FFA Booster Club Annual Auction and Dinner

The Ava FFA Booster Club’s Annual Auction and Dinner event was held on Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Cold Creek Cowboy Church, north of Ava on Hwy 5.  This year the Booster Club event was host to approximately 350 event participants, which is an increase from last year with 250 attending.  

This year the Booster Club offered  Gold or Blue table sponsorships, with a Gold Sponsorship $500, and a Blue Sponsorship, $300.  Gold sponsors received eight dinner tickets, a customized RTIC cooler, and recognition throughout the evening event.  Blue Sponsors  also received eight dinner tickets, a set of two customized RTIC tumblers, and special recognition.  The year the event showcased 12 Gold and four Blue sponsorship tables, and according to organizers, several have already shown interest for next years event.  

The evening dinner was pulled pork sandwiches, homemade baked beans, potato salad, chips and several homemade desserts.  Iced tea, lemonade and water were served as well.  

During the evening, participants could take part in a silent and live auction.  The silent auction offered 160 items for bidding, and 72 lots were sold in the live auction.  

A large variety of items  were donated from the community for both auctions

Last year, the event raised about $10,000, and this year the tally nearly doubled.  With these funds, the Booster Clubs has plans to offer more scholarships to graduating seniors from the Ava FFA Chapter, as well as assist in activities, and offer more Ag Industry Tours for students, to help them see all the opportunities available in the field of Agriculture.

The auctioneer for the evening was a talented young man by the name of Logan Burks.  At age 16, and as an Ava FFA Chapter member, Logan is a self taught auctioneer.  Burks showcased his unwaivering skills at the auctioneer table, and his sense of humor as well.  Logan did a fantastic job.  

Ava FFA Chapter members were also in attendance for the event, and stayed busy throughout the evening helping in many ways.  The Booster Club also had five Greenhands present the FFA Creed, these new members are Baylan Alexander, Brody Tidwell, Colton Marler, Hannah Evans, and Rebekah Evans.  

With the funds raised during the 2017 event, the Booster Club was able to support the Ava FFA in many ways:

• Covered registration fees for 13 members who attended National FFA Convention;

• Provided $10 per student, per day, for days, while attending Convention;

• Provided helping hands on Trash Pickup Day by grilling burgers for the members who participated;

• Paid $25 incentives to six speech contestants who qualified and competed at the district level; 

• Provided and served ice cream at the Greenhand and Chapter Farmer Degree ceremony last October;

• Helped set up the Food For America Day at the Ag building during FFA week for elementary and middle school students;

• Served breakfast to judging teams days they had a contest;

• Provided $10 per student, to buy lunch on contest days;

• Paid $25 incentives to the four horse judging team members who qualified and competed at the state level;

• Assisted with chapter banquet expenses;

• Awarded two $1,000 scholarships to graduating FFA seniors;

• Took eight students on an Ag Industry Tour to Kansas, July 30 – August 1;

• Covered chapter membership dues for a few students who were unable to pay.

The Ag Industry Tour was an eye opener for students, and the chaperones who attended.  Ava FFA Booster Club member, Tanner Clark organized the trip, and Advisor Brent Lakey, assisted.  Students participating in the adventure were Sam Lawson, Addy Croston, Baylan Alexander, Lauren King, Layla Giorgiani, Dylan King, Garrett DeVore, and Logan Burks.  

The tour began Monday, July 31, when the group loaded up and headed west.  The first stop was Joplin Regional Stockyards (JRS) for a tour and catered lunch provided by JRS. Upon leaving Joplin, the group drove on to Dodge City.  

On Day Two, the tour led to Irsik & Doll Feed Yard, a 30,000-plus head feed lot near Garden City, KS.  The group also visited Gardiner Angus Genetics, and received a full tour of the facility.  

That evening for fun, the group attended the Xtreme Bullfights in Dodge City.  

Day 3, the group headed back east making two stops on the way.  The first was Harper Industries/DewEze, where they enjoyed a nice lunch and toured their plant.  

The last stop on the trip was MKC Grain Elevator, where students witnessed how fast grain was loaded and unloaded at this new facility.  

The mission of the Ava FFA Booster Club is to provide helping hands either physically or financially to encourage Ava FFA members, support FFA activities and events, and by doing so promote Agricultural Education in the community.  

The Booster Club has had a supportive response from community ever since the first organizational meeting back in June 2017; however, the club would also like to get more community members involved with the club, and with helping FFA student.

Monthly meetings are held the fourth Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. inside the Ag building at the school.  However, this month the meeting will be held at Pizza Hut, in Ava.  

Current officers are President-Kerre Clark, Vice President-Ed Wittorff, and Secretary/Treasurer-Garry DeVore.  Please make plans to join!  Follow on Facebook @AvaFFABoosterClub.