Chancy J. Gatlin-Anderson
Special to Colorado Community Media
A local men’s organization, Dads of Elbert County (DoEC), has been making significant strides toward their goal of bringing positive change to the community. Aiming to replicate Dads of Douglas County, the organization’s primary goal is to help better the lives of people living in the county by providing support directly to individuals and families in need.
DoEC was founded by Clint Decker in December 2020 and currently has over 300 members, about 10% of whom are regularly active. The majority of members are between the ages of 30-50, though there are members of all ages. The organization draws members from all around Elbert County, creating a rough 50-50 split between rural and suburban men. DoEC is an inclusive group, welcoming people of any political affiliation, religion, race, etc.
Decker says DoEC is unique in that its members vary widely and come with a diverse array of skill sets. “We have a lot of blue-collar guys out here and experts in any field you could ask for,” said Decker, president of DoEC. “That’s what separates us from the Douglas County group.”
Decker, an Elizabeth local, hopes the organization can bring back the “neighbors-helping-neighbors” community feel of his childhood. “When I was a kid, you could knock on your neighbor’s door and ask for help. I want that back. I want to bring back that compassion. I want my kids to know what I knew.”
Contrary to its name, Dads of Elbert County is not comprised of exclusively dads. While many members of the group are dads, there are also many active members who do not have children. Any man, regardless of age, marital status, or if they have children or not, are welcome to join.
“We’re hoping new members of the community, people who move into town, would want to be involved,” said Bruce Hicks, one of the 13 group administrators. “It’s a way to get to know your community, to get to know people, and to help others.”
Decker and the administration team plan to apply for 501(c)(3) designation soon and hope to be an official nonprofit organization by the end of 2022. With this designation, the organization could apply for outside funding, allowing them to help more people of the Elbert County community.
DoEC has already worked on several projects that have helped members of the community. Recently, members worked together toward bringing a Kiowa resident’s property up to code, allowing them to keep their home. Combining the efforts of 15 members, a few of their wives, and some of their teen children, DoEC worked for eight hours to save the property.
Their most extensive project was helping an injured rancher in Elbert. The man in his 80s was unable to take care of his 20 head of cattle. Five members of DoEC took care of the rancher’s cows every day for seven months while he recovered.
“We’re currently working toward building a handicap ramp for a resident and to rebuild indoor stairs for handicap accessibility for another,” said Decker. “It’s in a lot of men’s nature to want to help people. We want to facilitate that to help the community. One guy may not be able to do it alone, but 10 can.”
“We are always looking for support, especially to help provide labor on a project, deliver meals on Thanksgiving, help collect clothing and goods for those in need, or just give qualified advice,” said Hicks. “We also always need people to help check IDs at events that we support, like the Summer Friday Night Market in Elizabeth. Whether someone’s schedule allows them to participate twice a month or twice a year, we’d love to have them.”
DoEC meets several times a month for projects, drinks, and breakfast. Meetings are held on the first Monday of every month at Elizabeth Brewing Company from 6-8 p.m. Their “Breakfast with the Boys” family events are held on the third Saturday of every month at Catalina’s Diner from 8:30-10:30 a.m.
If you do not want to reach out for help on a public forum, DoEC can be reached at dadsofelbertcounty@gmail.com or by phone at 720-500-3043.
