Agro Charities

Charity work has always been important to the Agros. Every year we support a wide array of charities, some of which we support periodically, while others we have supported for decades. Here is a list and a description of the major charities that the Agros can be found supporting today.

On the first Wednesday of October we hold our annual United Way Blitz. After digging through the archives, the earliest date which we supported the United Way was in 1976. At that time, the event was known as the United Appeal, but still served the same function. Students from our college would canvas the university all day for spare change. In 1976, $1,368.24 was raised. This number has been increasing virtually every year, and in 2005 we raised $2830.21. The United Way is important to us because this charity helps people right here in Saskatoon.

Through out the winter the Agros can be found contributing to such things as the Food Bank, Denny Carr’s Secret Santa, Blood Drives and Clothing Runs. To gain entrance into our Christmas formal, each guest must bring a nonperishable food item, which usually brings about 100-200 kg of food for the Saskatoon Food Bank. Denny Carr’s Secret Santa entails a group of Agros going out and buying a gift worth at least $25, the numbers of participants range, but it is usually not hard to fill a couple vans of eager supporters. Blood drives is the longest lasting charity that we support. Twice a year there is a one-day competition between the Agros and the Engineers to see who can donated the most blood. In the earlier years of the college there would be over 100% turnout in month long blood drives! Clothing runs are becoming popular, as we “mature” out of our clothes it is the belief of the Agros that those clothes should go to the less fortunate.

At the end of AG BAG DRAG (goose) month in October, we welcome a local hair salon into the Agriculture Building to cut hair in support of Breast Cancer. This is a relatively new charity that we support. Last year we raised about $300 in hair cuts alone. This year we stepped it up and got Dean Ernie Barber on side. He promised to shave his head if we raised $750, or $1 per Agriculture student. In three hours House of Eve Salon cut hair to raise $300, while we received over $700 in donations for a total of $1031.82. In past years the female Agros have hosted an “accessory toy” party, also raising money for Breast Cancer Research.

Our major charity work goes towards Telemiracle. Methods of raising money include handing out Pledge Books to students, Steak Supper, Monte Carlo Night, and having a display at the Center Mall. When Telemiracle is in Regina, the Agros can be found pushing a bed from Saskatoon. Bed Push takes about 3 days, and gives us the much-needed opportunity to shape up for the summer. During the years in which we push the bed to Regina, the Agros raise between $10,000 and 15,000. While in our “off” years when Telemiracle is in Saskatoon we raise about $5000 every year. The Agro Bed Push has been around for 25 years! This is especially important to us this year because it happens to be Telemiracle's 30th Anniversary.

Here at the U of S, the College of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Students' Association are very proud of their achievements. Agro pride can be found in every corner of this campus, and even around the city. We enjoy being part of this community, and are always looking for ways to help out in any way possible. As the College of Agriculture approaches it’s centennial, I would like to thank everyone that has come out and shown their support to the Agros over the past century, and we look forward to serving the community in the future.

If you have any questions about our charities please e-mail them to our Public Relations Officer at: pro@uofsagros.com