Pine Grove FFA

 The Following Stories were published in the Wetzel Chronicle

In a special recognition dinner held Oct. 2, Chesapeake Energy honored 10 of the future leaders they identified in their Discovering Tomorrow's Leaders contest.

Through a special promotion, Chesapeake, in cooperation with the Wetzel Chronicle and WETZ-AM and WYMJ-FM, took nominations from the community of Wetzel County students involved in 4-H and FFA who display admirable qualities that define future leaders.

"Probably one of the biggest resources we have, which is truly renewable, is leadership," said Scott Rotruck, Chesapeake's director of corporate development.

In recognition of these students' achievements, Wetzel County Schools will receive a computer in each winner's name. Also, at the dinner held at Quinet's Court Restaurant, a drawing was held where two luck students received laptop computers. The winners were Trevor Long and Phillip Dennison.

In addition to Long and Dennison, the other honored guests were Justin Rine, Annaliese Henderson, Ava Morris, Hannah Henderson, Tyler Blake, Lyndsay Sell, Nancy Cumberledge, and Haylea Yoho.

The person who nominated a selected student received a $25 restaurant gift certificate.

"We love working here. We want to be involved with you in things that are important to you," said Rotruck.

The concept for the contest came from a meeting Chesapeake had to identify the needs of the community at large.

A quality education was high on the list of priorities, so the natural gas company decided to honor students who show exemplary leadership. "Those who are walking the walk, so to speak," said Rotruck.

WVU Extension Agent Mindy Mall and Magnolia High School FFA Advisor Bill Aberegg were unable to attend the dinner, but Hundred High School FFA Advisor Virgil Wilkins and Valley High School FFA Advisor Howard Henderson did enjoy the night that honored some of their excellent students.

The 41st annual Wetzel County Ham, Bacon, and Egg Show will be held March 6 at the Mollohan Center in the Wetzel County 4-H Grounds, approximately three miles east of New Martinsville.

The show will include 4-H participants and FFA students from Wetzel County.

The hams, bacons, and eggs, will be judged beginning at 9 a.m., with the results open to the public at 2 p.m. A maximum of 15 entries per school can be pulled out to be entered into the state ham and bacon competition.

The sale will commence at 7:30 p.m. when the top 50 hams, 50 bacons, and 10 dozen eggs will be on the auction block. The grand champion and reserve champion hams will be auctioned at 8 p.m. while the grand champion and reserve champion bacons will be sold at 8:30 p.m. The champion eggs go to the highest bidders at 9:15 p.m.

At 9 p.m. a ham and bacon will be auctioned to fund the Paul Henderson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Proceeds from the sale of these two pieces are used for the scholarship fund for vocational agriculture students going to college to study any subject. The scholarship has changed slightly in that the recipient will receive the $500 award after he completes his first semester of higher education.

Another item auctioned to benefit the scholarship fund is a Carhartt jacket in the traditional FFA colors and bearing the organization's logo.

The sale is open to the public with complimentary slices of bacon served. Also, new this year, they will be frying ham served on biscuits.

The items will be auctioned again by Ron Morrison of Milton, W.Va. "If you've never seen a good auctioneer in action, come to this show," said Howard Henderson, vocational-agriculture instructor at Valley High School.

The 41st annual 4-H/FFA Ham and Bacon show held Friday evening brought in a total of $43,244.88. Of that amount, $5,920 went to the Paul Henderson Memorial Scholarship Fund and $37,324.88 went directly to the exhibiting students.

The 22.5-pound grand champion ham exhibited by Jonathan Mason was purchased by Drilling Appalachian Corporation purchased for $155 per pound, or $3,487.50.

The 8.25-pound grand champion bacon from Ethan Koontz was sold to Wetzel County Commissioner Scott Lemley for $175 per pound, or $1,443.75.

Heather Goodrich exhibited the grand champion eggs and sold them to Chesapeake Energy for $1,500.

The 24-pound reserve champion ham exhibited by Ethan Koontz was sold to Trans Energy for $44 per pound, or $1,056.

Lyndsey Sell sold her 7.25-pound reserve champion bacon to Chesapeake Energy for $100 per pound, or $725.

The reserve champion eggs exhibited by Ryan Lemley were purchased for $1,500 by Miss Blue's Restaurant.

Also, The Wileyville Volunteer Fire Department paid $2,000 for the scholarship ham donated by Santoro Genetics Swine Farm.

The scholarship bacon, donated by Palmer Funeral Home, was sold to Drilling Appalachian Corporation.

Maxine Henderson bought the special edition FFA Carhartt jacket for $1,000.

Those students were with items to sell were Tjuana Bassett, Tiana Abergg, Samatha Thomas, Melanie Thomas, JoDana Simpson, Lyndsey Sell, Ryan Lemely, Rachel Wyatt, Phillip Dennison, Phillip Bassett, Patrick McGraw, Nathan Arnolds, Mitch Moore, Michael Hornbeck, Jonathan Mason, Madison Arnolds, Lyndsay Sell, Minday Lemley, Ryan Lemely, Lauren Ueltschy, Kyle Fluharty, Dalton Kuhn, Chelsea Kuhn, Krista Hayes, Ethan Koontz, Brady Koontz, Nikkie Kolojay, Corey Kimble, Kevin Carson, Nathen Kernan, Kelsey Adams, Kelly Fluharty, Josh Hornbeck, Ashley Jones, Joanathan Mason, Jenessa Kinkade, Jared Arnolds, Jackie Greathouse, Annaliese Henderson, Brittany Greathouse, Aubrey Greathouse, Jordyn Gorby, Jesse Gorby, Heather Goodrich, David Sivert, Dani Hayes, Chuck Cunningham, Nancy Cumberledge, Cassie Crihfield, Cody Basset, Clay Ueltschy, Casandra Henderson, Lindsay Burley, Katelyn Blair, Billy Streets, Becky Coen, Courtney Baker, Ava Morris, Rachel Ascraft, Alyssa Kinkade, and Chelsea Coen.

The purchasers included Kevin Ingold, Town and Country Days; David Morris; Dr. Wilbur Sine; Sheila Fordyce; Bill Knowlton, Bell Chevrolet; Perkins Supply; WesBanco; Ken and Pat Parrish; Jack Hayes; Valley Diner; Sharon Dulaney, Wetzel County Circuit Clerk; Miss Blue's Restaurant Inc.; Tina Adams, McDiffit Pipe; Pine Grove Sportsman's Club; Brad Ueltschey; Down the Lane Craft Store; American Legion #81; Simons Market; Weldon's Office Supplies; Williams Funeral Home; American Legion Post 120; Virgil Wilkins; Logan Hassig; Tennant Funeral Home; Billy Arnolds Excavating Equipment; Dallison Lumber; Mike Coen Logging; Clyde Quinn; Wileyville Auction House; Wetzel County Chapter National Turkey Federation; Maxine Henderson; Wetzel County Hospital; Mason's Depot; Wileyville Fire Department; Dominion Transmission; Union Bank; Drilling Appalachian Corporation; First Exchange Bank; Witschey's Market; Scott Lemely, County Commissioner; Norris Pharmacy; Dick and Janie Dallison, Dallison Logging; Palmer Funeral Home; Beverly Feed & Equipment; Amy Dobkin, Chesapeake Energy; Hundred Farm Supply; Hundred Insurance; Bill Anderson; Ace Hardware; Terry Dent; McDonald's; TransEnergy; Steve Steele; Jack Hayes; Terrell Greathouse; and Stephanie Stevens.

The Following is From WV FFA News Chapter Spotlight