Simcoe, Ontario, September 1, 2005 – The Norfolk General Hospital Foundation is benefiting from the Farm Credit Canada (FCC) AgriSpirit Fund with a donation of $25,000.

Through the FCC AgriSpirit Fund, the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation is receiving funds towards ‘the Year of the CAT Campaign’.  This Campaign is raising funds to purchase a CT Scanner for the Norfolk General Hospital. Currently, patients have long waiting periods and travel one to three hours to receive basic diagnostic care. The addition of a CT Scanner will give residents timely access to quality care.

“We’re proud to give even more back to rural Canada and to the community of Simcoe where our customers and employees live and work,” says FCC District Manager Jim Pickard. “The enthusiasm of Canadians is evident in the projects that are being created in our rural communities. It’s that spirit and passion that makes Ontario a great place to live.”

"Thanks to Peter Van Dyk and the FCC family, the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation (NGHF) is extremely fortunate to have received a significant pledge in support of our Year of the CAT Campaign,” says Jerry Lawlor, Director of Development for the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation. “The forging of this new partnership between FCC and the NGHF illustrates that FCC is dedicated to the health and welfare of communities in Canada.”

From the 489 applications received this past winter, FCC selected 38 projects from across Canada.

In November 2004, FCC announced the AgriSpirit Fund. This Fund awarded $400,000 towards capital projects for rural communities with populations under 100,000. These projects will receive between $5,000 to $25,000 to create or enhance facilities in their community. A significant amount of time and consideration went into each evaluation including how the project would make a difference in the community.

The FCC AgriSpirit Fund will continue for a second year. Details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process will be posted this fall through the FCC website at www.fcc-fac.ca.

Operating out of 100 offices located primarily in rural Canada, FCC employees are passionate about the business of agriculture. FCC's healthy portfolio of more than $11 billion and 12 consecutive years of portfolio growth are a reflection of our customers' success.

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For more information, please contact:

Jim Pickard
Farm Credit Canada
District Manager
(519) 539-4837

Nadine Hakim
Farm Credit Canada (Bilingual)
Corporate Communications
(306) 780-8572