DENMARK FFA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

2012 Board Members Wish each and every Alumni Member a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year January 1, 2013

President

Ken Seering

863-2747 / 621-0043

chummyks@charter.net

Vice President

Dave Hermans

863-8001 / 857-7737

barberdaveh@gmail.com

Past President

James Grasee'

339-5213 / 265-2904

james.grasee@edwardjones.com

Secretary

Denise Nemetz

371-3209

dlseidl39@yahoo.com

Treasurer

Jackie Mazna

863-5179

jackiemazna@yahoo.com

Membership Chair

Shelley Stencil

338-0060

eksstencil@aol.com

Director

Jeremy Krerowicz

619-2296

littlecombs@yahoo.com

Director

Joe Loritz

680-2962 / 863-2962

denmarktrophycase@centurytel.net

Director

Pat Van Rite

863-5398 / 621-3765

cherylvanrite@aol.com

MS FFA Consultant

Tracy Heinbuch

863-4134/ 655-4795 / 259-3004

heinbucht@denmark.k12.wi.us

HS FFA Consultant

Jon Morehouse

863-4264 School/864-2223 Home

morehousej@denmark.k12.wi.us

Section 9 Representative

Eric Treml

863-8465/676-1478

erictreml@aol.com

Newsletter Editor

Marilyn Madsen

ffaalumni.newsletter@gmail.com Page 1

TOTALLY

COMMITTED

FULLY

ENGAGED

FOR THE

The Ox and Me!!

“There was an ox, there was a flea; She was as small can be; And he was large, but gentle he;

He ploughed, while on his ear sat she; A little bird looked on. Quoth he: What are you doing,

my little flea? She said: We plough the fields, you see, That is our job---the ox and me.”

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As I look back at the 2012-13 program of activities of the Denmark FFA Alumni, I am reminded that I am the

flea in the above poem. Your local FFA Alumni Board of Directors and our total membership have been

doing the plowing, holding twelve Board Meetings, numerous gatherings, fund raisers, which I’ve had

the opportunity to be present for and participate in.

Well, yes, I did whisper in your ear occasionally, may have even got excited periodically, for a president’s position is

to provide direction and guidance. But the true burden of any organization falls upon the shoulders of its

members. How much we have plowed this year depended upon you. I know some FFA Alumni members have

labored in the fields well into the night. Some have sliced through the tough roots of tradition. Some of your

plowing has been fraught with impatience and meager response. Truly the work of your local Denmark members is

a labor of love for the financial rewards are non-existent while the harvest of satisfaction can be a hundred-

fold!! I want to thank Jackie Mazna who kept our financial standing as black as the rich soil we have

in Northeast Wisconsin; to James Grasee’ who has plowed a straight furrow, setting off each land in the

field; to Dave Hermans who mapped the fields and kept the plowmen in line; to the local Alumni Board of

Directors who defined the fields and bent their backs to the tasks when the plow hit hard pan. Thanks also to Eric

for those constant words of encouragement; to Denise and Shelley who bring the touch of joy to our meetings; to

Joe and Marilyn(newsletter) who have pulled twice the number of bottoms required; to all committee chairs who

kept honing the shares to a keen edge; to Jeremy who has kept the machinery greased and oiled accordingly; and

to my wife Mary (now deceased) who mopped my brow and stood by with cool lemonade.

The field is plowed, the seed is sown, may the harvest be yours.

You and me, Like the ox and flea, We have plowed it all,

and don’t you see? YOU ALL DESERVE THE CREDIT…not me.

Thank You all!

Ken Seering, 2012-13 Denmark FFA Alumni President

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2012 National FFA Alumni Convention Summary by Ken Seering

41st National FFA Alumni Convention....October 25-26, Indianapolis, Indiana

Local Denmark FFA Alumni delegates:

Jackie & Alan Mazna, Eric Treml, Bob Fruzen, Jason Boehm & Ken Seering

Our Alumni National Awards & Recognitions:

Scrapbook….National Winner, Congratulations Jackie Mazna, chair

Outstanding Affiliate….4th in the nation (Homer, Michigan #1)

National Alumni Chapter Grant.... $1,000…Thanks to Mary Handrich

(one of eleven given in the nation, to be used for butterfly garden)

Washington Leadership Conference Scholarships....6 (for 2013)

Largest Alumni in the Nation.... 637 total members

Largest Life Alumni in the Nation.... 622 members

Legion of Merit Citation recipients....3 Local Recipients Dave Hermans, Shelley Stencil and Ken Seering

Other items of interest:

National Convention 2013.... Louisville, Kentucky

Total Alumni membership as of August 31, 2012….53,186

2012-13 National Alumni President….Anita Schneider, WaKeeney, Kansas

2012-13 National Alumni President Elect….Jim McCray, Claytonville, Illinois

Wisconsin hosting 2013 Alumni Development Conference.... July 17-20 (Denmark FFA Alumni hosting dinner, Thursday, July 18)

National realignment….going from present 4 to 6(same as ag/ed Regions)

Awards dropped in 2013.... Scrapbook, Contributors, Pioneer, Legion of Merit

Life Alumni Membership around the nation: (top

5 affiliates)

1. Denmark, Wisconsin 610 2. Turner Ashby, Virginia 351 3. New Lexington, Ohio 315 4. Cascade, Iowa 304 5. Apollo, Kentucky 215

(others in Wisconsin, rank and membership)

#14 Blackhawk(168)

#15 Milton (152)

#17 Granton(149)

#18 Evansville(148)

Total Alumni Membership around the nation: (top 5 affiliates)

Denmark, Wisconsin 622

Turner Ashby, Virginia 351 New Lexington, Ohio 320

Raymond Central, Nebraska 309

Cascade, Iowa 307 ************************************** A LOOK BACK….. Denmark FFA Alumni #1 in the Nation (record 13

times)

1978, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2001, 2002,

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010

Denmark FFA Alumni membership growth

1974 62 1984 426

1994 388 2004 479

2012 622

Section IX FFA Alumni Representatives from Denmark

on State Council Ken Seering 1974-75

Ken Storzer 1976-77-78-79-80-81

Kevin Keith 1982

Terry Petersen 1983-84-85

Alan Mazna 1988-89-90

Jenny Nowak 1991-92-93

Don Noack 1993-94-95

John Leiterman 1997-98-99-2000

Lester Schlies 2001-02-03-04

Paul Hazaert 2007-08-09

Eric Treml 2010-11-12

Interesting Historical Tidbits

& Statistics

State FFA Alumni Presidents National FFA Alumni Presidents

Jim Sipiorski 1984 Ken Seering 1982 Terry Petersen 1987 Jim Sipiorski 1988

John Leiterman 2001

Ken Seering 2008

Denmark FFA Alumni Charter Officers (1974) A Legacy Begins President John Ronk Vice President Ken Storzer

Secretary Jack Olsen Treasurer Rudy Kolarik

Board Jim Kozlovsky Board Bill Steinhorst

Board Kent Petersen Board Larry Watruba Board Joe Mazna Consultants: George M. Roberts & Ken Seering

A Tribute to a Special Life Member and Friend

Mary Seering....

Sometimes in life we meet someone who becomes very special to us in a quiet humbling way. My

friend Mary was that person. She, supported her loving husband, Ken Seering in all of his

accomplishments and achievements. She was his rock and his cheerleader. Proud of the many

things he would bring to her life.

Mary was a beautiful person inside and out. She made her family a priority giving them the life lessons they would pass on to her grandchildren. She was an easy person to be a friend to and to

have as a friend. She never boasted her accomplishments, just went about life giving to everyone

quietly and humbly.

As Mary fought Breast Cancer for eight years she never dwelled on the pain and emotional

thoughts she must have been having but always concerned herself about the welfare of others.

She would ask "how are you today?"

Mary had a very beautiful smile. Always conversing with anyone who she sat next to at an alumni

event, church or just out and about. She was one of the most avid supporters of the FFA Alumni

and the kids who made up the Denmark FFA.

Mary was fun to be with, she had an inner peace which shined through. She loved cooking and

sharing her recipes. The times she baby sat her grand kids and others were very important to her.

Her wealth of knowledge was shared quietly with small children and grown adults.

As we approach the new year. Please remember this special lady and the kindness and

thoughtfulness she shared with all of us. Thank you Mary you have enriched my life having known

you.

Marilyn Madsen....Newsletter Editor

Dear Denmark FFA Alumni…”Thank You” so

much for your support given our agriculture

education department and the FFA members

over the years. I am really excited for this

upcoming year. We started our year as State

FFA Officers with the BLAST OFF leadership

training session in Spencer followed by being

involved with the WAAE Conference in

Green Bay. I am ready for the challenge this

year and I am so fortunate that I have such

an AMAZING FFA Alumni assisting me on this

experience of a lifetime. Thank You for the

$700.00 which will be used for a variety of

items needed in my year as the Section IX

State FFA Officer…

Yours truly, Joanna Wavrunek

Dear Denmark FFA Alumni…”Thank You” so

much for awarding me educational

scholarship money at our Denmark FFA

Awards Banquet. I truly appreciate all of the

support you have given me throughout the

years. I attribute my small successes to your

continued support. I am so excited to attend

UW-Madison. I hope to carry the value I

learned in FFA to my future…

Thanks again, Emily Selner

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by Joanna Wavrunek Wisconsin State FFA Reporter 12-13

Most people think my adventure began in June but in reality it started in 7th grade when I got the opportunity to join the FFA Organization. Every

accomplishment throughout middle school and high school prepared me for running for state FFA officer in June. The support from the Denmark

community has been overwhelmingly amazing. I told Mrs. Tracy Heinbuch on the way home from State Convention that I am probably the luckiest

person in the world to have such wonderful people in my life.

My state FFA officer year so far consisted of training, conferences, meetings, workshops, chapter visits, and tours. The week after we were elected

in June we started our B.L.A.S.T. Off (Building Strong Leaders And Strong Teams) training which took place in Spencer, Wisconsin, and our next

adventure was in Green Bay at the W.A.A.E. (Wisconsin Association of Agriculture Educators) Conference where we interacted with all the

agriculture instructors across Wisconsin. July brought more training with NLCSO (National Leadership Conference for State Officers) where we met

with Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri state officer teams to learn more about being state officers at the National level. We started to demonstrate

what we learned while attending Farm Technology Days in Clintonville, Wisconsin and gave tours of Sugar Creek Dairy and displayed a Wisconsin

FFA booth. For the first 12 days of August, we attended the Wisconsin State Fair and then had more training up at Jag Lake located in northern

Wisconsin. I also got the opportunity to attend the GROWMARK Conference in Chicago, Illinois where I met hundreds of business owners.

In September and October was the start of meeting thousands of FFA members from all over the state of Wisconsin. In the month of September, I

met with about 3,000 FFA members, advisors, and guest. The team visited with 20 businesses and industries and even met with our legislators in

Madison. We put on the three difference F.I.R.E. (Foundations In Reaching Excellence) Conference for 7,8,9 graders and met with about 1,000

students. I am currently doing over 30 chapter visits all over section 9 before December 1st, where I put on presentations for middle and high school

students to promote FFA and agriculture.

Denmark FFA hosted the

Section IX Leadership

Workship. Lunch after

the work shop was

sponsored by our

Denmark FFA Alumni.

Thanks to Dave

Hermans and Jeremy

Krerowicz for organizing

the lunch. Thanks also

to Eric Treml who spoke

to the Ag Ed Teachers.

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The Denmark FFA Alumni is looking for pictures of

families whose member's all have a Life Membership in

the FFA Alumni Association. Please send a family photo

along with names so we can include your family in the

next newsletter.

Page 6

The Denmark FFA Alumni is looking for pictures of families whose member's all have a Life Memership in the FFA Alumni

Association. Please send a family photo along with names so we can include your family in the next newsletter.

TOTALLY COMMITTED

FULLY ENGAGED

Hi a little greeting from Marilyn Madsen

your Newsletter Editor.

I am now semi retired and have time to work

on the newsletter to highlight all the

wonderful things the Alumni is doing

throughout the year. My husband Helge and

I dairy farmed for 30 years. In 2005 we sold

the farm and I continued to their work as

Wisconsin State Coordinator for Accelify, LLC

helping school district's with Medicaid Billing

for Special Education Department. Over the

years these endeavors, FFA Alumni, our

Registered Holstein business and my present

job have given me the opportunity to meet

many wonderful people. For this I am

grateful.

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School District of Denmark 450 N. Wall Street

Denmark, WI 54208

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

FFA ALUMNI NEWSLETTER

Calendar of Events January 7 2014 State FFA Alumni Convention

Meeting-Corrigan’s Barn-7 PM

18 Annual Denmark FFA Alumni Banquet,

6 PM meal, Whipp’s

18 Alumni Fruit Sale begins

28 – February 4 Alumni Supply/Service Sale

February 8-9 State FFA Alumni Convention

Holiday Inn, Fond du Lac

February 22 Deadline – Fruit Sale

March 8 Alumni Fruit Delivery, DHS

July 17-20 Alumni Development Conference

Green Bay-Raddison

18 Denmark Alumni hosting ADC dinner, 6PM

Deterville Auction Barn

August 10 Denmark Alumni Blue & Gold Golf Classic

Wander Springs

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID DENMARK, WI

PERMIT NO. 32

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