U of M Aggies Bedpush raising money for STARS and Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program

Each organization will receive 50 per cent of the proceeds

Ag students at the University of Manitoba are gearing up for the annual Aggie Bedpush fundraiser.

From Friday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 28, students in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences will push a burgundy bed throughout multiple communities while raising money for STARS and the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program (MFWP), with each organization receiving 50 per cent of the donations.

“Both of these charities hit close to home for us Aggies,” the fundraiser’s GoFundMe page says.

As of Sept. 17, the fundraiser has collected $700 of its $1,600 goal.

The 2024 fundraiser ended with STARS and the MFWP each receiving more than $13,000.

This is the second year of the MFWP’s involvement in the event.

Choosing to support a mental health organization for the ag community shows how far conversations surrounding mental health have come, said Gerry Friesen, a co-founder of the organization.

“It’s so awesome the younger generation sees the importance of what we’re doing and wants to help us continue our work,” he told Farms.com. “The uptick of the program is increasing on an annual basis, and that’s an indication that we’re building awareness and that the stigma around mental health is starting to dissipate.”

Bedpush is an institution at the University of Manitoba.

The first one occurred more than 30 years ago to raise funds for the Winnipeg Fire Fighters Burn Unit. The event saw students push a burgundy bed from Brandon to Winnipeg, the school’s website says.

Since 2021 the fundraiser has collected more than $40,000 for different charities and causes.