Money raised to help family of touring milk promoters

Many Saskatchewan residents have opened their hearts and wallets after the death of an Ontario woman criss-crossing the country touting the benefits of drinking milk.

Henk and Bettina Schuurmans were part of the way into their cross-canada tour on Monday morning to promote dairy farmers on their John Deere tractor when their tractor collided with a semi-tractor trailer on Highway 16, just west of Saskatoon. Bettina, 55, died at the scene and her husband, Henk, was taken to Royal University Hospital in serious condition, according to an RCMP media release.

The Schuurmans had documented their trip from Elmira, Ont., on their Canadian Milk Tour Twitter account. At the back of their tractor rode Maple, a large fake cow and a sign asking vehicles passing by to honk to show their support for quality milk. They were heading to the West Coast, meeting other farmers along the way.

Saskmilk, set up a fundraising campaign on Gofundme’s website to help offset the costs the Schurrman family may incur in coming to Saskatoon from Ontario to be with Henk in the hospital, as well as other costs. Saskmilk itself contributed $5,000 to the campaign, created with a goal of $10,000. By Wednesday afternoon, it had raised more than $33,600.

Joy Smith with Saskmilk said they set up the fund knowing there would be people who had met the Schuurmans, known them or were following what they were doing on the tour, who would want to find a way to help. Contributions have come in from across the country.