A 2006 John Deere Buck ATV is the grand prize in the annual Friends of Green Club’s benefit. Standing next to the ATV at the Midwest Ag Expo booth are Ed Winkelman (from left), Friends of Green president; Jane Piatt, treasurer; and Russ Tjarks, benefit co-chair. Chris Elliott, Friends of Green secretary, also assisted at the booth. (AgriNews photo/Tom C. Doran)
GIFFORD, Ill. — The Friends of Green Club’s annual fundraiser to provide tech program scholarships and benefit local food banks was featured at the Midwest Ag Expo Jan. 22-23.
“We’re giving a way a 2006 John Deere Buck ATV. They were made for two years. This one has 112 hours on it and 500 miles, so it’s just like new,” said Ed Winkelman of Armstrong, Illinois, Friends of Green president and an I & I Club director.
The John Deere Buck is the top prize, second prize is $200, and third prize is $100. The drawing will be held at noon Aug. 24 during the Half Century of Progress in Rantoul.
Part of the proceeds are earmarked for the John Deere Scholarship program at Lake Land College in Mattoon. This is the second year the Friends of Green Club has provided the scholarships.
“The scholarships help the students buy the tools they need to help them get started with the John Deere program,” Winkelman added. “We also donate to the local food banks.”
Lake Land College offers a John Deere Tech program that includes a standard classroom lecture along with gaining laboratory experiences on John Deere products.
During training, students learn how to diagnose and operate on John Deere tractors, combines and implements.
Raffle tickets also will be available at the Paxton-Buckley-Loda FFA Farm Toy Show Feb. 8 in Paxton, Historic Farm Days July 10-13 at Penfield, and the Half Century of Progress at Rantoul Aug. 21-24.
The Friends of Green Club has about 50 members from Illinois and Indiana and a Facebook group page that continues to grow with about 13,000 members.
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