Support your local FFA. Photo courtesy by Hilary Bastiani

I am interviewing Mr. Dreesmann, who has been in the Gridley FFA’s Ag Department for over twenty years.

Mr. Dreesmann, what is the history of fundraising for FFA at Gridley High School?  How did the Rib Feed in the Spring start?

My first year at Gridley High School, Dave Dillabo, Rod Risso, and I spoke to the Officer Team about consolidating their fundraising efforts into a single event. At the time, they were doing car washes, selling candy and jerky, and hosting other events all year to earn money for FFA conferences, travel, and competitions at various Career Development and public speaking events across California. My idea was to reduce the number of fundraising asks to the community and parents by organizing one major event that everyone could support in some way. Some people donated items for silent and live auctions, others bought tickets, and many helped to host the event.

Before Gridley, I had been at Wheatland High School, where I worked with their advisors and officer team to start a Crab Feed, which they continue to this day. That year at Wheatland, I also started a Rib Cook-Off with their officer team.

The officers in Gridley decided to try a Rib Feed since there were already several crab feeds in town. They wanted it to be an all-you-can-eat event, with affordable prices to encourage as much community participation as possible. The support was overwhelming from the beginning. Doug Rudd was in charge of BBQing the ribs the first year, with help from local community members, parents, and farmers. Jake and John Stowe, Manuel Silva, Gary Olson, David Choate, Drew Rudd, and many others pitched in. Since then, Mike Kossow has led the BBQ crew for most years. It would be impossible to list everyone who contributed, but their efforts are truly appreciated.

In the beginning, Jan Silva and Sue Dunlap led a group of moms in providing their famous beans for nearly 1,000 attendees. My wife, Rachael Dreesmann, took over for many years, and more recently, the Muzzy family has managed the food, from beans to potato and pasta salads.

Sandra Waller coordinated with FFA families to provide a wide array of homemade desserts for both dine-in and drive-thru attendees. At its peak, the event served almost 1,500 adults, kids, and helpers in one day.

Mr. Dreesmann, what is this new event that will benefit FFA members at Gridley High School?

The newly elected officers met this summer at their retreat to plan the year and decided to change the fundraising schedule. They will discontinue the traditional Drive-Thru BBQ in the Fall and the popular Gridley FFA Rib Feed in the Spring. Instead, the Parents Club will sponsor a new event at the Butte County Fairgrounds on Nov. 16.

This new event marks a fresh start and aims to support the future farmers in our community while meeting rising costs for travel, conferences, competitions, and supporting our growing Agricultural Department, which now includes five teachers and a Junior High Program.

The event will be hosted by the Gridley High School Parents Club and features three parts: Beans, Brews, and BBQs.

The event will be held at the Butte County Fairgrounds. Dinner and chili tasting will be from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by social time, music, and dancing until 10 p.m. Farmers Brewery is a proud partner for this event.

Tickets

Dinner tickets serve as entry to the event and are $40 in advance (higher at the door). This includes our famous pork ribs, chicken, a variety of chili tastings, sides, two drink tickets (soda or Farmers Brew), and entry into a door prize drawing featuring items made by Gridley High School agriculture students.

Competitor Entry

Teams of two may enter in one of three divisions: Open ($100), Youth ($75), and Service Club ($100). 

Each team receives two dinner tickets, two engraved cups for unlimited drinks, and two aprons. Winners in each category will receive valuable donated prizes along with local fame!

Sponsorship Opportunities

$7,500 Presenting Sponsor: Company logo on brew cups, contestant aprons, large placemat ad, and banner; advertisement on social media, radio, etc.; 10 VIP tickets and 5 VIP parking spots

$5,000 Sponsor: Company logo on banner and placemat ad; 8 VIP tickets 

$2,500 Sponsor: Company logo on banner and placemat ad; 6 VIP tickets 

$1,000 Sponsor: Company logo on placemat; 4 VIP tickets 

$500 Sponsor: Company logo on placemat; 2 VIP tickets 

General donations under $500 are also welcome and appreciated (>$250 required to claim tax deduction). In-kind donations will be recognized at the appropriate sponsorship level based on their market value.

Additional Information

There will also be a silent auction featuring local donations and student-built projects. If you would like to donate, need tickets, or want to enter the competition, please contact us at [email protected] or stop by the Gridley High School front office. Thank you for your continued support of the Gridley Agricultural Department.