<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->Wister FFA Community Service

By: Bailie Hamlin

Wister FFA has been very busy in the fall of 2012 with community service projects. The year began with twenty-two Wister FFA members taking a trip to Luther on September 15^th. The members worked six hours at the Luther Community Center helping sort food and clothing donations that would be given to families that suffered from the fires that swept through Oklahoma.

Wister FFA members were given the opportunity to help one of their own. Irma Morris, A Wister Public Schools employee for more than 40 years, was in need of repairs on her house. Wister FFA officers replaced windows on Ms. Morris’s house, including reframing the wall to fit the new windows. The crew also replaced siding on the house that was damaged with the old windows.

Wister FFA members held a change drive to help Keith Darneal offset medical expenses related to his battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer. Classes competed for a pizza party for the most money brought, and a popcorn party for the class with the best decorated box. Mrs. White’s English II class won the best decorated box and the popcorn party. The Kindergarten class brought the most money totaling $232.88, the entire drive collected just short of $1,000.

For the Christmas season Wister FFA held a “Cuddle & Cover” drive collecting Teddy bears, stuffed animals, and blankets to benefit multiple organizations. The members collected fifty-two new Teddy bears to be donated to the Molly Bears Organization, a non-profit organization that helps mothers of deceased infants and children cope with their loss. Molly Bears takes donated bears and fills them with a medium to exact weight of an infant or child and presents it to the mother after she has picked out the bear. Seventy-four stuffed animals were donated to the local Salvation Army to be passed out for Christmas. Forty-six blankets were donated to the Oaks Nursing home in Poteau, some of which Wister FFA members made in class.

Wister FFA has been busy helping others this fall and will be doing so more in the spring.

On August 3rd wildfires took the town of Luther, Oklahoma.  What a devastating tragedy this was to the residents of Luther.  There were about 25 homes and day care centers that were completely destroyed in the fire.  The Wister FFA officer team felt that it was necessary to help out the town of Luther.  After making several phone calls and deciding on what to do the officers and several other members, 22 total, including Mr. Marshall left out on September 15 and headed to Luther.  On arrival at the Community Service Center, Ms. Ruby Stalls, put them to work sorting clothes, shoes, toys, household items, and food that generous people from all over had sent to show their love and support.  While in the town of Luther the FFA members really got to see the impact the devastation of a wildfire can have.  The Wister FFA members are proud to take time out of their lives to help this community in need.