Channeling their creativity for a good cause, members of Weld Central FFA (Colo.) wrote and illustrated a children’s book called An FFA Christmas Story in 2019. As a result, they made an existing community service event even more special.
“Since 2012, our chapter has sponsored a free event each holiday season called Santa Claus Picture Night; Santa comes to our school and takes photos with local elementary school students, and the kids leave with a small gift,” says Sarah Madsen, who serves as the Weld Central FFA advisor alongside Emma Curtis. “We wanted to take the event to the next level, so our officer team collaborated to create this book, which we plan to distribute for the next several years. I’m so proud of them for coming together and giving back to the community in such a unique way.”
Former Weld Central FFA Sentinel Elizabeth Spayd collaborated with Sydnie Pevler, who previously served as the chapter’s treasurer, to write An FFA Christmas Story. Austin McCray, Weld Central FFA reporter, created the book’s illustrations before graduating. The chapter used Shutterfly to put it all together.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing, so when this project came up, I knew I wanted to be part of it,” Spayd says. “As a team, we worked hard to make sure the story would appeal to children of all ages and be something they’d want to revisit year after year, and I think we accomplished that goal judging by the joy we see on the kids’ faces when they open up our book for the first time.”
Spayd, currently a senior at Weld Central High School and vice president of Weld Central FFA, attended Santa Claus Picture Night as a young girl, and she says it’s especially meaningful to be part of an event she remembers fondly. She encourages other FFA chapters to find creative ways to give back to their communities during the holiday season. After all, she says, you never know who might benefit from a little generosity.
“The holidays are all about giving back and serving others, which is also an important part of FFA, so it’s the perfect time for chapters to host or take part in community service events and spread positivity,” Spayd says. “All it takes is one great idea and a few supporters to get something amazing off the ground and make a lasting impact on someone’s life.”
