Hands-on learning Wednesday, September 29, 2021
OSU students explore the agriculture industry in the state Reagan Glass Staff Reporter
The 2021-2022 Oklahoma Agriculture Leadership Encounter (OALE) class went on a trip to northwest Oklahoma on Sept. 20-21 to kick off the year-long program. The 13 OALE students, picked from Oklahoma State, will have the opportunity to visit agriculture companies throughout the state, learn about agriculture at the legislative level and assist at the 2022 Oklahoma Youth Expo. “The most interesting part of our trip to northwest Oklahoma, for me, was being able to see the huge differences in Oklahoma agriculture,” said Kelsey Vejraska, OALE member and OSU agricultural communications and agribusiness senior. “When most people think of Oklahoma, all they think of is cattle.” Vejraska said their group is excited to tour the many different facets of the Oklahoma agricultural industry and learn all about the “ins and outs” of what Oklahoma has to offer.
Fun and fall See Hands-on on 2
Courtesy of JD Rosman Made up of Oklahoma State students, the Oklahoma Agriculture Leadership Encounter experienced some facets of Oklahoma’s agriculture industry.
A way to give back to the community.
Habbie Colen
Oklahoma State students who work at the patch can earn community service hours.
Luisa Clausen Staff Reporter
the world. Some of the fundraising recipients are Highland Park Elementary School, Lions International Disaster Relief, church startup grants for local Six years ago, the Highland Park entrepreneurs, vision screening and Methodist Church asked the Stillwater a lot more. The support of the comLions Club in Stillwater to partner with munity is important to keep the event it to operate a pumpkin patch. happening every year because 100% This simple idea became a sucof funding received goes back into cess in hosting different events and the community to organization’s and welcoming people from all over the humanitarian needs. place. The patch started last Saturday Throughout October, the patch and will run through Sunday, Oct. 31. hosts special events like pancake The patch is open Daily 1-7 p.m., Sat. breakfast, cornhole tournament, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sun. 12 p.m.- 6 spaghetti lunch, pumpkin catapult and p.m., at Highland Park United Method- trick or treat. ist Church, 524 N Stallard, Stillwater. Richard Hawkins, the president The pumpkin patch is a fundof Stillwater Lions Club, is one of the raiser for the Stillwater community and people in charge to make the patch
happen. For Hawkins, organizing an event is something that can take time and effort. “Planning of the next Patch begins a month after the closure of the previous Patch,” Hawkins said. “A committee apprised of church and Lions members have subcommittees to tackle various functions operating the patch; finance, advertising, patch design, pumpkin ordering, special events, customer service, purchasing, patch set up and pumpkin unloading. A semi-truck loaded with 2400 pumpkins and gourds is delivered each year from Pumpkins USA, a Navajo Indian Reservation in Farmington, New Mexico, that supplies over 100 pumpkin patches across America.”
Additionally, Oklahoma State students can earn community service hours through working the patch assisting its customers. “Recruiting OSU students to volunteer is a no-brainer for us and them, they provide manpower and we provide them with the volunteer hours they need to report on their Transcript,” Hakins said. “And, it is a fun experience for them to meet and serve the community.” OSU Volunteer Center has created a spreadsheet for students to sign up to work in two-hour shifts.
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