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Future Farmers of America sign, Abbott, TX
For more info:  www.ffa.org

http://content.usatoday.com
by Doug Stanglin

What do former President Jimmy Carter, Willie Nelson, singer Taylor Swift, Garfield-creator Jim Davis and multi-platform athlete Bo Jackson have in common?

 They were all members of the Future Farmers of America, the youth agricultural organization now called simply the National FFA Organization.

 For that matter, so were the Eagles’  Don Henley, Morris Dees, founder of the South Poverty Law Center, Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints and Jared Hess, writer and director of the film Napoleon Dynamite.

But the FFA is largely unknown on the East and West Coasts, especially in big cities as New York and a growing presence among big cityurban areas, even though it has chapters in such big cities as New York City and a growing presence in big city charter schools.

The organization is trying to change all that. This year, the FFA, for the first time is mounting a Tournament of Roses Parade float, sponsored by RFD-TV, the rural-oriented cable station that Don Imus jumped to after being dumped by MSNBC.  

Farm and Dairy  quote RFD’s founder, Patrick Gottsch, as saying the goal of the Rose Bowl float is “to connect and educate the urban world about the positive aspects of rural America.”

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/future-farmers-to-float-a-higher-profile-at-rose-bowl-parade/1

You can support the Abbott Methodist Church scholarship, with the purchase of the commerative coin produced by Willie Nelson, Abbott Methodist Church, and the Texas Mint.  The coins are one ounce .999 silver commemorative coins dated 2006, the year that Willie Nelson purchased the Abbott church.   

One side of this 39 mm coin has an image of Willie and Bobbie Nelson, and the reverse showing the old Abbott Church that Willie and Bobbie grew up in their childhood.

Willie purchased the Church building in 2006 when it came up for sale and has saved the Church from abandonment; services are held monthly.  One-half of all profits from the sale the limited edition coins directly support the Abbott Methodist Church scholarship fund.

You can purchase the coins at the Texas Mint and Mercantile, in Whitney.  You can also purchase it from the Cash Grocery Store in Abbott, and directly from the website using their order form (need to print out and complete, mail in.)
http://01f31ba.netsolhost.com/order.htm .

Stephen Girsh and Bobbie Nelson at the Abbott Methodist Church, on Sunday July , 2008.

Prayers and best wishes go out to Stephen Girsh, who  was injured in an accident earlier this month.  Stephen is active in the Abbott Methodist Church, and  with the scholarship program.

Here’s the write up in the local paper:

Deputy Injured In Accident

A Hill County Sheriff’s Office deputy was slightly injured while directing traffic in downtown Hillsboro Monday afternoon, August 10, 2009.

Deputy Stephen Girsh was working at the corner of Elm and Waco streets where a dump truck had become disabled.

The accident occurred about 12:05 p.m. when a sport-utility vehicle driven by Miriam Pharris of Hillsboro turned from Waco onto Elm and struck the deputy.

Hillsboro Fire/Rescue was called to transport Girsh to Hill Regional Hospital in Hillsboro. He was treated and released, according to Sheriff Jeffrey T. Lyon.

Hillsboro police Corporal Lambert Jefferson and Officer Justin Motherspau were assisted by the Department of Public Safety, sheriff’s deputies and Constable David Bledsoe in their investigation.

Stephen and me at the Waco, TX show last year.

Stephen sent this note today:

After a couple of days off and being pretty stiff I am back on my feet.  Thanks to the muscle relaxers and pain pills all is well.  Xrays show no obvious damage to my previous back surgery and all my screws and hardware is still in its proper place.

Stephen L & Brenda J Girsh
Hillsboro, Texas  76645
“In God We Trust”