Operation Fresh Start breaks ground on home for local veteran before winter sets in – donations still welcome to complete project

Some stories do not begin with sirens or speeches. They start with a simple act – and a decision not to look the other way.

This one began the way a lot of things do out here in the Wet Mountain Valley: with a neighbor lending a hand. When Warren Gold, a veteran and the founder of Valor Develop­ment, visited a rural property to help fix a cistern, he found more than a plumbing problem.

He found two elderly neighbors, a veteran and his wife, quietly enduring conditions no one should face, especially not in Colorado’s high country. No proper insulation. No safe heat source. No real protection against the long winter that’s coming.

What came next wasn’t a press release. It was a promise. Warren didn’t walk away. He offered to build them a real home. Free of charge. Not someday. Not eventually. Now.

That offer became the spark behind Operation Fresh Start – a local effort to build a safe, permanent home before the snow flies.

The Progress So Far

And here’s the thing: it’s not just a plan. It’s happening.

Over the past few weeks, Valor and a growing crew of volunteers, donors, and local businesses have quietly turned a patch of land into an active build site. Dirt’s been moved. Trenches have been cut. Materials have arrived. Founda­tions are in the works.

Here’s where the work stands: Excavation is complete, building site is leveled and prepped, septic and electrical trenching underway, and the concrete foundation will be done this month.

This isn’t talk. It’s action – the kind that hums beneath the noise, powered by everyday people doing what needs doing. “This isn’t about charity,” Gold said. “It’s about doing what’s right – because we can.” That’s the spirit guid­ing this entire effort.

(If you want to help donate to this ongoing project, click here and help a veteran before winter)

The Builders Behind the Build

Custer County doesn’t wait for nature to tear you down. It rolls up its sleeves, gets its hands dirty, and prepares.

That’s what we’re seeing now – neighbors showing up with shovels, skid steers, and skill. This isn’t a weekend project or a photo op. This is a real build, backed by real businesses that believe in doing right by the people in their community.

Here are just some of the local sponsors who’ve stepped up:

Business Sponsors:

• Valor Development (lead builder)

• CM2 Construction

• Beach Redi-Mix Concrete

• Valley Electric

• Colorado Forestry & Earthworks

• Westcliffe Concrete

• Blue Knight Gutters

• Golden Pheasant Plumbing

• Valley Truss

• Christopher Contracting

• Custer County Veterans Service Office

That’s framing, finish work, concrete, excavation, gut­ters, plumbing, hardware, and more – everything needed to build a home from the ground up. And they’re doing it not for profit, but for purpose.

The Valley Steps Up

The GoFundMe campaign launched quietly – no big splash, just word-of-mouth, some shared posts, and a com­munity tuned in to the work at hand.

And still, over $6,700 has come in – mostly from small donations. That’s the magic of our tight-knit Valley: it doesn’t take one big check, just a bunch of folks giving what they can. They’re ranchers, retirees, electricians, artists, and neighbors – all giving because they believe in what’s being built.

The Clock is Ticking

We all know how quickly fall turns to winter up here. And if you’ve ever tried to pour concrete in December, you know why timing matters. This couple — who have asked to remain unnamed – have lived through more winters than most of us. They’ve served their country and asked little in return. And this Valley is determined to give them some­thing better. The goal is to get them under roof before the snow flies. And every day counts.

How You Can Help

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to step in – this is it. You don’t have to swing a hammer to be part of Operation Fresh Start. Here’s how you can still help: Donate online, share the story with your circle of friends, volunteer a few hours, offer spare materials or tools, sponsor a fuel card or lunch run, ask your business, church, or club to get involved. Want to volunteer? Contact Valor Development directly. They do still need some windows! Even a small gesture – a shared link, a like, a case of bottled water – matters out here. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/secure-shelter-for-elderly-veteran-and-wife. To donate time or supplies email Warren Gold at warren@coforearth.com.

From the Streets of Custer County

When I first wrote about this, I said the story wasn’t really about the couple. It was about us. Still is.

We don’t need plaques or politics to remind us who we are. We just need each other. And right now, there’s a house rising out of the dirt in Custer County. Folks who live here already know what kind of place this is. But if you’re just getting to know Custer County – this is it.

– KC Stark, Tribune’s “Man on the Street”