Photo courtesy of Marlys Barker/WM Marketing Director Adalie Schwandt, left, a senior and an FFA member at Webster City High School, presents fruit to Amy Ratcliff, Windsor Manor's business office manager, on Wednesday. The FFA was donating fruit to public service workers and elderly resident facilities in time for the holidays.

Windsor Manor in Webster City was Adalie Schwandt’s last important stop Wednesday.

The Webster City High School senior, who is the current reporter for the high school’s FFA chapter, was busy making fruit donations.

“We (the FFA) usually go out and donate fruit once a year, following our annual fruit sales,” Schwandt said. Extra fruit always comes along with the orders, and the chapter donates all of it in the community.

Along with Windsor Manor, fruit deliveries were made to the Webster City Police Department and City Hall, the fire department, the sheriff’s office and courthouse and other nursing home/assisted living facilities in the community.

“It’s fun,” Schwandt said of delivering the donations. “With it being around Christmas … and seeing people’s faces so happy and getting pictures, those are the biggest things (that make it fun).”

Schwandt is past president and past assistant vice president of the FFA, which she has belonged to since she was a freshman. This year, as reporter for the chapter, she is part of the effort to increase awareness about the local FFA chapter.

“We’re trying to do a lot more photos and get our name out into the community more,” she noted.

The Webster City FFA chapter has 30-40 members, Schwandt estimated, and the group is led by advisor, Kurt Veldhuizen.

“He (Veldhuizen) really relates things in agriculture, and he’s always been there as a person to talk to,” she said.

Schwandt recommends joining FFA to all underclassmen. “I’ve learned to work with community businesses and people… gained leadership and communication skills and had to step out of my comfort zone through FFA. I’ve learned a lot about getting along with people when you might be butting heads sometimes… I love FFA.”