Nancy Howatt will donate the proceeds to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A beef producer is auctioning a calf to raise money for a charity that aims to end world hunger.
Nancy Howatt, a director with Manitoba Beef Producers from Manitou, Man., is selling a feeder calf at the Killarney Auction Mart on Oct. 22. The proceeds from this sale will go to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFB).
Howatt is optimistic about how much money the calf will receive at the auction. The federal government also matches donations to the charity by 4:1.
"It would be great if the calf could get over $1,500," she told Farms.com. "Then when you add the federal government's contributions to that, we can raise a lot of money."
Staff at the auction barn are pleased with the opportunity to sell the calf.
The auction will help show how small Canadian communities can make global changes, said Allan Munroe, an auctioneer and manager of the Killarney Auction Mart.
“There’s a good chance I’ll be auctioning at that time and it’ll be exciting for me if I can sell the calf,” he told Farms.com. “We’re a community of about 2,500 people and whatever money we raise is going to help people around the world.
“But anyone who is from a rural community knows that everyone steps up to help one another when they ask for it.”
Part of Howatt’s inspiration to sell the calf came from a family connection to the CFB. Her brother donated 20 acres of land to help raise crops as part of a “Growing Hope” mission.
"I was driving to the auction mart and I saw three or four signs in fields saying they've been donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank," she said. "I can't donate grain, so selling this cow will be my way of helping out the organization."
She hopes others will follow her lead.
"There will be an opportunity for anyone who wants to donate to the charity to do so during the auction," she said. "I hope I can inspire others to donate a little bit, too."
Nancy Howatt/Killarney Auction Market photo