CAMROSE, Alta. — One of Neil McAllister’s bison heifer calves fetched $5,000 for charity during a recent auction, raising funds to tackle cancer.
It was the first time a bison had been auctioned with the Calves for Cancer campaign, a fundraiser by Alberta country radio station 840 CFCW AM, with proceeds going to the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton.
“It struck us that it was a really good cause,” McAllister said before the sale in Camrose during the Wildrose Bison Convention.
“It has always just been cattle, but we wondered if we could do bison.”
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Linda Morrill of Morrill and Morand Equipment had the winning bid of $4,000, but an anonymous donor kicked in an additional $1,000 to make the total $5,000.
McAllister was on point with the bid price, guessing before the sale it would fetch between $4,000 and $5,000.
“Bison farmers are good at fundraising,” he said, noting a typical heifer calf is worth $2,000 to $3,000.
“We step it up.”
He said cancer touches every family, including his. He had two uncles diagnosed this year.
“If you can give a little bit, it’s good,” he said.
“This event is really a good fit for the donation.”
