Yesterday a convoy of dozens of semi trucks left from Michigan to deliver desperately needed supplies to farmers devastated by wildfires.
The March 6 wildfire scorched an estimated 2 million acres of land in Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. A 39 year old truck driver lost his life when his truck became stuck and he had no way to escape the smoke from the wildfire.
Tens of thousands farm animals perished in the wildfire and those that survived had little to eat. Many in the farming and ranching communities compared the devastation from the wildfires to Hurricane Katrina.
The trucking community was unwilling to sit by and do nothing. Numerous trucking and farming communities have come together to truck donated supplies like hay, livestock feed, and milk replacement to help the farmers and their livestock.
Here’s 1 of my favorite photos I found on Fb. I believe it’s Michigan farmers headed to Kansas farmers with hay. pic.twitter.com/4BnI6cy6aN
— NYFarmer (@NYFarmer) March 27, 2017
Yesterday a convoy organized by trucker Dan Ritter met up at the Transfleet service garage in Perry, Michigan. A group of 45 to 50 semis were loaded up with relief supplies to make the run down to Ashland Kansas, where the supplies will be dispersed to the farmers in need. They left at 1 p.m. yesterday and their convoy will be joined along the way by trucks from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and even Ontario.
A ten truck convoy of relief supplies left from Jacksonville, Illinois on Saturday morning, bound for Ashland, Kansas. This effort was organized by Jenny Jackson and the Cass-Morgan County Farm Bureau Young Leaders organization
Photos: Michigan Convoy brings help to farmers hurt by wildfires https://t.co/FcTwUPVtyo pic.twitter.com/CQhIkiID30
— Lansing MI & MSU (@LansingMIrr) March 27, 2017
A convoy organized by Mass City, Michigan’s Marty Dehaan and farmer and truck driver Jan Streater will be leaving March 31 to haul hay to the devastated farmers. If you’d like to donate, you can contact Dehann at 906-458-8933.
You can also check out the “Michigan Convoy” Facebook page for more ideas on how to help.
What’s with Michigan? They have a 4,400 member Michigan Convoy page, artwork, trucks headed to help #wildfire areas pic.twitter.com/5rkoyDg1fR
— NYFarmer (@NYFarmer) March 25, 2017