Hope in the furlough turmoil

The pain that furloughed workers is financially debilitating. Since the end of July through most of September, they’ve had to weather the one day a week less pay. Thousands in Southern Colorado are learning to tighten their belts to deal with, in some cases hundreds if not thousands off their paychecks.

Express Auto Repair and Engine Exchange is among the businesses that are helping with Furlough Fridays discounts for those civilian Department of Defense workers who are suffering under the money squeeze because of budget cuts. Express Auto’s Rick Meadows talked to me about what his customers who are furloughed are feeling, “He was understandably distraught at what was going on. He was worried about his future. He’s got 15 years left in the workplace and he’s got a bunch of responsibilities to take care of and he doesn’t know how he’s going to fight through this.”

Meadows says that’s why he had to do something for his customers in the way of discounts., “Anything that we can do to help our military families, we’ll do.”