In early October, volunteers from the MWH Global Inspirational Leadership course joined post-flood recovery efforts in Boulder County, which suffered some of the worst flooding in nearly 100 years. The group took on the task of providing recovery support to the Oxford Road Farm in Longmont, Colorado, a recently launched organic produce farm owned and operated by Cameron Tyler.
The six-acre farm barely survived total devastation as flood waters from Left Hand Creek barreled down the canyon, joining several other small creeks, before changing course and raging over Tyler’s fields, drowning livestock and burying fences and other structures.
At the behest of Mudslingers, the Boulder community-based volunteer group that has been uniting those in need with those who want to help, the 55-member MWH team stepped onto the mud-choked and debris-laden land and began the effort of cleaning up and restoring to use some of the damaged property.
The group gathered the debris and other wreckage into slash piles for burning. They helped dismantle a fenced area that once contained four of Tyler’s newly purchased sheep and baby pigs. They also dug out a shed buried under layers of mud.
Volunteer Thad Buckley, CMS Manager with MWH Constructors described the scene: “What struck me was the apparent force that the rushing water must have had in order to cause the amount of damage to the existing structures and fencing, not to mention the destruction of the wooded areas of the farm. Uprooted trees and snapped branches mixed with water and mud added to the force and impact of the rushing water.”
Volunteers were astonished to see a former 10-foot-deep pond completely filled in with soil as if it had been recently graded flat.
The MWH course group, made up of participants from as far away as the United Kingdom, Italy and Australia, came armed with shovels, hammers and other tools ready to put to work, equipment they later donated to Mudslingers. Owner Cameron Tyler recalled the moment he learned that help was coming.
“The flood caused so much damage to my place. I found myself standing outside, walking around like a zombie, stunned for about two weeks. The loss of several years’ labor, my savings, and my just-realized dream of a working farm, was hard enough. Facing another year’s worth of muck-raking, debris-removing, rock-carrying and fence repair was more than I could bear. I thought of selling and walking away. Then, out of nowhere, your group offered to help.
“For 26 years, I’ve worked as a lawyer in Boulder, helping people in distress. To have someone reach out a hand to me like that was a new experience. I get teary-eyed thinking about it. In a mere three hours, your people did an entire year’s worth of work for me. They did it with enthusiasm, gusto and kindness. I am eternally grateful.”
The task of further cleaning up and restoring the property will continue, but thanks to the MWH volunteers and Mudslingers, Cameron Tyler has a head start on recovery.
Volunteer Gary Collison, Commercial Manager at the MWH Treatment office in Heywood, UK expressed what many were feeling that day: “Seeing this from the UK, I felt proud to be a part of this clean-up campaign.”
While the work that MWH does every day around the world is focused on Building a Better World, in this case its leaders helped to rebuild part of that world.
For more information on Mudslingers, or to volunteer, go to bouldermudslingers@gmail.com.
Structures from the Oxford Road Farm and a neighboring property in the midst of the mud and receding water of the flood path
Livestock fence flattened by a river of mud
Mud flat site of former ten-foot-deep pond.</e
Digging out required muscle and machines
