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Volunteer of the Month
MFB's Volunteers of the Month are selected by a panel of discerning staff judges who work with Farm Bureau members statewide in a variety of program areas. Nomination forms are available at all county offices, or by contacting Lori Chamberlain at the MFB Young Farmer Department at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3234.
Denise Schian Squanda
June, 2006 Volunteer of the Month
Farm Bureau honors Saginaw member for service, dedication
Local farmer Denise Schian Squanda has been recognized by Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) as the organization's Volunteer of the Month for June 2006. With her husband Wayne and their two children, Squanda helps operate a cash crop operation based in Buena Vista Township, raising 650 acres of soybeans, wheat, dry beans, corn and sugar beets.
Squanda is active in her county Farm Bureau's promotion and education (P&E) committee, organizing outreach programs to boost agriculture's profile in the greater community. She orchestrates local Ag in the Classroom projects, visiting area schools with instructional programming to teach young people about the significance of the state's second-largest industry.
With help from fellow Farm Bureau volunteers and the cooperation of a local restaurant, Squanda in May successfully hosted a nutrition expo to teach more than 350 lower elementary students about the new food pyramid. Students circulated among a number of educational centers to learn not only about the food pyramid, but also about the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle and making the right dietary choices. Participating teachers were given packages of supplementary instructional material for use in extending the day's lessons into their own classroom.
Looking to promote agriculture to older students, Squanda's P&E group also distributed 20 biodiesel chemistry kits to teachers at local high schools. Made possible through a grant she helped obtain from the Michigan Soybean Commission, the biodiesel kits were the first such packages to be distributed in the state.
"The response from the teachers was upbeat and positive," wrote Squanda's nominator for Volunteer of the Month. "They were all extremely appreciative that someone would work to provide our children with being part of the cutting edge in technology, and be connected to the agricultural side of our county.
"Denise has a good eye for promotion and is very insightful about how to communicate to our diverse community," her nominator wrote. "She has a true teacher's heart, and the ability to communicate with others is a winning combination. She is constantly thinking of ways to improve or add to what we are doing - trying new things, creating different angles to work from and finding ideas to spread our message."
Squanda is also a member of the County Liners Community Action Group and coordinates her P&E activities with the county Farm Bureau's information committee to help get the word out.
