Pay It 4ward: Local volunteers thanked for work during Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak fire

MORA COUNTY, N.M. – Beyond the fire and flood damage, and millions in federal assistance, a few local heroes emerged from the historic Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak fire –  those efforts aren’t going unnoticed.

KOB 4 helps Pay It 4ward to a pair who didn’t watch while their community suffered, they acted.

One article lead to one phone call that lead to one big effort for those affected by the Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak fire last year.

“They featured this about a wood distribution thing,” said Sim Cook, a Pay It 4ward nominator. “I saw this article, and so I called. After all the tragedy that happened up here it was just fantastic.”

Sim Cook volunteers on Forest Service crews all over the Sandia and Manzano mountains through Friends of the Sandia Mountains.

Cook joined forces with Greg Elbring and Toby Lovato in Mora County.  They stepped up for their community soon after the fires broke out.

“You can kind of refer to us as S.T.P., ‘Same Three People.’ Just kidding! We’re just volunteers. We’re just volunteers, we have no title,” said Elbring and Lovato in October 2022. 

KOB 4 first talked to them last fall, in the thick of their effort to get firewood to as many northern New Mexicans who lost acreage in the fires as possible.

“They worked their butts off and delivered for these people, and I mean they put a smile on every one of these people, they were so excited to receive this free fuel,” said Cook.

So, it was time to Pay It 4ward with $400.

Watch the video above for more.