MENDOTA - The Mendota FFA Alumni & Supporters have decided not to hold their Annual Draw Down Fundraiser in 2022. With the success of the postponed 2020 event, which was finally held in September 2021 and the current status of the global pandemic, organizers feel it will be best to move forward with plans for an event next year, which has been tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 25, 2023.

Chartered in 2002 and celebrating 20 years of support for the Mendota FFA Chapter and agricultural education at Mendota Township High School, the Mendota FFA Alumni & Supporters is open to anyone interested in supporting the future of agriculture. As a local affiliate of the Illinois and National FFA Alumni & Supporters organizations, membership is open to anyone regardless of whether or not you were an active member of the National FFA Organization. Anyone interested in joining has the option of annual or life membership in the organization.

Over the past 20 years, the Mendota FFA Alumni & Supporters have supported the local agriculture program by providing funds, volunteer hours, and professional expertise. The Mendota FFA greenhouse was constructed thanks in part to the Alumni and recently underwent an approximately $20,000 upgrade thanks to the Alumni and the generous community support of the annual Draw Down. The large concrete pad around the greenhouse and Waldorf Agriculture Education Center was also a very significant recent upgrade made with the support of the Alumni.

The Mendota FFA Alumni & Supporters continue to make funds available to Mendota FFA members to attend State and National conferences and conventions such as Washington Leadership Conference (WLC). In the past several years the group has offered a $500 endowment to State FFA Degree recipients and a $1,000 endowment to American FFA Degree recipients within the Mendota FFA Chapter.

The Mendota FFA is always looking for parents, agricultural professionals and former members who are willing to share their professional expertise with high school students either in mentoring them in their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects; helping to coach a team for the various Career Development Events (CDEs) or Leadership Development Events (LDEs); or giving of their time to serve as a judge for proficiency interviews and CDE and LDEs.

The Mendota FFA Alumni & Supporters meet the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. from November to April in the Mendota High School ag classroom (unless otherwise posted). Learn more about the organization by visiting https://bit.ly/3s9bleZ or by contacting Mendota High School Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor Matthew Meyer at (815) 539-7446, extension 534 or via e-mail at mmeyer@mendotahs.org.