Jim Bartz is in his second term as the president of the Shawano FFA Alumni, which will hold its annual Wild Game Feed this month. The group’s main purpose is to support the FFA.
Bartz was born and raised in Shawano, graduating from Shawano High School in 1986. He took the Fox Valley Technical College Farm Short Course for three years, earning a vocational degree. Bartz farms in the town of Belle Plaine with his dad and mom, Alvin and Nancy Bartz, with 200 head of cattle and 400 acres.
Bartz and his wife, Beth, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Shawano Community Middle School, have been married 20 years and have two sons in high school. They spend a lot of time at their sons’ sports events. Bartz also referees basketball games and is a member of the Shawano Athletic Booster Club.
Q How did the Wild Game Feed get started?
A “A former agriculture teacher, Ken Seering, (a Shawano high school graduate who taught in Denmark) helped us start it last year. We were looking at ways of different fundraisers. They had one in Denmark for quite a few years. Someone saw it there. We had to find people with wild game to put it on. Last year we made $5,500. We also have raffles, a silent auction and a live auction.”
Q What kind of food is served?
A “There are 11 or 12 different items. We have turkey booyah, rabbit jerky, goose brats, venison, raccoon, pheasant, catfish and moose chili. Each person that brings the food prepares it. Last year, we asked the people who prepared it if they would do it again. All the tickets for this year have already been sold, but you can get put on a waiting list.”
Q How long have you been president?
A “This is my second year as president and my third year on the board. There are around 30 members. We’d like more. We’ve been sending membership invitations out.”
Q What does the FFA Alumni do?
A “We support the FFA kids — send them to national conventions by paying for some of it, buy things for food science, give scholarships every year. We want to expand and give more scholarships. FFA money is limited.”
Q Why do you volunteer?
A “To support the kids, and because I want my kids to be involved more because you do something you don’t always get paid to do. I went through FFA and saw all the support they gave me and I want to give back.”
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