Members of the Troy FFA Chapter trudged out into the muddy field in boots and old tennis shoes to harvest a crop planted months earlier. The group did not intend to sell the sweet corn as a fundraiser, rather they were donating it to those less fortunate in their community.

The group handpicked 12 rows of sweet corn just outside of Hawk Point. "We want to instill in our kids a little bit of a community service mindset," says Troy FFA advisor Rob Calvin. "Even though it may not be a huge amount, it is all about giving back."

Alumni influence

GIVING BACK: Members of the Troy FFA Chapter filled a truck bed with sweet corn. It was donated to the Bread for Life Food Pantry in their hometown. Pictured here are from left to right: Kyle Finley, Matt Ritter, Clayton Carroll, Samantha Leek, Kirsten Bowman and Kacy Schniedermeyer.

It is a philanthropic attitude, he says, set for his students by the FFA Alumni. Two former Troy FFA members Kyle Allen and Adam Leek donated the patch of sweet corn to the chapter. Allen is the owner of Allen Seed and Service in Hawk Point and Leek works as a pre-commercial corn planner for Monsanto.

"We had been kicking around the idea for about two years," Allen says. "But we finally got it off the ground this year.

The pair donated Monsanto's Seminis sweet corn seed and a patch of land. Well, the patch of land actually is at the home place of longtime FFA supporter and Allen's father, Nick Allen of Allen Auction & Real Estate Service in Hawk Point. The Troy FFA Chapter provided the labor.

Rewarding effort

The collaborated effort yielded enough sweet corn to fill bags for 200 local families. The Troy FFA Chapter donated it to the Bread for Life Food Pantry.

The pantry opened in 2003 with just 15 families, according to Harriet Zuroweste, director of the pantry. "We now see 150 families per week," she says. Zuroweste and her husband, Jim, manage the operation with its 75 volunteers.

TOSS IT: Troy FFA advisor, Rob Calvin (seen here in purple), chucks sweet corn toward the truck bed as longtime FFA supporter Nick Allen and two FFA member look on. Allen donated the plot of land for sweet corn patch.

The Bread for Life Food Pantry is part of the Greater Troy Ministry Alliance, which is comprised of a group of community churches. It serves only Lincoln County families. "We have huge community support from people like Mr. Calvin, youth groups and churches," she says. "We have food donations from master gardeners, 4-H kids with chickens, and farmers with steers and hogs."

She says individuals often will donate an animal and the meat processors in the community will donate the processing. "It is an amazing community we live in," she adds. "It is fun to be a part of." She says the support of the community allows struggling moms and dads not to worry so much about feeding their families.

Continuing to serve

While the sweet corn picking wrapped up, Troy FFA members continued to collect food for their community through can food drives. In years past, the group collected more than 1,000 can food items. "All of it stays local," Calvin adds.