The Chamber’s AgriBusiness and Business Resource committees are working
together to present a very special Farm-City Week event from 6-8PM on
Wednesday, November 18 at NIACC Auditorium. Aaron Thomas, a motivational
speaker and North Iowa educator, has a passion for impacting lives through
teaching, coaching, and public speaking.
His father Ed was a beloved high school football coach who not only trained
generations of players on the importance of hard work, dedication, and
commitment to excellence, but personally put these values into action as a
community leader who inspired his town to rebuild following a deadly EF5
tornado. Not long after the small town of Parkersburg began recovering from the
disaster of the storm, they faced a far worse tragedy: the fatal shooting of Coach
Thomas by a former player who suffered from mental health issues.
Following his father’s murder, Aaron was approached to return home to take over his dad’s
responsibilities as athletic director and to continue his father’s legacy not only as a leader in the school, but as an example in the community.
An Agriculture/Business Showcase will be featured from 6-7PM to highlight the farm/city
connection. Booth sponsorships will be limited. All seats for the Aaron Thomas presentation at 7PM will be reserved. Mark your calendar and save the date; tickets will be available soon.