Peel Dufferin Plowmen’s Association donates $10,000 to Smart Headwaters campaign

Campaign aims to bring MRI machine to Headwaters

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Local plowmen are supporting efforts to bring an MRI machine to our local hospital. 

On November 27, the Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association donated $10,000 to the Headwaters Health Care Centre for its Smart Headwaters fundraising campaign. 

The $18-million campaign has a final goal of bringing a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to the hospital.

Having an MRI machine at the Headwaters Health Care Centre would save more than 4,000 patients per year from having to leave our area for care. It would allow for more accurate and timely diagnosis, improved treatment planning, and enhanced patient outcomes.

The local Peel Dufferin Plowing match is the last one-day agricultural event hosted by a farm organization in Peel, and it's an important one in the agricultural community's calendar. Next year's match will be the 100th, an important milestone.

Paul Johnston, a director with the Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association, pitched the idea of donating to Smart Headwaters to his colleagues.

“Our annual Peel Dufferin Plowing Match relies on the continued support of our agricultural and supporting-business partners and we wanted to send a strong signal to our agricultural community that when there is a need in our community, we are here to support,” said Johnston.

Glen Early, current president of the Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association, said the decision to support the initiative was an easy one.

“The current campaign to raise funds for the MRI is an important initiative so it was an easy decision for us to proudly support such a great community medical resource,” said Early.

Construction on the MRI machine at the Headwaters Health Care Centre began this fall and should be complete next year.

The Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association is inviting fellow farm organizations and agri-businesses across Peel and Dufferin to join them in supporting Smart Headwaters however they are able.

K.C. Carruthers, CEO of the Headwaters Health Care Foundation, extended his sincere thanks to the Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association for their recent donation.

“Our relationship with organizations in the community, like the Peel-Dufferin Plowmen's Association, is invaluable. This gift will help us ensure exceptional care is available close to home for members of our community,” said Carruthers.

Bill Duron, Chair of the Headwaters Health Care Foundation Board, also extended his thanks.

“I continue to be thankful that we live in such a philanthropic community. Generous donations like this $10,000 from the Peel-Dufferin Plowmen's Association help us give the health care team at Headwaters the tools they need to provide the best care possible, close to home,” said Duron. “I am deeply grateful the Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association have chosen to support Smart Headwaters; this campaign will transform care at Headwaters Health Care Centre thanks to community donations.”

The Peel Dufferin Plowmen's Association is a local association within the Ontario Plowmen's Association and the organization will celebrate its centennial in 2025.

They are the only association in Canada to produce two World Plowing Champions — James Eccles in 1953 and William Dixon in 1961.

The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) has been held within the association borders on three separate occasions: twice in Peel (1924 in Brampton and 1963 in Caledon) and most recently in Bowling Green, Dufferin County in 2023. The local association also sponsors the Peel Dufferin Queen of the Furrow competition in the Ontario Queen of the Furrow competition.

Since its inception in 1960, eight local representatives have won the provincial honours, including Barbara Cunnington (1962), Irene Lawrence (1967), Mary Dolson (1970), Arlene Wilson (1974), Barbara Taylor (1976), Darlene Downey (2004), Abbie Brander (2005) and Mel Karpenko (2023).