FFA leadership runs in the family

Kelsey Gahler, daughter of Edward and Jane Gahler, was elected as the 2008-2009 President of the Oak Harbor Chapter of the FFA. This was a long awaited goal for seventeen-year-old Kelsey.

Her sister Janine served as the 2004-2005 FFA Chapter President and her brother Brice held the position in the 2001-2002sChool year.

The Gahler siblings wanted to follow in their father's footsteps. Ed Gahler served as the Oak Harbor FFA Chapter President in 1972-1973.

Like their father the Gahler children were each active members of the FFA Chapter during their years at Oak Harbor High School.

They held other offices, were active in fundraising activities, served in community service projects, were members of the Parliamentary Procedure Degree Team and each of the siblings earned the State FFA Degree which is the highest degree awarded at the state level.

Kelsey is currently in the nation's capitol attending the Washington Leadership Conference. The FFA Chapter President and Vice President annually attend this national program established for FFA members across the country to meet in Washington D.C. to be trained in leadership skills and better learn the meaning of the FFA motto through service learning activities. The FFA motto, "Learning to do, Doing to learn; Earning to live, Living to serve" is a way of life for the Gahler family who live and work on their Benton Township grain, cow-calf beef cattle and alfalfa hay farms. Kelsey's sister, Janene, also achieved the prestigious American FFA Degree and is a 2008 graduate of BGSU Firelands with a degree in Early Elementary Education.

Brice and wife Amber gave birth on May 12 to their first-born son, Cohen Edward, who will certainly carry on the Gahler family tradition of FFA achievements.