People of Ponoka and surrounding area will soon have the chance to be involved in helping end world hunger. The Canadian Foodgrains Bank will be having its annual cattle auction to raise money to help give food to the people struggling in countries around the globe including Zimbabwe, Sudan, Kenya, Bangladesh and Nicaragua.
On March 4 at 12 p.m. noon donated beef and dairy cattle will be sold at Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Mart in Ponoka with the proceeds going to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Foodgrains volunteer Larry Henderson believes that this is a great way to get people together to help support a valuable cause.
“It’s been a very successful sale in the past,” said Henderson. “We’ve been very pleased with the community and the farmers with their generosity and support. It’s a really good thing, it really works well and it’s always a lot of fun.”
Henderson encourages donations of beef or dairy cattle, hay, cash donations, etc. and invites everyone to come out to the event for a good time.
Suggestions for donations for dairy animals include lactating animals, breeding bulls, springing heifers, bred and open heifers, calves and cull cows. Beef animals include bred cows, feeder cattle, bulls, calves and cull cows. Cash donations are also appreciated.
There will be coffee and donuts as well as available information about the Foodgrains Bank.
Livestock producers in the Ponoka area have been supporting the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in this way for the past seven years.
Last year the charity auction raised over $21,000 selling beef and dairy cattle donated by local farmers.
The money will go a long way as the Canadian International Development Agency provides money annually to match the Foodgrains Bank on a 4:1 basis, which means if $1,000 is raised it turns into $5,000. Farmers are rewarded for their donation as charitable tax receipts are issued for donations of cash or farm produce over $10 in value.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Canadian-based organization that helps provide food and development assistance to people in need on behalf of their 15 Canadian church members.
It is one of the largest private food aid providers in the world and presently gives aid to 17 different countries. Donations made by Canadians have helped the Canadian Foodgrains Bank provide over 1,000,000 metric tones of food to people who are hungry throughout the world.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank provides good to numerous countries and is presently focused on helping those devastated by the flood in Bangladesh. To find more information about the Canadian Foodgrains Bank go to www.foodgrainsbank.ca.
For more information or to make a donation before the sale date please contact Harry Makkinga at 403-783-4262 or 783-1274, Peter Doornenbal at 403-783-2947 or Larry Henderson at 403-782-5218.