Photo: Southwest Conservation Corps crews removing woody debris along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs following the October flood events. Photo by Christi Bode.
By Rachel Rosenthal
The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has committed $15,000 to go towards a dollar-for-dollar match for new donations made to the Archuleta Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to assist the Town of Pagosa Springs in procuring FEMA funding to clean and repair town parks damaged by unprecedented flooding in October.
The Archuleta CERF fund previously raised $21,000, which was used to support two crews from Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC), who cleared nearly four acres of flood debris along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs.
When the Community Foundation Serving SW CO asked if SCC had the capacity to support cleanup efforts, we immediately went to work moving our schedule around to make it happen,” said Teresa DiTore, Four Corners Regional Director of SCC. “Funding from the Archuleta CERF provided the flexibility for SCC to shift and respond to the cleanup effort in Pagosa Springs.”
Additional debris removal and repairs need to happen in town parks to stay ahead of impacts from additional debris during spring melt off. “We have put in a request with FEMA for $950,928 for the parks clean-up and restoration alone,” said Kyle Rickert, Project manager for the Town of Pagosa Springs.
If funding comes through, the Town of Pagosa Springs will need to provide a mandatory 25% match totaling $237,732 to receive FEMA funding. While the CO Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has discussed providing half of the match, there would still be a shortfall of approximately $119,000 for the Town of Pagosa Springs to come up with.
“Funding raised from the Archuleta CERF will help bridge the gap in remaining funding for that other 12.5 percent,” said Rickert.
Clean up will take place at the following locations: The Riverwalk, Town Park, Mary Fisher Park, River Center Park, Centennial Park, Cotton Hole Park, and Yamaguchi Park.
Online donations can be made through the Community Foundation’s website, swcommunityfoundation.org
Checks made out to the Community Foundation – Memo: Archuleta CERF – can be mailed to the P.O. Box 1673 Durango, CO 81302.
The Community Foundation inspires hope, leadership and generosity in the community by bringing economic stability, professional development and collaboration to the nonprofit sector. As a community facilitator, the Community Foundation works to increase efficiency, sustainability and success for nonprofits, while maximizing effective grant-making for philanthropists.
Rachel Rosenthal handles Grants & Marketing for the Community Foundation.