A Community Gathers For A Night Of Fundraising And So Much More After The Marshall Fire
LOUISVILLE, Colo. (CBS4)- Downtown Louisville was coming alive on a Friday night. People crowded into the Creative Framing Art Gallery where owner Janet Russell had an idea.
"We were compelled to do something and just help out our community. Really my goal was just to bring them out."
But also to raise money for fire victims. All through the gallery were donated works, by artists not only local, but from across Colorado and beyond.
"They want these kinds of flourishes back in their life that art brings for everyone," said husband Bill Carlson.
"There've been a lot of people out there still struggling," said Janet.
All totaled the gallery raised over $23,000 for fire victims.
But amid the fundraiser and throughout town, the conversation remains what people went through in late December and since.
"I don't know when this is going to get back to anything near normal," said Debra Fahey, who lost her home to the Marshall Fire and also serves on the city council in Louisville.
It doesn't bother her that people ask.
"They're not saying, 'Oh, it's terrible that you lost your house,' they're saying, 'How are you doing, what can I do for you? How can I help you?' And then I get a hug."
Down the street at the Empire Lounge, the topic in a lot of discussions was also the Marshall Fire. It's hard to avoid.
"We don't have the smoke and fire damage where we haven't lost our home or a pet but we feel for everybody and it's going to take a long, long time," said Kathleen Urbanic.
Her husband Ted Barber related how the evening's conversations had gone.
"Friend of my wife was sitting over here and came over and just asked us, the first thing was, 'How's your house?'"
It is hard to avoid asking when people who see each other now and again cross paths.
"You actually care. And it's not a burden when you care."
Artist Rebecca Martin donated a painting to the effort but is also connecting to a fire victim she knows in another way. A patron who owned over a dozen of her works lost them all to the fire.
"My first thought was I'm just going to recreate all 13 paintings that burned up in her house."
She got to work this week.
"I started yesterday. There's a painting that I did called Grace and Flowers, it's of her back yard. Which doesn't exist anymore," said Martin.
In the gallery, people talked about the fire, the art and the town and felt good about being together. Russell's idea had worked. They were out.
"They want these kinds of flourishes back in their life that art brings for everyone," said Carlson.
