FALLS VILLAGE — Relative normalcy was busting out all over Falls Village on Friday, June 11. Up the hill from Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS), the D.M. Hunt Library was hosting a live trivia game, albeit outside, under a tent.
And at HVRHS, in a bigger tent, the Housatonic Chapter of the FFA held its award ceremony, with masks and social distancing. The FFA is a national agricultural education organization with an active branch at HVRHS.
FFA President Justine Allyn greeted the crowd of about 200 students, family members and alumni and said despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, “our chapter has grown stronger.”
HVRHS Principal Ian Strever praised the FFA members for engaging in real activities as far as possible, rather than “looking at screens.”
Bruce Bennett, who recently sold the Kent Greenhouse after 48 years, urged the students to “please come back here to start your businesses and your families.
“There is opportunity here,” he said. “Forty-eight years ago there were 800 people in Kent. Starting a garden center was insane.” Nonetheless, the business survived and thrived.
Always efficient and ready to help
State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) recalled how she was rather abruptly presented with the chance to get hold of some 1,400 boxes of food in June of 2020 to help local families struggling during the COVID-19 quarantine.
She said yes, and then wondered how to distribute the food.
Then it hit her.
“I’ll call the FFA.”
And so on Saturday, June 27, the 1,400 boxes of food were handed out, from trucks parked in front of the high school.
“I knew if I called you, it would get done.”
Horn praised the FFA members for their commitment and sense of responsibility — and for keeping their cool when a) the truck driver got lost and was very late, requiring b) the massive turnout of people in cars to wait, and wait, and wait some more.
