New play structure at St. Claude School Complex receives $2,500 donation from Rooted in the Prairies Project winners R-Way Ag

Posted by CANTERRA SEEDS on October 12^th, 2021

Categories:: News; Rooted in the Prairies

Pictured is CANTERRA SEEDS Eastern Manitoba Territory Manager, Jackie Dudgeon-MacDonald, presenting a $2,500 cheque for St. Claude School Complex to Guy Rouire of R-Way Ag.

Students returning to classes at the St. Claude School Complex this fall had a brand-new play structure waiting for them after years of fundraising and donations, including a $2,500 donation from R-Way Ag through the Rooted in the Prairies Project by CANTERRA SEEDS.

Guy Rouire of R-Way Ag in St. Claude, Manitoba, who nominated the parent advisory board-led project, still recognized some of the playground equipment from his younger days.

“When the program came out for Rooted in the Prairies, we looked at which local organization could benefit from this opportunity and we found out the St. Claude School Complex was planning on updating their playground equipment, which was very outdated. I believe some of the stuff that was there was there when I was in school,” Rouire joked.

To celebrate 25 years in the seed business, CANTERRA SEEDS launched the Rooted in the Prairies Project in March 2021, with the goal to award ten $2,500 donations to local causes nominated by CANTERRA SEEDS seed grower shareholders and farmers throughout Western Canada.

Rouire says that R-Way Ag has tried to get involved in the community as much as possible through multiple local organizations to give back for all the support they’ve received throughout the years.

“A big thing with R-Way Ag is keeping families in St. Claude,” says Rouire. “We’re trying to create opportunities and create jobs to keep this community vibrant.”

Jackie Dudgeon-MacDonald, Eastern Manitoba Territory Manager for CANTERRA SEEDS, is happy to see the impact the new play structure has made on the community.

“I know how long and hard the parent advisory board has been working to get this done,” says Dudgeon-MacDonald. “Kids come to the St. Claude School Complex from all over, so it’s nice to know that so many of them will have these new opportunities to play.”

The $2,500 donation is just the latest addition to seven years’ worth of fundraising efforts and local community donations, which included silent auctions and fundraising concerts. Construction of the new St. Claude School Complex play structure was completed over the summer of 2021 to ensure students returning for fall classes wouldn’t be disrupted.

All winners from the Rooted in the Prairies Project will be featured in coming weeks on the CANTERRA SEEDS Behind the Seeds blog at canterra.com/blog. For more information about our silver anniversary celebration and company history, visit canterra.com/roots.