Du Quoin woman gives $5,000 Monsanto award to FFA & bass club at DHS

The generosity of the Monsanto Corp. and Mrs. Dolores Alvis of Du Quoin will make a difference this year for two Du Quoin High School organizations.

Kevin Reagan, district sales manager for Stone Seed Group, was at the high school last Friday alongside Mrs. Dolores Alvis of Du Quoin, to present two checks each in the amount of $2,500 to the FFA and the newly organized DHS bass fishing club. Mrs. Alvis was selected winner in the "Perry County for America's Farmers Grow Communities" competition sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

Under the program, eligible farmers in 1,271 counties across 39 states, including Illinois, could enter o win a $2,500 donation for a local non-profit organization of their choice. Dolores was selected the winner and gifted $2,500 to the Du Quoin High School FFA. This year, the Monsanto Fund is providing twice the financial support to counties that were part of the natural disaster drought area by the USDA.

Perry County was one such county and Dolores chose to direct the additional $2,500 to the Du Quoin High School bass fishing club.

The purpose of Grow Communities is to recognize the vital role that America's farmers play and to help them grow their communities by supporting local organizations that are important to them. More than 60,000 farmers participated in this year's program.