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Gimler elected state FFA
Alumni president |
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This article
appeared in the Country Today during the week of Feb. 16th |
By Heidi Clausen
Regional Editor
EAU CLAIRE -- Scott Gimler of the Watertown FFA Alumni is the 2003
president of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association.
Mr. Gimler, who was the 2002 president-elect, moved up the ranks of
the State Council to replace Victoria Harter of Oconto Falls during
the state FFA Alumni convention, Feb. 14-15 in Eau Claire.
Mr. Gimler is the second generation in his family to hold that
title: His father, Richard, was state president in 1996. His sister,
Wendy Norem, was executive secretary at that time.
Before being elected vice president two years ago, Mr. Gimler served
four years as the Section 10 representative.
Probably no one is more surprised by his move up the ladder to
become state president than he is: In FFA, he served as reporter his
freshman year and “hated it.”
“I was real quiet back then,” he said.
But he said working with the FFA Alumni State Council as an adult
became contagious.
“Once you get started, you don’t want to leave until your baby’s
done,” he said, and “you get to like the people you’re working
with.”
Part of the reason he chose to be on the State Council is so he can
be home more in a few years when his sons are in FFA.
Mr. Gimler operates a dairy farm with his wife, Teresa, and two
boys, Drew, 10, and Ben, 7. The family milks 75 Holstein and Jersey
cows and runs more than 300 acres of crops.
“I want to keep it going and alive so when their turn comes to be in
FFA, the resources will be there for them,” he said.
While Wisconsin continues to lead the nation with the most FFA
Alumni members at 7,353 -- up almost 200 in the past year -- Mr.
Gimler said membership overall is aging.
Of specific concern to him is that many FFA members are not getting
involved in FFA Alumni as they graduate from high school and
college.
“I want to see them come back and join,” said Mr. Gimler, who, at
age 35, is the youngest to serve as the state president.
One of his goals this year is to help FFA Alumni members across the
state get to know each other better.
Recognizing a need for more socializing opportunities as a state
organization, a few years ago, he began the annual family fun
outing.
In the past, they have gone to a Milwaukee Brewers game, but this
year, the group will visit Old World Wisconsin in Eagle on Father’s
Day, June 15.
Along with continuing to grow membership, a goal of his in the
coming year is to keep the momentum going for the creation of new
affiliates or the reactivation of old ones. A new state handbook was
written this year to help in that process.
“We’re trying to make things smoother and better and hopefully give
our members the information that they need to be better,” he said.
Also during the convention, Pat Igl, Antigo, moved up to the office
of president-elect. The new vice president is Darlene Arneson,
Stoughton. Victoria Harter, Oconto Falls, remains on the Council as
past president.
Sectional representatives are: Section I, Rose Gross and Gary
Beestman; Section 2, Paulette Kressin and Vicki Sager; Section 3,
open; Section 4, Bob Keough and Dan Syvrud; Section 5, Joyce Gust
and Dennis Jesberger; Section 6, Scott Kaeppel and Don Wipperfurth;
Section 7, Gary and Sandy Utech; Section 8, Chuck Tauscher and Lucy
Dusel; Section 9, Janice Lefeber and Lester Schlies; and Section 10,
Sue Strese and Sheldon Stangler.
The next Wisconsin FFA Alumni Convention is set for Feb. 13-15,
2004, at the Holiday Inn Express in Janesville.
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