Stojan’s Powersports and Marine is donating a 2020 Can-Am Defender PRO to the Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society. Rene Remillard, co-owner of Stojan’s, says they alongside Can-Am got together to donate the machine after noticing the society was in need of a replacement for their outdated John Deer which consistently required repairs.
“We just felt that PARDS was in need of a machine like this to help alleviate some of their workload and concentrate more on what they do in the community,” he explains. “The machine they were running had a lot of hours on it and quite often needed maintenance so with this new machine they should have no problems.”
Prior to the donation, PARDS was responsible for feeding over 100 horses daily, carting feed around the facility by hand in a wheelbarrow. She also notes they intend to eventually expand their riding trail system which would have had to be done manually.
PARDS offers equine-assisted therapy to Peace Country residents which involves a range of activities interacting mainly with horses as a means to promote physical and mental health for disabled individuals.
Remillard says Stojan’s has donated to PARDS before, believing in the work and services that PARDS provides to the community and the Peace Country.
“We felt it was a good organization that gives back to the community and we just felt that they were in need of this more than others,” he says. “This new machine is capable of hauling heavier loads and it’s got bigger carrying capacity for hauling hay or pulling harrows so they should really get their work done in a timely manner with this new machine.”
According to Remillard, the donation has been in the works for roughly eight months, having initially been delayed due to the impacts of COVID-19.