Underclassmen return with experience, intend to win 

This year the theme of FC’s homecoming is ‘Homecoming for Humanity,’ Oct. 6. This year floats are focused on nonprofits and the class to raise the most money for their selected organization wins. Leading up to homecoming The Feather will post updates on the floats from each class. The float themes selected are; freshmen, Miss Winkles, sophomores, Lanna Coffee, juniors, Hume Lake and seniors, Red Cross.

UPDATE Oct. 2: 19 students gather for their last float build and finish their final details, Sept. 30.  They add Lanna Coffee Co. sign, make chalkboard signs with their mission statement and a menu. They also added a table top on the bar and added crops to their painting. Come support Lanna Coffee Co and the sophomore class homecoming night, Oct. 6. Coffee and sweet treats are available for purchase and donations are always welcomed.

UPDATE SEPT. 21: About 15 students meet for their second build at Wesley Hinton’s home. Students finish reclaimed wood wall, make shelves for coffee, start painting the backboard for the other half of the float and start construction of the raised coffee plant beds. Their next planned meeting is Saturday, Sept. 30, where they will hopefully finish the final details of their float.

UPDATE SEPT. 20: Four sophomore leadership students and Aubri Foster, leadership advisor, meet at Lanna Coffee Co. with Kelly Mitchinson, administrative director, to talk about their homecoming float. The next planned meeting, Thursday, Sept. 21.

UPDATE SEPT. 18: Last Saturday, Sept. 16, a few sophomore students met at Wesley Hinton’s home to for the first time to start construction of their float. The work included building a reclaimed wood wall, a coffee bar and planning the rest of the float. Next time they will meet is Thursday, Sept. 21. Sophomore leadership will also meet at Lanna Coffee Co. sometime this week for more information.

With homecoming just around the corner, students begin planning and thinking about ideas for their floats. This year the sophomore class decided to choose a local nonprofit organization, Lanna Coffee Co.

The mission of Lanna Coffee Co. is to end poverty in many villages throughout Thailand. They work towards their mission through their many partnerships with other nonprofits such as, Integrated Tribal Development Program (ITDP), who support clean water projects, educating the children and spreading the gospel.

The sophomore float will focus on the process of farm to cup by having one side of the float be the farm in which they grow the coffee beans and the other a cafe where they will serve and sell coffee.

Leadership student Wesley Hinton, ‘19, enjoys working on the float along with his friends and appreciates the opportunity to help support a local business.

“I’m participating in the float building because that’s my job as a student in leadership,” Hinton said. “I think we did a pretty good job last year so I’m excited about our float this year. This year our theme is Lanna Coffee that goes along with the ‘Homecoming for Humanity’ theme. It’s a non-profit coffee shop that helps poor people in Thailand get jobs. It’s cool to support a local business and I think we’re going to do a really good job.”

Sophomore Annabelle Messer, looks forward to building the float and feels that many people will want to donate to the float because of Lanna’s mission. Messer is also excited to have fun with friends.

“This year, I am looking forward to creating something with my awesome classmates and to grow closer to them,” Messer said. “I think we may struggle with making the coffee that we will serve taste good but I’m sure it will all work out. I love the design for the float this year, my classmate Braden did an awesome job designing it.

“I think we will raise a lot of money for Lana Coffee,” Messer continued. “Everyone loves coffee and Lana Coffee is a Christian organization helping missionaries and I feel like lots of people will want to donate to that cause. All around I’m so pumped and excited to start making this float with my friends.”

Float building will take place at sophomore, Wesley Hinton’s home, and His parents, Dawn Hinton and Sam Hinton along with John Foster will supervise their work.

Float build days:

Friday, Sept. 15, 3-6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 30, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Float build days are subject to change.

Stay tuned for updates on the process of the float build. For those students and supporters of the sophomore class who want to donate to Lanna Coffee, please make your gift through the Go Fund Me Sophomores for Lanna Coffee. account.

Sophomore leaders include; Braden Bell, Blake Deffenbacher, Wesley Hinton, Megan LeBlanc, Annabelle Messer, Danielle Foster, Toryn Triplitt and Kayla Vanderlinden. Contact them with any questions.

For more about homecoming floats read last years article, 2016 FC homecoming float: Sophomores also read, Lanna Coffee Co. brings hope and awareness.

The author can be reached via email: Braden Bell, Instagram and Twitter.