Recently, there has been an image making the rounds on social media which shows the dumpster located at the Purple Cliffs homeless camp overflowing and surrounded by trash. The assumption appears to have been made that the residents of Purple Cliffs are responsible for this mess. This dumpster has been generously provided to the Purple Cliffs camp by La Plata County. It is available for anyone driving by.
Neighbors in Need Alliance asked permission to place signage indicating that the dumpster is for Purple Cliffs residents only. That permission was denied.
The residents of Purple Cliffs do not like this trash at their doorstep. They are not responsible for this overflow any more than they are responsible for much of the other trash along the roadside. They often pick up trash along La Posta Road near their camp. Purple Cliffs residents, with the assistance of NINA volunteer Jim Micikas, have removed most of the large items illegally left by the roadside and taken them to the landfill, at Jim’s expense.
It saddens me that our unhoused neighbors often are blamed for things for which they are not responsible. This is one example.
Betsy MorrissDurango
