VERSAILLES – On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Versailles FFA hosted a DIY Pine arrangement class in the Ag Shop with Mental Health Awareness and focused on FFA members sharing their own individual talents.
Throughout the night there were speakers which included: Paige Gehret talked about making bows and Poinsettias, Nicole Keller, a Licenced Professional Clinical Counselor, spoke about how pine impacts your mental health, Eden and Liam Barga explained their SAE of goat production and demonstrated how to make goat milk fudge, Danica York gave a presentation about her SAE and wood carvings, and Kim Stockslager from Brown’s Nursery talked about different types of pine and gave a demonstration on arranging a pine display. Overall there were 38 large pine arrangements and small pine arrangements designed by the individuals that attended the class.
Throughout the night there were facts provided about handling holiday stress and the impact of mental health. They included: That 69% of people report feeling increased stress and anxiety during the holiday season, and the leading causes are financial strain, time constraints, and family gatherings. Ways to manage holiday stress can include: Setting a budget, prioritizing self-care, simplifying expectations, planning ahead, saying “no” when necessary, and connecting with support. SAD or seasonal affective disorder can worsen when added to holiday pressure. 50% of people report that the holidays affect their mental health. Snacks and door prizes were provided.
A special thank you to Versailles FFA members for assisting especially the greenhouse committee that helped plan and carry out this event which included Margaret Schmitmeyer, Brooklyn Livingston, Adam Rauh, Liam Barga, Ava Jennings, Keira Rahm and Abby Henry.
Thank you to Brown’s Nursery for supplying the pine and thank you to Brooklyn Livingston for supplying pine cones and Maraget Schmitmeter for supplying red berries.
Thank you to Nicole Keller, Liam and Eden Barga, Paige Gehret, Danica York and Kim Stockslarger for sharing their talents for the program. The Versailles FFA would like to thank everyone who made this event possible!