Ryan to the Rescue
Ryan Chevrolet donates use of truck to Farm RescueBy ELOISE OGDEN, Regional Editor, eogden@minotdailynews.com
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Kathy Gaddie, owner of Ryan Chevrolet in Minot, said when she got a call from Bill Gross, president and founder of Farm Rescue who said that the organization was in need of another truck, she began researching the organization.
She was very moved by the stories she read about Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that helps farmers in crisis, and decided the Minot dealership wanted to be a part of it.
On Friday, Gaddie turned over to Gross a 2009 Chevrolet 1-ton, four-wheel drive dually for Farm Rescue's use for 42 months.
Gaddie said agriculture is very important to Ryan Chevrolet and this is a way for the company to give back.
Farm Rescue, which helps farm families that have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster, has selected 22 cases in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota for the 2009 planting season. It is still accepting applications for spring planting, Gross said. Applications are also being taken for harvest.
Last year Farm Rescue helped 36 farm families with spring planting and harvest.
Three teams
But this spring three teams of Farm Rescue volunteers will be doing the spring planting. Plans are for a team to begin planting wheat at Hebron and another team to start planting wheat that day at Bristol, S.D., which is near Aberdeen, S.D. Gross said plans are for a third team to begin planting corn in western Minnesota Tuesday.
This is the first year Farm Rescue will have the three teams working. The organization has about 50 volunteers, including Gross.
A native of Cleveland, N.D., Gross has a full-time job as a Boeing 747 pilot for UPS Airlines and travels all over the world. He started Farm Rescue in 2005, with its headquarters in Jamestown.
Today, the organization has more than 100 sponsors, he said. RDO Equipment Co. is its exclusive equipment sponsor.
Farm Rescue will be featured in "Purpose Driven Connection" magazine on April 28. The magazine is an offshoot of the best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Farm Rescue will be featured in the magazine in a story about the assistance it provided to a farm family after a tornado destroyed their farm.
Also, Gross will be recognized in the DIRECTV "Hometown Heroes" program about DIRECTV customers whose extraordinary acts of kindness, and generosity have made a major difference in the lives of others. The show airs May 3 at 8 p.m. and 11 a.m. on DIRECTV's Channel 101. After the show premieres, Farm Rescue will have the episode available for viewing at (www.farmrescue.org).
New Web site
Farm Rescue has a new Web site that allows anyone interested to follow the Farm Rescue work this spring, view locations and the progress of the operations by video.
The new Web site also will make it easier for people to donate, volunteer and shop for Farm Rescue memorabilia, Gross said.
Farm Rescue received nearly 50 applications for spring planting this year and selected 22, Gross said. "We still have a ways to grow in the region and help more farm families," he said. He said they are also working on organizing a Farm Rescue concert.
What else is ahead for Farm Rescue? "In 2010, we plan to help more and get more equipment," Gross said.
