipment transportation. Like others in the group, he says free time is a rare commodity, but he donates his time to afford local youth all the rich FFA experiences like he enjoyed as a teen.
“A lot of people are busy, but really it comes down to this: If something’s important to you, you’ll find time for it. For me, this is important.”
President of West Rowan’s Alumni Council, Garin Kluttz is a second-generation farmer who also works in farm equipment transportation. Like others in the group, he says free time is a rare commodity, but he donates his time to afford local youth all the rich FFA experiences like he enjoyed as a teen.
“A lot of people are busy, but really it comes down to this: If something’s important to you, you’ll find time for it. For me, this is important.”
“A lot of people are busy, but
really it comes down to this:
If something’s important to you,
you’ll find time for it. For me,
THIS IS IMPORTANT.”
— Garin Kluttz