Regan Ragsdale – Secretary

“We rise by lifting others.” – Robert Ingersoll

There is nothing more fulfilling in life than when we lift others up through service.

The Missouri State Fair is here – finally! Many describe these booming 10 days in Sedalia, Missouri, as the best times of the year.

So many of you have been working all year with your livestock, watering your plants and crops (despite the drought), and gearing up to make incredible memories with your family and friends. I can’t imagine the amount of pride that must be beaming from your soul – whether you receive a ribbon or not.

Many members have traveled to the fair to exhibit. In addition to many of you who are exhibiting at the state fair, 650 other FFA members signed up for Food Insecurity Day on Tuesday, Aug. 14. Missouri FFA members from across the Show-Me state will pack 100,000 meals to be distributed between the six Food Banks in the Feeding Missouri Network.

The Missouri State Fair, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Farmers Care, Missouri FFA and many others will work diligently to ensure that countless members could come together to make a huge difference in the lives of those who are food insecure.

Consider this fact: 1 in 5 kids in the state of Missouri is food insecure. Missouri FFA members – you have LIFTED others by having a servant’s heart. I know that if you continue to embrace the last line of our FFA motto, “living to serve,” you will RISE.