PLANT CITY, Fla. – Wish Farms and Monte Package Company present the sixth annual Strawberry Picking Challenge on February 8th and 9th. The charity event raises funds for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, inviting guests out to the Plant City farm for a day of strawberry picking and entertainment.
The main event features teams who battle it out in a relay-style race through the strawberry field competing to win the title “Best Harvest Crew.” Fundraising kicks off Friday evening with drinks, dinner, live and silent auctions, and a live performance from renowned comedienne Cory Kahaney (Last Comic Standing, HBO, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Comedy Central) at the TPepin Hospitality Centre in Tampa. Saturday’s family-friendly activities take place at Fancy Farms in Plant City and are free to the public. Families can enjoy live entertainment, fun activities and, of course, delicious strawberries. An onsite BBQ lunch, fresh strawberry shortcake and kid’s meals will be available for purchase.
Proceeds from the charity event will benefit the Redlands Christian Migrant Association; a Florida nonprofit that provides quality childcare and early education for children of migrant farm workers and rural low-income families. More than $428,000 has been donated from this event in the past five years.
“We are feeling great about the event this year,” said Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms. “The Strawberry Picking Challenge is near and dear to my heart. RCMA does wonderful work in our community. It is simple, they are about supporting the children and building a foundation for their future. The goal of our event is to bring members of the community closer together, while also recognizing the hard work of our valued farm laborers.”
“We are very happy to be the presenting sponsor again this year,” said Tony Monte, president and CEO of Monte Package Company. “We appreciate RCMA’s mission and are excited to support education for migrant families.”
Who: Wish Farms, Monte Package Company, Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA)
What: 6th Annual Strawberry Picking Challenge presented by Wish Farms and Monte Package Company, to benefit RCMA
Where: Fancy Farms | 3536 Futch Loop, Plant City, FL 33566
When: Saturday, February 9th from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm
Cost: Free to the public. Free parking.
U- Pick Strawberries $5 per quart will be donated to RCMA
Website: www.wishfarms.com/spc
Sponsorship opportunities at various levels are still available. For details please contact Amber Maloney, Wish Farms’ director of marketing at (813) 752-5111 or spc@wishfarms.com.
# # #
About Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA):
Redlands Christian Migrant Association operates 66 child-care centers for Florida’s rural poor, including 18 in the Tampa Bay area. RCMA also runs three charter schools, including two in Wimauma, in south Hillsborough County. Founded in 1965, RCMA has given thousands of children a vital boost toward success in school and life. For more information about RCMA please visit www.rcma.org.
About Wish Farms:
Wish Farms, founded in 1922 and third-generation owned, is one of the largest shippers of strawberries in Florida and has been for over 50 years. Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, Wish Farms is a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries growing both conventional and organic varieties. Wish Farms utilizes How’s My Picking?™, a patented tool for traceability to ensure quality by tying consumer feedback to the harvest time, field location, picker, etc. For more information about Wish Farms, please visit www.wishfarms.com.
About Monte Package Company, A Bunzl Agriculture Group Company:
Monte Package Company was established in 1925 and is a service oriented, direct distributor of agricultural containers and products. The Company is a division of the Bunzl Ag Group, which specializes exclusively in agricultural packaging, technology, and services. Bunzl Ag has divisions throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico; providing innovative product solutions and value added distribution throughout North America. Monte’s state-of-the-art facilities located in Riverside, Michigan; Benton Harbor, Michigan; Lakeland, Florida; and Boynton Beach, Florida; combined with their national trucking contacts, shipping programs and highly skilled staff provide superior service and quality products coast to coast – on time, every time. For more information please visit www.montepkg.com and www.bunzl-ag.com.
