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At the September 11th meeting of the Manning Rotary Club, members were joined by special guests Manning High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) instructor Logan Layne and FFA President Mary-Esther McCabe. Layne, a Manning High graduate and former FFA officer, shared his journey and goals for the program. “Our goal is to equip students with skills that will benefit them in the 21st-century workforce, whether in agriculture or other industries,” Layne said.
Layne spoke about the upcoming National FFA Convention and Expo, where Manning High hopes to attend for the first time since 2017. “It’s an incredible experience to see so many members in one place, and I’m hoping to take a group of students with me this year,” he said. As the FFA is currently raising funds to support the trip, Rotary Club President Johnson James and Sgt. In Arms Leigh Ann Maynard presented a $100 check to Layne and McCabe to help offset travel expenses. “We are proud to support Manning High’s FFA as they prepare to represent our community on the national stage,” James said.
Layne also noted the importance of community involvement. “If you have individual organizations that look for students and look for help, we are more than happy to help,” he added. McCabe, a junior at Manning High, updated Rotary members on recent FFA activities. “We’ve had our chapter meeting, and we also had an FFA cookout,” she said. She also mentioned upcoming plans, including attending the South Carolina State Fair and assisting the Manning Early Childhood Center with their fall festival. “We’re eager to give back to the community and are always looking for ways to serve,” McCabe said.
The Manning Rotary Club continues its commitment to service, recently participating in a trash pick-up along Highway 260 on September 14th as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program. “We want people to be able to visually see the difference that the Manning Rotary Club makes to our community,” said President James. “We are very grateful for all of the support we receive from the local community and look at this as another positive way to return the favor.”
