By NANCY VORIS
Indiana Correspondent

TRAFALGAR, Ind. — The Indiana FFA Leadership Center is nestled in beautiful wooded hills with a lake, trails, conference facilities and campgrounds. It is the home of state FFA officers during their tenure and the site where countless Hoosier FFA members gather for leadership training and fun.

The center is also near to the heart of Bob Juncker, who served as Indiana FFA advisor with the Indiana Department of Education for the past 30 years and recently retired.

“Mr. Juncker will be recognized at the Indiana FFA State Convention in June,” said Anna Ariens, Indiana FFA Assoc. executive director. “However, we are seeking alumni and supporters of our organization to share in the recognition between now and state convention in June.”

Juncker has been passionate about the Leadership Center, knowing it was an integral component to the organization’s success in building leadership skills.

An endowment fund called “Give Hope” has been established in Juncker’s honor to help build funds for the Center’s future, said Brian Buchanan, executive director of the Indiana FFA Foundation.
“One of the ways we are asking people to honor Mr. Juncker is through a financial gift to Give Hope,” Buchanan said. “We hope to raise $50,000 in Juncker’s honor. The money will go towards Give Hope and have a lasting impact on the Leadership Center.”

FFA alumni, past state officers, ag teachers and others touched by his leadership are also being asked to share their favorite stories, memories or photos of Junc-ker, Ariens said.

“They can recall a fun experience at the State Fair or a conversation during FFA camp about their future plans with the organization. We’ve heard time and time again, ‘that conversation changed my life,’” she said. “We want to show him just how much he has influenced lives of Indiana FFA members.”

Those memories will be assembled in a memory book for Juncker, said Dawn Davis, executive director of the Leadership Center. The book will be presented at the State Convention in June.

Stories and photos may be e-mailed to indianaffa@yahoo.com, or contributions, including those to the Give Hope Campaign, may be mailed to Indiana FFA, Attention: Juncker Recognition, P.O. Box 9, Trafalgar, IN 46181.

Juncker was most known for his work with the Indiana FFA Assoc. and its state officer program. He invested his career in building the officers.

For more on the honor, call Ariens at 317-232-9171, Buchanan at 317-878-4178 or Davis at 317-878-5391.