Williston, Vermont (January 27, 2016) – Vermont FFA (Future Farmers of America) recently received $10,000 from Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank, two cooperative lending institutions in the Farm Credit System. Bill Scott, VT FFA Foundation President, and Suzanne Buck, Executive Director VT FFA received the donations from Paul Franklin, Yankee Farm Credit’s Board Chairperson and George Putnam, President and CEO of Yankee Farm Credit. CoBank and Yankee Farm Credit each contributed $5,000.
CoBank’s contribution is part of their “Sharing
Success” program, a $3 million matching grant program designed to benefit
cooperatives and charitable groups they support throughout rural America.
CoBank launched this program in 2012 to coincide with the United Nations’ “International
Year of Cooperatives.”
(YFC Board
Chairperson, Paul Franklin presenting FFA Foundation President, Bill Scott with
Sharing Success donation)
Yankee Farm Credit’s Paul Franklin said: “On behalf of Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank, we
are pleased to present to VT FFA two checks of $5,000 that we understand will
go towards educating high school teachers of the benefits of FFA and to help
you as individuals learn how to effectively advocate for yourselves and
agriculture. As Commissioner Ross noted, it is important that you
get a good education, be engaged in your communities, and be able to speak out
on behalf of yourselves. We look forward to seeing the benefits of these
funds".
Executive Director VT FFA Suzanne Buck described how
they will use the funds: “Vermont FFA Association along with our Foundation
Board wrote a grant requesting funds to train our teachers about FFA and its
many opportunities as we are finding ourselves in the position of new teachers
without any background or knowledge of FFA. The other part of our grant
request was to teach the students how to advocate for themselves for
agriculture and to be able to do it in a manner that is respectful and
thoughtful. FFA allows students the
opportunities to explore their potential as leaders and as responsible young
adults. They can be exposed to so many opportunities should they wish to
open the door and accept the challenge.”
The FFA has a membership of 629,327 students in
grades seven through 12 and 7,757 chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank’s Sharing Success
donation will be distributed to Vermont FFA chapters to aid in the development
of new and current teachers as well as student advocacy programs. For more information on FFA, its history,
mission or how you can participate see below.
https://www.facebook.com/Vermont-FFA-Association-236183829754977/
Suzanne S. Buck, M.Ed CAGS
Executive Director VT FFA
4351 Crown Point Rd.
Bridport, VT 05734
suzannesbuck@gmail.com
Suzanne S. Buck, M.Ed CAGS
Executive Director VT FFA
4351 Crown Point Rd.
Bridport, VT 05734
suzannesbuck@gmail.com
