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Local FFA members host food drive for community
FFA 4
Pitman High School juniors Alliyah Galvan and Clarissa Bourchier said that the first annual Tri-Rivers FFA Section Day of Service was a good way to spend their Veterans Day and help out their community. - photo by ALYSSON AREDAS / The Journal

Although they were not in school, members of the Tri-Rivers Future Farmers of America Section were still hard at work during their first annual Day of Service on Wednesday as they collected and sorted over 3,000 cans of food for the United Samaritans Foundation.

Tri-Rivers FFA Section advisor Clarissa Rowley said that approximately 100 student volunteers from six different schools attended the event to donate and organize 3,067 cans of food.

“We want to remind kids to give back and to give them the opportunity to support the larger community,” said Rowley. “It’s a great way to unify all FFA chapters. They definitely come together for a good cause.”

Among the cans and crowds at Wednesday’s event were Pitman High School juniors Clarissa Bourchier and Alliyah Galvan, who both agreed that the canned food drive was a great way to spend their Veterans Day and give back to the community.

“We all worked together to get it done. We wanted to help the people who can’t supply for their families,” said Bourchier.

“This is important thing to do especially with the holidays coming up,” said Galvan. “We want to give back to the less fortunate who can’t provide as much as they want.”

PHS FFA advisor Krista Vannest said that students who attended the Day of Service got class credit for participation and hours towards their FFA degree applications. More importantly, Vannest said that the canned food drive got students “excited and pumped up for helping with future community service events.”

“When students get to be a part of a large group service day, the excitement it creates is contagious,” said Vannest.

Of the six schools in attendance, Turlock High School was honored as “Outstanding Chapter” on Wednesday for bringing in over 1,000 cans.

THS junior Bobby Marchy, who is also the Tri-Rivers FFA Section vice president, said that this event gave students an opportunity to come together as an FFA organization in order to help the community and have a good time.

“I believe that the community is the backbone of any school or organization,” said Marchy. “When we go out and ask the community for funding for FFA, the community helps us fundraise. We need to show how FFA helps not only its members, but the community as well.”