As Southwest Colorado residents watch the devastation caused by the E5 tornado in Moore, Okla., now estimated to be at least $2 billion, their first question seems to be, “How can I help?”
Two local businesses already have planned fundraisers to aid people from the estimated 13,000 displaced households. Southwest Whitewater and the Glacier Club are leading the way, with more sure to follow.
Southwest Whitewater will donate $5 for every paid passenger on raft trips through Memorial Day, and the Glacier Club is opening its three nine-hole courses for play on June 2.
“It’s a rare opportunity for people to play our private courses,” said Glacier Club restaurant manager Carmen Drulis. “Our scenic courses are a big draw.”
The Glacier Club hosts a number of fundraisers during the year, but this one is for more than a national natural disaster.
“We have members from that neck of the woods, we have employees from that neck of the woods,” Drulis said, “and we all have friends or family from that neck of the woods.”
Cindi Shank, the executive director and area disaster manager for the Southwest Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross, said her office has received about $200 in the office so far.
“I won’t know until later how much locals have donated by texting or by going to the website,” she said, “but people here are really good about donating to natural disasters in the U.S.”
The American Red Cross reported Wednesday it had housed more than 380 people in shelters in Oklahoma and Texas, which was hit by tornados on Sunday.
“A lot of people are staying with friends and family,” Shank said. “But what we saw after Superstorm Sandy was that after about the first week, a lot more people started coming to the shelters, saying ‘I can’t take my mother-in-law for another day,’ and stuff like that.”
But the Red Cross is on the ground in force, handing out food, water, personal-care items and cleanup materials as well as providing disaster mental-health care, she said.
Shank sent out a news release Wednesday warning residents about a phone scam.
“We have been alerted to a robo call that was soliciting donations for the Red Cross and Salvation Army that occurred Tuesday and has generated concern by donors,” she said. “Recipients are instructed to call a phone number to donate for Oklahoma, but the number is disconnected.”
Shank said that to be safe, people should donate through their local chapter, by texting or on the Red Cross website.
“Our Fund Development staff do personally call donors to thank them,” she said. “Our workers do not cold-call residents and ask them for credit card or other information over the phone.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
To donate
Donations to the American Red Cross can be made by visiting www.redcross.org, texting REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10, or by mailing or visiting the Southwest Colorado Chapter of the Red Cross, 1911 Main Ave., Suite 282, Durango, CO 81301.
To book a rafting trip through Southwest Whitewater, call 259-8313 or visit 1430 Main Ave.
To book a tee time for the benefit day at Glacier Club, call 382-6701. Play the Glacier and Cliffs courses for $75 or the Cliffs and Hermosa courses for $50. All the money raised will go to the relief effort.
For information about scams purporting to be for tornado relief, visit the Better Business Bureau website at www.bbb.org/us.
