The Neepawa Junior “A” Hockey Club is pleased to announce that their Harvest4Hockey program is back. The Harvest4Hockey program has been around for a few years, but this year, there will be a bit of a change up. In past years, volunteers went from farm to farm with a truck, gathering donated grain from farmer hockey fans and delivering it to a local elevator. The sale proceeds went to the hockey club. It was difficult at times to get everything coordinated for days when donor farmers were harvesting the same crop.
This year, Harvest4Hockey chair, Jamie Denbow, said, “We have set up grain delivery accounts in the team’s name at the Richardson Pioneer locations at Minnedosa and Dundonald, Parrish & Heimbecker (P&H) at Gladstone, Viterra at Forrest and G3 at Bloom (near Portage). Farmers who wish to support the team can deliver any grain and have a portion designated to the team account. The grain company will then forward the funds to the team.”
Denbow said, “It is an important for the team to give back to those who donate and create a social experience to bond donors and the team.” So this year, the team is offering a three tier reward system. For Tier 1 donations up to $500, a farmer will receive a season ticket, which is a $250 value. At Tier 2, $500 to $1,000 in grain sales, farmers will receive two season tickets. At Tier 3, which is $1,000 and over in grain sales, season tickets will be given to farm owners and selected staff, and the donor can arrange to have a harvest or after-harvest BBQ with staff and members of the team.
Denbow said the team is community owned and is all about creating community event fun and interest with hockey games and other events. The events that we normally do may not be possible this year, due to the COVID-19 situation, so it is important that we adapt to the times and still create smaller event opportunities to bond community and team.
Team president Ken Waddell said, “The generous cash donation of $40,000 two weeks ago came with a request from the donor. They asked that team supporters would match the $40,000 and Harvest4Hockey would be an excellent opportunity to do so.”