The Indiana FFA Leadership Center is a unique Hoosier resource that has survived despite predictions of doom and gloom from outside sources along the way. The center has seen ups and downs. Now, the Indiana FFA Foundation Board believes it is time to pay off the debt left on the center once and for all. The foundation has initiated a Pay It Forward campaign to do so.
The center's director, Joe Park, spent more than four decades in the classroom before coming to his current post more than four years ago. Recently, he wrote a letter to Indiana FFA advisors explaining what the center means to him. It’s reprinted with his permission, and edited for space.
Dear FFA Advisor,
DEDICATED LEADER: Joe Park does whatever it takes to make sure the Indiana FFA Leadership Center operates smoothly.
I would like to add my thoughts about the Pay It Forward campaign.
• Few, if any, of you can remember the dedication of the center in 1969. I was there on that hot July day. I can remember the excitement of our founding fathers like Ned Stump, Nelson Lewis, Bill McVay, Don Shuppert and Kenny Brashaber. They were thrilled to finally have a home for the Indiana FFA. They had big dreams and high hopes.
• Fred McLamore of Purdue University was the first part-time director. He envisioned the center would be paid off in three to five years, and would become a great source of revenue for Indiana FFA.
• I remember the kitchen when it was outside in the shed. Advisors did all the cooking on grills.
• We went to Franklin and Indian Creek high schools for showers during camps.
• We had summer ag teacher workshops at the center. Mature teachers shared teaching tricks with the beginning teachers.