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Threshing Day Proceeds to Aid Covenant World Relief
KERKHOVEN, MN (November 19, 2003) - For the last 15 years the annual Stai
Family Threshing Day, held just outside of Kerkhoven - with its showcase
of old fashioned farm equipment, a team of Belgian horses harvesting
grain and plenty of food for everyone - has been a "can't miss" event
for local residents to celebrate their heritage and enjoy each other's
company.
This year there was another reason to celebrate - the proceeds from the
grain being harvested at this year's event, held October 5, will help
Covenant World Relief fight world hunger. The grain on the Stai farm,
along with crops planted by farmers from three local area Covenant
churches - Salem Covenant in Pennock, First Covenant in Willmar and
Evangelical Covenant in New London - are part of a project coordinated
by the Foods Resource Bank (FRB). FRB sells the grain and then helps
arranges matching grants that double and sometimes quadruple the funds.
The proceeds are then distributed to FRB member groups like Covenant
World Relief.
"We began the local project in the spring of 2003 and named our local
project the "West Central Minnesota Growing Project," wrote retired
Covenant minister Lloyd Melvie in a recent letter to the The Covenant
Companion. "As of November 1, we have received $7,500 in donations
from the sale of crops."
About half of that initial $7,500 ($3,000) has already been sent to
Covenant World Relief, along with an additional $9,350 in matching
grants. The funds will help Fulani families in Burkina Faso start
gardens to feed their families in a project coordinated by Covenant
missionary Roy Danforth.
A similar project, involving Covenanters in Minnesota's Red River
Valley, will benefit farmers in Moldova and was featured in the November
Companion. That article is available online by visiting the
Covenant home page at www.covchurch.org and clicking on the
Companion cover in the lower right area of the home page,
selecting the November issue.
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