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Stepping up to help neighbors |
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August 2, 2017 |
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Deena Shotzberger, Libby, and Shawn Watt,
Kalispell/Bonners Ferry, are coordinating a
relief effort to provide hay and other supplies
from Northwest Montana and Northern Idaho to the
Lodgepole Fire Area near Jordan, Montana.
On top of the impacts of an extreme drought,
this 270,000 acre fire has burned up to 100% of
individual cattle producers' grazing land and
hay, an undetermined number of cattle, 16 homes,
numerous other structures, roughly 1,800 miles
of fence and many corrals, calving sheds and
water developments.
The good news – there were very few injuries and
they are finding more live cattle that they
expected.
The initial hay need was estimated at 34,000
tons to get 7,700 head of cattle through to the
next projected grazing turnout date of June 1,
2018.
Some of this hay need has been mitigated by
donated grazing from other ranchers and opening
of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife
Refuge north of Jordan for emergency grazing
relief; but the need for hay is still critical.
The fire started July 19 and emergency hay
donations have been coming into the area since
July 24. The first rounds came from the
drought-stricken neighbors who provided hay
despite having none to spare.
Caravans of hay continue to come in from all
over Montana and adjacent states; some as far
away as New Mexico.
For this effort they need:
* Certified or essentially weed free hay
* Truck and trailers to haul hay
* Semis to haul large squares or rounds
* Funds to help with fuel costs
* Fencing supplies
* Labor to pick up and load hay
If you can help, let Deena or Shawn know what
you have! Reach Deena Shotzberger at (406)
293-8188 or by email,
dshotzberger@hotmail.com, and Shawn
Watt at (208) 610-4205 or
watt.shawn@gmail.com.
In emails please include “HAY” in the subject
line.
Their job is to match up donations of hay and
supplies with those who can donate hauling. If
you can do both, that’s great! They will
coordinate any donated labor with those that
expressed a need for hay pick up and loading,
and are coordinating with the receiving area.
Most of this caravan will be hauling hay and
supplies directly to impacted ranchers.
For fund donation you can contact Shawn or
Deena, or you can deposit to the PayPal account
(paypal.me/2017Hayrelief)
and use the friends and family option.
Most of the semis already lined up will load at
the larger producers, but there may be one semi
that could be loaded from a drop area in the
Flathead on Friday, August 11. The drop point
has not been finalized, but may be in Somers. If
they get additional semis, they may line up
additional drop points. The plan is to load the
semis with large squares or rounds and haul all
of the small square bales and excess large
rounds or squares with trucks and trailers.
The caravan will meet at 6 a.m. Saturday, August
12, at the Town Pump in Columbia Falls, which is
located at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway
40. They will head up Highway 2 through Browning
to Great Falls, Lewistown and then to the
designated drop off points near Winnette and
Sand Springs.
There are no designated overnight
accommodations; so participants should bring a
tent and plan to camp Saturday night and return
on Sunday.
Travel distance is an estimated 460 miles, and
an estimated 600 miles from Bonners Ferry, with
time to be determined.
This will be a dynamic process and they will do
their best to keep everyone updated. Be patient
with them, this started small with Shawn and
Deena individually wanting to donate some hay to
the fire area and has ballooned to a large
coordinated effort. Based on the response so
far; they expect this will be an amazing show of
support from Northern Idaho and Northwest
Montana!
The information will be posted on several
Facebook sites, and Deena and Shawn will keep a
contact list of everyone who wants to
participate, so send your phone number and email
when you contact them.
Federal assistance and emergency loans will be
available to producers in the fire area, and
Tester is trying to expedite the process, but
the funds may be several months out, and will
only cover a portion of the losses and needs.
So North Idaho and Northwest Montana - let’s
step up and help our brother and sister
Montanans! |
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