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Operation Haylift

Willard and Anthony Ruzicka of Vertigre, Neb. Willard is the fourth generation and his son, Anthony, the fifth generation to work on this family farm near Vertigre, Neb. After the collapse of Spencer Dam, they were forced to evacuate their property. The flood of water that was released on the Niobrara River, and a sea of massive ice chunks, destroyed nearly all of their operation. The farm home on their property was built in 1906 and had never been touched by flooding until now. Farm Rescue volunteers delivered a load of donated hay to the Ruzickas on Thursday, March 28.
This is an overhead view of the Ruzicka family farm near Vertigre, Neb. In the distance you can see the Niobrara River, which decimated most of their operation (buildings, equipment, tools, fencing, cattle, etc.) when the Spencer Dam broke on March 14. The Ruzickas received a phone call at 6 a.m. that morning from the county sheriff who said they needed to evacuate. There was little time to collect any possessions or move equipment.
Aerial view of a Farm Rescue truck loading hay from a donation drop-off area outside of Vertigre, Neb.
Farm Rescue volunteers with Willard and Anthony Ruzicka after unloading a load of donated hay. From left to right are: Jamie Bos, volunteer; Kylie Bos, volunteer/Jamie’s daughter; Anthony Ruzicka, Nebraska farmer/rancher; Willard Ruzicka, Nebraska farmer/rancher; Levi Wielenga, Farm Rescue operations manager; and Keith Barkema, volunteer.
Farm Rescue volunteer, Keith Barkema, from Klemme, Iowa, about to deliver a load of hay near Vertigre, Neb.
Farm Rescue truck about to deliver a load of donated hay to the Ruzicka farm.

The Spencer Dam on the Niobrara River in Nebraska broke on Thursday, March 14, and Farm Rescue helped coordinate the delivery of two initial loads of donated hay from Texas by March 19 for Nebraska flood relief.

The first loads carried by Farm Rescue trucks, donated from North Dakota, were delivered on March 25.

Volunteers have been hauling continuously since then. As of April 1, Farm Rescue has now delivered or helped to coordinate more than 25 loads of donated hay to Nebraska for flood relief.

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