TRAGALGAR, Ind. — Despite uncertain times in Indiana, and the entire nation, due to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, the seven individuals that make up the Indiana FFA state officer team are trying their best to spread positivity through a new social media campaign.
Although the 2019-2020 Indiana FFA state officers were recently sent home from their living quarters at the Indiana FFA leadership Center for the time-being due to health and safety restrictions and concerns related to COVID-19, the officers still have been busy working from home to stay in touch with Hoosier FFA members through their social media challenge, Forge Through The Fire.
Dillon Muhlenkamp, the Indiana FFA state president, said that he and his fellow teammates will post various challenges throughout the week asking Hoosier FFA members to post pictures from their experiences.
“Forge Through The Fire social media challenge will ask various things of FFA members, such as posting a picture from the first time they wore their jacket,” Muhlenkamp said.
Nathan Fairchild, the Indiana FFA southern region vice president, said that FFA members have social media right at the tips of their fingers and right now most of their newsfeed is being filled with posts related to COVID-19 and restrictions in place, but the Forge Through The Fire challenge was created to help give FFA members some positive posts on their social media feeds.
“It gives people the opportunity to share their FFA story with others and see others’ FFA story,” Fairchild said.
Fairchild said it gives everyone an open platform to share what they love most about FFA and still feel connected to Indiana FFA, especially right now during a time of uncertainty where district contests have been postponed and FFA banquets aren’t happening.
Fairchild said the idea for the challenge was sparked by their friends in Illinois who make up the 2019-2020 Illinois FFA state officer team and their social media campaign, “Operation Rising Sun,” which is where they make videos and post them for their FFA members.
“Our buddies in Illinois did something similar, which sparked our challenge to create something FFA members looked forward to everyday,” Fairchild said.
More information about the Forge Through The Fire social media challenge can be found through an information video on Indiana FFA's Twitter account, @IndianaFFA.