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By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter 

HELENA – Alan Farmer, a Helena local and owner of Farmer’s Pest Control, recently donated $250 to each of Helena’s schools to help benefit local teachers and students.

Farmer was raised in Helena and started his business in the city nearly 12 years ago. He said that because of this he wanted to do something to give back to the community which helped raise him.

“We have been in the pest control business for nearly 12 years and we always try to do something each year for the schools,” Farmer said. “When we have a good year, we will sit down as a family and decide how much we can contribute and where we want it to go. With the pandemic going on, we knew the schools were challenged in their budgets.”

Farmer’s wife JJ delivered checks worth $250 to all four of Helena’s schools to spend however they would like in order to benefit teachers and children.

“One principal told us that they would use the money to buy a Chromebook for students, and another told us they were going to use it for cleaning supplies,” Farmer said.

Farmers’ children either are currently enrolled in Helena schools or graduated from Helena High School, so he knew the impact that making this donation would create, especially since it hits so close to home.

“Personally it feels like through my own success I was able to help my town succeed,” he explained. “Helena is my family and my home. I have served a lot throughout the community through the years, and I just want to do whatever I can to help.”

Helping Helena is personal for Farmer, as the city will always be home to he and his family.

Farmer also encouraged other business owners still doing well during this time to contribute to the schools or others to help make the city a better place.