Items in this listserv:
ALWAYS HERE: includes information that remains relevant from week to week. New updates are added as needed.
Illinois FFA Board Reports
Illinois FFA 100th Anniversary Memorabilia - 📋 Click here to complete the form
HOT TOPICS = MUST KNOW
HOT, HOT, HOT - The Illinois FFA Center will be CLOSED, Wednesday, December 10, 2025, for FFA Center Staff Retreat and Professional Development Day.
HOT, HOT, HOT - Ag Skills Showcase Artifacts Due - December 8th: See Sean’s listserv from yesterday
SPICY - GREAT FLAVOR - GOOD TO BE REMINDED: With the Holidays coming up, here’s a good REMINDER - Harvest for All Program for the 2025–2026 - 8/26/2025 Listserv
Getting Warmer - Here is the Illinois FFA Center HOLIDAY office schedule: December 23, 2025 - Illinois FFA Center Closes at 12:30 p.m. for the Christmas/New Year’s Holidays and CLOSED - December 24, 2025, to January 1, 2026 for Christmas/New Year’s Holiday. FFA Center is open on Friday, January 2, 2026.
Getting Warmer - neither HOT nor COLD but when it gets HOT it’s HOT- American FFA Degree - Illinois Procedures - AGAIN THIS YEAR***** The Intent to Apply form is MANDATORY and DUE on January 5, 2026. BIG ITEM to DOUBLE CHECK - Student EMAIL that is in their profile - DO NOT have an old high school email address they no longer have access to. Please ensure they update their email address prior to completing the American FFA Degree application.
Getting Warmer - but when it gets HOT it’s HOT, so don’t let your student procrastinate - National FFA Scholarship Application is NOW LIVE - DUE January 15, 2026. Apply today!
TEMPERATE - meaning MILD or MODERATE - 2026 State Officer Parent & Candidate Officer Orientation - Please RSVP for the candidate orientation. Click here to RSVP to attend the 2026 Parent & Candidate Orientation on Saturday, February 7, 2026. The Candidate/Parent Orientation meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. and is expected to conclude by 3:30/4:00 p.m. att the Illinois FFA Center, 3221 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702.
TEMPERATE - meaning MILD or MODERATE - Maschhoff Impact Grant Program
****NEW Information****
Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Annual Meeting & Auction
Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Award Winners
2026 John Deere XUV 845M Gator Raffle
1. Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Annual Meeting & Auction Registration Open
The annual meeting and auction will be held at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, Springfield on January 23-24, 2026. The annual meeting registration form is now available. The hotel room block is open until January 2, 2026, at $113 per room, per night. All of this information is located at https://www.ilaged.net/page/alumni-annual-meeting.
Scholarship Chapter Contribution Contest Rules - Would you like to have a chance at earning a 2026 IL FFA Camp Scholarship? Please bring a basket or items to compete in the Scholarship Chapter Contribution Contest. Each affiliate, FFA Chapter, or non-traditional affiliate attending the annual meeting is encouraged to create a chapter alumni scholarship contribution representing the Illinois FFA State Theme of “Spark”. These chapter contributions will be judged at 5:30 p.m. on January 23rd before the awards banquet. Then they will be auctioned. If the amount raised is $225 or higher, then those chapters could win a 2026 IL FFA Leadership Camp Scholarship.
Cost of the event is - Registration Ends January 9, 2026:
Full Conference Registration: $125
Friday Awards Banquet, Dinner, and Auction: $50
Saturday Breakfast and Lunch: $70
Saturday Lunch Only: $45
Tentative Agenda:
Friday: 4:00: Registration Opens
5:30: Chapter Basket Judging
6:00: Awards Banquet & Dinner
7:30: Live & Silent Auctions
Saturday: 8:15 Breakfast
8:45: District Caucuses
9:15: Workshops will run 3 times
Major State Officers Chapter Visit Presentation
Exchange of Ideas
Alumni Panel - Alumni chapters TBD
501(c)3 & Tax-Exempt Information
11:30 Business Meeting & Luncheon
1:00 Adjourn
We encourage you to bring item(s) for the auction to help support scholarships for high school FFA Members. Please contact Daphne Thorman, Auction Coordinator, ILstateffa@yahoo.com. Event/Registration Questions, please email pdavis@illinoisffa.org.
2. Congratulations to the Alumni Award Winners
The award-winning letters will be emailed out soon. We would like everyone to attend to receive these outstanding awards. Please note that you must be an active alumni chapter for two years to qualify for awards.
President’s Award: Steve Sargeant, Bushnell-Prairie City FFA Alumni and Supporters
Dean Olson Memorial Outstanding Member: To be announced at the annual meeting.
Dean Olson Memorial Outstanding Chapter:
· Bushnell-Prairie City FFA Alumni and Supporters - Gold
· Taylorville FFA Alumni and Supporters - Silver
· Macomb FFA Alumni and Supporters - Tied for Bronze
· Mt. Vernon FFA Alumni and Supporters - Tied for Bronze
New Alumni Chapters:
· Crab Orchard FFA Alumni and Supporters
· Pekin FFA Alumni and Supporters
Reactivated Alumni Chapters:
· Galatia FFA Alumni and Supporters
· Sesser-Valier FFA Alumni and Supporters
· Virginia FFA Alumni and Supporters
· V.I.T. FFA Alumni and Supporters
· West Central FFA Alumni and Supporters
Most Lifetime Members (Does not include the State Lifetime Memberships):
· East Richland (Olney) FFA Alumni and Supporters – 165
· Waterloo FFA Alumni and Supporters - 135
· Taylorville FFA Alumni and Supporters - 126
· Wayne City FFA Alumni and Supporters - 111
· LeRoy FFA Alumni and Supporters - 101
Most New Life Members (Does not include the State Lifetime Memberships):
· East Richland (Olney) FFA Alumni and Supporters - 19
· Taylorville FFA Alumni and Supporters - 11
· Knoxville FFA Alumni and Supporters - 5
Most State Life Members (IL FFA Alumni Only):
· Wayne City FFA Alumni and Supporters - 29
· Bushnell-Prairie City FFA Alumni and Supporters - 13
· Mt. Vernon FFA Alumni and Supporters - 11
· Farmington FFA Alumni and Supporters - 10
3. 2026 John Deere XUV 845M Gator Raffle
The Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters would like to thank John Deere for sponsoring the John Deere Gator. We really appreciate their donation and support throughout the years. The kickoff for the John Deere Gator Raffle will be held at the Quad Cities Farm Show in Rock Island, Illinois, January 18-20, 2026. Any FFA or Alumni Chapter can sell these tickets. We will draw the winning tickets at the 2026 State FFA Convention on June 11, 2026. The FFA or Alumni Chapter that sells the winning ticket will receive $300, and we will draw two additional tickets, and those chapters will receive $250.
We will once again be offering 40% rebates to the FFA Chapters that sell the raffle tickets. This money can be used for anything that you want to use it for, and the checks will be sent out in May and August, so get your tickets in early to receive a check before the State FFA Convention.
The cost of the tickets is: 1 for $10, 3 for $20 (New), 20 for $100.
If you’d like to sell the raffle tickets, please complete this form and note where you would like to pick them up: Ground Zero Conference, Alumni Annual Meeting, CDEs, or mailed to you.
*** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****
PREVIOUS LISTSERVS - CLICK HERE to view - 2025 - 2026 School Year
2024 - 2025 School Year - CLICK HERE
Information for 2025-26:
All Conference Event Information, Flyers, Required Forms, Registration Information
2025-26 Calendar of Events: All events, including board meetings, conferences, conventions, registration deadlines, etc.
*Please NOTE that clicking on Dates & Deadlines will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.
December 6, 2025 - State Agronomy CDE, Illinois State University, Normal
December 6, 2025 - State Dairy Foods CDE, Heartland College, Normal
December 8, 2025 - Agricultural Skills Showcase Written Reports DUE
December 10, 2025 - IL FFA Center Closed - Staff Retreat
December 12, 2025 - 100th Committee Virtual Meeting at 3:30 p.m.
December 23, 2025 - Illinois FFA Center Closes at 12:30 p.m. for Christmas/New Year’s Holiday
December 24-1, 2026 - IL FFA Center Closed for the Holidays
-- Mindy Bunselmeyer
Illinois FFA Center
Phone: 217-753-3328
Cell: 217-412-5646
Email: mbunselmeyer@illinoisffa.org
Address: 3221 Northfield, Springfield, IL 62702