Bull-A-Rama
A unique community fundraiser is scheduled for Bowsman, Man., Oct. 16.
Proceeds from the Bowsman and District Lions Club’s annual Bull-A-Rama will be used primarily to help residents of Swan Valley, Man., who require assistance with unexpected medical expenses.
The bull riding event is sanctioned through the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA). All riders compete nationally for points and cash.
It offers the largest amateur event cash payout in the CCA.
Kubota invests in 4-H
Kubota Canada Ltd. has invested nearly $200,000 in the Canadian 4-H Council.
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The money will be used to supply the group with banners and signs, equipment, volunteers and prizes for the more than 60 dairy and beef rallies held in Canada.
Kubota’s involvement with the Canadian 4-H Council began after it co-sponsored the TD Canada Trust Agriculture Services Youth Leadership Congress at the 2008 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
New ACS executive
The Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan’s board of directors has elected a new executive.
Valerie Pearson is the new chair, taking over from Murray Purcell. Pearson, who is executive director of the Saskatchewan 4-H Council, has been a member of the ACS board since 2004 and has served as vice-chair since 2005.
Vice-chair Bob Morgan was first elected to the ACS board in 2008. He is president of POS Pilot Plant Corp.
Darrell Schneider returns as secretary-treasurer, a position he has filled since 2006. Schneider is chief operating officer of the Saskatchewan Food Processors Association.
Purcell, who was ACS chair for two years, has been a board member since 2003. He represented the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities from 2003-07 and the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers since 2007.
Board members include Pearson, Morgan, Schneider, Purcell, Jason Dean of the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, Kirk Flaman of the Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association, Neil Ketilson of SaskPork, Allen Kuhlmann of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, Dean Vey of Agriculture Canada and Abdul Jalil of the Saskatchewan agriculture ministry.
New AGC appointment
Sean Royer has been appointed to the Alberta Grain Commission.
Royer is director of strategic initiatives with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency and had previously worked as Alberta Agriculture’s director of economics and competitiveness.
Commission members include chair Greg Porozni of Willingdon, Vice-chair Terry Young of Lacombe, Henry Dechant of Fairview, Daniel Greene of Carmangay, D’Arcy Hilgartner of Camrose, Ed Lefsrud of Viking, Dennis Nanninga of Barrhead, Gerard Oosterhuis of Bow Island and Carol Bettac of Edmonton.
Schools win for health
The winners of the Saskatchewan Nutritional Advisory Council for Kids-Mosaic Extreme School Makeover Challenge have been named.
This year’s grand prize winner was St. Edward School in Saskatoon, which was awarded a plaque and $5,000 to help fund its health and nutrition plan.
Runners-up were Carpenter Community High School in Meadow Lake and Quill Lake School in Quill Lake. Each was awarded $2,500.
The makeover contest is intended to promote good health and nutrition in schools across Saskatchewan.
Each submission required a plan for better nutrition, more physical activity, ability for school-wide participation and community involvement and good emotional well-being.
St. Edward School’s submission focused on improving healthy eating and active learning. The plan combines nutrition and physical fitness as a part of the school’s health curriculum.
Carpenter Community High School developed an outdoor classroom linked to the community by a walking path.
Quill Lake School has adopted an approach that improves several areas of the school to better promote nutrition and physical fitness.
Farm advisers
Liz Robertson, executive director of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, has been elected a director to the national board of the Canadian Farm Business Management Council.
The council’s mandate is to provide Canadian farmers with a full range of farm business management tools, while the association’s mandate is to further the skills and knowledge of farm advisers and consultants.
The two groups often work together to supply farm families and businesses with farm business management tools and resources.
New think-tank members
Former Alberta cabinet minister Jim Dinning, retired Nexen president Charlie Fischer and former mayor of Red Deer Gail Surkan have joined the executive committee of the board of directors of Canada West Foundation.
Dinning is chair of the board of directors of Western Financial Group and was previously the executive vice-president of TransAlta Corp. Dinning held several key positions during his 11 years as an Alberta MLA, including provincial treasurer from 1992 to 1997.
Fischer is the retired president and chief executive officer of Nexen Inc., a global energy company headquartered in Calgary. He held these positions from June 2001 until his retirement at the end of 2008.
Surkan served 12 years as mayor of the City of Red Deer. She was a founding director of ATB Financial and currently serves on a number of boards. Surkan is the chair of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and sits on the board of Ensign Energy.
Canada West Foundation aims to be an objective voice for issues of concern to western Canadians.
