May Day marked a national day of protest against the policies implemented during the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. Organized by the Barton County Democratic Party and joined by members from The League of Women Voters of Great Bend and residents from Barton and Pawnee counties met at the courthouse band shell to say “Hands off!” 

Rally attendees sat in the band shell seating listening to speakers describe the Trump administration’s policies viewed as harmful to democracy and issues important to them and how they have been impacted by tariffs, the closure of federal programs, the threat of cuts to social security and potential impacts in the future. 

Tariffs Impacting Farmers 

Tom Giessel, a Pawnee County farmer, described the impacts the gutting of USAID has had on grain markets and farmers in the Golden Belt region. “Farmers have worked for years building these markets, providing the food for other people around the world, and in this country as well, and it’s been yanked out of from under us.” He explained that there is now no place to go for this grain and some farmers’ cooperatives are pulling milo out of the elevators and putting it on the ground.

Tariffs are not only impacting the crops that farmers produce and sell but also the products that they depend upon for growing and harvesting their crops, Giessel explained. “A combine transmission might be made in Spain. These parts come from all over the world, and we depend on access to those parts, and it’s so critical and I think we are really teetering on the edge of a real crisis with this idea of tariffs and what it might do to parts supply.”

DOGE cuts to volunteer program and NIH, CDC

The website still reads “AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. From mentoring students to supporting disaster recovery, helping older adults age with dignity, and tackling other pressing needs, AmeriCorps helps communities across the country.” 

Farm manager Katie Goerl spoke on the impact AmeriCorps volunteers made upon Heartland Farm before the program that enabled volunteers to experience Central Kansas and work four weeks at Heartland Farm was cut shortly after their departure and next assignment. Heartland Farm is way better off now than it was a couple months ago, Goerl said, because of these people and after the first day of hosting the volunteers she and her boss wondered when they could get their second team. 

Seven young adults ages 18-24 with National Civilian Conservation Corps (NCCC), a branch of AmeriCorps, spent four weeks working at Heartland Farm and the Dominican Sisters Convent in Great Bend. “They came from states and cities across the country; Tennessee, Connecticut, New Jersey, a couple from California and North Carolina. So none of them had even been to Kansas before,” Goerl said. “They didn’t even know what a pancake feed was.” 

Along with the NCCC, other programs within AmeriCorps address poverty in low-income communities, mentorship programs for kids, helpers for older adults to continue living independently. Programs for literacy, health, public safety, conservation, tutoring programs and building homes for organizations like Habitat for Humanity are also within the scope of the organization, she explained. 

“I’m sad for the teenager who came to our farm to learn about AmeriCorps because she thought maybe she wanted to do that after she graduated high school this month, she doesn’t have that option anymore. It’s one less option for young adults to go out and learn useful skills and work hard.”

Jan Stice addressed funding cuts to the National Institute of Health and the CDC and the impacts in years to follow with the decrease in research funding to infectious diseases, cancer and heart disease. “This is leading to hiring freezes and the result is many of our top medical research scientists and PhD candidates are actively being recruited by labs and universities in other countries.”

Hands off Social Security

“Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for people that don’t know is for people with disabilities,” Rhys Froetschner, who works with people with disabilities said. “And people with disabilities rely heavily on Social Security to live their lives, to help with medication, to help with equipment such as wheelchairs or walkers and it’s important that these people get the care they need. It’s important that they get the services they need. And the way that the Trump administration is going, it doesn’t look bright.”

Rally organizers encouraged attendees to continue to meet and become more active in local affairs by joining committees and being involved.