Hey guys, FOTO’s farmer Joe Dise here! I graduated the old farmer’s high school in 2021 and FOTO was a big part of my college experience. I joined at a time when membership was low and it was a tighter knit group than the other orgs I had tried. I liked that they had sincere relationships with the families and took it seriously while still having fun with it. I helped out with Finance for a year and then had to step back a little due to another role in Best Buddies. I got to dance in the pandemic which was fun even though it was very different and held a lot of uncertainty! My advice for members today would be to really learn about the why behind the org and then be ready to plug in wherever there is a need. The small things really can make a big difference and can help you grow as a group. Work together and don’t be afraid to ask for and freely give a helping hand. It’s a collaborative effort. Don’t be afraid to go out for that leadership role or to try to dance because even that can teach you a lot. Pursuing philanthropy actively is important at college because it teaches you how to leave a place better than when you found it. My last piece of advice is please don’t fight over a position in the stands at THON, everyone there is on the same team and deserves to be there. Show other orgs the respect you would your own because really at the end, FOTO’s total is part of a larger effort. The support system you guys are creating for the families and the myriad of negatively afflicted individuals on the periphery of cancer as a whole is just as important if not more so. Start practicing your dance moves now so you actually have a trick or two up your sleeves for those 46 hours!
Good luck,
Joe Dise
