Thanks to a local farmer, two charities in Chatham-Kent will receive the proceeds of a vintage tractor raffle.
Tom Robert of Pain Court has refurbished two antique tractors – a 1939 John Deere Model B, valued at $7,500 and a 1954 Massey Ferguson 50, valued at $6,500 – and donated both to be given away in a raffle to benefit community health care in Chatham-Kent.
A total of 400 tickets will be sold for $100 each, and proceeds from the sale of the tickets will be split evenly between the Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation.
The two winning tickets will be drawn at the 2018 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo in Pain Court on Sept. 22 at 4 p.m. on the main stage.
Robert and his family have been impacted by cancer and he wanted to do something to support those who are dealing with the disease, including those in their last stage of life. The raffle benefits both the CKHA, which treats people with cancer, and the local hospice, which helps comfort people nearing the end of their life, many of them with cancer as well.
“My family has dealt with cancer a lot and I wanted to give back something to the community where my loved ones were cared for,” said Robert in a media release. “One of my passions is repairing and refurbishing farm equipment, so cleaning up a couple of vintage tractors and putting them up as prizes seemed like a great way for me to help those going through the same circumstances my family did.”
Robert decided to donate two tractors and a partnership between the Foundations of the CKHA and the Chatham-Kent Hospice was born – the first time the two organizations have ever officially worked together.
“I couldn’t be happier to be part of this historic partnership between our two organizations,” said Mary Lou Crowley, Executive Director, Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. “We are so grateful to Mr. Robert for identifying the Foundation of CKHA as well as the Hospice Foundation as the charities he’d like to have benefit from the raffle, as the funds raised will make a great impact on patient care in the community.”
“We truly appreciate Mr. Robert’s extraordinary generosity in donating these two beautiful, vintage tractors to benefit the residents of Chatham-Kent,” added Jodi Maroney, Executive Director, Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation. “We’re also very happy to be working with the Foundation of CKHA on this project, and hope that this is just the first of many more joint initiatives to come.”
Tickets are available at the Chatham-Kent Hospice at 34 Wellington St. East in Chatham, and at the Foundation of CKHA offices at 9 Ursuline Ave. in Chatham and 325 Margaret Ave. in Wallaceburg. They are also being sold at participating farm dealers in the area, including Can-Am Tractor Ltd. in Chatham and Lambton Kent Farm Implements located northwest of Chatham.
