The annual University of Manitoba Aggies Bedpush is on October 3rd and 4th.

Organizer Rachael Verwey says they're combining their effort with that of an Oakville alumni member.

"Darcy Miller is an ag alumni form Oakville, Manitoba. He started an initiative himself. He was recently diagnosed with cancer and is growing 90 acres of soybeans, and donating all of his profits from harvest toward Cancer Care Manitoba. And he's called his campaign Growing Support For Cancer. We decided on council that we wanted to stand behind Darcy because he's ag alumni, and actually a relative with one of our friends on council. So we thought that all of our money from bed push we're going to donate it to Darcy and his cause this year."

Verway adds they completely changed things up last year.

"Instead of pushing along the TransCanada Highway, we decided that it would be maybe a bit safer to load up and drive to communities, and then unload the bed and just push down the main drag of some of these towns. Last year we almost doubled our money doing that. So, last year for Heart and Stroke we raised almost $8,900.00."

Verwey outlines their coarse.

"This year we're going to be starting in Oakville for a fundraiser barbecue on the Friday. And then we'll be coming to Portage, and then Gladstone and Neepawa all on that Friday, October 2. And October 3rd, the Saturday, we're going to be starting up in Minnedosa with a fundraiser breakfast there. And then we'll go to Carberry and Glenboro, and then Carman. Then we'll call it a wrap."

She says they're not going to Winnipeg this year. "No. Due to safety concerns, and it's such a huge community. In Winnipeg we're going to be pushing around in campus as a kickoff the morning of. But really, we couldn't figure out where would be the best way to push in Winnipeg, or even in Brandon. It's such a big community and the streets are always so busy there, that we figured it'll be a little bit safer for us. We've had great support from the small communities where everybody's from who's on council. So, that's kind of where we focused where we're going."

It's a Faculty of Agriculture Student Organization's effort, and she describes the response.

"It's unreal that everybody is realizing that we're trying to keep a tradition alive and we've had to change it and modify it just because everything keeps changing But, the fact that people still come out and are like, 'Yeah, I remember the bed going through Portage 30 years ago. . .' It's really cool that everybody's still excited about this tradition."

You can find dates and schedules on their U of M Aggies page on Facebook. They're also on Twitter all weekend, showing where they are, how much has been raised, and where they're going next.

Verway adds, "We all come from small communities, and everybody on Agriculture Faculty wants to promote that we are doing stuff for everybody else, too. We're not just the Aggies at campus that like to throw socials. So, we want to prove that we can give back to the community, and we're really excited about bit this year. I think that's the whole point of the bedpush is to give back for everybody being so great to the agriculture community . We want to prove that we're good kids too (laughs)."