The Estevan Curling Club’s 2021 Scotties-Tankard committee and the Estevan Bruins 2022 Centennial Cup committee are thrilled to announce that a fundraising crop near the Estevan Regional Airport has been harvested, thanks to an impressive effort of many local companies and individuals.
The crop harvest group presented a cheque for $30,000 to the curling club and the Bruins Tuesday night, who will split the proceeds for their upcoming marquee events.
They will also split the proceeds of another harvest on the same land in 2021.
The canola crop of approximately 160 acres on land provided by the City of Estevan adjacent to the Estevan Airport, will supply a major financial boost to both events and those involved are very pleased with the efforts and resulting crop.
“The City of Estevan, being major supporters of both events, saw the project as a way to extend our support and to lend to the financial success of the events, while lessening the financial burden to the local business community, who typically is called upon to sponsor the lion’s share of such events. We were pleased to provide the airport land to make this project possible,” said Mayor Roy Ludwig.
Estevan Curling Club manager Pauline Ziehl Grimsrud added: “The Scotties-Tankard committee thanks all of the participants in the crop fundraiser, with special thanks to Tye Olson (from Richardson Pioneer) who made the project possible. The funds raised are an important part of ensuring the success of our event. The co-operation and partnerships with the city and local businesses and individuals is an example of how our community works together.”
“The fundraising component involved in hosting national events is significant and large fundraising efforts such as this will go a long way to meeting the obligations of both of these amazing events,” said Greg Hoffort, the co-chair of the 2022 Centennial Cup committee. “The Bruins organization is most appreciative of the efforts of the crew involved in growing and harvesting the crop and the City of Estevan for making the land available for this effort.”
Mike Marr from Redhead Equipment donated the seeding and harvest equipment, plus his personal time; Ray Frehlick and Frehlick Farms supplied time and equipment; Bayer Crop Science and Mandy Archdekin donated half of the canola seed, while Brett Young and Alan Varjassy donated the other half; Mosaic donated the fertilizer; Richardson Pioneer provided marketing and agronomy, the city supplied the land, Nutrien and Janel Middleton donated the chemical, A7D Trucking and Adam Van De Woestyne donated a semi and trailers, Saskatchewan Municipal Hail insurance supplied the hail insurance, and Corteva and Alisha Thompson provided chemical.
“Members from both the Estevan Curling Club and the 2022 Centennial Cup committee approached Richardson Pioneer in the early spring about a crop share project to help these two organizations raise money,” said Tye Olson, crop inputs manager for Richardson Pioneer and a co-ordinator of the event. “A substantial project such as this requires a lot of equipment and Redhead Equipment willingly stepped up, donating their time and efforts to seed, spray and harvest the crop. Richardson Pioneer then went about securing donations from our trusted suppliers. “
The crop went in later than hoped because they needed to spend the extra time getting the land in shape to seed and the wind fought them every time they went to work the land.
“The conditions were not favourable at the start to get a good catch and we were quite dry. We managed to catch a rain, in late May, to help germination. Weed pressure was particularly high, we needed to apply Roundup throughout the growing season to ensure we gave the canola the best catch. It was then harvested in the first week of September.”
