Local relief effort designed to "Help Haxtun"

When events happen that affect rural communities, volunteers never hesitate to step up and help those in need. The recent COVID-19 pandemic that has hit locally as well as at the State and National level is no different and a group of Haxtun community members have stepped up to do what they can to help those affected most. And they are asking for help.

Almost every business and countless employees in the Haxtun community have found themselves in uncharted territory; some forced to close their doors, for what could be, at the very least six weeks.

Since the onset of COVID-19 in Colorado, there have been no immediate economic relief efforts for small businesses and their employees. While the recent passage of the CARES Act promises some assistance, for some, that may not be enough.

Haxtun has never failed to step up and help when community members are in need — and it’s needed now, maybe more than ever.

A trio of community members from various entities within the community have formed Help Haxtun, a structured fund to provide some financial relief to businesses that have been mandated to close and for those who have been hit the hardest. Through the Help Haxtun fund, individual employees from these businesses can also benefit.

The local group whose efforts have helped create the Help Haxtun fund includes Points West Community Bank’s Ross Edwards, Haxtun Chamber of Commerce Director Jenn Oberle and community member John Chapdelaine. The three community members were first contacted by Phillips County Economic Development Director Trisha Herman, who said a similar project is also underway in Holyoke.

“We know there are lots of resources out there right now in COVID-19 response, but they are not timely,” Chapdelaine said last week as the group worked to start the Help Haxtun fund. “And there is a lot of red tape.”

Help Haxtun will be a strictly gift program so there are no tax penalties for those who receive or give to the fund. This is a gift that will be given to those who need it most — those who are completely in unknown waters.

A fund has been established at Points West Community Bank in Haxtun and donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 8, Haxtun, CO 80731, placed in the night-deposit box or delivered through the drive-up window at the bank.

The intent of the Help Haxtun fund is to provide a way for residents who haven’t been hit as hard or whose businesses may not have suffered as much, to contribute to those who have been dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group asks that those still receiving paychecks think about the hardships that have and will be placed on local community members who are out of work and businesses who have had to close their doors.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act promises some financial relief for every American and the hopes of Help Haxtun efforts are that those who may not need as much can and will give to those who have been forced to shut business doors as well as community members who have lost their jobs altogether.

How will it work

Help Haxtun funds will be dispersed by means of a structured distribution plan. Community members have compiled a list of high-impacted local businesses that have been affected as well as those who have been forced to close completely including those in an executive order from Colorado Governor Jared Polis including restaurants, bars, hair and nail salons, gyms and theaters, just to name those affected locally in Haxtun and Phillips County. If the fund continues to grow large enough, help could expand to secondary businesses that have also endured loss.

To start, high-impacted businesses will be contacted and identified in terms of their number of full-time and part-time employees. Half of the donated funds will be given to the employers on a percentage basis based on the number of employees.

The second half of the funds will be given as personal checks to employees themselves. Each full-time employee will receive the same amount and part-time employees will receive half of that amount.

Business owners and employees can, if they feel compelled, re-gift their funds to others if they feel someone else may be more deserving or if they haven’t been as impacted as greatly as others may have been.

Help Haxtun organizers have set a goal based on the number of people who live within the community and their desire to help those who need it.

“With this fund, at Points West Community Bank, funds go in and funds go out to high-impacted businesses effectively, efficiently and in a timely manner,” Chapdelaine added.

Chapdelaine said that the CARES Act will provide some financial relief to everyone but that some, more than others, will need help due to mandates handed down from the State level that required business to stop completely. “This will be economically devastating,” he added.

The hope is that funds will begin to be distributed from the Help Haxtun fund in May.

Chapdelaine said that while he and Edwards have helped in setting up the Fund and organize plans, much of the legwork has come from Haxtun Chamber Director, Oberle, who is working to contact businesses.

“How can we help those impacted the most? Educate,” Chapdelaine said. “We are asking people to take a hard look at their CARES Act money and seriously consider donating to those most impacted.”

For more information on Help Haxtun efforts contact Oberle at (970) 467-0194. Donations may be mailed to or dropped off at Points West Community Bank, 128 South Colorado Avenue in Haxtun.