Friends, Strangers Gather To Help With Longmont Flood Cleanup
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - Everywhere you turn in Longmont's Valley Park neighborhood you see signs of flooding.
When the flood waters washed in the water surge was so strong that it pushed several cars off the road and onto driveways. Other cars were swept into the middle of the street, and in some spots the street is buckled and heavily damaged.
Some homes such as Janet Walker's on Wade Road near Hayden Court are still filled with water and mud. Walker and her family lost just about everything in her basement, which remains flooded.
"We were able to get my wedding ring and videos of our kids' first steps and talking, and that's really all we saved from downstairs," she told CBS4. "Downstairs the water almost came up to my shoulder."
When a CBS4 crew was there on Monday friends, family and even complete strangers were stepping in to help her out. One of those strangers was Phillip Ward.
"I thought by now everything would be pretty much dried up but I was like 'Holy crud, there's a lot of water,' " said Ward.
Ward and two fellow students decided to spend their day helping out in the neighborhood and were taking on the tough task of lifting heavy, waterlogged items out of Walker's flooded basement.
"We just fell upon a random house and started going to work, pretty much." said Ward's friend Alex Brookover. "It's been pretty tough. It's been nice when there are a lot of people helping, though."
Mitchell Ward, Phillip's brother, told CBS4 the scene at Walker's house, which was similar to the scenes at house after house in the neighborhood, "restores his faith in humanity."
City officials are now working with homeowners like Walker to try to get the help they need as quickly as possible. They met with residents on Monday night to discuss their recovery efforts. During the meeting City Manager Harold Dominguez said the city received 9 inches of rain last Thursday alone.
Colorado Floods: How To Help
The recent floods are impacting families and communities throughout Colorado, so CBS4 has compiled a list of ways you can support the local communities impacted by the floods.
