Maddi Poage finally got to celebrate the start of her last FFA week as a member of the Wellsville-Middletown FFA chapter on Feb. 21.

The W-M senior and chapter president got to help out with the Supporters Breakfast, which was the first event of the school’s FFA Week after the first four days got called off due to the inclement weather that hit Montgomery County.

Even though she had to wait four days for her school’s FFA week to start, Poage was glad that the week began with the breakfast, which is her favorite event of FFA Week.

“The best part is definitely breakfast,” Poage said. “I don’t like waking up early, but to get to give back to the community that gives so much to us all the year around, saying thank you is probably my favorite part.”

Sausage, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy and pancakes were served at the free breakfast, which started at 6:30 a.m. FFA members had to get up in the early morning hours to prepare for the event.

“We have been here since 5,” Poage said. “It’s been a little hectic. I don’t know how many breakers we’ve blown and we had propane on the grill. We had to have somebody run and go grab it. But it’s gone well.”

Poage, sisters Abbie and Kara Freie, Helanea McKenzie, Leah Kleinsorge, Rachel Davis and Kylie Allison make up the officer team this year. They lead a chapter that has two new advisers this year in Courtney Ankrom and Larissa Gamm.

“We haven’t done a whole lot this year,” Poage said. “I feel like I haven’t been as busy as I normally have. But it’s gone really good. The new advisers are adjusting very well and we got some pretty cool things that we’re hoping to get done at the end of this year or next year. So I’m very excited to see where the program goes after I leave.”

The W-M FFA had other FFA Week activities that were called off due to the weather conditions, such as a church service at Wellsville United Methodist Presbyterian Church, an FFA meeting, Redneck vs. Country dress-up day and Drive Your Tractors to School Day.

Redneck vs. Country dress-up day was held on Feb. 26 and Patriotic Day was  held the day before. The Drive Your Tractors to School Day has been rescheduled for Feb. 27.

The FFA chapter held a Denim and Diamonds event at Kingdom City on the afternoon of Feb. 21 after school.

FFA Week is held by FFA chapters all over the country every February. It gives members a chance to celebrate the FFA’s role in agriculture.

“It kind of brings FFA out more,” said junior Abbie Freie, who is the chapter’s treasurer. “It gives us an opportunity to just show what we do and get out more.”

Kara Freie, who is a sophomore and the chapter’s chaplain, said she is enjoying her time with the W-M FFA this year.

“You get to do a lot more things that you get opportunities to do,” she said.

Poage is serving her second and final term as chapter president. She is enjoying an outstanding FFA career, earning several awards in the speaking category, working as a delegate in the state convention and participating in the HYMAX Academy.

“I had so many incredible opportunities that I would never have had if I wasn’t involved in FFA,” said Poage, who was recently accepted to Moberly Area Community College for next year. “I’ll miss the people. I love the community and the friends that I made. It will definitely be something that I’ll miss.”