A pair of volunteers dedicated to Farm Rescue’s mission of assisting farm families who have experienced a major illness, injury, or natural disaster, are being honored with the nonprofit organization’s Good Samaritan Award.
Jeff Preston of Bettendorf and Ervin “Erv” Geisler of Barrington Hills, Illinois, were selected as the 2025 recipients of Farm Rescue’s Good Samaritan Award.
The Horace, South Dakota-based Farm Rescue created the award in 2016 to honor individuals who support the organization with the compassionate heart of the Good Samaritan. That support may include a generous contribution to further its mission, serving as an ambassador for the nonprofit, or going above and beyond as an Angel in Blue volunteer to help farm families in crisis.
“Erv Geisler and Jeff Preston exemplify the ‘Good Samaritans’ that make our mission a success,” Bill Gross, the founder and president of Farm Rescue, said in a news release. “We are forever grateful for their commitment and selflessness in serving farm families during their greatest times of need.”
Farm Rescue said Mr. Geisler and Mr. Preston’s combined volunteer service spans nearly a quarter century. Through their dedication, hard work, and leadership, the men have helped grow its impact in rural communities, as well as its base of supporters. They have touched the lives of many farm families throughout Farm Rescue’s 20-year history. And they have inspired other volunteers to follow in their footsteps.
Since 2019, Farm Rescue has recognized two honorees with the annual award. Among past recipients have been two other Quad Citians, Mark Baumgarten and Michael Wilson. Both are of Bettendorf.
Here’s a closer look at the new Good Samaritan Award recipients:
Jeff Preston
Mr. Preston was born in Fargo, North Dakota. His father enjoyed a long career at John Deere. That resulted in several moves for the then young family including Grand Forks and Jamestown, North Dakota; Des Moines; and Minneapolis.
He attended North Dakota State University, majoring in agricultural mechanization. While attending college, Mr. Preston also began working for a local John Deere dealership.
He met his wife, Vicki, who was attending nearby Concordia College. After graduation, he accepted a full-time position with John Deere in Syracuse, New York. She began teaching in the Twin Cities area. They maintained their long-distance relationship until marrying in 1983. Soon after Ms. Preston joined her husband in Pennsylvania for his latest position with Deere.
Throughout his 38-year Deere career, he and his family made stops in Syracuse; eastern and western Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri; and Moline before his eventual retirement. The couple lives in Bettendorf. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Mr. Preston served on his first Farm Rescue planting assistance crew in spring 2017. Although most of his in-field volunteerism has been focused on planting, his knowledge and expertise has been an asset behind the scenes, For example, has helped create volunteer schedules, training materials, and operational protocols. He also represents the nonprofit at promotional events each year.
“I’m very honored and humbled to receive this award,” Mr. Preston said in the release. “I’m not one for notoriety or recognition, but I’m thankful to be in such great company amongst past recipients. It’s fulfilling to assist folks who truly need it, and we’ve received many follow up calls from families thanking us for the help they received.”
Now in his ninth year with Farm Rescue, he said “Volunteering with Farm Rescue is something I look forward to every year.”
Ervin Geisler
Born in Chicago, Mr. Geisler was about 9 when his family moved from the inner city to a small, nearby farm. That’s where his love of agriculture first began to grow. Summer vacations were always spent in North Dakota, where his father would assist his uncle on the family farm near Hamberg. Mr. Geisler attended the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, before completing his degree in education at DePaul University.
During college, he also began serving in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the Army National Guard. He retired as a lieutenant colonel after a 26-year military career. He also achieved a master’s degree in education, and served as a junior college professor, high school teacher, and football and wrestling coach.
In 2008, Mr. Geisler was watching a CNN segment about Farm Rescue and Bill Gross when memories of his childhood summers inspired him to get involved. He served on his first volunteer crew in the spring of 2008 and immediately fell in love with the mission.
The Barrington Hills, Illinois, resident has been involved in nearly every type of service Farm Rescue offers including being a dedicated Farm Rescue ambassador; attending trade shows, conventions, and fundraisers to promote the nonprofit’s work; recruiting additional volunteers; and securing new business partnerships. Mr. Geisler is now entering his 18th year of service with Farm Rescue.
Describing Farm Rescue as “very close to my heart,” he said “When you get to know these families and truly make a difference for them, it’s an incredible feeling. I look forward to joining so many other worthy recipients of this award, and it’s another great way to honor my father and uncle’s legacies.”
About Farm Rescue
Founded in 2005, Farm Rescue has helped nearly 1,200 families since its inception. The organization’s mission is to help farmers and ranchers who have experienced a major illness, injury, or natural disaster by providing the necessary equipment and volunteer labor to perform time-sensitive services.
Farm Rescue volunteers provide free planting, haying, harvesting, commodity hauling and livestock feeding assistance to farm families in need.
The organization expanded its service area in 2024 to include Wisconsin, where it began offering harvest assistance to eligible families on July 1 and will add planting, haying, commodity hauling and livestock feeding support this year. The service area now spans nine states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Applications for assistance are available at farmrescue.org or by calling (701) 252-2017.
