Valley rallying to aid of hurricane victims

Community Foundation raising money locally for effort

Will Shoemaker

Times Editor

 

With numerous second homeowners and residents of the Gunnison Valley with ties Texas, locals have begun rallying to the aid Hurricane Harvey victims.

Executive Director Pam Montgomery reported that the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley (CFGV) became involved in fundraising for Harvey victims this week at the urging of donors — many of whom live in or have ties to the Houston area. The foundation previously helped raise money following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

CFGV is working with the Greater Houston Community Foundation, which serves the entire coastal area of Texas and knows exactly where to make the greatest possible impact, said Montgomery.

While she recognized that clean-up and rebuilding will take decades, CFGV will wait for awhile before sending the money to help those impacted by the storm rebuild their lives.

“The money that comes in here, we can say, ‘This is from Gunnison Valley folks who appreciate so much what Texas does for the valley,’” she said. “Our valley’s nonprofits receive so much generosity from Texas part-time residents and visitors.”

Those interested in donating through CFGV can do so online by visiting https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/hurricaneharveyhouston.

In addition to the website, people can send a check to CFGV (with Hurricane Harvey in the memo line) at P.O. Box 7057, Gunnison, CO  81230, or drop money by its main office at 525 N. Main St.

“We’ll make sure it gets to where it needs to go,” Montgomery said. “All of the donations made will go down there.”

Also, on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m., the Majestic Theatre in Crested Butte will offer a screening of the film “Friday Night Lights” to benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey. The film's licensing fees have been underwritten by Marla Drucker of Crested Butte, so that all proceeds will go to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

The 2004 film, based on the bestselling book by H.G. Bissinger, has been hailed as "one of the best football movies ever," by USA Today. The film, which stars Billy Bob Thornton, profiles the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas, and their heroic high school football team.

Estimates of damage inflicted by the hurricane early this week were as high as $42 billion after significant flooding in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana, with the storm system expected to make landfall again sometime this week.

Confirmed deaths resulting from the hurricane had reached three as of press time. The area north of Houston had received nearly 40 inches of rain by Monday afternoon.

Part-time Gunnison-area resident Ron Watson reported via e-mail Tuesday that the hurricane “went right over our house” in Rockport, Texas, Friday night. While the home was spared, a four-building commercial property owned by the Watsons two miles away “was leveled.” No one was hurt.

As of Tuesday, the Watsons were en route to Rockport with a trailer full of supplies from two churches in Gunnison and cases of toilet paper, paper towels and trash bags donated by a local business.

“People are amazing and God is good!” Watson wrote.
 

(Will Shoemaker can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or editor@gunnisontimes.com.)

Gunnison Country Times

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