March 29, 2007
"Pardon the mess, but the other day we had this here twister come through our little town,
and just 'bout blow'd us off the map."
"This past winter we had our share of blizzards ... you may have heard 'bout all the cattle that froze to death.
And there was those floods last year."
"But we just roll up our sleeves and get to cleaning up the place.
No time to sit around paintin' up signs saying "Help Me" like those folks after Katrina ... "
And folks round these parts seem more than willin' to help out when things like this happen.
"Most of these good people you see pitchin in with the clean up came from all over Colorado,
but there are plenty others that came from as far away as Kansas, Texas and even Oklahoma.
Most are friends and relatives, but lots others are just good folks that want to lend a hand."
"Nah ... we don't need the National Guard showin' up. Folks in these parts don't loot.
"Well, if the people from FEMA decided to show up, I hope they can manage to stay out of the way.
Like I said, we have lots of work to get done."
"By the way ... have you tried the chicken? We have plenty ... have a seat.
Did you bring work gloves? .... I'll get ya a pair."
One of the first things I noticed as we approached the areas leveled last week by the tornado that hit Holly, was the attitude. These people had the look of friendly co-workers engaged in casual small talk, while picking through the debris scattered over what used to be someone’s front yard. It was just so … “matter of fact”. No tears … no complaining … these folks had a job to do, and if there was going to be any feeling sorry for one’s self, well there’d be plenty of time for that later. But right now, like I said, there was a job to do. Lots of cleaning up and hauling away the tons of trash strewn all over what used to be where they lived.
And they were organized; there was a sort of salvage triage going on … trash goes here, usable goes there, fixable things over there, and if you’re not quit sure … start a pile for the “maybe” stuff over there.
Photos, and anything with a name or some obvious identifiable quality to it goes in the plastic milk creates along the curb, where their prospective owners can collect them later. This organization comes from practice …These people have been here before. "Oh yeah ... we're just getting over the worst winter we've had in years. Maybe you read about the loss of live stock in these parts. And there was that flood last year. But you know if people threw in the towel every time bad weather hit, our ancestors would have never made it across the prairie in those covered wagons.
Again … No tears, no crying, no wringing the hands with the usual “Woe is me … and pass the FEMA”. And by the way … No National Guard. As one man put it “there’s no need. Folks in these parts don’t loot.”
Would they welcome the arrival of FEMA? “As long as they can manage to stay out of our way.” stated on man, “Because, like I said … we have work to do.”
And did I mention the “bucket brigade” for food? Oh, yeah … Someone was out there someplace cooking up a storm while others were delivering it to the crews in a non-stop supply of what looked to be pretty good eats. Fried chicken, hot dogs, Sloppy Joe hamburgers, baked beans, and in the back ground country music. A tornado slams into Holly and they throw a block party with a country style Bar-B-Q.
“You have to realize some of these good people helpin’ with the clean up have come from all over Colorado, not to mention, as far away as Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. They bring their personal plows, bull dozers, cherry pickers, and chain saws. Others show up with shovels and rakes, while some with nothing more than a pair of work gloves and a willingness to lend a hand. The way we see things, you come all that way to help us out … well, it just wouldn’t be polite if we didn’t invite you to stay for dinner”.
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