BONNERS FERRY — This past Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9, the local Bonners Ferry Future Farmers of America chapter members held their annual plant sale.

The FFA holds a variety of fundraisers throughout the year in order to afford the costs associated with many projects and travel to conventions and other related events.

The money raised from the various fundraisers, including the plant sale, will help members in a variety or ways.

“Money raised from the plant sale will be used to fund registration and travel for our Career Development Events and National FFA Convention, help FFA members with their Supervised Agriculture Experience projects by providing equipment needed for fitting and showing their animals, and for community service projects,” explained Julie Smith who is an Agriculture Education Instructor and FFA Advisor.

The next upcoming FFA event will be the Boundary County Fair, where members will show and auction their livestock that they have raised over the past year.

“We have 37 FFA members raising market livestock for the fair,” said Smith. “We will use some of this money to purchase a fitting and showing chute for members to use; we will also be going to the National FFA Convention in October representing Idaho in the National Chapter category.”

The National FFA Convention is a big deal. It is said to be the largest student related gathering in the United States and one of the largest annual student conventions in the world. The 2020 convention will be held in October in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bonners Ferry chapter members will travel to accept the prestigious FFA, National Chapter Award.

“Only 10 chapters from the state are chosen for this award,” said Smith. “We are always looking at ways to provide more educational opportunities for our students and fundraising helps us to be able to provide some of these life changing opportunities.”

Chapter members, Jeannie Pinkerton and her sister, Marianne Pinkerton, were onsite to help customers choose plants during the sale.

The plants are cultivated and cared for by students who are involved in the Greenhouse classes.

“Most of the FFA chapter works in the greenhouse,” said Marianne Pinkerton, “Mostly we watered, weeded and planted plugs.”

When asked whether or not Marianne would use the knowledge and skills she learned within the greenhouse class in the future, she answered with confidence.

“My plans are to become an Ag teacher, so potentially, yes,” said Marianne Pinkerton.

The sale was a success and most all plants have been sold. The remaining items will be available online.

“On behalf of our students, Mr. Pluid and I say ‘Thank You’ to our amazing community who supports agriculture education and FFA,” said Smith.

For more information on FFA and any available plants for sale please contact Julie Smith at julie.smith@mail.bcsd101.com or on Facebook at Bonners Ferry Agriculture Education Department and FFA Chapter.