Go for Gold!

State Greenhand Leadership Conference
Deep Portage, Hackensack, MN
June 23-27, 2008

State Greenhand Leadership Conference has been my favorite activity since being a Greenhand, however, now after reliving it as a State Officer, I can honestly say that it is the number one best thing FFA members can do in FFA to develop their passion as FFA members.
Arriving in Deep Portage on Sunday, it felt right like home. The Deep Portage Staff was so welcoming and helpful with everything we needed! We are so grateful that they let us use their great facility. Sunday was the day of setup. Hanging decorations, installing our “fake” FFA wall, and setting up tables and chairs for 150 campers was a work in progress. However, once it was finished, we were able to look back on all we had accomplished and know that the campers were in for a fantastic week. That night, each of the SOs got together with their presentation partners and finalized preparations for the sessions later that week.
10:00 AM Monday morning, and Greenhand Camp was well on its way with 150 campers from across the state of Minnesota all arriving in Hackensack, Minnesota for a week of leadership, friendship, and fun! Lunch started at noon and the afternoon brought the beginning of the sessions of SGLC!

Being a part of “the dirties” volleyball team was definitely a highlight of camp. Even though we didn’t win the volleyball tournament, smearing mud on our faces and showing off our skills to everyone was priceless! The members in my small group were also phenomenal individuals who each brought a different perspective on camp and life to the group. Meeting these members and getting to know them one on one definitely made my camp. The coolest part about the small group meetings was hearing each of their individual goals. When members came forward and said that because of camp, they now had goals to become a state officer, it made the whole week and all the work proceeding it, worth it.
Between rock climbing, volleyball, canoeing, and playing football, the campers were able to bond and meet new members from different chapters across the state. The best part for me as a State Officer was seeing the friendships that formed throughout the week at Greenhand Camp. Members who had never met before Monday, at the end of the week were promising that they would be friends for life; and I could see that just from being around them. The talent show and dance on Thursday night were highlights for many, and saying goodbyes on Friday had never been harder.
One of the members of the volleyball team, “the dirties” summed the week up when he said, “Before this camp, I loved FFA because my dad did. Now I do because I love FFA!”