The Louisiana FFA State Officer Team feels the Christmas spirit.
For many, November and December are full of family, friends and FFA. Whether eating way too much on Thanksgiving, opening presents on Christmas Day or filling up our carts on Black Friday, there is always an overlooked connection tying the season back to agriculture. The Louisiana FFA State Officer Team shared two ways FFA has helped them keep the holiday spirit this year.
Agriculture is the root of the food industry. Most people know that. However, with all the holiday fun surrounding us, it can become hard to remember farmers and ranchers during the holiday season.
Louisiana FFA State Treasurer AndiKaye Ainsworth reminds the FFA community that “the food we eat on Thanksgiving, and even the milk and cookies we leave out for Santa, all trace back to local farms.” Ainsworth makes it a point to thank the people who make our holiday seasons bright and bring our food “from pasture to plate.” She also reflects a core FFA value: gratitude.
Many people long for the feeling the holidays bring, and Louisiana FFA State Reporter Anthony Plaisance understands that well. He expresses how hard it is to “keep his spirit up after the holidays.” FFA has provided a cornerstone for him, embracing the “holiday warmth, even in July,” he says.
Plaisance shares one of his favorite memories in FFA: leadership camps. These are three camps held under the Louisiana sun, each for a different area of the state. For most FFA members, this is a very exciting time full of games, workshops and competitions. On the flip side, it can be a very stressful time for the state officers because they are constantly preparing for public speeches, getting very little sleep and rarely returning home.
But Plaisance says these camps are actually some of his favorite parts of FFA. He explains that every day he could “have an honest conversation, eat lunch with someone new or join a game of cornhole.” Plaisance is able to feel the familiar comfort of the holiday season, even in the blinding heat of summer. He is able to turn a stressful time into something that deepens his love for FFA and the people around him. Even in an FFA summer, there is always a little bit of holiday spirit there. Plaisance highlights another core FFA value: human connection.
After hearing from the Louisiana FFA State Officer Team, it is clear how important FFA is for keeping the holiday spirit alive. This officer team inspires us daily to give thanks, make a new connection and to take the opportunities given. The months of November and December are a perfect time to begin embodying that spirit, carrying its warmth with us into every season.
