The morning of Thursday, Oct. 22, at about 11 a.m., was a good time to be collecting funds for good causes. 

The local Monsanto facilities choose that time to make two $10,000 donations within minutes of each other, in each case where the funds will actually be used.

First, the Monsanto representatives gathered  in a nearly empty corner of the Redwood Area Community Center fieldhouse.

There they met with Teri Smith, of the Redwood Area Early Childhood Coalition, and Jackie Edwards, RACC manager.

The fieldhouse corner won’t be empty long, thanks in part to a $10,000 donation Monsanto made, to help pay for a new indoor play area for small children.

According to Teri Smith, the coalition has also gotten $15,000 from the Redwood Area Education Foundation, $4,500 from an anonymous donor, and $500 from Building Healthy Families to help pay for the new play area. Depending on how fundraising goes, the new equipment could be in place before the end of the year.

After the handshakes and thank-yous, the Monsanto representatives drove down to Ramsey Park, where the zoo is being renovated.

There they met with Friends of the Park Treasurer Gail Ripka, Secretary Corrine Gertsema, and board member B.J. Tersteeg, just days before the park’s roadway was scheduled to be repaved.

And by noon, two local projects intended for the entire community were closer to being completed.