FFA Labor Sale coming up Feb. 4

It's an annual event Fowler residents eagerly look forward to every year, and 2010 is no different. Fowler FFA students are hard at work gearing up for the 51^st annual Fowler FFA Labor Sale to be held Thursday, Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school gym. A BBQ dinner will be served prior to the sale from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the high school commons. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for elementary age students, and children pre-school and under eat free.

This year 53 students will be up for bid providing buyers a day's worth of labor. Also on the auction block will be a variety of items made by the students including a round bale feeder, a trailer smoker and grill combination, wooden picnic tables, a playhouse, dog kennel, and a motorized fence roller. Funds raised from the auction help pay for FFA trips and educational opportunities.

FFA president, Ceciala Bennett says finances have been pretty tight. “We didn't have enough money to send anyone to the stock show this year,” she commented. “We are hoping to raise enough money at the sale to do something this Spring.”

Dedicated students in Justin Osborn's Ag classes are diligently working to put together the kind of event Fowler folks have come to expect each year. First held in 1960, the sale has been called every year by local auctioneer, Jake Norton. The first event netted a profit of $190 selling the likes of Marvin Harris, Carl Nesselhuf and Ray Smith. This year Norton will be assisted by Ryon Sallee.

Bennett encourages the public to come out and support a good cause. “FFA has helped me grow tremendously,” she says. “This program is not only about agriculture but teaches us life skills we will use long after we leave here.” She also notes how participation fosters the development of new relationships and opens doors to different opportunities. “This is one organization that when you think it can't get any better, it just keeps getting better,” Bennett states.