Waldo Canyon fire victims make reunion monthly plan
Afternoon rain brought no flooding to the Mountain Shadows neighborhood Friday, despite new information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that the flooding risk has increased 350 percent due to the Waldo Canyon Fire.
Rain couldn’t ruin a special picnic either for those who call Courtney Drive home.
In June, 30 of the 33 homes on Courtney Drive were destroyed by a wildfire. It burned 346 homes in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood.
In the wake of the fire neighbors have scattered, with most people living across town temporarily because of rental shortages on the west side of Colorado Springs.
“To me it’s looking forward, you know, building a future and getting us all together again,” said Jonnie McCoy.
She found a temporary home in Stetson Hills but makes her way to Mountain Shadows regularly.
“I need to come back as often as possible, sometimes I’ll just come back and have coffee over at the Starbucks near my house… just to be in the neighborhood because (I) miss it so much,” said McCoy.
The plan is for the picnic to be a monthly get together.
At this reunion, most people talked about what they discovered in the remains of their burned homes. Sandy Rivera found a rosary that was used in her daughter’s communion years ago and the nativity set she uses every Christmas.
“They were all religious things,” said Rivera of the items she was able to salvage.
Zandra Zieman-Foster found a few things in her basement and at the bottom of her storage area withstood the heat. She found a Christmas ornament that used to have her husband’s name inscribed on it. The name was lost in the fire but not the little toy railroad car.
“It reshapes the way you think,” said Zieman-Foster.
Sally McGraw left her home in a hurry on the day the wildfire spilled into the neighborhood. She grabbed bookkeeping records, picture albums and a few clothes. Now, she’s mostly wearing borrowed or donated clothes. McGraw said this loss won’t keep her and her husband from taking a vacation that was planned before the fire changed their lives and their neighbors.
Most Courtney Drive residents said they plan on rebuilding but not without some added protections. Rivera and Zieman-Foster talked about adding a French drain and sub pump to their property to try and prevent flood water from rushing into their homes.
Until then, these get togethers will continue.
“(It’s great) just being able to comfort them, touch base, make sure everyone is good (and) to see if anybody needs anything,” said McCoy.
