Waynoka FFA hay donations aid Oklahoma wildfire recovery

Waynoka FFA hay donations help wildfire recovery in Oklahoma

Oklahomans impacted by last week’s wildfires are still recovering, but communities are stepping up to help. Reports by KFOR say a group of FFA students in Waynoka began organizing hay donations after seeing the urgent need across northwest Oklahoma.

Local students say helping neighbors is simply the Oklahoma way.

“I think a lot of people locally just wanted to reach out and start the process of helping everyone,” said Chanan Wyatt, junior FFA student at Waynoka Public Schools.

Officials estimate hundreds of thousands of acres burned in recent Oklahoma wildfires, creating a major need for livestock feed and farm support. More information on wildfire recovery resources is available through the Oklahoma Forestry Services

Bold community response grows through social media

Students began sharing posts online to coordinate hay bale donations and connect with farmers ready to help.

“There were multiple people who had already reached out wanting to donate hay, and we saw that on social media, and we thought this would be a good idea to make this a big group,” Wyatt said.

“I always want to help people because it makes me feel good and also makes them feel good that they are getting help that they need,” said senior FFA student Rhiata Bouziden.

Learn more about the mission of the National FFA Organization: https://www.ffa.org/

Farmers step in to support wildfire recovery

Area producers quickly joined the effort, donating hay and equipment.

“I’ve just seen firsthand what these wildfires do, and that’s why we’re just Oklahomans helping Oklahomans,” said farmer Danny Schmidt.

Each hay bale weighs around 1,100 pounds and can feed 20 to 30 cows a day — critical support for ranchers affected by the fires.

Donations headed to the Oklahoma Panhandle

After several days of collection, students loaded the hay and prepared shipments bound for communities in need.

“We all come together and support each other who are in need,” said senior FFA student Rholton Bouziden.

The hay is expected to arrive tomorrow morning, and the group plans to keep collecting donations as recovery continues. Additional wildfire preparedness information is available from the National Weather Service

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