Cottonwood Fire Recovery Efforts

Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg, and FHLBank Topeka will award $60,000 to the Cottonwood Fire Disaster Relief Fund. Flatwater Bank received a matching grant to support their efforts through FHLBank Topeka’s Community Assistance Recovery Effort (CARE) Program.

The funds will be used to assist area ranchers in their time of need. Cattle feed and fencing supplies will be purchased and distributed to area ranchers in need to assist with their financial hardship. Although there are programs to assist with fence replacement, that money will not cover all the ranchers’ expenses.

“This is a great day for the bank and for area ranchers! The Mission Statement of Flatwater Bank is to ‘Enhance the Lives of our Customers, Team Members, and Communities,’ and today we get to focus on enhancing the lives of area ranchers that are in a difficult spot! The FHLB was very kind in accepting the bank’s application for disaster relief, and I want to say a huge “thank you” for making a difference in the Cottonwood Fire Relief efforts!” said Luke Rickertsen, President of Flatwater Bank.

As a member of FHLBank Topeka, Flatwater Bank has access to products and services to help its communities thrive. The CARE Program was created in 2025 to help FHLBank member financial institutions support their communities after a FEMA-declared disaster. The program matches $3 for every $1 an FHLBank member contributes to disaster relief efforts, and since Flatwater Bank had already made a $20,000 donation, they received the full matching funds.

“Community financial institutions are at the forefront of supporting their communities through difficult times. We designed the CARE Program to amplify the contributions our members are making when a natural disaster occurs,” said Jeff Kuzbel, President and CEO of FHLBank Topeka.

Flatwater Bank stepped up immediately to assist in bringing together the groups that were focusing on providing help. They then focused on finding local area foundations to help by setting up checking accounts in Gothenburg and in Brady to receive cash and in-kind donations. In Gothenburg, the Pony Express Community Foundation stepped forward, and in Brady, it was the Brady School Foundation. All donations will stay local and assist in the recovery efforts. Additional donations can be made payable to either foundation and dropped off at our Gothenburg, Brady and Ansley locations, or mailed to: P.O. Box 81, Gothenburg, NE 69138.

About FHLBank Topeka:
FHLBank Topeka is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks that accesses the capital markets to provide liquidity and funding for its members. With nearly $80 billion in assets and more than $4 billion in capital, FHLBank Topeka is a strong, reliable source of liquidity for its 647-member financial institutions in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.