Giving for tornado victims is amazing

Northern Colorado deserves a collective pat on the back. Since the May 22 tornado ravaged parts of Windsor, Gilcrest, Platteville and unincorporated areas of the county, people have opened their hearts and pocketbooks with seemingly endless generosity.

<strong>HOW TO HELP</strong> For more information about the Tribune Community Crisis Fund, call the Community Foundation Serving Greeley and Weld County at 304-9970. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Community Foundation at 711 8th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631.

Donations have been large, such as that of some members of the Ptarmagin Country Club in Fort Collins who collected some $50,000 for tornado victims.

Donations have been small, such as the group of students from Cheyenne who took up a collection on their school bus for the Brown Cow Dairy, which was destroyed by the tornado. The pennies, nickels and dimes were much appreciated by the dairy's owner, Larry DeHaan, who is still trying to work through the devastation his business suffered.

Local businesses, some nationally owned, have hosted fundraisers and given the money they raised to those most affected by the tornado. The Tribune Community Crisis Fund has brought in more than $275,000 for victims of the storm, and donations keep coming.

Then there are those who have given countless hours of their time helping with the cleanup, distributing supplies to those affected, giving shelter to people who lost their homes, and giving clothes and food and countless other personal items, enough to fill a warehouse.

Many victims of the tornados reported how strangers would just suddenly appear in their yards, picking up debris, offering aid or bringing food for workers.

The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Weld Food Bank and countless other organizations immediately went into action, giving food, shelter and other necessities to those affected by the tornado.

The stories go on and on and on. The list of those who have donated is too long to begin to recognize, without a serious chance of leaving someone out.

So, rather than trying to name them all, we offer a collective thank you.

Thank you to every person, every organization, every business, every church, everyone who has generously offered help and hope those who suffered most from the terrible storm.

We are proud to call you all our neighbors, and proud to live in such a selfless, responsive community.