Salvation Army – Morning Coffee

Weather forecast for Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Today – Showers with thunderstorms. Amount 20 to 30 mm. Wind south 20 km/h. High 25. Humidex 33. UV index 3 or moderate.
Tonight – Showers ending this evening then mainly cloudy. Risk of thunderstorms early this evening. Wind southwest 20 km/h becoming northwest 20 this evening. Low 17.

IPM celebrates community partners

Local organizers and volunteers of the 2018 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM 2018) September 18-22 have enthusiastically thanked the largest-ever group of new major community sponsors. The donations from 16 brand new sponsors combine cash, services or equipment and total an approximate value of $320,000.

On the evening of Thursday August 16, the crowd of supporters gathered for an IPM 2018 Information Session at Chatham’s Sons of Kent Brewing Company.

Speaking to the cheering crowd, Natasha Ell Saunders, Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs at Chatham’s TekSavvy Solutions Inc., explained why the company chose to donate $100,000 to IPM 2018:

“TekSavvy has been a proud supporter of the Chatham-Kent community for 20 years. Today we are continuing our legacy of service by sponsoring the 2018 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo being held in Pain Court, here in Chatham-Kent. Events like this are one of the many things that make Chatham Kent a great place to live, work and play.”

Sponsors honoured at the event are as follows:

– TekSavvy Solutions Inc. is a Canada-wide Internet Service Provider (ISP) and web host, offering services in residential, business, and wholesale telecommunications. TekSavvy also operates fixed wireless broadband (“Sky Fi”) in rural southwestern Ontario. The donation is $100,000.

– Greenfield Global is the leading specialty alcohols producer in Canada, with a focus on corn-based bulk industrial alcohol, packaged alcohol and fuel ethanol, as well as associated agricultural co-products. The donation is $25,000.

– NatureFresh Farms is a major greenhouse grower of vegetables with operations in Leamington and Delta, Ohio. The donation is $25,000.

– Abstract Marketing is a marketing firm based in Chatham that provides a full array of marketing, graphic and website design, print and advertising products, and also publishes magazines such as THEAGMAG. The donation is $15,000.

– AGRIS Co-operative Ltd is a 100-percent farmer-owned grain marketing and farm-input supply company. The donation is $15,000.

– Clarke Drainage Contractors Ltd is a Blenheim-based company that installs and repairs farm and other drainage systems. The donation is $15,000.

– Delta Power Equipment is a dealer of leading brands of snowmobiles, ATVs, watercraft, and farm equipment, with ten locations across southwestern Ontario. The donation is $15,000.

– Kucera Group is a full line Case IH & Case CE Certified Dealer as well as conducting sales and service of various farm equipment – serving southwestern Ontario. The donation is $15,000.

– Nature’s Finest Produce Ltd/ Kejay Farms Inc. is a farm operation in Pain Court with 4,000 acres under vegetable production. The company is one of the largest carrot growers in Canada. The donation is $15,000.

– St. Clair College & Alumni – St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology is ranked in the top five best colleges in Ontario. The donation is $15,000.

– Truly Green Farms/Cedarline Greenhouses is a large tomato-growing greenhouse operation in Chatham-Kent that uses by-product heat and carbon dioxide from the nearby GreenField Ethanol plant for production. The donation is $15,000.

– BF Environmental Consultants Ltd is based in Port Lambton and does construction and development, reclamation projects, pipeline construction, shoreline protection, marine consulting, agriculture and municipal drainage. The donation is $10,000.

– Collins Barrow Chatham is affiliated with one of Canada’s largest associations of chartered accounting firms. The donation is $10,000.

– BDO Chatham an accounting and business services firm with global reach. The donation is $10,000.

– Gillier Drainage is a Thamesville based family owned company that installs and repairs farm tiling and drainage systems. The donation is $10,000 – www.gillierdrainage.com

– Impact Graphics and Signs is a graphic arts and signage company based in Chatham that includes LED displays and vehicle wraps among its services. The donation is $10,000.

The IPM 2018 official mascot, Tobe Cobe Jr., is a doll whose name reflects the current agricultural production in Chatham-Kent: TO – Tomato, BE – Beets, CO – Corn, BE – Beans. He is travelling with various IPM 2018 supporters across the country and his position is tracked by www.trackem.com..

“We are deeply grateful to all these generous sponsors for all they doing to make IPM 2018 a successful event that will showcase Chatham-Kent far and wide,” says Darrin Canniff, Co-chair of the IPM 2018 community committee.

“This wonderful support and IPM 2018 itself are creating a lasting legacy for Chatham-Kent,” adds IPM Co-chair Leon Leclair. “This great event is almost upon us, but there are still opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors.”

The 2018 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo is expected to attract more than 80,000 visitors to the community of Pain Court in Chatham-Kent from September 18 to 22.

It will showcase Chatham-Kent’s important agriculture, business and tourism activities.

Held by the Ontario Plowman’s Association in a different Ontario community each year, the match has a very long and popular history.

To find out more, visit www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2018 or call 519-350-1686.