A local business was among four Canadian agricultural retailers that were recently awarded $15,000 for a charitable cause in their communities.
Sundre Soil Services received the funds through the ThankARetailer contest, an initiative organized by ADAMA Agricultural Solutions. The Israeli-based company has a presence in Canada and manufactures and sells crop protection products around the world with operations in 40 countries in full support from Chem China, said a press release.
The contest, sponsored by ADAMA Canada, offers ag retailers the opportunity to give back to their communities. Since January, thousands of Canadians took part in an effort to earn points for their favourite retailers, with the results announced last month that the final recipients were as follows: Olds Fertilizers and Sundre Soil Services in B.C. and Alberta; Horizon Fertilizers Ltd. in Saskatchewan; SJ Agronomy in Manitoba; as well as M&R Feeds and Farm Supply in Ontario, the statement reads.
Olds Fertilizers and Sundre Soil Services will be supporting the Sundre Hospital Futures Committee, which is currently raising funds for a new hospital and last week also launched a capital fundraising campaign to upgrade the existing facility's cardiac care equipment.
Gerald Ingeveld, committee chair, said the family-owned business has been a big supporter of the annual gala fundraiser as well as the organization’s work all around.
“It’s awesome that they think of us,” he said, adding the $15,000 is going to the Joanne Overguard Memorial Fund.
Courtesy of some other donations over the past year, the committee has also been able to acquire several new pieces of equipment, and last week launched a campaign for cardiac care upgrades. Contributions to help raise funds for a new hospital also continue to come in, with approximately $100,000 raised to date, he said.
“We want to bring the community together in the concept of making this the best rural hospital in Alberta.”
While the end-game goal is to eventually build a brand new, modern hospital, the committee recognizes that raising the required tens of millions of dollars for such a facility is unlikely. But building up a substantial reserve of funds would help to, for example, purchase property and facilitate the overall effort, he said.
“The thing that will get us a new hospital is to show Alberta that we’re an awesome place to learn about rural medicine and practise rural medicine,” he said, adding progress has been made but that much work still remains to be done.
In the meantime, the more funds that are raised, the more the case can be made to the provincial government that the facility is a major priority for the community, he said.
Raising money for new equipment is just as important as raising funds for the future facility, he added.
That way, when the new hospital is eventually built, he said, all of the required equipment can be transferred into the new building without skipping a beat.
When Beau Jackson, an oilfield worker and farmer who lives north of Sundre, filled out the contest nomination for Sundre Soil Services, he also had to select a local charitable cause that would benefit.
The main reason Jackson chose the committee was in honour of his late, great-aunt Joanne Overguard, who worked as a nurse at the hospital and was also a key member of the committee.
The second reason, he said, was to support the hospital and to ensure the facility remains to continue providing emergency as well as long-term care services in the community not only today but also for future generations.
“The committee’s doing an outstanding job,” said Sharon Olsen, from Sundre Soil Services.
“We have a strong community and strong committee. I foresee that they’re going to accomplish all of their goals.”
