Community is described as, “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.” This can look different for everyone that is lucky enough to experience it. For me and my team it also looks a lot of different ways. It could be all of the families that take us in, house, and feed us on the road, traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana to take part in the National FFA convention with almost 70,000 members, or the fellow FFA families that helped a teammate and I through a tough time.
In the last few months my teammates and I have visited countless schools, homes, and classrooms. No matter where we go, the people in these communities welcome us. They make us feel like we are a part of their communities even when we are hundreds of miles from our own. They entertain us, feed us, and house us without asking for anything back. This is a huge display of community within Oregon FFA that I know my team and I are very thankful for. Thank you to all of these families that welcomed us in.
Our team had the opportunity to travel back to the 92nd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Here we took part in the delegate process and represented Oregon FFA on a national level. During this process we were surrounded by hundreds of State Officers and fellow delegates that have the same passion for our organization that we have. This and being surrounded by almost 70,000 people from all over the nation coming together for the same reason could cause anyone to feel a sense of community.
Lastly, the time I felt the most sense of community was about a month ago. Olivia and I were following a member to a homestay where we were rear ended by a car going 70 miles an hour while we were at a complete stop. We both came out ok, but were transported to the hospital that night. While at the hospital we were visited by the members in that community, the family of the member we were staying with, and the local advisor that all stayed with us until we were released. They did not have to stay with us and they didn’t have to do everything they did to help us in the days to come; they chose to help us out of pure kindness. This is where I felt the biggest sense of community and was able to appreciate it. Thank you to the families that helped us through this.
The sense of community within the FFA is one of the many things that drives me to want to serve our amazing organization. It has given so many members and their families a community to be a part of and that is a very special thing that is provided to all of us. I am proud to be a part of a community so kind, inviting, and helpful.
With great appreciation,
Riley Davis
2019-2020 State Vice President