Six months ago, the state of Colorado experienced a devastating flood that damaged 19,000 homes and destroyed 1,500 more ,separating families and dispersing personal belongings.

During spring break, 34 Tarleton State University students traveled to Colorado to help the victims of the floods that swept through the area in September 2013.

It was a truly incredible experience, one that not many people are lucky to go through,” Ashley Ehler, a member of Tarleton Serves, said. “I was able to hear stories that made me realize how lucky I am and to be able to do the work that I did.”

This alternative spring break started in Drake, Colo. where students helped an 80 year old woman repair the floors in her home.

“…there was still a good 2 feet of stagnant water where the floor should be,” Ehler said. “She was confined to one room of her house because of all of the damage. We also cleaned a lot outside and helped the owners find grass beneath a foot of silt and sand. She said she wouldn’t move because of the memories and sentimental value the house had.”

The next day, students went to an RV park in Greeley, Colo. that had been completely destroyed by the flood. Even with extreme weather factors, the students still helped bring the park back together.

“It had the owners’ belongings spread everywhere throughout the property and even tangled in the trees that hung above the river,” Ehler said. “We endured 30 m.p.h winds, 17 degree weather and snow that day but despite the weather we still trekked through the freezing river and carried hundreds of objects to the outskirts of the park.”

On their last day in Colorado, they joined three other colleges, resulting in a total of 90 volunteers to Drake, Colo. where they chopped the knocked down trees into firewood and helped with the reopening of the city post office.

“On that day the people who owned the campsite were so appreciative of what we had done that they prepared a cookout for us and live music,” Ehler said. “It was amazing.”

Last year, Tarleton Serves spent their alternative spring break in New Orelans helping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“Not that what we did was more important in Colorado but we were some of the first people still helping with a fresh disaster,” Ehler said. “This year we came with a larger group of 36, which was absolutely amazing. Also, last year we stayed in a cabin inside of a Boy Scout camp; this year the University of Northern Colorado welcomed us with open arms and let us stay in a residence hall, which was super amazing.”

Many students had the opportunity to talk to some of the community members from the area and the people they were directly helping.

“Most of them told us their horror stories about that time in September. Others told us what a great job we were doing,” Ehler said. “We will never be able to fully explain the look in the owners’ eyes when we found old photos or birthday gifts or even address numbers that had been buried.”