(Radio Iowa) — Some two dozen Iowa F-F-A members from Charles City and Rockford took a six-hour trip to east-central Nebraska over the weekend to provide manpower and supplies to a flood-stricken family. Charles City sophomore Justin Heyer says the devastation at the Drew Wolfe cattle operation is unimaginable.  “It’s just horrible seeing how we can have such a successful spring in Iowa and then we come down here, just the next state over, and it looks like a beach right now,” Heyer says. “It’s like we’re by the ocean. Everything is just flood planed, destroyed.”

The Platte River left its banks near Schuyler, Nebraska, and raged across corn fields, feed yards and swept away a third of the operation’s 25-hundred-head of cattle. The F-F-A members picked up and rebuilt fences destroyed during the record-setting event. The rancher, Wolfe, says the random act of support from the 25 students was overwhelming.  “It’s nice to see kids wanting to come help,” Wolfe says. “There’s been a lot of that but it’s pretty amazing.”  Rockford F-F-A member Sawyer Salisbury skipped a benefit Saturday for his own family who lost their house in a fire on February 2nd to go to Nebraska. “When my house burned down, everybody was there to help me so I figured I’d go help someone else in need,” Salisbury says.

F-F-A members raised 35-hundred dollars during a two-hour “radiothon” to help offset the costs of the trip. Another 25-hundred dollars came in later that’s being donated to the hastag-nebraska-strong cause. Rockford F-F-A member Jayden Jorgensen says the experience is something she’ll never forget. “This is where you learn your life lessons, respect for others, respect for livestock, compassion, all of those good qualities that makes a good community member,” Jorgensen says.

The Floyd County Cattlemen’s Association joined members on the trip. Several businesses and organizations in Schuyler provided meals and hotel rooms.