USU Invites Former and Current Ag Tech Club Members to Work Party
October 6, 2005
Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-1429; maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu
Contact: Bruce Miller, 435-797-2230; bruce.miller@usu.edu
USU INVITES FORMER AND CURRENT AG TECH CLUB MEMBERS TO WORK PARTY
LOGAN — Members past and present of Utah State University's Agricultural Technology Club are invited to a special work party Saturday, Oct. 15, to remember the students and instructor who died in the Sept. 26 vehicle accident and to support those left behind.
For the past 38 years or so, members of USU’s "Ag Tech Club," as it’s commonly known, have met for weekly work parties to repair farm equipment as part of class projects. Evan Parker, the agricultural technology instructor who died in the crash, served as an advisor to the club. The students killed and injured in the accident were club members and represent nearly half of the group’s membership.
“The idea for the work party grew out of offers of help from alumni and retired faculty who gathered at memorial services held for crash victims,” said Gary Straquadine, vice provost for academic and faculty services and former department head of USU’s Agricultural Systems Technology and Education Department. “Everyone wanted to help and we asked, 'Can you help reassemble tractors?’ We received knowing smiles in response.”
Members of the Ag Tech Club take used tractors and other farm machinery completely apart and put them back together, said Straquadine. The equipment comes from local farmers and sometimes from the students’ own family farms. Such is the case this year, and many of the tractors “currently in various stages of disassembly” belong to the families of students who died in the crash.
“We want to get these tractors reassembled and back to the families as soon as we can,” said Straquadine.
The October 15 gathering will be a time for work, but also a time for remembrance. “We won’t be able to reassemble all the equipment in one day - these were year-long student projects,” said Straquadine. “But this is a start and it’s part of the healing process for our students, our alumni and our faculty and staff.”
The department asks that only current and former Ag Tech Club members attend the gathering. “We greatly appreciate offers of help from others, but we prefer to keep this gathering to our own members at this time,” said Straquadine.
Members who wish to know more about the gathering can contact USU’s ASTE department at 435-797-2230 for further information.
