P.O. Box 948153 Phone: (321) 214-5200
Maitland, FL 32794-8153 Fax: (321) 214-0210

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Barbara Wunder (321) 214-5207

FFVA AUCTIONS OFFER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIGRANT FARMWORKERS' CHILDREN

MAITLAND, Fla. (Updated September 21, 2006) - The 8th annual Benefit Auction, sponsored by the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research & Education Foundation and Citrus & Vegetable magazine, will help make dreams of a better life come true for the sons and daughters of farmworkers. A total of $25,955 was raised for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Research and Education Migrant Scholarship Fund, which will provide scholarships to college students who are the sons and daughters of migrant or seasonal workers.

The Benefit Auction is held each year during FFVA's Annual Convention. This year's auction was held September 19 at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples.

"These young people were born in the U.S. and have seen what the American Dream means," said Tony DiMare, chairman of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA). "The Benefit Auction provides a way for our industry to help a new generation of young people who are eager to become contributing and successful Americans."

Past Benefit Auctions and donations have raised more than $264,000 to support causes important to Florida agriculture and the people who make it possible. Those include the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, an organization that offers daycare and education to farmworkers' children; and the Hurricane Farmworker Relief Fund, which provided storm-resistant housing for farmworkers whose homes had been damaged or destroyed during the 2004 hurricanes.

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops.

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