Memorial “Gift of Blue” Awarded in Marion County

For the past four years, the Marion County Farm Bureau (CFB) has proudly awarded first-year FFA members with their very own official FFA blue corduroy jacket through our “Give the Gift of Blue” essay contest. The essay contest asked first-year Ag/FFA students a simple question, “Explain the main goal you wish to accomplish from being involved in FFA.” In the past four years, Marion CFB has proudly awarded 89 students the FFA Corduroy Blue.  

This year, the program has been renamed the Mr. Pokojski Memorial “Gift of Blue” in honor of longtime Salem FFA advisor, mentor, and supporter Matt Pokojski. Through a new partnership between the Marion CFB Foundation and the Pokojski family, one outstanding first-year FFA member from each chapter has been chosen to be awarded a complete FFA official dress package in addition to the jacket…an approximate total value of $200.  

We couldn’t think of a better way to honor the legacy Mr. Pokojski left not only to the FFA community but also Marion CFB by continuing to celebrate and support the future FFA generation through the “Mr. Pokojski Memorial “Gift of Blue” Program.  

To date, the Marion CFB Foundation has awarded 100 FFA Jackets to local, first-year members and 5 FFA official dress packages through the memorial program… over $7,000 in expenses covered.