LINCOLN, Neb — The Nebraska FFA Foundation is calling for nominations for the 2026 Gary Scharf Helping Hand Award. This accolade, established in 2009, honors a Nebraska agriculture educator or FFA advisor who exemplifies “helping others” within their school and community, beyond their agricultural education and FFA duties. The award celebrates the commitment, self-sacrifice, and genuine kindness that characterized Gary Scharf’s life.
Scharf, a victim of the 2007 Westroads Mall shooting in Omaha, was raised on a family farm near Curtis, Nebraska, and worked in the agricultural chemical industry. He contributed significantly to Nebraska’s agricultural and FFA communities, serving on the Nebraska FFA Foundation Board and as its president in 2002-2003…