800 FFA Members Help ‘Feed Missouri Kids’ at Mo State Fair

The Lowel Mohler Building was a beehive of activity Tuesday morning as about 800 FFA members converged on the facility to take part in “Feeding Missouri's Kids.”

The project began in 2017, and this year around 150,000 packaged meals were picked up & distributed by area food banks.

This year's participants include Second Harvest Community Food Bank, Ozarks Food Harvest, The Food Bank For Central and Northwest Missouri, the St. Louis Area Food Bank, Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

“Feeding Missouri's Kids” was about the only activity on the Fairgrounds during the 9:30 to 11 a.m., time frame, after torrential rains arrived in Sedalia overnight and early Tuesday morning. Most vendors and concessions were closed, as well as the carnival, and only a few fairgoers were strolling the grounds with umbrellas and plastic ponchos.

Colton Roy, president of the Missouri FFA Association, said that the “Drive To Feed Kids” is sponsored by Missouri Farmers Care.

The heavy rain did not deter the FFA members one bit Tuesday.

“We woke up and it was storming, but we went ahead and packed everything up and headed over to the Director's Pavilion. The only thing we had to do differently was we couldn't ride the trams over here (to the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall), so we had to take buses and cars,” Roy said.

Roy, whose hometown is Trenton, said all 353 charters were invited to participate in Tuesday's event at the state fairgrounds.

In fact, three new chapters are being formed this year, said Roy, who was elected president in April and is currently serving a one-year term.

He added that once his term is up, he is eligible to run for state mentor or a national office.

Tuesday is Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive:

$2 Tuesday with canned food donations to benefit Feeding Missouri
$2 admission with a minimum donation of 2 cans of food or $2 donation, age 13+
$2 carnival rides for most rides, all day
$2 specials at select concessions & vendors