Videos Login Subscribe Renew E-edition
logo
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
  • News
  • Features
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Letters
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds
    • Place a Classified
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Legal Notices
    • Read Statewide Legal Notices
  • Archives
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
      • Columns
      • Letters
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Place a Classified
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
    • Legal Notices
      • Read Statewide Legal Notices
    • Archives
Students deliver clothes to reservations in need
Ridgway Secondary Student Sunny Wick helps distribute clothing collected by the school's Peace Jam club to the Ute Mountain Ute Social Services Center in Towaoc. The delivery to both the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and the nearby Navajo reservation in Shiprock included more than 5,000 clothing items. Photo courtesy Sveri May
Feature
By Riley Burr Special to the Plaindealer, on October 25, 2023
Students deliver clothes to reservations in need

Clothing drive, donations help Navajo, Ute near Four Corners

More than 5,000 items of clothing were delivered to residents of the Navajo and Ute reservations near Four Corners last week, thanks to Ridgway Secondary School students and a new volunteer club at the school called PeaceJam.

Through a week-long clothing drive at the Ridgway Secondary School, as well as additional donations made by Second Chance, Telluride Storage, and individual community members, PeaceJam was able to collect 5,136 items of clothing.

PeaceJam is a global organization with chapters in high schools across the world. Led by Nobel Peace laureates, Peace-Jam creates opportunities for volunteer service for students.

The clothes donated to PeaceJam were handed off to social service centers to then be distributed around the reservations.

The morning of Oct. 16, PeaceJam volunteers helped set up a station in the parking lot of the social services center in Towaoc, with clothes piled high on top of tables and blankets. There, they met residents, helped them navigate the clothes piles, and loaded bags of clothes into their cars.

Ava Berwanger, a sophomore at RSS and an active PeaceJam member, said that even counting and folding clothes from the clothing drive makes a difference. “There are a lot of people in Ridgway who have a lot of extra clothes and there are some people who really need them, so it really helps everyone out,” she said.

“I think that (clothing drives) like this make a big impact,” said Sharon House, an adult outreach worker at the Ute Mountain Ute Social Services Center in Towaoc. “Some people can’t afford to go out and purchase things brand-new.”

House also stressed the importance of breaking down social barriers through food and clothing drives like the one hosted by PeaceJam. House has noticed that stigmatisms often develop between Native and non-Native people, but events like the clothing drive can help expose both sides to each other and “help the world be a peaceful place. Working together to accomplish something for good, that’s a good thing.”

After a few hours in Towaoc, the PeaceJam volunteers drove 30 minutes south to Shiprock, New Mexico, where they handed the remaining clothes off to the Navajo Nation Social Services center, where the clothes will be distributed to individual social service cases and nearby shelters.

Sunny Wick, a freshman at RSS and a member of PeaceJam who assisted with the clothing handoff , explained that part of the appeal of PeaceJam is the ease of joining. “I like doing good things for people,” Wick said, and went on to explain that PeaceJam is important because it provides access to opportunities for kids to serve their communities. “[Students] can help people without having to do a whole lot,” Wick said.

“They can just join Peace-Jam and do something good.”

The new PeaceJam chapter in Ouray County has overseen more than 20 projects since its inception in 2021, and is currently participating in the worldwide “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” program, raising money for education and vaccines for children in less-developed countries.

Editor’s note: Riley Burr is a Ridgway Secondary School student.

News
Ridgway keeps water restrictions
By Erin 
July 16, 2025
Ridgway remains in Stage 3 watering restrictions, upheld during a July 9 meeting by town councilors who cited concerns about persistent dry conditions and no permanent fix allowing the town to access ...
this is a test
Hunting down the ghosts
Main, News...
Hunting down the ghosts
Veterans services officer finds and assists those who served with benefits, problems
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
During his time as a bus driver in Telluride, Mikael Madsen encountered many of his fellow veterans struggling to survive a Western Slope winter. At the time, Madsen was what he calls a military ghost...
this is a test
Wildfires surge across region
Main, News...
Wildfires surge across region
Brief monsoon could bring relief — or lightning — before dry spell returns
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
Four lightning-sparked wildfires that had scorched more than 20,000 acres in southwestern Colorado as of Wednesday continue to churn through tinder-dry terrain, as hundreds of firefighters struggle to...
this is a test
Judge to rule on land condemnation
News
Judge to rule on land condemnation
Town seeks slice of property for walking trail; resident c laims use unnecessary
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
A district judge is expected to rule this week on whether the town of Ridgway can seize a slice of a resident’s property to create a walking trail, after a trial concluded last week. The conflict date...
this is a test
Aspen Democrat seeks to unseat Hurd in Congress
News
Aspen Democrat seeks to unseat Hurd in Congress
Alex Kelloff, first-time candidate for public office, stumps in western Colorado
By Mike Wiggins and Erin McIntyre mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
An Aspen Democrat tried and failed twice in the last two elections to represent the 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House. Now, a different Democrat from Aspen hopes he’ll have better luck in 2...
this is a test
News
Trio of incidents keeps rescuers busy
July 16, 2025
The Ouray Mountain Rescue Team kept busy last weekend, rescuing or assisting two hikers and a paraglider who were injured over three consecutive days. The first incident happened around 12:30 p.m. Jul...
this is a test
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
News
County to tackle problem with addresses
Irregularities create trouble for emergency responders
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
Sometimes it takes Ouray County emergency responders knocking on doors and waking people at three different homes at 2 a.m. to find the person who needs their help because no addresses are listed on t...
this is a test
Funding issue postpones Ouray wildfire mitigation
News
Funding issue postpones Ouray wildfire mitigation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 16, 2025
A 93-acre wildfire mitigation project in the hillsides above Ouray is on hold until at least next fall, while project leaders keep their fingers crossed for more than $500,000 in federal money. The Ou...
this is a test
News
Application period opens for county manager job
July 16, 2025
Ouray County's next administrator will be required to live within the county. That's just one of the requirements listed in the application to become Ouray County’s next manager, which is open after c...
this is a test
Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
July 17-30, 2025
July 16, 2025
THURSDAY JULY 17 "Natural Tie–Dye" activity with the youth garden club for ages 8–18, from 3:30–4:30 p.m. at the Ridgway Public Library, 300 Charles St. Tech Thursday – Get help with quick tech proble...
this is a test
News
Town moves ahead with housing administrator
July 16, 2025
The Ridgway Town Council has agreed to proceed with developing a contract with the Home Trust of Ouray County for the nonprofit to provide shared services as an affordable housing administrator for th...
this is a test
Facebook

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

Ouray County Plaindealer
Office address:

195 S Lena St. Unit D
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

Mailing address:
PO Box 529
Ridgway CO 81432

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 Ouray County Plaindealer

  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Accessibility Policy