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“Someday I want to make a major gift to the FFA.” This was a statement recently shared with me by a former NY State FFA Officer attending the 360/212 conference in Syracuse last weekend. As the executive director of the NY FFA Foundation, nothing brings me greater joy than when a friend of the FFA wants to make a gift. My response was simple…..”The best way to insure you give a major gift in the future is to make an annual gift in the present.” This brief interaction got me thinking about the power of giving. My wife Shari and I make it a priority to discuss annually what causes we want to support. Like so many of us we have the weekly fund drives that come with being parents of two school aged children. Beyond that we discuss what organizations are important to us, and we plan out which ones we will give to. We do not have the budget to give to everyone, however we feel good about what we can give. That is what matters the most……feeling like our contribution, no matter the size makes an impact. Receiving major gifts, legacy gifts, or being included in a planned gift certainly makes a great impact on any organization. However, the FFA Foundation cannot count on those types of gifts to accomplish our mission. To successfully fund the FFA we rely on capacity. Our ability to do our job is due in large part to the annual gifts of $20, $35, $50, $100 and more from annual donors. The accumulation of annual gifts outweighs the major gifts received in any give year. Major gifts primarily have a specific project attached. Sometimes they are used to leverage support through matching funds. Very large gifts help to get capital campaigns kicked off. Planned gifts are often used to leave a legacy in the future. All of these have impact, but not necessarily in the areas that help the FFA operate. The power of giving is not in the amount we give individually. The power of giving comes from the capacity of the people that make the choice to give what they can. Start a new habit in 2016, and join me and our other annual donors so we can give back to our FFA members. There are many ways to give to the FFA in 2016. Check them out below. Support the FFA Alumni Farm Toy Auction- February 26, 2016 Support the FFA State Convention, May 5-7, 2016 Volunteer to judge at the local, district or state levels. Contact you local teacher. Participate in the 8th Annual FFA Golf Tournament May 21, 2016 Send a kid to FFA Leadership Training Camp at Oswegatchie Buy a duck, and credit your local FFA Chapter Make a general contribution to the FFA anytime With kind regards, Todd M. Lighthall, Exec Dir NY FFA Foundation We Are FFA 
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Seasons Greetings,
This morning, nearly 4000 members of the NY FFA are waking up and taking action. The paths their first steps of the day take are as varied as the communities they live in. Chores in the barn, committee meeting in the ag room, getting ready for a speaking contest, doing homework, volunteering at a shelter, tearing apart an engine; the list is so massive, it could literally take thousands of words to present an accurate picture of the lives of our FFA members. Pictures often do a better job of telling a story than the words themselves. “Portraits of Appeal” is a 4 ½ minute video showcasing 60 FFA chapters in 60 images. From food and llama drives, to action in the classroom and the communities they serve, it is clear that our FFA youth are driven to serve, eager to succeed, and ready to accomplish their goals. The New York FFA Foundation is seeking alumni, parents, teachers, business owners, and others to lend their support to our organization. As a donor to the NY FFA you place yourself among a long list of supporters who take one action to support the action of thousands of FFA member.
If you enjoy “Portraits of Appeal”, please take one simple action that is more powerful than anything other. Join me in support of the New York FFA with an online gift or pledge today. Follow either of the links below to learn more about the NY FFA Foundation or to make a contribution to support the New York FFA.
With kind regards,
Todd Lighthall, Executive Director NY FFA Foundation, Inc. Proud Annual Donor Since 1995 
For Immediate Release
11/11/2015 Contact: Todd Lighthall, Executive Director New York FFA 315-346-1222 [email protected] 31 New York FFA Members Earn American FFA Degree Louisville, KY- On Saturday October 31, 2015 thirty one New York State FFA members were conferred the American FFA Degree at the 88th National FFA Convention and Expo, in Lousiville, KY. This degree, the highest degree an FFA member can receive, is earned by less than .5% of the total FFA membership across the country, thereby establishing this as an achievement of great honor. Students earning this degree have continued to keep and maintain record books in their chosen supervised agricultural experience program. Each recipient was presented a degree certificate, and a gold FFA emblem charm to signify this accomplishment. From New York State the following students earned the degree. Zachary Almeter, Pioneer FFA; Abraham Ashley, Pioneer FFA; Anne Marie Avery, Tri-Valley FFA; Stacie Lynn Bliss, Pioneer FFA; Hauk Matthew Boyes, Tri-Valley FFA; Kyle George Butler, Tri-Valley FFA; So W. Chon, Tri-Valley FFA; Gabrielle Rose Domagala, South Lewis FFA; Kristen Doyle, Tri-Valley FFA; Kaylee Eaton, Cattaraugus-Little Valley FFA; Ashley Exner, Tri-Valley FFA; Sierra Hennessey, Tri-Valley FFA; Rachael Humphrey, South Lewis FFA; Joshua Jacobs, Stockbridge Valley FFA; Katelyn Jaqueway, Schoharie Valley FFA; Nathan Joseph Leviker, Belleville Henderson FFA; Perry Lewis, Penn Yan FFA; Max Lindquist, Tri-Valley FFA; Garrett Marbot, Schoharie Valley FFA; Timothy Meeker, Stockbridge Valley FFA; Ryan Charles Merlau, Pioneer FFA; Brady Rogers, Tri-Valley FFA; Jacob Schloss, Pioneer FFA; Erik Shelmidine, Belleville Henderson FFA; Danielle Smith, Stockbridge Valley FFA; Jonathon Giles Smith, Stockbridge Valley FFA; Cheryl Staats, South Lewis FFA; Cierra Pearl Thomsen, Unadilla Valley FFA; Claire Tierney, Tri-Valley FFA; Mitchell Klein Vanormer, Madison FFA; and Ashley Willits, Lowville Academy FFA. Sponsored by ADM Crop Risk Services, Case IH, DuPont Pioneer, Elanco, Farm Credit, and Syngenta as a special project of the National FFA Foundation, the award recognizes demonstrated ability and outstanding achievements in agricultural business, production, processing or service programs. To be eligible, FFA members must have earned and productively invested $10,000 through a supervised agricultural experience program in which they start, own or hold a professional position in an existing agriculture enterprise. Recipients must also complete 50 hours of community service and demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities and civic involvement. # # # About National FFA Organization The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 610,240 student members as part of 7,665 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog. About the New York FFA Foundation Established in 1946, the NY FFA Foundation mission is to coordinate sustainable, long term funding for agricultural education and the NY FFA. We accomplish this through partner development programs and fundraisers. You can learn more about the NY FFA Foundation at www.nyffafoundation.org Good morning NY FFA – As we prepare to head to Louisville to celebrate together, there are a few details you’ll want to take note of: 1 – If you have CDE participants, be sure to bring a copy of student participation waivers with you. As of this morning, I confirmed that every student competitor but one from New York has an accepted waiver on file – but it is good practice to have a copy electronically on your phone or a physical copy with you in the event something happens. 2 – Remember that cell service is sometimes inconsistent in the convention center due to our overwhelming presence in the same geographic footprint. Plan a conversation with students about key details before you leave for the convention. Note meeting times and places and remind students that they can find ways to engage themselves if they use the convention guidebook. 3 – The NY State Photo will take place on Friday at 1:45 pm. Please plan to attend! Immediately prior to this our National Officer Candidate will be introducing herself onstage in the general session. I have found that students can see both if they leave immediately after the candidates introduce themselves and head straight to the photo. 4 – Catie Rowe is excited and ready to represent NY STRONGLY as our National Officer Candidate! You probably have students who remember Catie as an officer, a volunteer or a camp counselor. She’s certainly someone to cheer for. You’ll find a video below you can share with your students to get them excited to hope with and for our candidate, Catie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS3aDM0o1Ws 5 – There are MANY times when it is worth being in the convention sessions to cheer for our state!! A list is attached highlighting when you’ll be able to celebrate students (and teachers!) on stage or in person. Print it out for a complete list of who’s competing where, when to catch New Yorkers on stage and emergency contact info. State Staff will be in Louisville starting on Sunday and we will be ready to help you from where we are on the road if you need us. Travel safely to Louisville and we will see you there! Sincerely, Juleah Tolosky New York FFA Executive Secretary Youth Program Specialist Cornell University 
Richard L. Strangeway, formerly of Grahamsville, passed away in his sleep, Sunday, May 17, 2015 at his home in Cary, North Carolina. He was 92.
Richard is survived by his wife of 68 years, Audrey (Mackey) Strangeway, three children, Linda (Gary) Parrow, Richard (Vonnie) Strangeway, and Pamela (Bill) Lake, along with seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and his sister, Ginny Mennerich of Newburgh, NY. Richard was born to Lloyd and Helen Strangeway in Andes, NY on April 6, 1923. He grew up on the family dairy farm in Treadwell, NY and graduated at the top of his class from the Kellogg Academy where he played football and baseball. He served our country overseas in the Army Air Corp during World War II and, after his discharge, earned a degree in Agricultural Education from Cornell University. He later earned his Masters Degree from Cornell. In 1950, Richard moved his family to Grahamsville and established an Agriculture program and FFA chapter in a small building that would soon become a part of the newly created Tri-Valley Central School. He was considered a progressive and a visionary as, over the years, he adjusted the focus of his instruction to meet the changing agricultural climate of the area. His true professional love was the FFA. It is his FFA alumni who will remember him most fondly. During his 29 years at Tri-Valley, Richard served on the Lower Hudson Valley FFA Foundation Board, The New York State FFA Foundation Board, and the New York Sate FFA Governing Board. He also served in several offices, including President of the Association of Teachers of Agriculture in New York and President of the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association. He was recently honored with a Region VI Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Agricultural Educators. After retiring from Tri-Valley in 1979, Richard worked for nearly 15 years for the NY State Department of Education as Executive Secretary to the FFA. In that capacity, he served for many years as the leadership skills trainer for FFA State Officer teams. Richard was also active in his community, serving for many years as a board member and officer of the Neversink Agricultural Society and the Grahamsville Methodist Church. A service celebrating Richard's life will be held on Saturday, July 18, at 2:00 in the afternoon at the Grahamsville United Methodist Church in Grahamsville, NY. Those wishing to offer a memorial are encouraged to make a donation to the New York State FFA Leadership Training Foundation, through the link below or can send a check to: 9340 Long Pond Rd., Croghan NY 13327; designate Strangeway Memorial in memo. Hello New York FFA & Congratulations! The 90th New York FFA Convention held in partnership this year with Morrisville State College was a opportunity to showcase the success of agricultural education within our state. Over three days, students competed, learned and experienced opportunities within agriculture. The reaction from partners and guests was clear: the work you do in your schools and communities matters. You are making an incredible difference in the lives of your students. We will soon be sharing comprehensive CDE and award results as well as looking to provide access to the photos taken on site. This weekend would be incomplete, however, without taking time to give credit where credit is due. Morrisville State College was an incredible partner for our convention. From lodging and meals to real-life settings for Career Development Events, workshops and tours, the facilities and support available to us made convention an incredible experience. Chip Ax - always a devoted friend and selfless volunteer to FFA - led the charge to bring the convention to Morrisville and was a humble, hard-working servant leader. He connected us with the right partners, recruited a team of outstanding Morrisville student volunteers and slept very little over the last year. He introduced the idea of convention to key parties at Morrisville who worked diligently to make FFA feel welcome - and to exceed expectations on the delivery of every meal, facility and opportunity. Thank you to all of Morrisville's volunteers but especially President Rogers, Dean Nyberg, Diana Johnson, Sarah Mazza, faculty who opened their programs to us for competitions or workshops; and the maintenance and grounds departments. Central NY is home to some outstanding agriculture programs and three chapters have been working diligently to help with this convention. Hamilton, Madison and Stockbridge Valley FFA chapters provided all of our judges, coordinated all off campus tours, provided buses, managed courtesy corps, designed t-shirts... The list goes on and on! Johanna Fox-Bossard, Julia Hudyncia, Erin McCaffrey and Patty Waldron volunteered to help with convention over a year ago and their students have been an awesome part of the planning process. The work they did on site was extremely valuable - but the efforts these programs put in in the months before convention cannot go unrecognized. Oh - and did you love the FFA Light Bright in the convention hall?? The Stockbridge Valley Ag students worked on that for WEEKS! I've seen so many pictures shared with that already - such a fun representation of the state officers' theme! Veronique Krohn was a convention intern this year, working as a liaison between the convention and Morrisville. She worked with registration data, room requests, association needs AND volunteer management. We are so grateful for her leadership and commitment to the convention. Terry Hughes served this year for the first time as the CDE coordinator at convention and it was clear that a combination of his focus, his state fair experience and Morrisville's facilities allowed competitions to succeed. Thank you to ALL of our cde event coordinators. The FFA Foundation led convention's financial and registration efforts this year. Todd Lighthall, Robin Waite and Kate Downes were key to this effort. On top of this the Foundation held a VIP reception for Past State Officers. The reception was beautiful, professional and an opportunity to bring alumni back to the convention. The moving opening ceremonies with our reunion officers combined with personal donations to truly take this VIP event to the highest level I've seen it. Thank you and congratulations to the Foundation and its volunteers for that. Convention isn't just for students and Shari Lighthall makes sure teachers are heard, supported and engaged during our three days on site. She does all this in addition to the planning and support she provides to the REST of the convention. We were able to provide insights into next year's venue, hear about key programs and even be visited by Dr. Case about the alumni through her efforts. Shari always has the priorities and needs of FFA and Ag Ed in focus and is a critical part of this convention. Finally, our convention is an opportunity for students (present and recent alumni) to truly serve. Whether it was running a spotlight, delivering content on stage, teaching workshops, taking pictures, organizing lines of award recipients or developing audio and video packages, our convention is very largely student run - onstage and off. You should be proud of the talents of these young men and women who have very recently come out of YOUR classrooms. I am very proud of (and grateful for) them - but I think the moment I am the most proud of happened yesterday after the crowds left the convention hall. Students who previously had been in heels and under spotlights changed clothes and spent 4 hours helping the stage and equipment rental company tear down the stage and load it into the back of a few semi trucks. They were dirty, hot and exhausted by the end but not one of them complained or thought it wasn't their job. Great work developing young people who understand that leadership is service, not attention. This convention was yet again evidence of all you do, every day, to grow outstanding young people. Thank you for doing it. We will see you next year at the OnCenter. Sincerely, Juleah Tolosky NY FFA Executive Secretary  60 past state officers representing 58 years of student leadership!  May 2015 Dear Past NY State FFA Officer, The 90thAnnual NYS FFA Convention will be held this coming May 14-16, 2015 at Morrisville State College. The NYS FFA Officers along with our dedicated volunteers and state staff are working hard to deliver a convention that is educational, enriching, and fun for our FFA members. In recognition of your service to agricultural education and the FFA, The NY FFA Foundation invites you and your guest to attend the NY FFA VIP reception on Friday evening May 15 on the Morrisville Campus. Invited guests will include FFA sponsors, FFA Convention hosts, and former NYS FFA Officers. We are planning special recognition of the following officer teams: v 1959-60 55 year anniversary v 1964-64 50 year anniversary v 1974-75 40 year anniversary v 1984-85 30 year anniversary v 1994-95 20 year anniversary v 2004-05 10 year anniversary The event will begin with a reception at 4 PM, followed by a dinner in Seneca Hall. We will adjourn to the convention hall for the evening session which will begin at 7 PM. The session is expected to close by 9 PM. Additional details will be sent to those who confirm attendance in this special evening of fellowship and recognition. We hope you can attend. You can RSVP by emailing Robin Waite at [email protected] or calling 315-346-1222. There will be no fee to attend. We hope that you can join us for an evening of fellowship, reflection, and celebration. With kind regards, Kaylee Eaton, President Todd Lighthall, Executive Director NYS FFA President NYS FFA Foundation, Inc. 1988-89 State FFA President  For Immediate Release!
Syracuse, NY -- More than 550 middle and high school students from around New York state, gathered at the Embassy Suites hotel in Syracuse from January 24 – 25, 2015, for an intensive leadership conference. <Insert chapter total here> members of the <insert chapter name here> attended the two day conference. The conference, 212°/360°, hosted by the New York FFA Association, provided students in middle and high school agricultural programs with the opportunity to network and collaborate with like-minded students. Agricultural educators also attended professional development workshops and training. This is the eighth year New York FFA has hosted 212°/360°, in partnership with the National FFA organization. Each January, student FFA members attend the conference that focuses upon developing student understanding that they were made for excellence, not mediocrity. The conference utilizes interactive workshops that provide opportunities to discover talents, skills, and a will to succeed. “Parents want the best for their children and our FFA members find the best personal growth opportunities at conferences like these,” said Juleah Tolosky, NYS FFA Executive Secretary. “Even while times are tough, there is a clear demand for high quality, challenging programs that demand the best of our teenagers. I believe our FFA members are better prepared to overcome the challenges of the real world because of opportunities like the 212°/360° conferences.” While their students are engaged in character and teamwork instruction, their teachers were involved in hands-on learning activities they can use to bring proactive agricultural education into their agriculture classrooms. Agriculture is a diverse and growing field. With the global need to double food production by the year 2050 on less land than ever before, agricultural educators help students engage in an industry with guaranteed career growth and significant social power. In New York, more than 100 schools offer students opportunities to get a jump-start on career success through high school agriculture classes. 212° – the temperature at which water boils – will focus on taking students to the boiling point of leadership. This conference focuses on student development, and students will be challenged to push the limits. 360° takes students full circle in chapter leadership development. The conference will cover every angle for developing action plans for their chapters, and focuses on chapter development. The New York FFA Association is a youth organization that provides premiere leadership, personal growth and career success opportunities to students enrolled in agricultural education. It is a part of the National FFA Organization which boasts over a half of a million members nationally. New York agricultural education is found in public, private, and BOCES schools throughout the state, offering instruction in courses ranging from small animal care to farm business management and from pre-veterinary science to natural resources management. Contact information: Juleah Tolosky, [email protected] For Immediate Release 808 S Lamont Circle
December 30, 2014 Cortland, NY 13045 NYS FFA Alumni Toy Auction Friday The NYS FFA Alumni Association will hold its annual Farm (Related) Toy Auction Friday, February 27th, 5pm in the Empire Room at the NYS State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. The auction is open to the public. Roughly 200 old and new toys related to agriculture will be auctioned to benefit FFA programs throughout New York State. According to Auction Chair Roger Barkman, “our website: www.ffatoyauction.org will have pictures and an enhanced consignment list that include a wide variety of toy tractors including John Deere, Massey Ferguson, White, Ford, International, Case, Oliver, – nearly every present and former farm toy manufactured. Related toys include farm play-sets, construction vehicles – most any toy of any age relating in some way to agriculture.” Consignments or donations may be dropped off at the FFA Booth (by 2 pm Friday), during this weeks NYS Farm Show at the Fairgrounds. Or by calling Roger Barkman at (518) 231-3054. Auction viewing begins at 4 pm. Auctioneers are the LeClar Brothers, Remsen, NY. We look forward to seeing you there! Oswegatchie has a wide variety of experiences for FFA Members & Advisors! If you are new to the NY Ag Ed family or just looking for a new way to experience Oswegatchie, here is our “network of websites” to help you out!
www.oswegatchie.org leads you to all other sites www.oswegatchiecamp.com all about summer camp www.oswegatchiestore.com our online store www.oswegatchieretreats.com all about lodgings & retreat options at Oswegatchie www.oswegatchieropes.com all about our ropes course and programs www.adironduckrace.com all about Oswegatchie’s Duck Race www.nyffafoundation.org the New York FFA Foundation Website If you have not been to Oswegatchie in a while, you should make a trip back and check us out. We have made major improvements to buildings, property, and programs. Things have changed, but we are still the great place we have always been. The more it changes, the more it stays the same! Excelsior, Oswegatchie Educational Center Croghan, NY 13327 |
The New York FFA Foundation The NYSFFALTF, Inc., chartered in 1946 by the New York State Board of Regents, is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that provides businesses, associations, other foundations, and individuals the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of our New York youth. Our mission is to build and maintain a financial base that will allow the New York FFA to generate well-educated and career focused productive citizens. Email our Director at [email protected] . Archives
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The NYSFFALTF, Inc., chartered in 1946 by the New York State Board of Regents, is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that provides businesses, associations, other foundations, and individuals the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of our New York youth. Our mission is to build and maintain a financial base that will allow the New York FFA to generate well-educated and career focused productive citizens.
New York FFA Foundation 9340 Long Pond Road Croghan, NY 13327 |