86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 4, 1998
Student Uses Artistic Talent To Raise Funds For FFA
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
TERRE HILL (Lancaster Co.)
Sights are set on a pair of mal
lards to help bring in the money
$25,000, to be exact
How-well those mallards set the
stage will be evident on Monday,
July 20. That’s the date for the
annual Fore FFA Golf Tourna
ment which will be held at both
Foxchase Golf Course and Hawk
Valley Golf Club this year to acco
modate golfers.
After a day of golfing for FFA’s
benefit an awards dinner and auc
tion will be held in the hopes of
raising funds for the state FFA
Foundation.
The item expected to generate
the most interest showcases the
talents of Grassland Chapter FFA
member Greg Yoder.
His original painting of “Weedy
Retreat Mallards” will go to the
highest bidder.
For those who can’t outbid the
bidder, time-limited edition prints,
remarque, and artists’ proof of the
the original painting will be sold.
A time-limited edition means
that the edition size will be deter
mined by the number of prints
ordered by Sept. 1. Each print is
numbered with the assigned num
ber being in the order of the purch
ase. The lower numbers are worth
more as collectors’ prints.
Artist proofs or APs are are the
first 20 prints that come off the
press and are numbered in a series.
A remarque is a special AP
where the artist, in this case Greg,
will do a colored pencil sketch on
the margin of the print, thus mak
ing it one of a kind and adding
additional value to the piece.
Each FFA chapter donates an
“Weedy Retreat Mallards,” an original painting by FFA member Greg Y go
to the highest bidder at the auction held following the annual Fore FFA Golf Tourna
ment. Limited edition prints of the painting are also available through special orders.
One half of the proceeds from the sale of the limited edition print will support the activ
ities of the State FFA. An Investment In this FFA project Is an Investment In the future
of our most valuable resource youth.
article for the auction. Some of the
other items to go over the auction
block include a picnic table, Win
ross and Ertl trucks, water garden
plants, handmade and hand
painted bird houses, sporting
goods, a wooden bread box, a
pump and trough planter, a child’s
patio set, child’s wicker love seat
and table set, a handmade cedar
chest, sports tickets, golf apparel,
Joe Patemo autographed football,
plants, FFA collectibles (tractors,
trucks, and crocks) art prints, and
other items.
Orders are being taken now fora
signed numbered print of Yoder’s
“Weedy Retreat Mallards,” which
costs $7O. An artist’s proof is
$lOO, and a remarque is $l4O.
Print features include museum
quality paper and matting. Prints
can be purchased through mailor
der by sending the appropriate
amount plus $7.50 for shipping
and handling and 6 percent sales
tax for Pennsylvania residents.
Double-matted and framed edi
tions cost an additional $7O.
Half of the proceeds for the
prints will go toward the State FFA
Foundation and the other half will
help Greg pay his way through art
college.
Greg is the son of Glen and Kir
sten Yoder. Growing up, Greg, at
an early age, became fascinated
with the wildlife living on the
acreage surrounding the family’s
home on the outskirts of Terre Hill.
It seemed natural to him to sketch
the wildlife that lived in the wood
land on their property.
Although Greg always enjoyed
artwork, it wasn’t until he was in
seventh grade that he knew he
wanted to make art his career. He
began using both a sketchbook and
PIOMESTEA
In addition to being an accomplished artist, Greg Yoder has received awards for his
work In preserving and improving wetland habitat. His FFA advisor Bob Lauffer said
that FFA’s mission Is to make a positive difference In the lives of students by develop
ing their potential for premiere leadership, personal growth, and career success
through agriculture education. Lauffer recognized Greg’s potential and encouraged
him to combine his interest in wildlife and art.
a camera to capture wildlife and
waterfowl in their natural habitat
He also started working on impro
ving the wetland habitat around
their home.
Twice, in 1995 and in 1997,
Greg entered the Pennsylvania
lunior Duck Stamp Competition,
and his artwork was selected best
of show among all age groups in
the state.
“Greg excells in academics and
:ou!d do well in any field he
selected,” said Bob Lauffer, ag sci-
snce instructor at Garden Spot
High School. “Greg is not only
talented, but he is really hardwork
ing, budgets his time well, and is
good at encouraging younger FFA
members.”
Like many students, Greg did
not join FFA in his freshman year
because he didn’t realize that he
could combine those classes with
college preparatory studies.
Lauffer became aware of Greg’s
work in creating a natural habitat
for wildlife and convinced him to
combine his wildlife interest with
ag science studies.
Greg joined Garden Spot High
School’s Grassland Chapter FFA.
He has excelled in many competi
tions. He won the Slate FFA Aqua
tic Resources Career Development
Event in 1996 and placed second in
the state in the FFA Wildlife CDE
in 1997. For the past three years,
Greg has helped his team win first
place in the Lancaster County
Envirothon. He was also named
Pennsylvania Game Commission honored these Garden
Spot students with plaques and checks for winning the top
spots in the state for the Wildlife Conservation Project
Record Book Contest. From left front are Greg Yoder, top
winner, and Junior Zelset. In back are Kendal Yoder, Eric
Zimmerman, and Jeremy Weber.
the state winner in both environ
mental science and wildlife
competitions.
Greg was the statewide winner
of the Pennsylvania Game Com
mission Wildlife Project Record
Book Contest for his work in
improving the wetlands near his
home.
In June, Greg was named the
Lancaster County FFA Star in spe
cialty agriculture and he received
the Keystone FFA Degree.
Before he heads off to Rochester
Institute of Technolgy in the fall,
Sreg will the featured artist in resi
dence at the State College Arts
Festival, July 9-12.
Greg plans to focus his art train
ing on becoming a book illustrator.
For more information about the
jolf tournament, the auction, or the
prints, contact the Pennsylvania
FFA Foundation. P.O. Box 10493
Zalder Square, State College, PA
16805. Phone (814) 353-9230.