Direct Words from TC

Direct Words from TC
It is now two months after the Waldo Fire evacuation. Our community has sometimes been seen in the media as incapable of getting along on. Well, did we prove them wrong. We need to take a moment to be proud of the way we have pulled together.

One of the things that a lot of people missed, is how few people (of 32,000) actually ended up in evacuation centers. Many friends of mine offered to open their homes to evacuees only to find everyone they knew was already being taken care of by family and friends. My own family with 3 adults and 5 cats was able to stay together in one place

Truck loads of supplies came from out of state. Volunteers had to really work to find enough people to distribute the items too. I heard that the Red Cross volunteers were very impressed with how our community pulled together.

On the other hand, even though the fire is still in the news some people are falling through the cracks. For example, people who were living with a friend or family member for financial reasons didn’t think to get renters insurance. Now they not only have to pay rent on a new place, but they also lost all of their possessions with no help to replace them. If you or someone you know would like to help out, get a wrist band from Messenger International http://messengerinternational.org/store/specials/waldofire-wristband – 100% of all funds are going to these families. Thanks to Cris Carter, Cris Carte Law for all the energy she has put into this program.

Many businesses were hurt by the fires too, from property damage, lost work time, or just from lost income because people are busy dealing with loss of homes or just because their usual customers are spending their money differently as a result of their experiences. It will take some time for everyone to get back on their feet. Remember to reach out for help if you need it and to offer help where you can. As a community we can help our fellow business owners recover like we are helping the families to recover.

Colorado Springs is an amazing place to live. If anyone asks you why you live in Colorado Springs, remember how well we as a community pulled together to take care of our own. Personally, I wouldn’t live anywhere else.