Red River Mutual

Red River Mutual laces up their skates in support of local charities

dana — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:50:57 +0000

On Friday, November 25, 2011 Red River Mutual staff dropped the puck in support of the Rhineland & Area Food Bank and The Empty Stocking Fund.

RRM employees faced-off in a fun hockey game to raise funds for these great causes. The idea for a charity hockey game was created by the social committee after Red River Mutual was featured in the industry magazine called InsuranceWest.

The article praised Red River Mutual for giving back to the community through charitable and loss prevention initiatives.

A major sponsor of the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund, they worked with them to build and distribute fire safety trailers across the province. Those trailers cost $50,000 each with Red River Mutual contributing about $600,000 over the next four years.

The magazine also presented Red River Mutual with $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

The company challenged the staff to match that $1,000, which would trigger an additional $1,000 from the company for a total $3,000 donation.

Red River Mutual staff have set out to match the InsuranceWest award and raise an additional $2,000 (total $3,000 donation) through the staff hockey game.

Chad Friesen, Vice President of sales and marketing, said the social committee organized a great event. “They did a really good job building it up,” he said.

Social committee member James Friesen said they hosted the hockey game to benefit the Rhineland and Area Food Bank and the Empty Stocking Fund, and the response was great.

“Preliminary results look like it’s going to be $1,500 from the staff,” he said. That means $3,500 will be split between the two charities.

Friesen said the first ever Red River Cup was invented at a brainstorming session with the rest of the social committee, Kerri Bennett and Erin Penner. “We said how about a charity hockey game,” he said.

The group came up with a plan to announce two coaches, hold a draft day in the cafeteria to form teams and start rivalries. “We were hoping to play it up a bit,” he said. The game itself also included some good hearted trash talking, and even a line brawl. The team Five for Fighting won the game.

Friesen said they give credit to all the employees for making it work. “I’m really proud of the staff who stepped up to the challenge,” he said. Will there be a second annual Red River Cup next year? “It’s already been mentioned to me,” Friesen said.

Total funds raised were $4510.00!

- Article and Picture by the Altona Echo

Big Bike Rides Through Altona for Heart & Stroke Awareness

dana — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:37:01 +0000

Red River Mutual came out on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 to raise heart and stroke awareness and ride the Big Bike through town.

Twenty-four riders from Red River Mutual participated forming the Red River Marauders team, including one rider from Prairie Insurance in Altona and five from B.S.I. in Letellier. Spokesperson Joyce Hildebrandt says this has turned into an annual event for Red River Mutual and explains why they continue to participate. The Red River Marauders raised $3,505 dollars, Hildebrandt says that’s about a $300 increase from last year. She adds each year they participate the group seems to increase its fundraising by about $300.

Insurance West Magazine – Helping Hands 2011 Red River Mutual Article

dana — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:54:02 +0000

Red River Mutual will be featured in the September 2011 edition of Insurance West Magazine. Here is a preview of the article that was written about Red River Mutual’s community involvement through our Modern Mutual community initiatives.

Helping people avoid loss is more important than profit

Red River Mutual has set out to emulate the “modern mutual” by giving back to the community through charitable and loss prevention initiatives.

Located in Altona, Man., population about 3,800, Red River Mutual has a history of lending a hand. The company itself was born in 1875 out of the need to help the community. The Red River Valley Mutual Insurance Company was originally formed to protect the interests of local people who had recently immigrate.

The new company allowed neighbour to support neighbour in the event of loss.

In 2010 the insurer went through a re-branding, which included redefining itself as a modern mutual. Also, the company is now known simply as Red River Mutual and sports a new logo. Chad Friesen, VP of sales
and marketing, says Red River Mutual is on the move.

“Our mission is greater than just profits,” Friesen says. “Our goal is to help people avoid loss in the first place, following the notion that the best policy for to Western Canada. Those newcomers had little access to fire protection. customer and company is the one that is
never used.”

The company is owned by more than 65,000 policyholders across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It employs 75 and will post a gross written annual premium for 2011 of more than $70 million. When it comes to charitable efforts, Red River Mutual invests a higher percentage of revenue to community support and loss prevention education than most other companies.

The mutual recently became the major sponsor of the Manitoba FireFighters’ Burn Fund, which is known for its charitable works in hospitals and burn centres. It also supports loss prevention education throughout the province. “We support the Fund because of the close alignment of each organization’s goals,” Friesen says. “Much like our company, the Burn Fund supports those who have experienced loss, but they also invest in keeping families safe from fire in the first place. Our partnership gives back to the community and benefits both organizations by sharing the common message of fire prevention.”

In 2010 the company partnered with the Burn Fund to build and distribute fire safety trailers throughout Manitoba. Each safety trailer will be distributed to a fire department or a mutual aid district to be used as a loss prevention educational tool. The program was initiated in Manitoba but will soon expand to Saskatchewan.

The trailers cost about $50,000 apiece, and Red River Mutual is contributing about $600,000 over the next four years. The first of 15 units for Manitoba was unveiled by Red River Mutual’s president and CEO Brian Esau at the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Brandon in June. Esau pledged the company’s continued support for the safety trailer program, saying it was proud to be backing the education initiative of
firefighters. He said the trailers will be used at schools and festivals by local firefighters to teach children about the dangers of fire and what to do in case of a fire. There are two interactive scenarios demonstrated in the 31-footlong trailers – fire prevention in kitchens and in bedrooms.

The trailers are equipped with smoke simulators, heat doors and large TVs to provide realistic and interactive training. Firefighters who’ve received trailers so far are The financial “give” from Red River Mutual, he added, is only the beginning. “We try to incorporate our staff in charitable efforts whenever possible,” Esau says. “The company contributes dollars and employees contribute time and effort.

We recently sponsored a Habitat for Humanity home. In addition to the financial investment, we had various staff and brokers onsite for a week working on the home. And in February 2011 we were a major sponsor of the

Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts, a popular curling event. Again, Red River Mutual staff stepped up to volunteer. It’s this partnership between company and employees that makes our efforts really
successful.” Friesen says the company is currently working on more innovative ways of driving dollars back into all of the communities it serves through its partnerships with local insurance brokers. “Supported by a fantastic group of community-oriented staff and brokers,” Friesen says, “we’re determined to give back in some way to every community we serve.” IW

Click Here to download – Insurance West – Helping Hands 2011 Red River Mutual Article PDF

Donation to Bethel Heritage Park

dana — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 02:38:47 +0000

Winkler, Manitoba –Mike Grantham, Broker Relations Consultant, presented a $5,000 cheque to Martin Harder, Mayor of Winkler MB towards the Bethel Heritage Park.

Construction began in 2009 on the $1.5 million project which is located on the site of the community’s former Bethel Hospital. The park features walking paths, floral beds, history story boards, cairns, and a replica of the famous Bethel Fountain. Majority of the parks funding has come from private donations; approximately 200 donors have brought them within $80,000 of their goal.

Mike Grantham, Broker Relations Consultant, presenting a $5,000 cheque to Martin Harder, Mayor of Winkler at the Bethel Heritage Park in Winkler, Manitoba.

Donation to MEDA

dana — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:04:09 +0000

Winnipeg, Manitoba –Geoff Branson, Vice President of Finance, presented a $5,000 cheque to Bob Kroeker,, Regional Director, Resource Development of the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA).

Through MEDA, faith-oriented business owners, executives and leaders are able to integrate their life values with business in practical ways to help the underprivileged. They are committed to using their faith and abilities in their businesses, communities, and around the world. To learn more about MEDA please visit www.meda.org

Geoff Branson, Vice President of Finance presenting a $5,000 cheque to Bob Kroeker, Regional Director, Resource Development, MEDA in Winnipeg, MB

Donation to Blue Sky Opportunities

dana — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Altona, Manitoba – Alvin Ginter, Vice President of Risk Management, presents a $1,000 cheque to Richard Neufeld, General Manager of Blue Sky Opportunities.Blue Sky Opportunities Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to maximizing the independence of adults with intellectual disabilities, through employment and residential opportunities within the community.

Red River Mutual was proud to make a financial contribution towards the purchase of a Handivan. A Handivan is a special transit service for people that cannot use regular transit due to mobility impairments.

Alvin Ginter, Vice President of Risk Management presenting a $1,000 cheque to Richard Neufeld, General Manager at the Blue Sky Opportunities office in Altona, Manitoba.

Donation to Boundary Trails Foundation

dana — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:02:46 +0000

Winkler, Manitoba – Chad Friesen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, presents a $5,000 cheque to June Letkeman of the Boundary Trails Foundation.

Friesen said “Red River Mutual has been a sponsor of Boundary Trails Health Centre from the beginning, we are pleased to sponsor a facility that supports the health of so many of our policyholders in the region. We are proud to be based in the Pembina Valley and to contribute to a high quality of services in the region.”

Red River Mutual emulates the “Modern Mutual” by investing a portion of company profits back into the community through loss prevention education and through the support of worthy community projects. For more information about Red River Mutual and the “Modern Mutual”, visit www.redrivermutual.com.

Chad Friesen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing presenting a $5,000 cheque to June Letkeman at the Boundary Trails Health Centre in Winkler, Manitoba.

New Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund Safety Trailers Unveiled

dana — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:44:38 +0000

On Friday, June 10, 2011 the first of 20 fire safety trailers was unveiled at the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs conference in Brandon, Manitoba.

Over the next 4 years Red River Mutual will be sponsoring the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund – Fire Safety Trailer Program. This program will see at least 20 Fire Safety Trailers, valued at $50,000 each, deployed throughout the province. The trailers will be provided to mutual aid districts, who will work together under the direction of the Office of the Fire Commission to provide interactive fire safety training, emergency-response service and education to young people.

“We are very proud to support the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund and fire-prevention education throughout Manitoba,” said Brian Esau, president and CEO of Red River Mutual. “Our company is committed to protecting people from loss and we’re excited about helping to get these prevention trailers into the community teaching fire prevention at schools, festivals and other events.”

Speaker Brian Esau, President and CEO, Red River Mutual, standing behind Chris Jones, Fire Commissioner, Drew Caldwell, MLA, Brandon East, and Gary Bell, President of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chief

The trailers target elementary school-aged children and are designed to look just like a house. Children learn about fire safety through the use of props like smoke machines and heated doors that simulate a real fire in a home. The trailers will also have a mock kitchen and bedroom with the ability to simulate a fire in each of those settings. They also offer:

accessibility for students with disabilities,
a working bedroom window to simulate an escape route,
an instruction area for children to listen to a safety presentation,
a flat-screen TV visible from outside the trailer that can show fire-prevention messages to waiting students, and
a self-contained control room for the instructor to manipulate the props.

For more information about Red River Mutual’s involvement in the Fire Safety Trailer Program, please contact Dana Oftedal, Red River Mutual, 1-800-370-2888 or email, doftedal@redrivermutual.com.

Exterior of Fire Safety Trailer. Speaker Drew Caldwell, MLA, Brandon East, standing behind Chris Jones, Fire Commissioner, Gary Bell, President of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs, and Brian Esau, President and CEO, Red River Mutual.

Progressive Agriculture Safety Days

dana — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:45:14 +0000

Red River Mutual participated in the 4th annual Progressive Agriculture “Altona Safety Day”, held at the Millennium Exhibition Centre on Friday, May 27, 2011.

150 Grade 5 students from local area schools attended full day event. There were 11 information booths covering a variety of safety-related topics. Red River Mutual sponsored a booth with the Altona Fire Department. The booth featured fire safety discussions included safe cooking, calling 911, checking for safe exit routes, fire escape plan and family meeting place.

Altona & Area Family Resource Centre donation

dana — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:54:07 +0000

Red River Mutual was pleased to present a $1,000 cheque to the Altona & Area Family Resource Centre for their new renovation project.

The Altona & Area Family Resource Centre is run by a volunteer board which is dedicated particularly to providing programming for young children and their families around the themes of positive parenting, physical heath and well-being, learning and literacy and empowering families.

The donation went towards enhancing the space used for drop-in programs, which will allow the accommodation of more participants in the years to come. Over 1000 children and 600 parents have used the weekly drop-in programs in the last year.

Claims Manager, Teresa Hamm, presenting a $1,000 cheque to Lisa Gagne of the Altona & Area Family Resource Centre.