MATHIS, Texas — Future Farmers of America organizations and people from around the state are stepping in to help Mathis FFA students whoseanimals were recently killed.
“They shouldn’t have to go through something like that,” said Josh Heimann, Stockdale ISD agriculture teacher. “It’s not something they should wake up in the morning and walk out there to the ag barns and find something like this happened.”
When Heimann, heard about the eight animals that died at the Mathis ISD agriculture barn, he said he knew his students would want to help.
So, they started collecting donations.
Heimann said the kids spend a lot of money on their animals between feeding them, vet bills and entry fees.
“These kids become attached to these animals and they are like pets to them or part of their family and these kids are spending hours with these animals everyday raising them,” Heimann said.
The news about the dead animals also spread to Rocksprings, Texas; where they are now also collecting donations for Mathis students. They say they know all too well the power of giving back because last year a member of their FFA program lost their house to a fire.
“Different FFA chapters across Texas came together to collect funds and food for that family,” Rocksprings FFA student, Jesse Romero said. “It’s the least we could do in a time of tragedy.”
Rebecca Hale, a rancher in Lockhart, has also donated and offered one of her goats to the students.
“I was in 4-H and FFA and I know how much kids put into that program,” Hale said.
Hale says it’s hard to fathom anyone would try to hurt the kids' livestock.
“If the community can reach out and help these kids then hopefully what they remember from this is the good in people. Not just what happened to their animal,” Hale said.
