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Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

The Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario (GVGO) is pleased to announce the beginning of our Special Cancer Fundraising Raffle in memory of Howard Dill & in honor of all the other AG growers & family members who have either lost their battle with or are now fighting this terrible disease. Starting July 1st & running until Aug 31st we will be raffling off 3 (#9, #10, #11) Special Limited Edition (3 of only 15), Signed/Numbered prints of the watercolor painting "Great Beginnings" by Elly Wilson. All three prints (unframed) have been signed by the Pumpkin King himself, Howard Dill. The print is of the original Dill homestead in Windsor, N.S. 100% of the money raised by this raffle will be donated to the Cancer Society.

Our first 2 prints (raffled off at the Niagara Convention & GVGO Seminar) raised $400 for the Cancer Society. We hope to increase that amount with this & other raffles to be held later this fall at our weigh offs. We hope that you'll support this fundraising initiative, as most of us have been affected (directly or indirectly) by cancer at one time or another in our lives. Again, 100% of the money raised will be donated to the Cancer Society. Details are now posted on the GVGO Website at:

http://www.gvgo.ca/great_beginnings_print.html

Because we are raffling off the prints unframed, ticket prices have been kept to a very reasonable price of $2 each, 3 for $5, 6 for 10 or 12 for $20. To order your tickets, send a check or money order to:

GVGO
4376 Hwy 35 N
Cameron, Ontario
Canada
K0M 1G0

Email us at: [email protected] if you’d like to purchase your tickets by PayPal. We wish you all the best & thank you in advance for supporting this very worthy cause. Good luck in the draw.

Phil Hunt
Pres. GVGO

7/1/2008 8:53:20 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Phil, I support you and the GVGO in this great fight.
Good work. To all my friends in the commonwealth, I challenge to help raise funds in this effort against cancer.

I pledge 24 tickets.

Russ

7/1/2008 10:13:29 AM

Frankfort Oh

I`m in also ,,,,,just lost my aunt two weeks ago

7/1/2008 1:47:50 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

I think it is a great idea Phil! (Just don't let Jim Sherwood buy any raffle tickets. . . ).

7/1/2008 8:47:16 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Great work Phil, very close to home. You can count me in.

7/1/2008 9:29:20 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Thanks all.

Rob, I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your aunt. Our condolences to you and your family.

We decided when we 1st heard that Howard was sick that it would be only right that we use the funds from the Special Dill Edition Prints to help fight this terrible disease. All of us, at one time or another, have been affected by cancer. This is our way of helping raise money to find a cure. Our goal is to raise $2000 & with your help we think this is possible. Thanks, we gratefully appreciated your support. Good luck in the draw.

Phil

7/2/2008 8:06:02 AM

Western Pa.

Phil,

What a great idea! I only have one correction to make: There are actually 16 of these prints signed by Howard. I really enjoyed meeting Howard as well as 3 of his offspring at past Niagara Falls conventions. After ordering the print from you, I sent it to Nova Scotia to have Howard sign it for my wife's wedding anniversary. It proudly hangs above our mantel. For the rest of you growers, this is a great print and a fantastic cause! What Howard gave us will live on forever! Thanks Phil and GVGO!
kilr

7/2/2008 1:04:18 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Hey Kilr

Great story, Thanks for sharing that. I'm sure there were a few prints sent to Howard after they were purchased from us. I know of at least two others.
I received an email from Dawn Northrup earlier this season. She was able to attend Howard's funeral & told us that the print we sent to the Dills was on display at the service. That made us very proud to know that the family thought enough about it to include it. Howard was a very generous person who would go out of his way to help out. It's because of his generosity that we'll be able to make a nice donation to the CS in his memory. The special edition he signed for the GVGO cannot be bought, only won in one of our fundraising raffles for the CS. Good luck.

Phil

PS. The GVGO still has a few of the "Great Beginnings" prints left for sale on a 1st come, 1st served basis. Email me at: [email protected] for more info. They make a great gift for any AG grower & are good prizes for your club's fundraisers & social functions.

7/3/2008 8:59:38 AM