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When the going gets tough…

by Brian Manning
and Debi Sporleder
WALSENBURG — … the tough get going.
How wonderful it is to receive a phone call about random acts of kindness in our community.
When Lorna Eddleman, a secretary at John Mall High School, received a call from Adaina Martinez asking how they could pull off a donation drop-off and delivery to help those displaced by the Waldo Fire, Eddleman went into action and the stage was set. Eddleman contacted the HWJ to get the word out and within the next hour, word had spread like the fire itself.
They put the word out through Facebook, texting, radio and the HWJ and the community responded in a big way. Within a 24-hour period of time, 2,678 pounds of food was gathered and organized.
Eddleman and Martinez had help from many people, including John Mall students, staff and community members who volunteered to help collect the food, pack it into boxes and load it onto a truck. Yvonne Griego, Matt Burch, Chamaine Niño, Victoria Roybal, Christina Gonzales, and Becky Medina were at the high school early in the morning during their summer vacation, glad to help with this cause.
With the help of Theresa Martinez and John and Charlene Pino, all was delivered to Care and Share in Pueblo. People from as far away as Trinidad, Hoehne, and Rye, as well as so many of us here in Huerfano County, are to thank for opening up their pocket books to help those in need.
According to Becky Medina on a Facebook post, Care and Share was taken aback by the amount being donated and how well organized everything was, making it easier and faster to get the items dispersed. Way to go, everyone, for pulling together to help those in need.
Adaina Martinez just graduated from John Mall High School. She lives at home in Walsenburg with her parents, two brothers and a sister. Martinez will be attending Western Nebraska Community College where she will be taking classes for pre-dental starting in two weeks. She thought it would be best to start in a small school and later go to a four-year school.
Lorna Eddleman and her husband Todd live outside Walsenburg and have two children. Originally, she is from Rye and he is from La Veta. She is an active volunteer. One program she works with is CLICKS, a program teaching driving safety to students. Martinez also participates in CLICKS.
These two women and the other volunteers were willing to roll up their sleeves and do what had to be done. They want to thank everyone for their generous response toward others in their time of need.
This was a community effort which genuinely helped another community.