SHOW NOTES

INTRODUCING DAMION CLARK!

Our guest today has been brought up in his father’s tree service business, and he sees himself taking this business over in the future.  Damion Clark has been doing well selling firewood that is obtained through the business, and this is the crux of his SAE.

For most people, this would be the focus of the business, and there would be nothing wrong with that.  Providing a service to people and making a living doing it is where most of us with our own businesses focus.  But Damion said something very compelling to me when I asked him what it was about his business that was his favorite part.

Damion’s focus in his work is the safety of other people.  He said that his favorite part of the tree serv

ice is removing trees that might cause a dangerous situation for others.  He told me about removing trees that were leaning over people’s house, and the satisfaction he feels when he removes a tree that he knows will not harm anyone’s house or them personally.

Damion has found a larger purpose in his business than the normal pursuit of profit.  And while there is nothing wrong with pursing profit, it is great to hear that he has found an even bigger purpose in his business.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Firewood Sales

HIGH SCHOOL: Appomattox Count High School; Appomattox, Virginia

MASCOT: Raiders

FFA ADVISOR: Ed McCann

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DAMION CLARK:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Appomattox County High School FFA Department’s website:

Damion’s FFA Advisor’s Email Address: ewmccann@acpsweb.com

Appomattox County High School’s Telephone Number: (434) 352-7146

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE’s)

Support FFA

Donate to FFA – One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000.  In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants.  With your donations, more students can get this head start – pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

• Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world.  FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.
• Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation.  The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.
• Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store:

“The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America’s youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America’s youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.”.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue

Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard:

Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters