A tiny Colorado town opened its arms to over 700 stranded travelers this weekend (Fairplay: hotels)

[Vision67]

Fairplay, a town of 762 people, sheltered 300 people overnight Friday and 446 people Saturday

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/12/0...play-shelters/

"When the emergency shelter in Fairplay ran out of blankets Saturday night, volunteers went door-to-door collecting extras from locals.

When the hotels ran out of rooms, managers let stranded travelers sleep in the lobbies. When the shelter’s cots were full, volunteers spread out the high school’s wrestling mats to try to keep as many people as possible off the floor.

“Words don’t even describe what this small group of volunteers pulled off here,” said Dave Kintz, chairman of the South Park Salvation Army.

More than 700 people were stranded in Fairplay on Friday and Saturday after high winds, blowing snow and low visibility made travel impossible at the height of the post-Thanksgiving rush and closed a long stretch of U.S. 285, which remained closed along the Kenosha Pass on Sunday.

A group of volunteers stepped in to help manage the crowd as the sheer quantity of those stranded strained local resources.

The town of 762 people sheltered 300 people overnight Friday and 446 people on Saturday, said Gene Stanley, director of emergency management for Park County. Authorities also rescued motorists from at least 30 cars that were stranded along U.S. 285 on Saturday, reaching the drivers by using tracked vehicles.

“They absolutely could not move,” Stanley said. “I think the last rescue vehicle came into my office just before midnight.”

The county’s primary shelter, a community center, was designed to hold 50 people — but 112 people stayed there Friday, until the power went out and the shelter lost heat, forcing everyone to relocate to South Park High School.

“It grew into a larger event than we had expected,” Stanley said.

Fairplay’s few hotels filled up on Friday, said Dee Patel, a manager at A Riverside Inn. After all 50 of her rooms were booked, she let travelers sleep in the hallways and the lobby, passing out hot chocolate, tea and extra blankets and pillows.

“I cannot say no,” she said. “A lot of people had little babies and kids with them.”

Kintz, who is also the Park County coroner, said a core group of about 30 volunteers from the Salvation Army, the coroner’s CARE team, and two local churches were crucial to keeping the shelter running smoothly and ensuring everyone was fed.

“We brought in food from South Park Community Church, we raided the food supply of the school, we brought in food from volunteers who provided food from their places, we got some from local stores,” Kintz said.

He said the number of stranded travelers was unprecedented in his 17-year tenure in emergency services.

“Everyone was routed this way due to I-70 problems and other road issues,” he said, adding that he does not think drivers were adequately warned of the “despicable” road conditions in the area.

“I’m just so proud of my little community,” he said. “For the horrible situation we found ourselves in, to be able to help all those people is amazing to me.”

Authorities brought vehicles that had been abandoned on the highways to the shelter Sunday and reconnected drivers to their cars, Stanley said. Most people were able to leave the shelter on Sunday, he said, and the high school shelter was expected to close Sunday evening as the weather cleared.

“Now,” Stanley said, “we are cleaning up the mess.”

When I read stories like this, it gives me hope. I doubt anybody cared about the Red vs Blue battles. We're all just one team of proud Americans.

[otowi]

What a lovely story. My grandmother graduated from Fairplay High School, so nice to hear a little good news about it.

[waltcolorado]

Good job Fairplay, makes me proud!!!

[MrJones17]

A lot of people like to hate on small towns but this is what they are all about! Great story.

[interloper1138]

I was caught in this madness but fortunately was able to bail off 285 and take CR 15 from Como down to Hartsel and make my way back to the SLV that way. Didn't see a soul on that road except for one person that decided to follow me. Thank god for 4x4!

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by interloper1138

I was caught in this madness but fortunately was able to bail off 285 and take CR 15 from Como down to Hartsel and make my way back to the SLV that way. Didn't see a soul on that road except for one person that decided to follow me. Thank god for 4x4!

Same with me, my experience was back in 1973, and the town was only half the size as it is now. There are spots in Colorado that you DON'T want to be in regarding a blizzard and IMO the one at the top of the list is Fairplay, for that matter most if not all of South Park.

It's great to see an article like this in the Post. IMO you have to be pretty tough to live in that climate, and at that elevation. A different type of people there, for sure!

Props for Fairplay!

[brightdoglover]

So nice to hear this story. I got lost and ended up in FairPlay one summer day and the workers at a gas station went out of their way to get maps, make calls, help me find where I was going.

[doolish1]

********* guys, they're going home.