Sleepy Eye FFA members stand in front of the Farm Safety Plinko game.
Service is at the heart of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter in Minnesota. Throughout the year, this chapter conducts several service projects and programs. One of the chapter’s main priorities is serving the community. This past year, at the 96th Annual Minnesota State FFA Convention, the chapter won the Land of Service Award for making wooden pumpkin decorations for local nursing homes and for the many hours members dedicated to community service throughout the year.
Sleepy Eye FFA member Cameron Moore makes pumpkin decorations.
Serving Seniors With Heart
From making pumpkin decorations to teaching kids about farm safety, the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter actively serves its town and community. At the 2025 Minnesota State FFA Convention, chapter members led a service project workshop where FFA members from across the state created cards and posters for nursing home residents. This workshop connects to a larger project back in Sleepy Eye.
Chapter members show posters made for local nursing homes.
Members of the Sleepy Eye FFA participate in the Adopt-a-Senior Citizen Program, which consists of writing and making cards for Sleepy Eye Rehabilitation Center and Sleepy Eye Assisted Living residents each month. About 77 members participated in the program during the 2024-25 school year, and 98 residents received cards. During the monthly chapter meetings, members make posters with kind messages that are used to decorate the hallways and rooms of the local nursing home. They create these posters for Valentine’s Day and Thanksgiving. At the end of the school year, the students visit the Sleepy Eye Rehabilitation Center and Sleepy Eye Assisted Living to play bingo and games with the residents in both facilities.
Chapter officers Charlie Hoffmann and Alex Confer teach students about auger safety.
Teaching Farm Safety
During National FFA Week, members conduct a Safety Carnival and Ag in the Classroom programs for elementary students. The Safety Carnival reaches fifth and sixth graders from both schools in the town of Sleepy Eye. During the 2025 National FFA Week, 38 FFA members hosted a Safety Carnival for 110 students. The Safety Carnival features different stations and games that teach students about farm safety and ways to prevent accidents. FFA members also presented Ag in the Classroom to 207 students in grades K-4.
Sleepy Eye FFA member Elsie Trebesch teaches kids about tractor safety.
In the summer, students present farm safety demonstrations to teach youth who attend various events like Farmfest, Sleepy Eye Summerfest, the Brown County Free Fair Kiddy Barn, the Minnesota State Fair, and more. Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter Officer Alex Confer shared why teaching farm safety to kids matters: “It is so important that kids know the dangers of a farm and how to avoid them. It’s unfortunate seeing all the incidents that occur on farms much too often, and if teaching farm safety to children can help even one kid from getting into an accident, I’d say we were successful.” Even beyond the school year, members continue their commitment to service.
Living to Serve Everyday
Whether it’s conducting safety demonstrations or packing meals and writing cards to nursing home residents, the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter goes above and beyond when it comes to service. The chapter conducts more than 20 service projects per year and helps make its community a better place.
