Farmers raise money for Rangitikei schools

From left, Tony Maas, Craig Sharp and Shane Summers at Whangaehu School. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Rangitikei farmers have raised $18,000 to help local schools.

Six schools in the Rangitikei district have benefited from the proceeds of an auction for local Fonterra suppliers by the Marton Farm Source Store.

Farm Source Marton store manager Tony Maas said the farm product suppliers donated goods for the auction held on June 30 at the Memorial Hall in Marton.

"A group of Fonterra Farmers got together and bid for the goods then donated the proceeds to a school of their choice," he said.

This is the second year the auction has been held and the money raised nearly doubled this year.

"Last year we raised $10,000; but this year we raised $18,000. I was absolutely blown away by the response," Mr Maas said.

The schools who received money were Bulls Primary, St Matthew's, South Makirikiri, Huntley, Halcombe, Whangaehu and Hunterville schools.

Whangaehu School received just under $2500, thanks to the generosity of Whangaehu farmer Shane Summers, whose land borders the school.

"I wanted to do something to help the school because my five kids went here, and I was on the board of trustees for a while," Mr Summers said.

Principal Craig Sharp said the money was "very much appreciated", and would be used to finish off renovations in the classroom.

"It makes a big difference to us."

The companies who donated products for auction are: Bayer, Agriseeds, Gallagher, Nufarm, Skellerup, Pioneer Seeds, Allflex, Ballance, Cydectin, Seales Winslow, Bell-Booth,
Ecolab and Agrifeeds.