GAY N. BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
MEYERSDALE (Somerset
Co.) - In a pre-arranged meeting,
four distinguished gentlemen
joined the news correspondent in a
cold, upstairs room of an old.
Main Street, school building, now
a community center. Under a big
window in the seldom-used, for
mer classroom, an old-fashioned,
silver radiator hissed steam out its
side, but bestowed no heat on the
gathered quintet. They sat without
complaint, on chilly, drab-metal
chairs at an oblong table.
The group of three officers
from the Pennsylvania State
Future Fanners Of America (FFA)
looked impressive; clean-cut and
dignified in their FFA, blue
corduroy jackets, on which was
the identity of each young man in
prominent, yellow lettering.
The fourth man was Doyle Paul
of Berlin, a member of the state
FFA advisory committee.
They were Wayne Massinger n,
state FFA president, 18, from Mil
lersburg in Snyder County; Christ
opher Reichman, 19, the state
FFA treasurer, from Chambers
burg in Franklin County, and Tim
Lehman, 18, from Mechanics
burg, Cumberland County. He is
the vice-president of the south
central region of the state FFA.
Each of the three says he works on
his family-owned farm. Two say
they plan to attend college.
In conjunction with National
FFA Week, the nine Pennsylvania
state officers, separated into three
groups, were participating in a
Western Pa. Media Tour, visiting
newspaper offices, radio and tele
vision stations in Somerset and
By helping the 4-h and ffa,
WE'RE HELPING ALL OF US.
Pennsylvania Farm Show - Sharon
Hamish (above) with her crossbred steer
with Darvin Boyd, SVP, and Donald
Cooper, Chairman and Resident, of
Hamilton Bank. Jerry Bollinger (right)
with his reserve champion lamb at the
EphrataFair. Hamilton Bank purchased
these animals and donated them to the
Lancaster County Red Rose 4-H Baby
Beef and Sheep Club Banquet at the
Country Table Restaurant on February
6. The additional meat product was
donated to the Lancaster County 4-H
Swine Club. Sharon is fire daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. J. Rodney Hamish, 347
Dead End Road, Lititz. Jerry is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Bollinger, 110 Royer Road, Ephrata.
State
FFA Officers Hold Western PA Media Tour
two neighboring counties.
The officers say that although
the itinerary was set up by the
state executive secretary. Sheila
Reiner, it was they who had to
initiate media contacts to arrange
possible visits.
Reichman says, "Originally, we
tried to get into the Erie and Pitts
burgh area." He adds that it was
soon obvious that there existed a
lack of familiarity between FFA
chapters in those areas and the
media. So the officers directed
their efforts toward the Somerset-
Cambria-Blair County region and
got better results. But Reichman
says the exercise of telephoning to
the various media offices was, in
itself, a very educational experi
ence because they didn't know the
name of the person with whom
they should speak.
Later, Reichman found it frus
trating, "When you ask for such a
person, and you talk to everybody
but that person."
Says Massinger, "Basically,
we're trying to reach out beyond
the FFA. We want to help FFA
because it has helped us ? ” he says.
"I feel I'm going to be more
responsible (from this experi
ence)." he says.
"Like he said," adds Lehman,
"We want to give something back
to FFA. We can help other
members."
He says FFA chapters and indi
vidual members need to learn how
to deal with the media. The know
ledge the officers are now receiv
ing, they will pass to local chap
ters by visiting area schools to
speak with them.
The three officers agreed that it
is necessary for the FFA and the
State FFA leaders visit on Western media tour. In photo are, left to right, Doyle Paul,
advisor; Tim Lehman, vice-president, southcentral region; Christopher Reichman,
state treasurer and Wayne Hassinger, state president.
media to each understand the efits through exposure to unfamil
function of the other. iar surroundings and people.
"We need to understand the
media from both the side of the
organization and the side of the
media," says Massinger. "Later,
that experience is going to help us
ouU" he says.
"It's one of the things we can
learn," says Lehman, "How to
work with the media." Another
recommendation the local chap
ters will hear from the officers is
that they should send members to
conferences and conventions, if
possible. They praise a recent con
ference held in Bedford, titled,
"Made For Excellence," which
they say aUo helped them to
understand themselves in a per
sonal way. They (FFA chapters)
will be encouraged by the officers
to go to cities to reap cultural ben-
Lancaster Fuming, Saturday, Ftbruary 22,1992-All
Protests and demonstrations
were seen at the National FFA
convention despite the rare
appearance of a United States
president at the affair. It was an
occurrence the officers feel was
not a positive FFA/mcdia
experience.
Massinger says he has seen
demonstrations and protests hap
pening on his occasional visits to
the state capital. He says he has
learned to simply brush them off
and he gets on with his business.
Paul adds, "Agriculture is
something that doesn't lend itself
to demonstrations." He says that
in agriculture you sit down
together, face to face, and talk out
your differences until you work
out a solution.
In the Agri-Finance Department of Hamilton
Bank, we finance projects for active 4-H and FFA
members.
That’s because we believe that helping preserve
the family farm is one of the best ways to insure a better
future for us all. And that involves working with our
young people.
It's important to give them guidance, install the
proper values, and help them acquire the skills they need
to be successful farmers.
The 4-H and FFA are working toward these
goals. And so, we support their efforts. If you or
someone in your family needs money for a project, stop
by and see us. It just might help us all.
t Core States
Hamilton Bank
We Believe In The Power Of Relationships. SM
"Ag-Leadership, Citizenship
and Cooperation," says Hassingcr,
"prepare you for life.” He says
these are the things FFA wants to
promote.
Asked what they felt could be
the worst FFA/media scenario, the
fellows agreed it would probably
involve being drawn into a politi
cal issue.
"Maybe if the media turns to the
FFA with agricultural/media
questions, for instance, the Ani
mal Rights issue," says Hassinger.
"The FFA won't take a political
stand," he states.
Reichman says another
unpleasant circumstance would be
that of being misquoted by the
media or having a comment taken
out of context.
Lehman says they are definitely
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