HORACE, N.D. (Farm Rescue) – Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that provides free planting, haying, harvesting, commodity hauling and livestock feeding assistance to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster, has honored Charlie Bartsch and Garry Deckert with its annual Good Samaritan Award.

Bartsch and Deckert’s combined service to Farm Rescue spans more than 2 decades. Through their dedication and leadership, these volunteers helped form the early foundation from which the nonprofit organization was built. They have impacted the lives of many farm families throughout Farm Rescue’s 17-year history and inspired many other volunteers to follow in their footsteps.

Garry Deckert is originally from Arena, ND, where he spent his childhood helping on the family farm and attending country school. Garry spent many years in the truck driving industry, working for several agricultural and construction-based companies throughout his professional career. He is also an Army veteran who served during the Korean War. Garry married his wife, JoAnn, in 1989 and eventually retired in Bismarck, ND. He began his volunteer career with Farm Rescue in 2012 and he has answered the nonprofit’s call for help on countless occasions. In addition to supporting Farm Rescue’s planting, haying, harvest, livestock feeding and hay hauling assistance efforts, Garry has been an incredible short-notice volunteer, moving equipment and vehicles at the drop of a hat.

Charlie Bartsch was born and raised on his family farm, near Bergen, ND. In his early adult years, Charlie worked part-time in construction while continuing to help on the farm. In 1962, he was joined in marriage to Mildred and they would spend the next 43 years raising children and crops on the Bartsch farmstead. After his retirement in 2008, Charlie signed-on as a volunteer for a young organization called Farm Rescue. He joined a small, but extremely hard-working crew of do-gooders that powered the organization’s early assistance efforts. Charlie traveled the region, extending a helping hand to dozens of farm families in need.

“Charlie Bartsch and Gary Decker exemplify the good samaritans that make our mission a success,” said Bill Gross, Founder & President, Farm Rescue. “May God Bless them for their selfless acts of helping others in a time of crisis.”

The Good Samaritan Award was created in 2016 to honor individuals who support Farm Rescue with the compassionate heart of the Good Samaritan. That support may include an overwhelming contribution to further the mission of the organization, serving as an ambassador for the nonprofit, or going above and beyond as an Angel in Blue volunteer to help farm and ranch families in crisis. Beginning in 2019, Farm Rescue began recognizing two honorees with this annual award.

Previous recipients of the Good Samaritan Award, include Agnes Liudahl of West Fargo, ND, Reuben Liechty of Jamestown, ND, the Engelstad Family of Las Vegas, NV, Gene Spichke and Warren Zakopyko of Kief, ND, Erwin “Smokey” Wright of Minot, ND and Bill Krumwiede of Voltaire, ND.

This year’s awards were presented during the annual Farm Rescue Banquet in Bismarck, ND on March 19, 2022. Charlie Bartsch and Garry Deckert are the 2021 Good Samaritan honorees, but COVID-related health concerns resulted in the postponement of the banquet and award ceremony for more than two years. Farm Rescue staff, volunteers, sponsors and assisted farm families were all in attendance as the celebration resumed this past Saturday. Bartsch and Deckert each addressed the crowd after receiving their individual awards.