Haying in the 30’s donates $400,000 to cancer victims in 2019

The Haying in the 30’s Society capped off another successful year of charity work by delivering just over $400,000 to cancer victims in 2019.

President Martin Noundorf confirmed the total from the society at $406,000 which was donated to 406 families suffering from cancer to help with the transportation and housing costs a family may face.

The Mallaig based charity is in its 21st year and is coming off the highest total of donations they’ve ever received at their signature two-day event in August with $270,000.

“This cancer is like an epidemic. We try to do the Lakeland first all the time because that’s where the organization started. Then, if there are not enough applications from the Lakeland and we go outside of the Lakeland,” said Naundorf.

“There are some months we get 100 applications. You know, we can only afford to pay 36.”

Last year, saw Haying in the 30’s donate the second highest amount in their history with over $452,000 raised.

Over the course of the year, donations pour in from fundraisers from across the Lakeland, from St. Paul, Bonnyville and Elk Point, to as far as Vermilion, Lloydminster, Dewberry, Lamont, and Morinville.

Naundorf said in the charity’s history, they’ve provided assistance to 337 communities across Alberta.

“The thing about Haying in the 30s is we’re all volunteers. Nobody gets paid. So any donation that comes in it goes back to the people with cancer,” he said.

Each year, the society hosts a two-day free event that simulates rural life in the 1930s.

Thousands descend onto Mallaig for the event and donate money toward the cause, which was started by Edgar Corbiere.

“We’re gearing up now for 2020. We have a new construction we might be doing. We’re kind of in a position where we have to put up a new donation booth. This one we have is pretty small. So that’s one thing on the agenda.”

You can apply for financial assistance or donate on the Haying in the 30’s website.