Mountain Shadows residents see messages of hope, thanks

Drivers on Flying W. Ranch Road can’t miss signs of the Waldo Canyon fire: the charred land, the National Guard members and the many homes damaged or destroyed.

But, if they keep going, the signs of hope are all around too.

Messages saying, “Our community is strong,” “We will rebuild,” and, “Thanks police and firefighters,” are posted.

“I think it’s a real show of our community and the city that we all pull together,” said Frank Bergamo, who lives along Flying W. Ranch.

Many of the signs are written on fences that were burned or broken when flames swept through Mountain Shadows, destroying 346 homes.

Bergamo said that police told him that firefighters took out the fences with chainsaws to prevent more homes from burning.

“They did that as kind of a mitigation to keep the rest of the fence line from catching fire,” said Bergamo. “Also, by doing that, they saved our property.”

Down the road, 17-year-old Lydia Harrison posted a message on the fence using a white sheet and paint. She thanked firefighters, police, the National Guard, Colorado Springs Utilities, the forest service and the city of Colorado Springs.

She said she made the sign as soon as mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for her neighborhood.

“Pretty much, we got in the door and I was like, ‘Mom, I want to make a sign,'” said Harrison. “I just wanted to thank everyone.”

On Friday, there were also signs along the road for those who lost everything in the fire. Members of the youth group from the Church of God in Pueblo stood along Flying W. Ranch with signs telling people to stop if they had lost their home.

“For anyone who lost their home, we’re giving them gift cards,” explained youth group member Mary Symington.

She said they had raised $1,000 to hand out in $50 gift cards.

“We want people to know that we’re praying for them, we want to help them and they’re not alone,” said Symington.