Why is there a pickup truck parked on the ice west of Blumenort? 

That is a question that motorists might be asking as they drive down Provincial Road 311 and past the frozen pond at PFP Sales and Service. An old truck is sitting there with its front end sticking into the ice. 

Melissa Froese explains that this is all part of a fundraiser happening locally for an orphanage in Africa. Froese, who lives in Grunthal, is a board member of Mukanzo Orphanage Foundation. She explains that the way this fundraiser works is that for a $20 donation, individuals can guess the day and time that the truck will fall through the ice. Whoever's guess is closest to the time the truck sinks, will win $1,000 worth of beef.

Froese says they have not set a goal for how much money they would like to take in through this fundraiser.

"We're just hoping for the best and whatever comes we will be thankful for that," she says.

Mukanzo orphanage is located near Tshikapa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The founder is Odette Lucie, who used to live there but today resides in Winnipeg. The Canadian board consists of seven members, including two of Lucie's daughters, who live in southeastern Manitoba. Planning for the orphanage began in 2010, with the doors opening two years later.

Children at orphanage in Congo (submitted)Mukanzo orphanage (submitted photo)

Froese says 38 children are being cared for at the Mukanzo orphanage. She notes they are also trying to develop their space there into more of a farm and have been growing their own crops. 

"We're also working towards them becoming more sustainable on their own," Froese explains. "We would like to build a bit of a farm with goats and chickens so they could lay eggs and kind of produce some of their own food."

She notes they also have a nice well there and as a result can sell water to residents of the community. 

According to Froese, it costs about $5,000 per month to take care of all the children. She notes nearly all of the finances needed to run the orphanage come from Manitoba. That is why fundraisers, such as the one currently happening on the ice in Blumenort, take place on a regular basis. Froese says in addition to fundraisers, they also have donors willing to help out financially every month. In fact, she says about one-third of their funding comes from monthly donors. 

Froese says their monthly donations are also used to help pay for their children's schooling. Last year, five of their kids graduated from school, which Froese says is a really big deal in Congo.

"We're very excited about that," she says. "And actually we had one of our girls who graduated with very good grades, we actually hired her back at the orphanage and so now she's working for us as a tutor for all our other children. So that's been a great success story for us."

Only time will tell how much longer the old pickup truck will remain on the ice in Blumenort. Those interested in purchasing a guess can either do that by visiting PFP or clicking here. The deadline to register your guess is March 1st.