**Evergreen Community Comes Together to Thank First Responders After High School Shooting**
EVERGREEN, Colo. — What began as an effort by a group of mothers to provide thank-you notes to first responders following the Evergreen High School shooting grew into an evening of healing for more than 100 community members on Tuesday.
On September 10, a 16-year-old Evergreen High School student opened fire, injuring two classmates before taking his own life. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, and the shooter died of his injuries that same day.
“It was a very hard day for all of us, but at the end of the day, we had hundreds of people who raced to our rescue with bravery and courage,” said Tyler Guyton, co-student body president at Evergreen High School.
**Community Gathers to Express Gratitude**
On Tuesday evening, students and residents gathered at Bergen Park Church to honor the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Evergreen Fire Rescue. The “Thank the Helpers” campaign—a group of local moms who initiated efforts to support the community after the shooting—presented the agencies with 866 thank-you notes collected during the weeks following the tragedy.
For many first responders, it was a powerful moment to hear firsthand how the incident affected the young students. Sergeant Nick Rhodes from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, who helped evacuate terrified and confused students that day, reflected on the event.
“Hearing their side of it and how they were able to find some relief as soon as they heard the sirens coming was such an amazing moment for the community members, the students and the staff, first responders to share this moment,” Rhodes said.
**Honoring All Who Helped**
The event coincided with National First Responders Day and also recognized nontraditional responders such as staff from Evergreen Library, the Wulf Recreation Center, and the volleyball team who provided shelter to students during the crisis.
“It’s a stage of grief to acknowledge the people who have helped us get through this,” Guyton said. “When any community goes through something like this, nobody can do it alone. It’s unhealthy to grieve in isolation when dealing with this type of trauma. We have to thank the people who helped us.”
**Ongoing Support and Gratitude**
First responders emphasized that their work is far from over. “This is going to be a lifelong thing that these kids and staff and community members are going to remember forever,” Rhodes said. “We will continue to be by their sides and support them in any way we can.”
Laura Kuehl, one of the organizers of the Thank the Helpers campaign, helped facilitate the note-giving event. The campaign collected an impressive 1,134 affirmations for students alongside the 866 thank-you notes for first responders. These letters arrived not only from Evergreen community members but also from across the country. Rhodes noted that the notes are now displayed at three sheriff’s office precincts.
Looking ahead, Guyton expressed a desire to acknowledge the 100 organizations that aided the community.
“We can look at September 10 as six minutes of really terrible harm,” he said, “but in the six minutes after, in the six weeks after, we can be defined by the hope and unity of our community. That’s what it means to be Evergreen strong.”
https://www.denver7.com/news/evergreen/evergreen-high-school-students-thank-first-responders-for-response-to-school-shooting