The Pine to Prairie Relic Run finished its journey while riding through Portage la Prairie in the middle of it all. A highlight of the trip was a 100-year-old Model T Ford owned and driven by Don Wadge, with whom we did a video interview during his drive through town. 

Manitoba Agricultural Museum board secretary Gordon Goldsborough organized the event and outlines their trip. 

"We had four old cars that drove from the Ontario border to the Saskatchewan border raising money to put a roof over the tree planting car, a historic railway car that for over 50 years advocated for planting trees on the prairies. We raised in excess of $4000. We still don't have an accurate accounting because where money is still coming in, we are still welcoming any donations people may wish to make." 

He says the ride itself went remarkably well. No mechanical breakdowns held anything up in any one of the cars.

"They all made it fine. In fact, the oldest car, the one that was 100 years old, arguably did the best of all of them, including the modern cars that accompanied them," says Goldsborough. "Don Wadge drove the Model T." 

Goldsborough notes the total cost for the roof is about $40,000, giving them more money to raise, but he notes they're hopeful, seeing as people were really engaged with the overall project more than he anticipated. He adds he's confident the funding will come in.

If you'd like to help out with a donation, Goldsborough says there are several ways to do so, including following a link at their website https://mbagmuseum.ca/event/pine-to-prairie-relic-run/. There's a donate button there and you can donate through Canada Helps. You can also call the Manitoba Agriculture Museum or send them an email. They can process an order over the phone for example, or send a cheque by mail. 

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