He knows what it's like to lose a home in a fire. Now he's helping Marshall Fire victims recover.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — A western slope business owner has opened up his heart to those who have recently lost a home to the Marshal Fire. Lance Ferguson, owner of RUFF Around the Edges dog care and training, began collecting donations at his business shortly after he learned of the tragedy in Boulder County.
For Ferguson, giving back is a means of healing and paying it forward.
In 2020, two days after thanksgiving, Ferguson lost his home to a fire as well. Waking up to his daughter yelling at him through a doorway of fire, he would soon know the pain of losing everything his family owned — even their furry companion.
“This community helped me. I got to see everybody who was donating to me walk right through that door,” Ferguson said, “the pile of donations that I have here now, it was like this before for myself.”
“I lost an animal to the fire," Ferguson recalled. "She had went the wrong way and I wanted to go back and get her but certain circumstances didn’t allow that. The sheer panic of that, the loss, everything like that — that actually gave us more meaning to actually want to help out."
Losing Lexi, his pet dog, put Ferguson on a difficult path. After seeking mental health support and leaning on friends to share with, he eventually learned that he was not alone. Connecting with others is what helped Ferguson to live with his own pain.
Having already been on the receiving end of support after losing his home and pet, Ferguson worries about the amount of four-legged loved ones that are lost when wildfires rip through a community. He says that he also knows what material needs are helpful in supporting their families after the devastation.
“Clothing — and keep in mind it's winter — a towel," Ferguson said. "It's crazy because your stuff is burnt and it's crazy how just a towel means so much to you.”
In addition to warm clothing and personal hygiene products for men and women, other essentials like non-perishable food and games for children are much-appreciated, he said.
Ferguson has seen tremendous support for Marshall Fire victims so far, with bags and boxes of donations consuming areas both the inside and outside of his dog care center. Someone donated a trailer that will take the items to Boulder County.
“It's something I need to do to heal I think, to move past it,” Ferguson said of his journey to the Front Range. “I think people are going to need help beyond material.”
Numerous resources are available for people affected by the Marshal Fire. For mental health support, people can contact JFS Boulder County Crisis Counseling, which is offering up to $500 toward counseling services for Boulder County residents. Additional behavioral and shelter assistance can also be found here.
Ferguson plans to bring his donations to the Community Foundation Boulder County, which has received an overwhelming amount of donations since the fire. The organization's CEO said it has received more than $12 million in donations since the fires broke out.
Even if it means setting up tables and passing out clothing and food himself, Ferguson says he’ll make it happen no matter what.
“I want to get a near as I can to what was given to me as far as the love and support,” Ferguson said. “I want to give that to somebody else.”