Community collaborating to support Greater Winters area residents

“We are strongest when we unite in times like this,” said Sartin. “Every time there has been a hardship locally, we have seen our town step up. This time is no different.”

Hapworth-Eldridge said what started out as a small effort to help families in the rural community in need turned into a bigger effort when they joined up with the Rotary Club of Winters.

With the help of Rotarians volunteers the school house yard quickly filled with donated items, including a donation from the Yolo Food Bank of toiletries, cleaning supplies, diapers and other non-essentials.

Although overwhelmed with items, they are still collecting totes and luggage donations so families can carryout their findings. To donate totes or luggage contact them at wintersparentnurseryschool@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wintersparentnurseryschool.

Families and individuals in need can contact WPNS at the above to set up a shopping time to pick out clothes and other items currently at their school house.

The Winters Rotary is leading the financial side of the local efforts.

Councilmember Jesse Loren is part of the leadership team working with Jessica Hubbard, Executive Director at Yolo Community Foundation. The two were tasked with researching the size of the need from those with Winters addresses and to determine an estimate of how many are from Yolo County and how many are from Solano County so that an appropriate sized response can be mounted.  While the majority of loss is in Solano County, Loren said The Greater Winters Fire Relief Fund will focus on those who are from Greater Winters.

“As leaders who have worked with other fire emergencies such as the Camp Fire, we realize this is more of a marathon than a sprint,” Loren said. “It would help if organizations and other local leaders shared the information with their networks.”

In addition to WPNS’s collaboration with Yolo Food Bank, there are many other local businesses working to help provide support.

The Farmer’s Closet is collecting gently used items and assisting in the relief effort. The Buckhorn is providing limited menu items for Greater Winters people who have been impacted by the fire and are posting daily updates on the Winters community Facebook groups.

“This is who we are, a community that comes together to help others. I couldn’t be more proud of my town or Winters Fire Department,” Loren said.

Mayor Wade Cowan said now that the president has signed a “Major disaster declaration“ for California more doors have been opened for those effected.

“Our Winters neighbors who live in Solano County will want connect with the LAC (Local Assistance Center) in Solano, it will have all the federal, state, and local agencies as well as insurance companies all in one place,” Cowan said. “We are anticipating that this may be done virtually do to COVID. The city will push all of this info as soon as we get it.”

The Winters Post Office is also working to assist those who live in the areas impacted by the fires and road closures.

Residents who have lost their homes or who have questions should call the Winters Post Office at 530-795-3958. They can arrange to have their mail held for now or to forward to a different address for the time being.

Loren said Winters is, and has always been a hub for unincorporated Winters.

“Our City boundaries to the West and South are Dry Creek and Putah Creek, but that boundary doesn’t reflect who we are as a community. Winters borders are fuzzy borders,” she said. “For example, Winters City residents pay school bond fees for Solano Community College as we are in the Solano Community College District, but city residents don’t reside in Solano County.”

The Winters Joint Unified School District service area reaches far into Yolo and Solano County to serve unincorporated Winters residents living there. Loren said Greater Winters families can live in either county.

“Pleasants Valley Road,  Putah Creek Road, Digger Pine, Canal, Positas, Central Lane, they might be 10 minutes from downtown, or in Solano County, but still have a Winters address and zip code,” Loren said. “These residents support our businesses, work in our stores, teach in our schools and are part of our community. The LNU Complex Fire destroyed many of the homes of the outer Winters community and has displaced families that contribute and benefit from the wellbeing of Winters.”

Cowan said thankfully there weren’t any property losses within the city limits, but unfortunately many of our friends, family, and neighbors living out in Yolo and Solano counties that have Winters addresses have suffered devastating losses.

“They have always been considered part of Winters and we will do all we can to support them. We must also include the Frazier family, long time Winters residents, who have suffered the loss of Markley Cove up at Lake Berryessa,” Cowan said. “Even though Markley is located In Napa County they have always been a major economic driver for Winters, and we want to do all we can to help them get back up and running as soon as possible.”

The Express is working on a listing of active GoFundMe accounts created to support residents living in the unincorporated Winters areas. The plan is to post the link to the Express Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WintersExpress.

While there is debate regarding how far out the boundaries are to be considered “living in Winters,” Loren says they all do.

“The Greater Winters Fire Relief Fund was created to serve those families. These families have always been a vibrant part of our community – going to our schools, shopping  and dining in our community and volunteering with our local agencies and groups. Their losses are also our losses,” Loren said.