The town of Pinedale united late last month to make Christmas happen for a stranded family. It started when a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer came upon a broken-down vehicle on Highway 191 with a woman and two small children inside.
The woman explained she had just relocated to Sublette County with her boyfriend who had gotten an oilfield job with modest housing south of Pinedale, but it was only one room with no cell service or internet. Furthermore, she had exhausted all her funds to have her vehicle repaired on the way to Wyoming – and now it was broken down again.
As the trooper drove the mother and the two kids with their groceries back to the hotel, the mother voiced concerns that she didn’t know how she was going to get her truck fixed to get the kids back home to Washington for a real Christmas.
The following morning the Wyoming Highway Patrol Association rallied to make this family the Division’s adopted family for the holiday season, providing funds to help them out during the holiday season. Additionally, Sublette County Deputies, local businesses, and private citizens joined in to assist in helping this family in their time of need. 307 Auto Repair’s owner agreed to make the needed repairs to the truck, donating the majority of his time.
Rebel Auto Parts donated the majority of the parts needed for the repair, and contributed to getting the two children Christmas gifts. The Jackalope Hotel allowed the family to come stay in town for a week at their hotel for a reduced rate.
High Mountain Real Estate and Arrived Vacation Home Care agreed to cover the hotel expense and also assisted in providing gifts for the family. Rider Property Management got the whole family Christmas presents and provided them with a fridge, microwave, and other amenities while they stayed in town.
Numerous local families, Sublette County Sheriff’s Office staff and their families coordinated to help wrap presents, get a tree, and provide meals and monetary assistance to get the family back on their feet through the holiday season. The woman exclaimed she had never experienced that kind of generosity from a community.
