Grow Arena Project Raises $500,000

Grow Arena Project Raises $500,000

Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser

After the first year of “farming for a cause” in Two Hills for the construction of a new hockey arena, the Grow Arena Project held a fundraising evening on March 16th.

“We had a super high-energy, sold-out crowd who brought a lot of excitement with them for the project,” said Kitz. “Our extended community was there, with many new faces I was pleased to meet. All I can say is that we’re thankful for the attendance, support, and kind words, and we hope to see them again.”

Guests brought more than excitement with them. After speakers; County of Two Hills Reeve Don Gulayec, Town of Two Hills Mayor Leonard Ewanishan, and President of the Two Hills and District Agricultural Society Lauren Tupechka riled the other guests with their support for the project, the donations just kept coming. The County of Two Hills donated $150,000, the Town donated $150,000, and the agricultural society added their $125,000 donation to the mix for an overwhelming $425,000. An additional $14,000 was raised from tickets and sales at the gala.

In a tribute that was done to Gary Gorsline, one of the last surviving names on a list of those involved in the original construction that sits on a sponsor board from the original 1967 arena, Gorsline said that “They raised more money tonight than it cost to build the original arena over fifty years ago.”

Support for the project has gone way beyond that one night. The first of five years farming raised $80,000 and was only so successful because of the theme of community involvement that has been with the Grow Arena Project from the beginning, with equipment, land, seed, and chemical donations from several individuals and businesses.

The 2019 crop will be yellow peas, welcoming new product sponsors Syngenta to the fold. Other sponsors include Vibrance Max seed treatment, Elatis in-crop fungicide, Nutrien Ag Solutions supplying fertilizer, NuFarm supplying pre-burn chemical “Valtera” and fall desiccant “DriFast.”. Some equipment and volunteer sponsors are returning, with Deerland on seeding, Webbs on spraying, Rocky Mountain Equipment and Agriterra on harvest, and Tingley’s supplying tractor, shuttle cart, and baling.

Grow Arena President Terry Kitz says that they are hyped and ready to keep working closer to their financial goal as the weather allows. “For now, we’re just waiting for seeding, and then we’ll be back with another rotation of crops and the same great events as last year.”