(L to R): Garry Tofteland, Joanne Hotte, Bonnie Tofteland. Photo supplied.

By Curtis Galbraith

Community

Steer raffle results in $15,000 donation while also paying tribute to the memory of two people

Jun 26, 2020 | 5:30 AM

Some Peace Country 4-H clubs have made a huge donation after raffling off the meat from a steer.

West County 4-H, which includes the Beaverlodge and Valhalla Beef Clubs and Grande Prairie Multi Club, gave $15,000 to Sorrentinos Compassion House, a place to stay for women needing cancer treatment in Edmonton.

Joanne Hotte with the Beaverlodge Club says the money came from the annual Delwyn Postman Memorial Steer Raffle, named for a one-time leader of the Valhalla club.

“It was Delwyn’s idea (to have a raffle for charity). In 1992, November, he was coming to a meeting to present the idea and he was killed in a car accident at the time. That is why it is called the Delwyn Postman Memorial Steer Raffle.”

The members of the clubs pick a charity to support each year.

Hotte adds they usually like to keep this local, but a lot of people from here use Compassion House.

“Hazel Tofteland was a supporter of 4-H for many, many, many years and she had cancer treatments and she stayed at Sorrentinos, so this year we decided that in her memory, we would donate all the money to Sorrentinos Compassion House.”

Hotte says Postman and Tofteland once lived close to each other in the Valhalla area, so it is fitting that their memories be put together in this way.

She adds COVID-19 interrupted plans for the cheque presentation.

“Hazel’s son Garry Tofteland was actually going to take the cheque to Edmonton. Of course, being with the COVID going on and not being able (to go) and people in there with cancer, so they really didn’t want anybody coming in. So, unfortunately, I just had to mail them the cheque, so that was too bad that we couldn’t present it in person.”

Hotte and her husband Arden bought the steer, which was raised by the Peter Martens family from Valhalla Centre. Dennis Nordhagen donated the feed.

She adds they usually donate a live steer, but this year it was two cut and wrapped sides of beef, so there were two winners.

They also usually print 1000 tickets but printed 1500 this year, all of which were sold.

Since this raffle started in 1993, it has donated $234,000 to 59 charities, most of which are from the Peace Country.