Giving for good: Volunteerism in rural America
农场主Koy Holland帮助丰富他的蒙大拿社区和冠军马术事业.
Cooperative spirit is alive and well in rural America
当科罗拉多州的小麦农场主布莱恩·斯塔克鲍姆谈到他的哈克斯顿镇时，他的声音中明显流露出自豪, a no-stoplight community of about 1,000 in the northeast corner of the state. 斯塔克鲍姆描述了当风暴袭击小镇时，居民们是如何团结起来的, devastating homes and businesses.
“每个人都参与其中，没有人要求认可，”他谈到清理工作时说. “The people here bend over backwards to help each other out. I wouldn’t live anywhere except small-town America.”
这种情绪在美国农村社区得到了广泛的认同，这些社区依赖于他们人民的善意, including farmers, ranchers and cooperative employees, to keep them strong and vibrant. 从向当地食品银行捐赠农作物的农民到明尼苏达州合作社最近举行了最后一分钟的野炊，以欢迎和照顾国民警卫队, 合作精神在美国农村社区闪耀.
Why Get Involved?
The personal benefits of volunteering are endless, 从改善情绪到减轻压力，提供一种使命感, according to the Mayo Clinic. 志愿服务通常被认为能帮助人们控制慢性疾病，而且经常做志愿者的人比那些不做志愿者的人更有可能保持健康.
但正是社区利益促使蒙大拿州狄龙(Dillon)的牧场主科伊., to devote countless hours to giving back. As a member of his local school board, a wrestling referee, 4-H导师和蒙大拿西部大学马项目的创始成员, 霍兰德把他的时间奉献给那些能够帮助下一代的组织和其他组织.
“有人曾经告诉我，这个世界上有给予者和索取者. I reckon myself a giver,” says the father of three. “我想花时间帮助组织向前发展，使我们的社区变得更美好."
Cooperative Spirit
作为社区的核心成员，合作社可以帮助确定需求并支持各项事业. Nearly 25 years ago, when George Secor became CEO of Sunrise Cooperative in Ohio, 他看到合作社在提升社区人民和事业方面所起的重要作用. 作为非营利性马术治疗项目“骑手无限”的赞助商, he helps provide vital funding, plus connects the organization to other potential resources, including securing a CHS Seeds for Stewardship grant, which matches cooperative donations for local organizations.
Cooperatives are built to help those they serve, 合作的员工通常是他们社区的活跃成员. 这种合作精神在今年COVID-19席卷全球之际尤为明显.
- 威斯康星州的梅德福合作社取消了网上杂货订单的费用, helping residents save nearly $10,000.
- With people out of work and kids home from school, 内布拉斯加州的农民合作社意识到社区的食物短缺，员工筹集了近17美元,000 for the Food Bank of Lincoln, which serves 16 counties in southeast Nebraska.
- 北达科他州的CHS SunPrairie捐赠了近550个N95口罩供当地医疗专业人员使用.
这些故事是疫情期间人们在社区中挺身而出的数百个例子之一.
Celebrating What Makes Communities Special
In 2019, Cenex®品牌推出了一项独特的资助计划，向Cenex品牌经销商询问他们的家乡有什么特别之处. CHS offered to make $5,000 community contributions to support those events, traditions and organizations. 截至2020年夏季，该项目已向11个州的农村社区捐赠了20万美元. To learn more about how Cenex is celebrating towns and traditions across America, visit cenex.com.
Next Generation
农民和牧场主认为像4-H和FFA这样的项目教会了他们领导和社区服务的价值.
“In FFA, I found joy and satisfaction in helping people,” says Holland, who served as a state FFA officer. “如果在我年轻的时候没有像4-H和FFA这样的组织, I don’t know if I would be as active in my community. 我们需要领导者教导我们的孩子回馈社会和参与社会的价值.”
让下一代参与组织是科罗拉多州斯塔克鲍姆的热情所在, who has seen a generational gap in the boards he serves on.
“It’s extremely important for young people to get involved. 组织需要新的想法和新的思维方式，”他说. 斯塔克鲍姆认为，在他之前的几代人都是志愿者的榜样，他说，参与进来永远不会太晚.
“There’s a huge benefit to being involved. Start small and pick your passion. Whether an organization is related to ag or not, farmers and ranchers have a duty to enrich our communities.”
Cheese for good
In March 2020, 因为COVID-19大流行导致全国各地的学校和餐馆关闭, demand for milk shrank and milk prices plummeted.
Everyday heroes
At River Valley Cooperative, which is based in Davenport, Iowa, 并为爱荷华州东部和伊利诺伊州西部的农场主和客户提供服务, 20多名员工是当地社区消防队的一员.
A cooperative's calling
20多年前，乔治·西科尔成为俄亥俄州日出合作社的首席执行官, 他开始寻找一项他可以亲自通过合作社支持的事业.
Steward of land and crop
几代人以来，布莱恩·斯塔克鲍姆(Brian Starkebaum)一家依靠两样东西为生:土地和小麦
Speaking up
For many people, running a nearly 20,000-acre ranch and managing more than 2,000 cows would be enough to keep busy. For Koy Holland in Dillon, Mont., that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Check out the full C magazine with this article and more.