It wasn't much but at least I was not sleeping out side. The Denver Catholic Worker House had put me up in a tiny storage room that they had thrown a bed into and asked me if I would be interested in staying. In the span of three years I had gotten very comfortable there. Living in a community which became more family as time went on. Well... the room may not have been much but a large comfy house full of friendly supportive people and a refrigerator full of food. What more could a homeless guy ask for? I was not the first person they have taken care of this way and will not likely be the last. Fires are tragic events but the loss of the Catholic Worker House may be greater than many may realize.
It was 4 in the morning and I heard a lot of commotion upstairs in the kitchen from my tiny little sleepy hole. I went upstairs to investigate and noticed the flames outside the kitchen window. My first response was to think … “the fire is still small (trash can size) if I can get to the garden hose I can probably put it out." So out the back door I went... running around the side of the house to try and get the hose. When I got there and tugged on the hose, it would not come. “Rats it is attached to something in the front yard” So I went back into the house (passing by the flames) came out the front door and detached the hose and went back through the house. All the time thinking I still had a chance.
When I got to the kitchen this time the flames had spread enough for the garden hose idea to no longer be viable. What is more those flames were dangerously close to the gas stove. So much so I decided
not to return to my room and put on shoes and a coat. It was time to get out of the house. Wearing sweatpants, a T- shirt and socks out into the cold night I went with the others to wait out the fire. Well that is my CW House fire story.
12 of us were living there and everyone was able to get out safely. Early detection of the fire probably saved lives. The flames spread so fast!!! It was only a minute later that the fire department arrived but by then the house was lost to the flames. But this story is about what is happening now.
Since the fire... the CW community has been hard at work seeing to the well being of guests in the house and raising money for a new building. As well as looking to the future of the Denver Catholic worker community here in Denver. Rest assured, the loss of the house has not disrupted the unity and commitment of the Catholic Worker Community. The community remains unified and active... they just have new issues and challenges to work through due to the fire. The previous building was a rental, and since the fire has been sold by the owner, so in order to have a building for the community to live in a new building must be acquired,
The CW has been a pillar of the 5 points community for 38 years. Those who have lived in 5 points for any length of time have lamented the loss of the building and the work that was being done there. 5 points residents are fully aware that with 2 large apartment buildings under construction (nearly 300 units worth) and the loss of the Worker House the face of the community will completely change. Most of the new people who will be in the neighbor hood when the construction of these new units is complete, will never know the impact that the house had on the community and on the city of Denver.
The previous house was 7-9 bed rooms (depending upon how you define what a bedroom is) and the CW community has already raised enough money to “shop” for a suitable building to re-establish in.
But it will not likely be in the gentrified 5 points community. The financial cost will be just too high so the new house will likely be somewhere else in Denver when they re-establish. Many locations are under consideration as pro's and cons are regularly deliberated. I am grateful to be a part of this community and look forward to the future for the CW movement here in Denver as we make new plans for our new future in the coming years.
It wasn't much but at least I was not sleeping out side. The Denver Catholic Worker House had put me up in a tiny storage room that they had thrown a bed into and asked me if I would be interested in staying. In the span of three years I had gotten very comfortable there. Living in a community which became more family as time went on. Well... the room may not have been much but a large comfy house full of friendly supportive people and a refrigerator full of food. What more could a homeless guy ask for? I was not the first person they have taken care of this way and will not likely be the last. Fires are tragic events but the loss of the Catholic Worker House may be greater than many may realize.
It was 4 in the morning and I heard a lot of commotion upstairs in the kitchen from my tiny little sleepy hole. I went upstairs to investigate and noticed the flames outside the kitchen window. My first response was to think … “the fire is still small (trash can size) if I can get to the garden hose I can probably put it out." So out the back door I went... running around the side of the house to try and get the hose. When I got there and tugged on the hose, it would not come. “Rats it is attached to something in the front yard” So I went back into the house (passing by the flames) came out the front door and detached the hose and went back through the house. All the time thinking I still had a chance.
When I got to the kitchen this time the flames had spread enough for the garden hose idea to no longer be viable. What is more those flames were dangerously close to the gas stove. So much so I decided
not to return to my room and put on shoes and a coat. It was time to get out of the house. Wearing sweatpants, a T- shirt and socks out into the cold night I went with the others to wait out the fire. Well that is my CW House fire story.
12 of us were living there and everyone was able to get out safely. Early detection of the fire probably saved lives. The flames spread so fast!!! It was only a minute later that the fire department arrived but by then the house was lost to the flames. But this story is about what is happening now.
Since the fire... the CW community has been hard at work seeing to the well being of guests in the house and raising money for a new building. As well as looking to the future of the Denver Catholic worker community here in Denver. Rest assured, the loss of the house has not disrupted the unity and commitment of the Catholic Worker Community. The community remains unified and active... they just have new issues and challenges to work through due to the fire. The previous building was a rental, and since the fire has been sold by the owner, so in order to have a building for the community to live in a new building must be acquired,
The CW has been a pillar of the 5 points community for 38 years. Those who have lived in 5 points for any length of time have lamented the loss of the building and the work that was being done there. 5 points residents are fully aware that with 2 large apartment buildings under construction (nearly 300 units worth) and the loss of the Worker House the face of the community will completely change. Most of the new people who will be in the neighbor hood when the construction of these new units is complete, will never know the impact that the house had on the community and on the city of Denver.
The previous house was 7-9 bed rooms (depending upon how you define what a bedroom is) and the CW community has already raised enough money to “shop” for a suitable building to re-establish in.
But it will not likely be in the gentrified 5 points community. The financial cost will be just too high so the new house will likely be somewhere else in Denver when they re-establish. Many locations are under consideration as pro's and cons are regularly deliberated. I am grateful to be a part of this community and look forward to the future for the CW movement here in Denver as we make new plans for our new future in the coming years.
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