After the storm: St. Christopher's Highway sees 'big need' among travelers

ROCK SPRINGS — St. Christopher’s Highway of Sweetwater County continues to provide emergency travelers’ aid to individuals in need.

Joyce Corcoran, coordinator of St. Christopher’s Highway of Sweetwater County, spoke at the board of county commissioners meeting on Tuesday, March 7.

Corcoran said that it was important to her to speak to the commissioners about the program because it has become her “passion in life.”

According to Corcoran, the organization was formed in 2019 after citizens became aware of serious issues that occurred as people were traveling on I-80.

“We try very hard to live up to our mission, which is to help travelers in need to reach their destination,” said Corcoran. “We also, in our area, have the Travelers’ Assistance of Sweetwater County, but we’re a lot different than that program.”

Corcoran explained that while Travelers’ Assistance of Sweetwater County assists in getting stranded travelers to the next town, St. Christopher’s Highway “meets their basic needs to help them get to where they’re going.

“I can’t even begin to tell you the enormity of what we’ve been doing.”

Corcoran told the board and those in attendance that The Diocese of Wyoming Episcopal Church has funded St. Christopher’s Highway for the past three years. She also acknowledged assistance received from the board of commissioners, via Covid funds, to get the organization “through a tremendous year.”

“Right now, we’re in a real pinch,” she revealed. “We’re down to $11,000 in funding left out of our grant and we’re looking for help from wherever we can find it.”

At this time, she said, they’re doing a lot of fundraisers.

“We believe so strongly in this program,” she expressed. “We don’t blow money, but we help people get where they need to go, whether they need to go by bus or have their car repaired or whatever it takes to help them get to where they’re going.”

Corcoran mentioned that St. Christopher’s Highway of Sweetwater County spent $6,000 on people who were in the area because of road closures in January. She said that many travelers didn’t have the funds to pay for motel rooms and several have even run out of gas money.

“One of the things that we’ve learned in this program is that there are so many people on that highway who live on the edge.”

She added, “Their cars aren’t worthy. They don’t have good tires, they don’t have enough money in their jeans and it’s really a serious issue for a lot of people.”

Corcoran pointed out that they help homeless people, but only to get where they need to go.