WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Nov. 2, 2017) - When you live in a rural town, community matters and you do everything you can to keep local charitable groups, non-profits and community events alive. They are vital to the people in your community.
Thanks to the efforts of Canadian farmers, 66 different rural-based charities and non-profits have received a financial boost to strengthen their communities as winners of a $2,500 grant in the Canada's Farmers Grow Communities Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.
Now in its 6th year, the Canada's Farmers Grow Communities program generated a wide variety of ideas from farmers on how local groups in their communities could benefit from the grants. They recommended schools, libraries, historical societies, health and recreational facilities, rural daycares, senior clubs, 4-H groups, food banks and more. More than 100 rural-based charitable groups also contributed ideas online at www.canadasfarmers.ca which allowed them to suggest a cause and find local farmers to support it by submitting an entry.
The Canada's Farmers Grow Communities program received more than 550 entries this year. Winners were drawn by board members of the independent administrator, Agriculture in the Classroom - Manitoba, on October 12, 2017.
"When you look at what local communities want to do to improve community services, programs or infrastructure to make life better for rural residents it's very inspiring," said Trish Jordan, public & industry affairs director at Monsanto Canada. "A gift of $2,500 doesn't seem like a lot but from talking to some of the farmers and the charities themselves it can make a huge difference in their communities."
One need only look to the example of the Bay Tree Community Park Association in Alberta who plan to use their grant to upgrade their local park and playground facility. "I am a young senior and I can tell you that as a child I played on the equipment that is currently in the park," said local resident Lurind Jeaneaux. "That's a long time to go without any upgrades so we are thrilled to receive this boost to our fundraising efforts. It makes us believe our dreams are achievable and we can make our park a place that families can enjoy."
Or how about farmer Mary Klassen from Lashburn, SK who nominated the Marshall School Breakfast Program? School vice-principal Tina Pero said the motivation for the breakfast program is "to ensure every student who enters our building has the opportunity to nourish their bodies before a full day of learning in the classroom begins."
Farmers living and working in the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northeastern B.C. had from mid-January to the end of September to submit their entries by visiting the Canada's Farmers website and completing an online application form.
The Monsanto Fund plans to continue the Canada's Farmers Grow Communities program in 2018. Farmers and rural residents can watch for details at winter trade shows or visit www.CanadasFarmers.ca or follow on Twitter @CanadasFarmers for more information.
About The Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Learn more at www.monsantofund.org .
About Monsanto Canada
Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monsanto Canada Inc. is part of the larger global Monsanto Company. Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops - such as corn, soybeans, canola and cotton - that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees please visit: www.monsanto.com or follow us on Twitter @MonsantoCda.
Note: A complete listing of all 66 winning entrants, their farmer nominator and their community, is detailed in the attachment to this news release.
Canada's Farmers Grow Communities - 2017 Winners
ALBERTA WINNERS
| WINGS of Providence Society William Heidecker, Calgary | Nose Creek Valley Museum Society Terrie & Scott Copley, Crossfield |
| Ponoka & District Health Foundation Dorothy Ungstad, Ponoka | Stettler Regional Child Care Society Heather Rowland, Big Valley |
| Beaverhill Bird Observatory Society Nathan Strilchuk | Leduc & District Emergency Shelter Gordon Schneider, Beaver County |
| Bay Tree Community Park Association Garth Thompson, Bay Tree | La Glace People Deterrent Citizens on Patrol Nancy Schlauwitz, La Glace |
| Medicine Hat Youth Action Society Nichole Neubauer, Medicine Hat | Wrentham Fire & Rescue Foundation Kim Owen, Wrentham |
| Smoky River Palliative Care Society Jules Aubin, Guy | Société Centre Communautaire De St. Isidore Alain Lavoie, St. Isidore |
| Alix Agricultural Society Carolyn Barritt, Alix | Trochu Playschool Ernest Gelinas, Trochu |
| Community Association for Lasting Success Wesley Antonchuk, Vegreville | Holden Agricultural Society Maury Micklich, Holden |
| Friends of the Innisfree Library Society Randy & Susan Cannon, Innisfree | Mannville Historical Society Jim & Eileen Kitt, Mannville |
SASKATCHEWAN WINNERS
| Bethany Pioneer Village Inc. Arlene Dobrohoczki, Middle Lake | St. Gregor Community Hall Charmaine Baril, St. Gregor |
| PJ Gillen Elementary School Traci Denbrok, Esterhazy | Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society Wayne Lysak, Yorkton |
| Larwood-Shaw Memorial Swimming Pool Tracy Darmokid, Porcupine Plain | Silver Park Community Hall David Moskal, Melfort |
| Battlefords Residential Services Inc. Brent Illingworth, North Battleford | Loon Lake Senior Citizens 48 Inc. Ed & Marielle Schafer, Makwa |
| Ogema Regional Park Authority Codie Ngay, Ogema | Yellow Grass Hoppers Playschool Jennifer Richards, Yellow Grass |
| PA Gymnastics Club Colette Georget, Domremy | Radisson Aquatic Centre Laura Reiter, Radisson |
| Imperial & District Ambulance Inc. Heather Detwiller, Imperial | Lanigan & District Waterpark Jean Blair, Drake |
| Sovereign Lions Club Brett Sinclair, Rosetown | Vanscoy & District Early Learning Centre Rob Olauson, Vanscoy |
| Just Like Home Daycare Annette Gaetz, Odessa | Whitewood Recreation Association Inc. Mathew Beutler, Whitewood |
| Central Butte Splash Park Committee April Thurlow-Grasdal, Parkbeg | Eyebrow & District Fire Protection Society Inc. Adam Harrison, Eyebrow |
| Maklin Daycare Don Cholin, Kerrobert | Marshall School Breakfast Program Mary Klassen, Lashburn |
MANITOBA WINNERS
| Cartwright Community Independent School Inc. Donalee Jones, Cartwright | The Norma Moore Memorial Gladstone & District Arena Trevor & Sian Pollard, Gladstone |
| Oak Lake Agricultural Society Trevor Gompf, Oak Lake | Tilston Community Hall Scott Anderson, Sinclair |
| Dauphin Clippers High School Hockey Team Gerald Walker, McCreary | Mountain View 4-H Club Jason Oversby, Ochre River |
| Oakville Community Club Inc. Katlyn Richaud, Portage La Prairie | Tiger Mountain Pool Inc. Len Timmerman, Treherne |
| Boyne Regional Library Janice Beichter, Carman | Splash Pad Parc Carillon Marc Cote, St-Pierre-Jolys |
ONTARIO WINNERS
| Kincardine Agricultural Society Lindsay Dykeman, Kincardine | Spenser's Heart Children's Charity Brittany Plooard, Orangeville |
| Kemptville Snowmobile Club Gary Thompson, Kemptville | Care and Share Food Bank Trenton Jim Harrison, Trenton |
| Hamilton Wentworth 4-H Association Aleta Klassen, Plattsville | The Gathering Food Centre Kim Smith, Simcoe |
| Blenheim & Community Senior Citizens Group Taylor Lindsay, Blenheim | Gesstwood Camp & Outdoor Education Centre David Vandenberg, Cottam |
| Addiction Services of Thames Valley Nicole Smith, Stratford | Middlesex Centre Archives Al Kaiser, London |
| Lachute 4-H Club Patricia Dagenais, Brownsburg-Chatham | Shawville 4-H Club Kayla McCann, Shawville |
| Maison des jeunes Venise en Québec Carol Venneman, Clarenceville | The Barrie Memorial Women's Auxiliary Rachel MacFarlane, Howick |
QUEBEC WINNERS
MARITIMES WINNERS
| Greater Blackville Resource Centre Inc. Joas & Lisa Van Oord, Upper Blackville, NB | Regional Occupational Centre Society David Bekkers, Port Hawksbury, NS |
