February Comments for a Cause - Iowa FFA Foundation

It is the 1st of February so that means two things: it is time to announce last month's Comments of a Cause totals and this month's new cause.  First, January's results!  It has been so fun creating a Comments for a Cause program on my blog and to be able to share about Make-A-Wish in January.  In January I had a total of 47 comments, equaling a donation of $23.50.  Thank you to everyone that commented this past month!

Now it is time to announce February's cause.  During the month of February I will be donating $0.50 for every comment to the Iowa FFA Foundation!  The Iowa FFA Foundation is the funding support system behind not only Iowa FFA, but also Iowa PAS (Postsecondary Agricultural Students), Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators and the Iowa FFA Alumni Association.  The FFA Foundation has been working really hard to secure the future for all of these programs and I look forward to helping their efforts through this month's Comments for a Cause.

The Iowa FFA program is a leadership and career development organization for teens.  I joined FFA in high school because I loved agriculture and planned on going into an ag major in college.  The letters FFA stand for "Future Farmers of America"; however in 1988 the official name of the organization changed from "Future Farmers of America" to the "FFA Organization" to reflect the growing diversity of agriculture.  Even though I farm today, I use to be in Agricultural Communications and PR, one of the countless careers available in the field of agriculture.

Showing lambs at the 2011 County Fair

To help members build skills in leadership and problem solving, the Iowa FFA Foundation has programs like Agricultural Proficiency Awards and Career Development Events (CDE).  Ag Proficiency Awards allow FFA members to demonstrate skills and knowledge towards a specific ag project they have chosen.  When I was in FFA I was in the Sheep Entrepreneurship Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) and the Food Service Placement SAE.  My favorite CDEs I participated in were Ag Broadcasting and FFA Creed Speaking.

National FFA Week is February 15-22.  Local FFA Chapters will be doing their own fun activities to celebrate and one way the Iowa FFA Foundation is going to celebrate is by having a state-wide Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser on February 17th.  Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants state-wide will be donating 10% of their sales to the Foundation.  To see the entire list of participating locations and to learn more check out the Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser website.

So be sure to "Comment for a Cause" this month to help the more than 13,400 FFA members in 219 chapters across the state of Iowa live out their motto of "Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live and Living to Serve."

I'm on the far left hanging out with friends
during the State FFA Convention

Is there an FFA Chapter in your local school?  Do you have a favorite FFA memory to share?  My favorite memories are attending National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky and the Iowa FFA Convention in Des Moines.