Auction raises relief funds

The annual Make a Difference Sale takes place at the Abbotsford Stockyards this week to raise funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

While cattle are at the heart of the auction, other lots include livestock feed and accessories, tools, gift baskets and other items.

This year’s auction takes place March 12, beginning at 10 am. Bidding for cattle begins at 12:45 pm, following a lunch provided by RBC Financial Group. Remaining general auction items will be sold at 2:30 pm.

Proceeds from the auction support relief efforts among farmers and residents in trouble spots overseas. This year’s auction will benefit programs in the Middle East, particularly Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Last year’s auction raised close to $269,000, which supported emergency food programs in Syria and South Sudan. Agricultural development projects in East Africa also benefitted.

Thanks to matching funds from the Canadian government for donations to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, proceeds from the auction could quadruple in value. The final result could boost the auction’s financial impact towards the million-dollar mark.