Tractor Supply Company Celebrates 92nd Annual FFA Convention
with Limited Edition T-Shirt Fundraiser
Net proceeds from t-shirt sales to fund FFA programming nationwide
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (August 27, 2019) – Tractor Supply Company’s fifth annual FFA Convention t-shirt fundraiser launches this week in stores nationwide. For a limited time only, Tractor Supply customers can purchase a limited edition FFA Convention themed long sleeve t-shirt to celebrate the 92nd National FFA Convention & Expo, which takes place later this fall. Net proceeds from t-shirt sales will go directly to the National FFA Foundation and will be used to fund programs and activities for FFA chapters across the country.
The limited-edition t-shirt has the official FFA Convention & Expo logo printed across the front, which consists of hexagonal molecules and gold rows. The molecules represent the innovative side of FFA, and the gold rows represent crops – serving as a tip of the hat to traditional agriculture. Customers can purchase the shirt for $12.99 (plus tax) at any Tractor Supply store beginning Thursday, Aug. 29. The shirt will also be available to purchase online with an in-store pickup.
“Tractor Supply looks forward to holding the annual FFA Convention t-shirt fundraiser because it spotlights the future leaders of our country who are making their mark on the agriculture industry,” said Christi Korzekwa, senior vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply. “Our customers and team members are inspired by FFA’s vision to develop leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture, and this annual fundraiser provides an opportunity for them to continue investing in causes they care about.”
Funds raised this year will benefit three FFA programs: Gift of Gold, Living to Serve and Alumni Legacy Grants. This year is the debut year for Gift of Gold, a program that awards grants to chapters devastated by natural disasters. Living to Serve is a program that empowers students to positively impact their communities through leadership opportunities, and the Alumni Legacy Grants enable local chapters to help local high schools build or strengthen their alumni chapters.
In 2018, this t-shirt fundraiser generated more than $340,000 for chapters nationwide through the Living to Serve and Alumni Legacy grants. Since the start of this fundraiser, Tractor Supply has raised a total of $1.1M for FFA programs.
In addition to being sold in Tractor Supply stores, the shirts will be available at the 92nd National FFA Convention & Expo, held Oct. 30 - Nov. 2 in Indianapolis. The event is one of the world’s largest student conventions – with nearly 70,000 attendees and more than 400 exhibiting companies – that brings FFA members together to inspire their peers and celebrate their many accomplishments.
For more information on the t-shirt fundraiser, call your local store or visit www.TractorSupply.com/FFA.
About Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about serving its unique niche, as a one-stop shop for recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands and legendary customer service that addresses the needs of the Out Here lifestyle. With nearly 30,000 team members, the Company leverages its physical store assets with digital capabilities to offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low prices they deserve. At June 29, 2019, the Company operated 1,790 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at www.TractorSupply.com.
Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services. At June 29, 2019, the Company operated 177 Petsense stores in 26 states. For more information on Petsense, visit www.Petsense.com.
About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 669,989 student members as part of 8,630 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 local FFA Alumni chapters throughout the U.S. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook, Twitter and official news page of the National FFA Organization.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.
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Boys Of Fall
Announces Upcoming Tour
In Support of Better Moments Gold Edition
Vinyl Pre-Orders Available at orcd.co/fakesmiles
Detroit, MI - August 27, 2019 - Pop/rock band Boys Of Fall are gearing up to hit the road next month in support of their forthcoming vinyl release, Better Moments Gold Edition (out 9/13 on InVogue Records). The follow up to last year's Better Moments, the release features two acoustic versions of songs from the original album and two brand new singles. Pre-orders are available at https://orcd.co/fakesmiles.
The tour kicks off on September 4th in Erie, and includes appearances at Sophomore Slump Fest, Electric City Music Conference, and Blackout Fest. For a full list of upcoming shows or to purchase tickets, please visit: www.boysoffallband.com
Boys Of Fall are an pop/rock band from Detroit, MI. Prior to 2017, Boys Of Fall toured vigorously (including a South American stint with Saves The Day) while finding the right home to release an upcoming album. While the band was growing and thriving, they eventually faced a fateful decision of going on indefinite hiatus, upon which they released their 2016 Thank You And Goodbye LP.
As fate would have it, their fans responded resoundingly to the break up album; the band was rejuvenated and found a new reason and meaning to continue growing. Their comeback included signing to InVogue Records and releasing the highly celebrated EP Chasing Lonely. They toured North America for the entirety of 2018, including highlighted tours with Belmont, We Were Sharks, and shows with All Time Low and Vans Warped Tour.
After releasing their follow-up LP Better Moments (produced by Andrew Wade), Boys Of Fall co-headlined the InVogue Records Tour with In Her Own Words, followed by successful holiday events to round out 2018. The band continues to expand their audience in 2019 with more headline tours and festival appearances, in addition to celebrating their vinyl release of Better Moments Gold Edition as well as a co-release with Kayzo.
Boys of Fall is Michael Martenson (vocals), Jake Cemer (vocals/guitar), Dan Quigley (guitar), Eli Sleeker (bass), and Scott Solomon (drums).
For More Information, please visit:
Website: www.boysoffallband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/boysoffallband
Twitter: www.twitter.com/boysoffallband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/boysoffallband
Better Moments Gold Edition Tracklisting:
1. Fake Smiles
2. Something To Say
3. Bad Company
4. Giving Up
5. Arson
6. Heartbreaker
7. Leaving
8. Time Bomb
9. Smooth Yazz (Bonus Track)
10. Deja Vu
11. Finding Home
12. Better Moments
13. No Good For Me (Acoustic)
14. Giving Up (Acoustic)
Upcoming Shows:
Tickets available at www.boysoffallband.com
9/4 - Erie, PA @ Ballet Haus
9/5 - Norfolk, VA @ Charlie's American Cafe
9/6 - Durham, NC @ Sophomore Slump Fest
9/7 - Nashville, TN @ That 70's House
9/8 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
9/10 - Columbus, OH @ Big Room Bar
9/11 - Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar
9/12 - Chicago, IL @ Camp/Us
9/13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Irving Theater
9/14 - Scranton, PA @ Electric City Music Conference - Stage West
9/15 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft at The Chance Theater
9/17 - Long Branch, NJ @ The Brighton Bar
9/18 - Worcester, MA @ The Pavilion at the Beer Garden
9/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Creep Records Store
9/20 - Manchester, NH @ Bungalow Bar & Grill
9/21 - Amityville, NY @ Revolution Bar & Music Hall
9/22 - Brooklyn, NY @ Gold Sounds
10/11 - Bay City, MI @ The Crowne Pub
10/18 - Barrie, ON @ Foxx Lounge
10/19 - Brantford, ON @ Blackout Fest - Club NV
10/20 - Buffalo, NY @ Stamps
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Dear Dave,
Our son is 27, and he has a good job making $55,000 a year. Recently, we learned he financed an expensive car he’s now upside down on. In addition, he has accumulated over $15,000 in credit card debt. He lives in a small town, and only pays $650 a month in rent, but he is asking for money. We taught him about living on a budget and staying out of debt when he was younger, and now it seems he didn’t listen very well. How do you think we should handle this situation?
Bryce
Dear Bryce,
The first thing I’d advise telling him is that you and his mom aren’t going to whip out the checkbook, and make his problems disappear. That may sound harsh, but he had a really good thing going until he messed it up by acting impulsively and irresponsibly with his finances. Nope, I wouldn’t take care of it for him—not at his age. This young man needs to have some skin in the game.
I’d tell him to sell the fancy car, and get something way cheaper to drive for a while. I’m talking about a little beater in the $2,000 to $3,000 range. It sounds like he’ll have to get a small loan to cover the difference, but a little car debt is better than a lot of car debt. I’d also advise him to pick up a part-time job nights or weekends until he gets that credit card debt paid off.
In other words, let him wallow in it and worry about things for a while. Then, if he’s willing to accept responsibility for his actions, and starts handling money more wisely, you two might help out every so often with a little extra cash on the payments.
But I’d test his resolve first. And I’d want to see proof he has learned from his mistakes!
—Dave
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
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VAIL, Colorado, USA (27 August 2019) – The International News Media Association (INMA) will continue the legacy of The Roundtable in Vail beginning in 2020, as founder and organiser Tom Ratkovich retires after hosting the “anti-conference” the past 27 years.
The announcement was made last week in Vail at The Roundtable presented by LEAP Media Solutions, of which Ratkovich recently stepped down as president.
Founded in 1993, The Roundtable began as a publisher retreat to discuss database marketing, which was the focus of Ratkovich’s company at the time, ASTECH InterMedia. Over time, The Roundtable became focused on more strategic issues facing news media yet maintained its intimate, casual, and eclectic nature for several generations.
Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA, told Vail Roundtable participants Thursday that it was a great honour to continue the event’s legacy – notably the “sweet, informal spirit” that Ratkovich has created over nearly three decades. While INMA will continue The Roundtable in Vail at its home of 21 years, the Sonnenalp Hotel, the event’s precise focus in 2020 and beyond is being discussed by the association’s global Board of Directors.
“Tom has built The Roundtable into a news industry tradition that has served multiple generations of media executives,” Wilkinson said. “We want to build on those traditions of informality and people connections via golf, hiking, and all of the communal aspects of Vail while finding a programming formula that builds on INMA membership and can guide the news industry in the years ahead.”
The Roundtable is typically capped at 60 participants to preserve an intimate atmosphere. Most attendees are senior executives at North American media companies. INMA likely will include more global participants beginning next year, with the event tentatively scheduled for August 19-21, 2020.
A long-time member of INMA, including stints as the association’s North America Division president and a member of the North America Division and International boards of directors, Ratkovich has participated in many INMA conferences.
“I’m thankful that The Roundtable will continue after 27 years and that it has found a home with an association for which I have deep affection in INMA,” Ratkovich said. “It’s been a great privilege to host 1,500 media executives at The Roundtable through the years. From database marketing to transformation, we’ve helped guide our industry through its biggest transition. And we might have had some fun along the way.”
After an early career at Claritas and National Demographics & Lifestyles, Ratkovich founded ASTECH InterMedia in 1992 before selling the company in 2008 to U.K.-based smartFOCUS. In 2012, he founded LEAP Media Solutions, which enables audience growth, engagement, and monetisation through its data-optimised audience solutions. LEAP was acquired by BlueVenn in late 2017, and Ratkovich continued as LEAP president until June. He and his wife, Monica, reside in Hawaii where they will focus on their “next chapter.”
The International News Media Association (INMA) is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multi-media environment. The fast-growing INMA community consists of nearly 11,000 executives at 700+ media companies in 70 countries. INMA is the news media industry’s foremost ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, and an unparalleled archive of best practices. INMA has offices in the United States, Belgium, India, and El Salvador.
