By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
The Cabot Future Farmers of America Advisory Committee has created a leadership fund to continue the legacy of founding member Larry W. Sims of Ward.
Sims passed away Aug. 25.
“The Larry W. Sims Leadership Fund was established because it’s really something he felt we needed to have,” said Keith Woodrow, a Cabot agriculture teacher.
The fund will be overseen by the FFA Advisory Committee and distributed to support leadership development opportunities on a merit or need basis. Arkansas State University-Beebe is also establishing the Larry W. Sims Agriculture Scholarship.
Sims was a 1959 graduate of Cabot High School and graduated from Arkansas State University with a degree in agriculture.
He was a field inspector for the Arkansas State Plant Board for over 38 years.
He belonged to Austin Station Baptist Church, was a founding member of the Grand Prairie Water Users Association and was an Air Force veteran.
Sims dedicated over 20 years of his life to providing Cabot High School FFA members with college scholarships, promoting agricultural career choices and leading by example.
He participated in many of the Cabot High School FFA fund-raisers such as cooking steaks, holding auctions or selling fruit.
“Larry and I worked together for a long time,” said Delbert Wisdom, an Arkansas State Plant Board field agriculture supervisor.
“He was always dependable. Anytime the FFA had fund-raisers he’d come around with tickets or fruit, or whatever they were selling to ask, ‘How many do you want?’”
Sims’ focus wasn’t the money, but the students were helped by it.
“Larry would take the time to talk to the students.
“He always encouraged students to pursue careers in agriculture and further their education.”
Currently there are about 400 students enrolled in agriculture classes at Cabot High School.
“The fund is going to help a lot of students,” Woodrow said.
Donations to the Larry W. Sims Leadership Fund can be mailed to Cabot FFA Chapter, 401 N. Lincoln, Cabot, Ark., 72023.
Donations to the Larry Sims Agricultural Scholarship can be mailed to the ASU-Beebe Office of Advance-ment, P.O. Box 1000, Beebe, Ark., 72012.
