Garfield/Palouse FFA event raises $12,000

The Garfield/Palouse FFA biennial dinner and auction March 10 raised more than $12,000.

The total includes live and silent auctions and students’ labor time pledged at four hours each.

A total of 192 people attended with 56 FFA members participating by cooking, serving dinner and running the daycare.

The money raised will be used by Gar/Pal FFA boosters and alumni to help build a greenhouse, support the VIKotics robotics team, scholarships, state FFA convention costs, travel to national events and other activities.

The auction included 70 donated items ranging from helicopter rides by Warren Neal, an FFA member custom-built wooden cooler stand and hanging bench (both using the Garfield school old bleacher wood), dinner for eight by Lesa Neumann, and another by Shai Collier and numerous other items. A total of 34 FFA members’ labor was auctioned at four hours for each.

Dinner service included a beef steak cooked to order, baked potato with butter and sour cream, green salad with choice of dressing, roll, and vanilla or chocolate cake.

“It is our philosophy to limit the number of fundraisers we have by doing well at one major fundraiser,” says Mike Patrick, Garfield/Palouse ag. teacher. “We then work to manage the money raised in a manner that allows kids to be financially supported when needed so we are not always asking for money from our community.”

Patrick works with co-ag teacher Mark Sawyer.