Ag college is hosting disaster benefit Tuesday

March 22, 2019

By NCTA News

Aggies helping agriculture is ‘what’s for dinner’ Tuesday night.

The NCTA Nebraska Disaster Relief Pasta Meal Benefit will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Curtis Community Center, featuring a variety of pasta dishes, desserts and more.

Proceeds are for disaster relief from storms and flooding on March 13-15.

Although damage estimates are still being assessed, the impact to Nebraska agriculture, directly and due to potential inability to plant 2019 crops, is projected to be between $1 and $1.5 billion.

Therefore, to assist, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture campus is coordinating the meal with volunteers and civic groups from the Curtis community, said Tina Smith, NCTA spokeswoman.

“We felt strongly that NCTA as a campus, along with community partners in Curtis, wanted to help Nebraska agriculture so this is our first step – a disaster benefit,” said Smith, NCTA admissions coordinator and a community volunteer.

“We care about our NCTA students and their families, and certainly for all of agriculture, the backbone of Nebraska’s people and economy,” she added.

Organizations and individuals are donating supplies, preparing and serving the meal, and pitching in with set up and clean up duties.

“From meatballs and spaghetti, to brownies and pies, there should be plenty of food for those able to attend on Tuesday,” Smith said.

Donations also are accepted anytime to the Welcome Center at the NCTA campus, which is located in the Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center.

All donations and proceeds from the NCTA Pasta Meal will be divided between two fund drives that have been established by statewide industry groups, the Nebraska Cattlemen and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

All funds go directly to disaster relief for the March storm.

Both of the longtime membership organizations also have student chapters at the NCTA campus. They are the NCTA Collegiate Cattlemen and the NCTA Collegiate Farm Bureau.

Although students are on Spring Break until classes resume on Monday (March 25), Aggie clubs and teams are already signed up to help with volunteer service and food.

Online donations may be made directly to the two organizations at:

        Nebraska Cattlemen:  https://nebraskacattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund

 Additionally, NCTA is now a collection site for donations of large round bales, small bales and fencing materials.  Contact Professor Meredith Cable for details on those donations at 402-741-0833.