The Longview 4-H Beef Club raised over $42,000 for the High River District Health Care Foundation for the High River Hospital's maternity department renovations.

The club held their 16th Annual Show and Sale at the High River Ag Grounds on Monday, May 21st, where they auctioned off their donation steer to raise the funds.

Every year, a different family from the 4-H club raises the animal, and this year Cargill Foods donated the money for the club to purchase and feed the steer, so all the sale proceeds can go towards the Health Care Foundation.

Club members were busy collecting community donations which are pooled together to bid on the donation steer during the sale.

This year the 1225 pound steer was sold for an incredible $30 per pound from the total $37,800 raised through the donations.

The donation steer is then donated back by the group to be sold again, and has been purchased for the last eight years by long standing supporters May and John Lockhart.

This year, they purchased the steer for $4.00 a pound with the proceeds again going towards the Foundation. This brings the club's total donation to an astounding $42,700.

Cathy Couey with the High River District Health Care Foundation said, the Lockhart's generosity doesn't end there.

"The second buyer, May and John Lockhart, then turn around and donate the beef back to the Foundation. Half of it is split between Medicine Tree Manor and the Lodge in Nanton, and then the balance we raffle off at the hospital, and more money again goes towards the program."

Couey said, the past six years the club has chosen to give their donation to the Health Care Foundation, totaling over $200,000, and some of their previous donations were used to purchase infant warmers called Panda Warmers.

"I received a text the other night suggesting I should look at someones twitter feed," said Couey. "There was a story there of a baby that had just been born at High River Maternity and it was one of the alumni from the 4-H club, and actually using one of those Panda Warmers that this club has purchased."

She said, renovations at the maternity department will begin on June 1st.

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