Chili supper, queen coronation at heart of Republic FFA barnwarming

By: 
Steve Chapman

The Republic High School chapter of the Future Farmers of America held their annual barnwarming in the high school’s commons area on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 13. More than 190 people attended the event.
The evening’s festivities opened with a chili supper hosted by the FFA Booster Club. For $6, guests could have all they wanted of chili, drinks and desserts. Cheri Hamilton, secretary and treasurer of the booster club, said volunteers donated about 84 gallons of homemade chili, as well as all of the other food and drink.
The supper raised more than $1,000, which David Mareth, RHS ag instructor, said the club would use to fund scholarships and FFA activities, such as the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
“The boosters pay for (the students) to go to a dinner theater while we’re out there,” he said. “And then, we go to two or three different leadership conferences in Washington D.C., and then we go to Lake of the Ozarks Leadership Camp. The boosters help fund all that, also.”
Following the chili supper, guests stayed to watch the barnwarming games. A male and female FFA member from each high school class were paired up as barnwarming king and queen candidates, and they competed in the games to see which couple would be crowned the 2018 FFA Barnwarming King and Queen.
The games included a nail driving contest where the boys competed to see who could drive a nail the fastest, a makeover contest, where each of the girl candidates were blindfolded and then put make up on their respective partners, and a newlywed game where each of the candidates were asked questions and then their partners tried to see if they could come up with the right answers. There was also a donut eating competition, where the boys held a fishing pole with a donut tied to the end of the line, which the girls would try to eat with their hands behind their backs, a human wheelbarrow race, and a game of cup pong.
In the end, junior candidates Jacob Spencer and Lawson Tunnell, were crowned Barnwarming king and queen. Tunnell said she was particularly happy to receive the title.
“I really wanted to (be queen), so I’m really excited about it,” she said.
Many of those who attended said they enjoyed barnwarming for its social aspects.
“My favorite part of barnwarming is getting to meet all the new people, talking to all the freshmen, and getting to know them, and getting them involved in FFA,” said Jonathan Willis, 15.
Tunnell agreed.
“Just being around and talking to everybody was fun,” she said.
After cleaning up the commons area, the FFA members ended the evening with a dance.

Suggested captions: 43: Senior Barnwarming queen candidate Bre Wallis puts makeup on her partner, Gabriel Humiston, during the makeover competition.

76: Freshman Barnwarming queen candidate Jaden Gibbs takes a bit out of a donut during the Fishing Donuts game.

91: The 2018 Republic FFA Barnwarming king and queen, Jacob Spencer and Lawson Tunnell.
 

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Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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