Aggies take Grow the Future Gala online, raise $10,000 to donate to local non-profit organization Ag for Life

trevor.kenney — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:32:30 +0000

The Grow the Future Gala could not be held in person this spring, so the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Agricultural Students’ Society (The Aggies) went online and still managed to raise $10,000 to donate to the local non-profit organization Agriculture for Life.

The Aggies donated $10,000 to Ag for Life. Pictured from left to right are Christine Suominen (gala committee head), Sydelle Zukowski (outgoing president) and Julia McCrae (incoming president).

The Aggies annually present their Grow the Future Gala, an event designed to bring together students and industry while raising money for a non-profit organization of the club’s choice. The COVID-19 pandemic put an end to all in-person events, but it did not deter The Aggies and with support from multiple sponsors and donors, they were able to still achieve a substantial donation.

“We are honoured to have the support of the Ag Club at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Agriculture for Life CEO Luree Williamson. “Through their generous donation we will continue to develop, expand and offer high quality educational programming to Albertans. The funds they raised will help further our mission of educating and inspiring people of all ages about the importance of agriculture and pursuing a sustainable, safe and healthy future. It is their support that sustains our mission and makes all the difference and we are extremely grateful."

One of the handmade items sold online in support of the Aggies.

Since its founding in 2011, Agriculture for Life (Ag for Life) has played a vital role in educating Albertans about agriculture, food, farming and safety. Working in collaboration with agriculture and education communities, Ag for Life develops, expands and offers hands-on educational programming to children, youth and adults throughout the province and beyond via virtual learning classrooms and other digital assets.

Ag for Life is made possible through the funding and commitment of companies that employ almost 20,000 people in more than 350 Alberta communities. Founding members include AdFarm, Glacier FarmMedia, Nutrien Ltd., Rocky Mountain Equipment, TC Energy and UFA Co-operative Limited.

The Aggies, who were led by an all-female executive this year, were named ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union Club of the Year. In addition to their fundraising work, which also included the annual Barn Burner fundraiser, The Aggies sent members to participate in industry nights, seminars, industry tours and multiple volunteer opportunities. The group also hosted its annual Ag Awareness Day in conjunction with Canadian Ag Day.

“This was another amazing year for the club, and although we were unable to host our Gala, I’m so proud of how the club and so many wonderful donors and sponsors came together to support Ag for Life,” says Aggie President, Sydelle Zukowski. “Special thanks to the gala committee headed by Christine Suominen who, along with the many donors and sponsors, were instrumental in bringing the online auction to life and ensuring we were still able to show our support for the community upon the Gala cancellation.”

Partners for the event included Farm Credit Canada and Decisive Farming. Agvocate Sponsors included Gouw Quality Onions Ltd., Lethbridge County, and LHT Logistics Inc. Booster Sponsors consisted of Perlich Bros., Jones Creek Livestock Consulting Ltd., Corteva Agriscience, and Northside Farm Ltd. Silent Auction donors were AFSC, RBC, Lantic Sugar, Rustic Rose, John Deere/Western Tractor, MNP, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, and Coulee Crest Herefords. As well, handmade items were created and donated by Aggie club members Laura Haenni, Ashley Owen and Julia McCrae.

For more information on The Aggies, or to join the Industry Contact list, email aggie.club@uleth.ca.

Aggies' Grow the Future Gala to showcase work of campus club

trevor.kenney — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 16:40:26 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Agricultural Students’ Society, fondly referred to as the Aggies by its members, is working hard to position itself as an important social network for students studying agriculture or those interested in learning more about the field.

Given that agriculture is such a vital part of southern Alberta, the students involved in the club know how valuable it is to increase agricultural knowledge on campus and in the community. They have organized a Grow the Future Gala on Friday, Mar. 16 in an effort to showcase the accomplishments of the club over the past year, as well as to inform industry in the area about the agriculture-related work being done at the university.

Christine Suominen,a third-year agricultural biotechnology co-op student and club treasurer, decided to get involved with the Aggies two years ago when she was new to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Suominen values her membership in the club and believes in the future of agriculture as a relevant industry for young people.

“I love getting to know the members of our club and hear about their knowledge of agriculture and where they see the industry in the future,” she says.

The club hosts several meetings and events throughout the year, including tours and industry nights that allow members to gain more information about the various career options open to them.

The Aggies are currently pursuing tours of industry sites in the Lethbridge area to provide students with an opportunity to learn about different sectors of the industry. One of their main projects for the future, the Bar UL Beef Project, involves working with Kasko Cattle Co. to purchase a steer and study the animal in their feedlot. Students will be able to obtain data that will help them learn about the nutrition, economics, veterinary care and multiple other aspects that come with the beef sector, while giving club members hands-on experience they would not see in a classroom.

Club president and fourth-year agricultural studies student, Garrett Rockafellow, joined the club to stay connected to people in the industry and to build relationships with other students in the agriculture program. He presented the club with the idea of pursuing Robert Saik as a keynote speaker for the Grow the Future Gala. Saik is a renowned author, movie producer and agricultural advocate. Known worldwide for his insight concerning leadership and business development, Saik was recognized as Canada's 2014 Agri-Marketer of the Year. His presentation will resonate with anyone interested in agri-food, entrepreneurship and the role of science and technology.

“Mr. Saik has been in the same shoes many of us are in now — he was a university student about to enter the industry at one point. We believe that he offers a lot of inspiration to youth in agriculture and has the mindset to help better the agriculture community for the future,” explains Rockafellow.

The Aggies are always open to gaining new members and are welcoming to those with or without agricultural backgrounds. They have meetings every three weeks and invite anyone interested to attend and see if they would like to join the club. The students involved have done an exceptional job at making the industry accessible to students and club members in order to assist them in finding a satisfying and successful career.

The Grow the Future Gala is a semi-formal event with a silent auction, roast beef dinner and cash bar. The event takes place on Friday, March 16, 2018 in the Students’ Union Ballroom. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 each and can be obtained by March 12by contacting uoflaggies@gmail.com.

UNews - Christine Suominen

Aggies take Grow the Future Gala online, raise $10,000 to donate to local non-profit organization Ag for Life

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Aggies' Grow the Future Gala to showcase work of campus club

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