KNEE DEEP Documentary Will Use the Story of The Mudslingers, a Grassroots Disaster Relief Organization That Sprung up in the Wake of Colorado’s Catastrophic 2013 Floods
Boulder, CO (PRWEB) July 15, 2014 -- In September of 2013 catastrophic flooding struck Colorado’s Front Range. President Obama declared a state of emergency and released the National Guard and FEMA. Entire communities were cut off when raging waters swept away mountain roads, and over 19,000 homes were damaged.
Before the rain stopped a small group of friends in Boulder went out and started shoveling. Inspired by the action, Aly Nicklas, director of Knee Deep and owner of Boulder-based production company Just Rite Media, started a Facebook page meant to
connect those who needed help with those who wanted to give it. It took off. Almost overnight, this group of friends was running a large scale disaster response effort that pulled in strangers and friends alike, despite very little collective experience in either disaster relief or volunteer organization. It was a crash course in disaster response and community rallying.
The Mudslingers became the subject of many news stories, including NBC's Nightly News and the Today Show. At its peak, the group was comprised of hundreds of volunteers. They helped upwards of 400 homes in Boulder County. Digging a community out of natural disaster isn't the easiest work, but for many of those who picked up phones or shovels to take part in this effort reported it was one of the most rewarding experiences of their life.
Knee Deep will look at individual tipping points for taking action and address the impact of doing so, on both the volunteer and the beneficiary of the work. “My goal with Knee Deep is to share this story in a way that empowers individuals and communities to take action when it’s needed, and get more involved,” says Nicklas. “Knee Deep isn’t so much about the Mudslingers as it is about something that’s universally relatable: the power of choosing to give your time to help your neighbor.”
To help support the production of Knee Deep and share this story of action and community, individuals can donate to the Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/1lPW3JF.
Pledges will be accepted thru 10am MDT, Friday, July 25th.
Aly Nicklas, Knee Deep, http://kck.st/1lPW3JF, 541.601.8090, [email protected]
Share this article