University Daily Kansan, June 26, 1985
Page 10
Help the Farmers tries to do just that
Group fighting foreclosure of farms
By Troy Lofflin
Staff Reporter
She was tired of listening to people complain and watching them do nothing about it. She was restless, anxious. Then she knew what to do.
Eileen Elliott, Lawrence junior, read a newspaper story about a man in Wetmore, about 80 miles north of Lawrence, who had decided to help farmers who were losing their land.
With one call to Guy Stedman, founder and president of Help the Farmers Inc., Elliott was on her way to a meeting with the co-incorporator of the organization.
Help the Farmers Inc., a non-profit organization, helps farmers and agribusinesses, such as implement dealers and harvesters, facing bankruptcy and foreclosure The organization applies money from banks to dealers to overdue loans and interest payments at financial institutions
From Oct. 1, 1984, to April 30, 1985 seven farms in Kansas foreclosed, according to the state office of the Farmers Home Administration in Topeka. From Oct. 1, 1983, to Sept. 30, 1984, 22 farms in the state foreclosed Eighteen farms foreclosed from Oct. 1, 1982, to Sep. 30, 1983.
Two months ago, Help the Farmers was only a concept, Steedman said recently. Since then, Help the Farmers has raised $1,300, which has been put into an account at the First National Bank in Wetmore.
Stedman handles the business end of the effort by calling and visiting attorneys, farmers and businessmen.
Eileen Elliott
Elliott concentrates on public relations. Right now, they're the only people running the operation.
Elliott is majoring in personnel administration and works for the Research Support and Grants Administration in the office of research, graduate studies and public service. She got involved in Help the Farmers in its infancy, and now she hopes that others will join the effort, she said.
"The farmers aren't asking for help," she said. "We're offering it. Farmers are very proud people and they'll do what they have to do to exist, but what they want is to stay on the farm."
So far, the organization has received large doses of encouragement. Stedman said.
"People are very supportive," he said. "The most important thing at this time is to educate people about
the farmer's situation. Awareness is the key."
The group operates from Stedman's hardware store in Wetmore.
"Overhead is low," he said. "We have the cost of mailing and telephone calls. However, time, office space, attorney's fees for incorporation as well as copying and printing have all been donated."
Sedman said he had received calls from farmers and bankers who were interested in the group.
"Confidentiality is one of the most important aspects of this program." Stedman said. "We've received calls from banks in northwestern Kansas, the Lyon County area and the Missouri border south of Kansas City. I can't be more specific than that."
A few weeks ago, the group participated in a fund-raising telemon on a radio station in Hiawatha and raised some money. But that's only a small part of what needs to be done, Elliot said.
"We want calls from people and organizations who will donate proceeds from bake-offs, chili suppers, catering services and other fundraisers," she said.
Stedman said, "We need to raise $10,000 to $12,000 to get the ball rolling. Already, we've been able to help defer foreclosure for one farmer. We estimate that we will need $12,000 to $17,000 per farm to bring past-due loan and interest payments up to date."
He said the bank deferred foreclosure because its officers were
optimistic that payment on the loan would be made in six months.
Elliott said that Help the Farmers appreciated letters of support and small donations. She said she thought it was important for people to know that whatever they gave, however small, made a difference.
"Sometimes I feel like a little bird trying to make a big sound."
She said, "We're waiting on our Section 501 C certificate from the IRA to allow for tax deductible contributions. We expect it in the next couple of weeks."
The group needs volunteers, she said. The group needs money.
"We can't do it alone," Elliott said. However, Stedman and Elliott said that Help the Farmers don't rely on patrons' assistance. They don't mind a pat on the back for encouragement from congressmen; they don't want to alienate anyone from people involved. Stedman said he saw an advantage to non-partisan involvement: a more comprehensive farm policy coming from Washington.
As people become more aware of the group and money trickles in, Help the Farmers is looking into producing a benefit album, similar to USA for Africa's album for Ethiopian relief, called "Country for the Country."
Steedman has spoken with country-
western singer Charley Pride about getting involved, he said. One of his songs is "The Grounderm." is the group's unofficial theme
"In the last 20 years our country has lost 50 percent of its small towns." Stedman said.
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