Community joins together to help farmer with cancer

GALVA, Ill. (KWQC) It’s the middle of harvest season for many, but cancer has left Carl Bates unable to get in his fields this fall, so friends and family decided they wanted to help.

Jason said his cousin, Carl, never would’ve been able to harvest his fields on his own, that’s why Jason’s father, Dan, decided to bring the community together and get it done for him.

“It got to the point that so many people were showing up that they actually had to tell people that we have enough, but you want to stay around that’s fine, but we’ve got plenty out in the field. There’s no more room,” Jason said.

There were 40 people working 10 combines, 12 grain carts and 16 semis to help haul in Carl’s harvest. It’s a job that would’ve taken at least a week to do, but after 10 hours and many helping hands, all 450 acres of Carl’s crops are now harvested.

“They just went all day long until they got it done,” Jason said.

He said Carl couldn’t be more grateful for the community’s support.

“He’s never going to complain about anything, never wants to ask for help, but he would be the first one in line to do this for somebody else,” Jason said.

It’s a successful harvest in the books, and one that many are calling “The Most Amazing Harvest.”

Jason says it’s a reminder of why living in a small town is so great.

“It’s tough enough to have Carl in the situation that he is in, and the time he has left, but knowing that everybody cares so much, you know, and is willing to do that that says everything and that’s why you live in places like this,” he said.

The farm machinery, semis and even the food were all donated by local businesses and farmers in the area.