Special to The Post-Searchlight

During the season of giving, Georgia farmers can get into the holiday spirit by signing up to win $2,500 for their favorite local nonprofit organizations through America’s Farmer’s Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

One farmer in each of Georgia’s 31 participating counties will win. Those farmers can share their holiday cheer with food pantries, fire departments, students at local schools and others by signing up and designating an organization in their community.

Volunteer firefighters are more than just a rescue service. They are teachers, farmers and mechanics; they are fathers, daughters and friends. The communities served by volunteer fire departments depend on these brave men and women to be their first line of defense in the case of an emergency.

Community support is vital to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department to help purchase necessary equipment for its volunteers to protect Decatur County residents during fires and other emergencies. Local farmer Steve Brock knows the importance of volunteer fire protection and chose the Mount Pleasant Fire Department when given the opportunity last year to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit organization through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

“We live in a small community, and the one thing that ties us all together is the fire department,” said Brock. “I knew I wanted to donate the money to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department because it would not only benefit our local firefighters but also our entire community.”

With the $2,500 donation, the fire department was able to purchase new pagers and handheld radios. The new technology will help Mount Pleasant firefighters better communicate during emergencies in rural areas.

“As firefighters, we can only do our job as well as we can communicate with 911, emergency medical services and other fire departments,” said Alan Davis, Mount Pleasant Fire Department secretary and treasurer. “Thanks to the $2,500 donation, we were able to update our communication equipment so that we can better serve our community during emergencies.”

For a rural community, $2,500 can go a long way to providing organizations such as the Mount Pleasant Fire Department with the tools they need to keep their communities safe. Visit www.growcommunities.com to learn more about America’s Farmers Grow Communities.

The program is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund to invest in farm communities in order to highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to our society, and sign-ups for this year’s program are going on now. From now through Nov. 30, farmers can apply online at www.growcommunities.com or call 1-877-267-3332 to apply by phone.