TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Ione and Heppner FFA kick
off FFA Week
Heppner FFA receives Food For
All grant to help fight hunger
INDIANAPOLIS,
IN—The Heppner FFA
chapter has been awarded
$2,498 as part of the FFA:
Food For All program, the
organization announced
earlier this month. The
nationwide program pro-
vides grant money to local
FFA chapters to support
year-long service-learning
projects that address local
hunger needs.
The Heppner FFA plans
to help fight hunger by
raising vegetables in the
off-season with a hydropon-
Heppner FFA at a soils Career Development Event for FFA Week. The Career Development ics unit, which will allow
chapter members to raise
Event, or CDE, was only one of many activities planned for the week. -Contributed photo
and donate vegetables to
Each year, FFA chap-
the Neighborhood Center.
ters around the country cel-
The grant also provided
ebrate National FFA Week.
funding to pay for the feed
The week-long tradi-
for the chapter’s laying
tion began in 1947 when
hens for this next year,
the National FFA Board of
which will help offset the
Directors designated the
costs associated with them.
week of George Washing-
The eggs have been and will
ton’s birthday as National
continue to be donated to
FFA Week in recognition of
his legacy as an agricultur-
ist and farmer.
The first National FFA
Submitted by club re-
Week was held in 1948.
porter Jake Lentz
Today, FFA Week al-
February has been a
ways runs Saturday to Sat-
busy month for Heppner’s
urday and encompasses
Grow ‘Em & Show ‘Em
Feb. 22, Washington’s
4-H group.
birthday.
With the club’s first
National FFA Week
meeting on Feb. 1, the
is an opportunity for FFA
members were busy elect-
members, alumni and spon-
ing officers and making
sors to advocate for agricul-
Valentine’s Day cards for
tural education and FFA.
the residents of Willow
It’s a time, say FFA
Creek Terrace. The resi-
members, to share with lo-
cal, state and national audi- Top: The seventh-grade team of Matt Orem and Jake Heide- dents seemed surprised
ences what FFA is and the man won the human hungry hippo game during the assembly. when the club members
impact it has on members With a two-man team for each grade, one student had to delivered the cards to them
push the other on a scooter while the other collected balls Feb. 13.
every day.
On Feb. 16 they took a
Heppner and Ione have and balloons with a laundry basket (no hands) for points in
lots of activities planned for this tournament-style game. Above: Ione High School staff field trip to Krebs Ranch,
participated in Teacher Ag Olympics as part of FFA Week.
the week; see the school Competitors found a nut/bolt/washer in a tub of wheat and where they students learned
websites or the multiple put it together, drilled in a screw, hammered a nail and sawed about the lambing process.
posters around town for a log in a timed event. In first place was Steve Schaber, while
second was Jim Raible and third was Sarah Crane-Simpson.
more information.
the Neighborhood Center
to be distributed to people
in the area who need as-
sistance.
The third portion of
the grant will allow chapter
members to buy, raise and
harvest two market hogs,
which also will be donated
to the Neighborhood Cen-
ter at the conclusion of the
project.
“The need for quality
protein to be distributed
is what caused us to think
how we could help differ-
ently with a grant to help
with the expenses for the
projects,” local FFA Advi-
sor Beth Dickenson said.
Community members who
are interested in helping
with the projects, or with
any expertise they can offer
to get the projects started,
would be welcomed.
The FFA: Food For
All Grants are sponsored
by CF Industries, Elanco,
The Food For All grant will
help the Heppner FFA chapter
grow more produce like this
to help fight hunger locally.
-Contributed photo
Mainsource, Tractor Supply
Company and Tyson as a
special project of the Na-
tional FFA Foundation. The
program provided nearly
$330,000 to FFA chapters in
39 states and the Virgin Is-
lands. In addition, the FFA:
Food For All grant program
is part of the National FFA
Organization’s Feeding Our
World – Starting at Home
platform. More informa-
tion about the program
can be found at FFA.org/
foodforall.
Local 4-H group has busy month
Above: One Grow 'Em and Show 'Em club member holds a
lamb while others take turns petting it during a recent trip to
the Krebs ranch to learn about the lambing process. Below:
Club members enjoy the sunshine during a trip to the Krebs
ranch. -Contributed photo
–Photos by Erin Heideman
Application deadline for CSP fast
approaching
The application dead-
line for the Conservation
Stewardship Program
(CSP) is fast approaching,
say local NRCS representa-
tives. CSP applications are
accepted all year; however,
farmers, ranchers and forest
landowners should submit
applications by March 13 to
ensure they are considered
for this year’s funding. Ap-
plications received after
that date will be considered
for future funding.
Learn more about CSP
and other NRCS Farm Bill
programs online at www.
or.nrcs.usda.gov or visit
the Heppner USDA service
center.
Second annual agriculture,
energy job fair March 4
Agriculture and energy industries, educational
institutions and government agencies set for
March event at the SAGE Center in Boardman
BOARDMAN—The
second annual SAGE Cen-
ter Agriculture and Energy
Job Fair is set for March 4
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
SAGE Center, 101 Olson
Road in Boardman.
The event is open to
the public, giving attendees
a chance to visit with area
food processors, utilities,
farms, local government
agencies, data centers and
educational institutions
about careers, education
and job-seeking help.
Job fair participants
can also learn more about
the Boardman Community
Development Association’s
Home Buying Incentive
Program. The incentive is
$5,000 toward the purchase
of a primary residence in
the 97818 zip code.
“This event gives
people the opportunity to
connect with the region’s
leading agriculture and en-
ergy industries to discover
rewarding careers,” said
Kalie Davis, SAGE Center
manager.
Local high school stu-
dents and college students
have also been invited to the
fair to see careers available
in their communities and
learn what kind of educa-
tion they need to work in
local industries.
Blue Mountain Com-
munity College, Walla Wal-
la Community College,
Perry Technical Institute,
Oregon State University
and Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity are also attending to
provide information about
educational opportunities.
For more information
and a list of organizations
attending, visit the SAGE
Center website job fair page
at www.visitsage.com or
call 541-481-7243.
Applications being accepted for
Young Artists Competition
Inland Northwest Mu-
sicians is accepting applica-
tions for participation in the
15 th annual Young Artists
Competition to be held
Sunday afternoon, March 8,
at Hermiston High School.
The competition is
open to instrumentalists
and vocalists up to age 25
Admission - Founders $8.00
Standard entry $10.00
With event glass $15.00
in four age divisions—ele-
mentary, junior high/middle
school, high school and
young adult. Cash awards
will be presented to division
winners, and some partici-
pants will also be selected
to perform in concert with
the Inland Northwest Or-
chestra in May.
Information and appli-
cation forms are available
online at www.inlandnorth-
westmusicians.com. The
deadline for applications is
Friday, Feb. 27. For addi-
tional information, contact
Alice Massey at amassey@
wtechlink.us or at 541-379-
5564.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.