Harvesting Independence event to support Vitucci family
By Luke Edwards
Even though he’s one of the most determined and independent people they know, friends of Bill Vitucci - along with Niagara’s farming community at large - wasted no time rallying in support of the Wellandport farmer and his family after an incident earlier this year left him unable to walk.
For months organizers have been hard at work planning the Harvesting Independence event, a stag and doe style evening to raise money for the Vitucci family. This spring the 51-year-old Bill fell while trimming some branches on his farm. It caused severe spinal cord damage, injuring his T10, T11 and T12 vertebra. While he has made much progress in regaining some function to his legs, his long-term prognosis remains uncertain.
But, as any farmer knows, the chores must be done. The Nov. 28 event at the West Niagara Agricultural Centre will help raise funds for a special device that will help Vitucci continue to work on their farm.
For Bill’s wife Cathy, seeing the community offer up their help and support in recent months has been incredible.
“It’s been overwhelming, but a good overwhelming,” she said.
And that’s some positivity the family could use after the injury forced the four kids to sacrifice their other ambitions and step up to ensure their farm, seed business and custom planting business continued operating, while Cathy helped Bill with his recovery. With the help of Callen, 24, and Cooper, 19, along with Emma, 19, and Addison, 17, the crops were planted and harvested. And the farmers who buy seed from the Vituccis got their orders filled.
Friends also helped build a temporary device that allowed Bill to get into his combine and continue to farm when he got home from his lengthy stay in hospital.
“I’ve never met a more determined person than Bill,” said family friend Nancy Yungblut. She and husband Jim are two of the members of a committee planning the Harvesting Independence event.
“For Bill, that combine is his therapy,” Cathy said, though she also pointed out Bill’s strong commitment to his physical therapy has seen him regain function that some of his medical care team thought unlikely early on.
The Nov. 28 event will see a local musical act by the name of The Other Band take the stage, while local businesses, friends and groups have chipped in to help with the food, prizes and other items. The agricultural society donated the use of the hall.
“It’s amazing the support that’s come in,” said Jim Yungblut.
The Life Essential lift gets installed onto a flatbed truck and can allow the person to lift themselves into a combine, or lower them down to work on the header or perform other tasks. Cathy’s been in touch with a man from Saskatchewan who uses a similar device, and he told her it’s allowed him to do so much more on the farm than he otherwise could.
However, it’s not cheap. A new device, with retrofitting and installing on a truck could cost around $85,000 USD. There’s currently a used option that may become available that could lower the price tag to around $65,000. They can also receive a grant from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association for $20,000, though that’ll still leave them on the hook for a significant portion.
There will be prizes up for grabs at the Harvesting Independence event, courtesy several generous businesses, Cathy said. There’s a special farmer’s draw that will feature prizes like a tote of glyphosate, a Premier Equipment service inspection and three vouchers for two bags of corn from Pride Seeds. Cathy said they’re still working through the details.
Tickets are $20 each. Doors open at 6 p.m. There will also be food and a cash bar. Response has been amazing so far, organizers said, with hundreds of tickets sold.
For ticket inquiries or more information, people can contact the organizing committee at harvestingindependence@gmail.com or through the Harvesting Independence Facebook page.
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