Farmer continues to feed people with $25K donation

Dom Korbel has a statistic he likes to use to make a point.

“Last year, in October 2021, we averaged about 250 families shopping each week,” said Korbel, the executive director of Community Pathways of Steele County.

“This year, as of Dec. 1, our six-week average is 532 families.”

The math is easy: Visits to the community resource for food, clothing and other needs have doubled.

“The budget I’m building for 2023 is the biggest budget we’ll ever build out of necessity to continue to meet this need,” Korbel said. “That (average of) 532, I don’t think, is going back down.”

Enter Luke Broulik.

The 1954 Owatonna High School graduate who still farms the land where he was born near Steele Center, started farming with $50.

“I was in FFA, and bought a sow in 10^th grade,” Broulik said. “She had 10 pigs.”

In the nearly 70 years since, he’s raised cows, hogs and crops.

“I’m producing the food they’re eating,” Broulik said, looking around the food shelf inside the Community Pathways building.

Now he’s buying it, too.

Earlier this month, Broulik presented a $25,000 check to the non-profit – which will cover about five weeks’ worth of food.

“That’s how substantial this is for us,” Korbel said. “You are literally changing lives with this.”

For the past several years, Broulik has donated $1,000 annually, but “I had this in my mind for quite a while.”

The original plan was to donate to the building project, a $1.6 million endeavor that effectively doubled the size of the facility that houses not only food and clothing donations, but space for transitional housing and dental health resources.

“I thought when they got down to having $25,000 left (to cover), I’d help with that. I’d pay that off,” Broulik said.

By all accounts, it was a good plan.

“When Luke first came in, back in April, we talked about the building,” Korbel said. “But right after he left … that’s when the food became such a necessity. Our food budget went out of whack.”

It’s not just a local issue: The state is on track to see 5 million visits to food shelves in 2022; last year, that number was about 3.5 million.

That doesn’t sit well with a man who milked cows for 40 years, who still has beef cows, and who in August picked up a grand champion ribbon at the Steele County Free Fair for his grain entry.

Broulik still makes hay, and combined 1,000 acres of corn a couple of months ago – all at age 86.

“I’m a farmer – and I want people to know how much I care about this,” he said.

His wife, Reone, cared, too. She died of cancer 12 years ago.

“She helped me so much; she could drive a tractor, milked cows with me for over 40 years and we raised five children,” Broulik said through tears. “We talked a little about (donating) when she was living – and she was for it. I’m glad we can do this, me and my wife.”

The holidays seemed like the right time, he said.

“It’s amazing that we’re able to serve as many people as we do,” Korbel said. “We just wish we didn’t have to. We’re real proud of what we’re able to do, and people like you helping us.”

Still, “it was never about him,” Korbel went on. “Luke said to me, numerous times, that it was important to him to be a farmer who does this, representing the people who put the food on the table.”

“There’s other people that have given big donations – don’t just think I’m the only one,” Broulik said.

They “absolutely” get donations from farmers, Korbel said, “but you’re a role model for others.”

Could this be the seed of a challenge?

“You know, I’d like to get farmers in Steele County to start something like this,” Broulik admitted, including groups like the FFA, 4-H and the county fair.

“If you’re interested in doing something, call me,” he said, “and we can get something started, maybe.”

Farm funds

• If you’re interested in joining Luke Broulik to provide food for residents of Steele County, he wants you to call.

• Call 507-340-2810