Holly Main outside her classroom.
Service within an organization, including FFA, isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. FFA members often become discouraged, drop out of agriculture, and sometimes fail to commit as they should. In these instances, we need someone to help establish community outreach and serve.
Buildup to Loving Service
Meet Holly Main. She grew up in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, to parents Tim and Ree Reich. Following her parents’ lead, she joined 4-H and later became a member of FFA. Main says, “I had an older brother and two older sisters, and we were all in 4-H. My parents were 4-H leaders.”
Main recalls her mom serving her community and setting a role model for service. She remembers her dad’s time on the Soil Conservation Board serving as an active member and being involved with her church as well, helping the nursing homes and brightening their day. “We did things like Sammy Soil Saver and Ag in the Classroom, and my mom did a lot of projects where we just tagged along,” Main said.
Holly’s mother, Ree Reich, was named Eminent Leader in Agriculture.
One Brick at a Time
In school, Main participated in many student organizations. In addition to FFA and 4-H, she was involved in National Honor Society, band, choir, drama, volleyball, basketball, track, cheerleading, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Christian Life Center Youth Group. “Back in the day when you could do everything,” she said. Her time within FFA, although not spanning her entire high school career, left a lasting imprint. Attending the National FFA Convention when it was in Kansas City, Mo., comes to mind the most. While things might not look the same, the FFA program in Belle Fourche was pivotal, as it was “something new and different I hadn’t been a part of before.”
Continued Service Is Good Service
There was a point where Main’s family service began. Her dad grew up on a farm in North Dakota and began his service by joining the Air Force. He attended the University of Wyoming and became a chemical engineer. His demeanor was described as “a chemical engineer by trade, but his heart is in agriculture, raising Charolais cattle for the last 65 years.” Her mom, however, was a “country girl” at heart. She valued community involvement, passing it down to her daughter.
Justus Marshall and other helpers serving at Fondue for Youth, coordinated by Main.
A Revue for Youth Success
Surrounding FFA members and others with a support structure was important to Main, so she and other 4-H moms founded the Redwater Youth Leadership Fund (RYLF) eight years ago. The fund began to support 4-H members in attending conferences and national conventions. At the time, the national 4-H organization stopped funding these trips; Main and other mothers saw the opportunity to step up and take action. RYLF hosts a yearly Pitchfork Fondue, which provides the needed funds for these trips. This past year, one of Belle Fourche FFA Chapter’s members, Wyatt Lesmeister, attended the Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
Filling More Gaps
Main is filling another community gap by being involved in Action for the Betterment of Community(ABC). She describes a moment in her life after her brother passed away, when Brian Apsen, a social worker, approached her about teaching drug prevention classes. “We use the Too Good For Drugs curriculum, which is about making good choices in all aspects of life,” she said. The material is taught to fifth through eighth graders or anyone instructed to take a drug prevention class. Her goal is to fill the gap in service through education, one of our strongest weapons against destructive behavior.
Setting Up a System
Main continues to serve her family and FFA, an organization she has been dedicated to for years. She helps at the Belle Fourche FFA Chapter’s Football Tailgate and wherever else she is needed. She is also involved in 4-H shooting, working the events for the past 12 years. Her two daughters are continuing to succeed on a personal level, as both are furthering their career goals. So, from grandmother to mother to her daughters, the legacy has been passed down and remains alive within the agricultural community. Main continues to fill in the gaps by seeking to educate, promote, and lead by example.
