The Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS) recently awarded seven donations and one fundraising cheque totalling $65,500.

All presentations took place at Grand River Raceway, which is operated by GRAS.

Staci Baron, representing the CW Skatepark Association, pictured with Paul Walker (L) and Jamie Martin (R)

DONATIONS

On September 24, GRAS presented seven organizations with cheques totaling $60,500.

• Fergus Agricultural Society - $2,000 sponsorship of the Ag Awareness Tent at the Fergus Fall Fair.

• Equine Industry Symposium - $1,000 sponsorship for the November 17 event at the University of Guelph.

• CW Skatepark Association - $10,000 for enhancement of greenspace at the newly built skatepark in Elora.

• Ontario Agri-Food Technologies - $20,000 to support the first Agri-Food Commercial Deal Accelerator, designed to bring together industry experts, corporate partners, and AgTech startups to collaborate on innovative food value solutions.

• Rural Ontario Institute - $7,500 to support The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) an 18-month experiential leadership program for executives in the agriculture and food industries.

• AgScape - $5,000 for food literacy programs and resources for Ontario's educators, students and Agricultural Societies.

• 4-H Ontario - $15,000 to provide resources for the Innovation & Entrepreneurship project.

FUNDRAISING

On September 19, GRAS presented the Kidney Foundation of Canada with a cheque for $5,000.

The funds were derived from raffle tickets sold by the Grand River Pull & Truck Show Committee. The prize was a 1973 John Deere 112 Garden Tractor which was awarded to Henry and Abe Dyck from Millbank, Ont.

The GRAS is a not-for-profit society, incorporated under the Agricultural and Horticultural Societies Act of Ontario and operated by a volunteer board of directors. It is part of the GRAS mandate to encourage an awareness of agriculture and to promote improvements in the quality of life of persons living in an agricultural community.

As a proud community partner, GRAS provides funding and gift-in-kind support for initiatives which align with its mandate. Since the inception of Grand River Raceway in 2004, GRAS has provided funding and Gift-In-Kind support for initiatives totaling more than $1.75 million.

For more information about the GRAS, visit grandriveragsociety.com/giving/.

(GRAS)