Alumni help make events successful

Many of the FFA meals and auctions around the area would not be successful without the efforts of alumni organizations.

Around 10 years ago, the Ag Advisory Committee of Flanagan-Cornell High School started talking about raising money to help keep kids involved in agriculture. The idea grew into what is now known as the school’s annual meal and auction.

“It took about a year of conversations back and forth and we decided we’d go ahead and have this event,” explained Doug Erickson, Flanagan-Cornell alumni president.

Erickson said the support continues to be “phenomenal” for the chapter, even though the district is made up of only a couple of small towns. The cooperative effort actually involves numerous communities outside of the district as well.

“The first year exceeded our expectations and it’s done nothing but grown to almost unbelievable limits.”

During the first auction a decade ago, organizers hoped they could raise enough money to give kids some scholarships. They decided to hold a meal for everyone and felt it would draw more people in. It did.

After deciding not everyone wanted to bid during a live auction, the school decided to hold a silent auction also, which features numerous donated items each year.