Volunteers from Team Rubicon step in to help San Juan County clean up

SAN JUAN COUNTY, N.M. – Team Rubicon volunteers have spent weeks clearing flood-damaged homes in San Juan County, including houses with one to two feet of mud.

Volunteers are working out of a base at McGee Park as they organize people and resources for cleanup.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led disaster response organization. Volunteers travel to communities in need and take on recovery work after disasters.

“We have been here for two weeks. As of tomorrow, we anticipate being here another two weeks,” Team Rubicon Incident Commander Debbie Littrell said. “We are going into the houses that we can that have one to two feet of mud in them, and trying to get that mud out.”

Littrell said the cleanup is an important first step for families as they move closer to rebuilding.

“One of our people were out yesterday, and the lady finally started crying,” Littrell said. “But what she said was, ‘This is the first time I’ve cried since this happened because you showed up.'”

Volunteers say moments like that make the long cleanup days worth it.

Volunteer Matthew Luceadams and his wife came from Los Alamos. The couple had planned to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in the Four Corners, but they chose to volunteer with Team Rubicon instead.

“I don’t think I could have thought of a better way to experience 10 years with my wife, than coming and helping others,” Matthew Luceadams said.

Luceadams said he has felt encouraged by how the community has come together and believes San Juan County will recover.

“And this place will not only endure but thrive in the years to come,” Luceadams said. “That’s how I wish to think about this, and I’m happy to have done our part in helping such a wonderful people.”

Luceadams said he is grateful he and his wife could play a small part in the recovery.

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